How do we know if we really know God?

In 1 John 4:8 (NKJV) it says, "He who does not love does not know God, for God is love."  So our Heavenly Father is sharing with us via the Holy Spirit, the spirit of truth, that if we do not exhibit love in our life toward God and our fellow man, that there is something missing in our relationship with God.  In order to have this love, we first have to receive this manifested love toward us in the Heavenly Father's sending of his Son (Jesus Christ) to redeem us from sin.  Once we have received the Lord Jesus into our heart and allowed his word to transform us, then it is only natural that we would walk in the knowledge of God by exhibiting this love toward God and our fellow man.  (1 John 4:8-11)

Do we have a trusting relationship with the Lord?

As God's children it is always imperative that we have a trusting relationship with our Heavenly Father.  If we trust him we believe that our God is a God of integrity.  That he will do that which he says that he will do.  That he will keep the promises that he has given to us.  That he will be faithful to us.  If we trust God, then we will  believe that our Heavenly Father is competent or is able to do that which he says he will do.  In a trusting relationship, there is always compassion.  We will acknowledge the compassion of our God to us.  We will be assured of our Heavenly Father's compassion in our life. (Proverbs 3:5:6)

We have proof of our fellowship with God

Someone can ask you what proof do you have of your relationship with God?  As a child of God, you can say that you have proof of your fellowship with God because of the Holy Spirit that has been spread abroad in your heart.  From the Holy Spirit's existence in your spirit, you have the love of God residing on the inside of you.  With the presence of love on the inside of you, there isn't anything that you can't accomplish in your life.  This love of God enables everything to function in your life better.  It is the force that provides you with the capacity to share love with others in a more meaningful and significant way.

We get to give

It is amazing to me how the truths of God can be so evident in little children. I was recently in the midst of a young boy who wanted to give an offering into God's work. All he had was two pebbles. He shared those pebbles with me and they meant so much. I know that the Lord will recognize this child's gift or donation into the ministry. I know the Lord will bless the heart of this child who wanted to sow something into the ministry of the Lord. It should be the same with us. We should always have an open hand to the Lord when it comes to our finances. The Lord does not need our money but we most certainly need the reward that comes from a thankful, cheerful ready to do it giver. It says in Luke 6:38 (NLT) "38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back" To sow a gift into our ministry, simply click http://www.arms.cc/giving.html

Should marriage be defined only between a man and a women?

To learn about if marriage should be defined as only between a man and a women, click the link below:
Should marriage be defined only between a man and a women?

Do we do the good that we know to do?

In Hebrews 12:1 (ERV) it says, "We have all these great people around us as examples. Their lives tell us what faith means. So we, too, should run the race that is before us and never quit. We should remove from our lives anything that would slow us down and the sin that so often makes us fall."  We have negativity all around us every day.  Unfortunately, we live in a negative world.  We as God children want to be individuals that are positive and focus on the positive.  We want to focus our energies on things that build up and not tear down.  We want to put our energies into doing the good that we know God wants us to do.  If we will focus on doing the good that we know to do, then we will experience more of God's blessing in our life.  By focusing on and doing the good we know to do there won't be anything to stop the blessing of God at work in our life.

The anointing of God removes burdens and destroys yokes

Our Heavenly Father provides for us a wonderful way for us to combat that which afflicts us today.  It is called the anointing of the Holy Spirit.  The anointing of God will help to take off of us that which constrains us or burdens us or hinders us in our walk with our Heavenly Father.  One of the keys to activating this anointing is to walk in faithfulness with God.  People that are faithful are loyal.  They are people who are true, constant and consistent.  They are children of God who are steadfast and staunch in their devotion.  They are people who are fully devoted and full of faith.  Let us walk in faithfulness so that we can experience the burden removing and yoke destroying power of God in our life.  Because the anointing of God does not work where there is unfaithfulness and sinfulness. (Isaiah 10:27)

Are you eating from the table?

Our Heavenly Father prepares a table for us every Worship Service.  Every time the anointing of the Lord is present for us a table is prepared for us to eat off of.  This table that the Lord prepares for us is an answer to our prayers.  It is the source of our sustenance.  It is the spiritual food that we are to eat that will provide for us full provision.  The question is do we eat?  Do we open our hearts, receive, believe, become fully persuaded of and fully convinced of that which our Heavenly Father shares with us.  That which the Lord gives us to eat spiritually is what we need for our provision and success. (Psalm 23:5)

What kind of enemies are you facing?

In Ezekiel 28:24 (CEV) it says, "²⁴ When that happens, the people of Israel will no longer have cruel neighbors that abuse them and make them feel as though they are in a field of thorns and briers. And the Israelites will know that I, the Lord God, have done these things." During this time the Israelites had neighbors all around them that hated them and wanted them to fail and not succeed. They were a thorn in their side. What type of thorns or enemies do we face today? Business failure, famine, infertility, no raises on our jobs, lack of promotion opportunities on our jobs, failure in life, confusion, all manner of diseases and all manner of hardships. There are many thorns or enemies that we can face in our time. But our God wants us to know that his Grace is sufficient to attack and over- come any of these enemies. With God's grace we can overcome any obstacle in our life.

Blessed Father's Day!

How to Be a Great Dad
Have a heart designed to show more love than many others will,
Add the thoughtful understanding that becomes a special skill.
Build in patience, perseverance, lots of work and sacrifice
And the wisdom that a person needs to hand out good advice...
Include those special touches that bring smiles and laughter, too,
And you'll have the kind of father who's as wonderful as you!
Blessed Father's Day!   www.arms.cc

God's grace is always sufficient

It says in 2 Corinthians 9:8 (NKJV) "And God is able to make all grace abound toward  you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work."  Our Heavenly Father's grace will minister to us all that we have need of.  It will minister to us the harvest that we have need of so that we can sow seed into others.  So that we can be a vessel of God and be a blessing to those around us.  Our Heavenly Father will provide for us the resources so that we can do the good works that he wants us to do.  He is the supplier of the seed sown and also the multiplier of the seed that we sow.  So that we will experience a bountiful harvest and have plenty of seed.

Do we draw in God's goodness into our life?

It says in Psalm 27:13 (NLT) "¹³ Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living." It says in Galatians 5:22 (NLT) "²² But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: ...goodness..." The Holy Spirit is a spiritual force that can release more of God's goodness in our lives. Do we release our faith for the goodness of God in our lives? If we will, we will start to see more of the Lord's goodness at work in our life. When God's goodness is in our life we are experiencing the kindness of God; we are experiencing his generosity to us. Our Heavenly Father wants to give us that which is most beneficial to us. He wants us to provide for us that which is over and above. He wants us to experience a substantial and bountiful life while we are here on this earth. All we have to do is release our faith for it.

Are you positioned for greater responsibility?

We all want to increase in life.  We want to take on greater responsibilities and achieve more in life.  But the question is are we ready?  How do we know if we are ready?  We only have to look no further then at our own behavior.  It says in Luke 16:10 (NLT) "10 “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones...."  It says in Luke 16:10 (NIV) "10 “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much..."  So there we have it in the Lord Jesus own words,  The question that we need to ask ourselves in determining our preparation for the next level is are we faithful in the things that we have currently been given responsibility over?  Can we be trusted in the small or minor affairs that have been given to us?  If the person is not faithful in a dating relationship, it is almost certain they will not be faithful in a marriage.  If a person is not faithful in the interview and probationary period of their employment, this is almost certainly to play our in their continued employment.  This is also true with the things of God.

Don't become discouraged

When we have obstacles and challenges in life it is easy to start to focus more on the challenges then we are focusing on our God or the solution.  It is exactly at times like this that we can become discouraged.  There is a danger when discouragement finds a place in our heart.  Because it potentially positions us to go back to harmful and inappropriate behavior that we have changed from.  Simply because we have become discouraged.  But discouragement has to yield to the joy of the Lord.  Be assured that if we will not give up and continue to press into what God has called us, the joy of the Lord will sustain us and the Lord will grant us success.

Are you trying to fulfill your dream, vision and goals?

As we strive to fulfill our dream, vision and goals for our life, there will be obstacles, challenges and hindrances that will come up.  In other words, there will be opportunities to become discouraged.  Discouragement is when we begin to loose our confidence, hope and become dispirited.  But we as God's children want to remain faithful to what God has laid into our heart.  We don't want to let anything deter us from fulfilling the vision God has given us.  As God's children we want to access the strength that God has for us so that we can fulfill that which he is directing us in.  This strength is found in the joy of the Lord.  The joy of the Lord is what provides us the strength to carry on and endure.  It provides us the strength to keep keeping on despite that which comes against us. (Nehemiah 8:10)

Are we a gift giver?

In Acts 10:1-8 we read about a certain military man in the bible.  His name is Cornelius a Roman soldier who was a Captain of the Italian regiment.  He was a devout man who regularly prayed to God.   This soldier, and his family, were the first people to receive the message of Christ after his resurrection.  The one thing that stood out to me about this devout man is that he was a regular gift giver.  He gave gifts to the poor.  Are we a regular gift giver?  Do we regularly give gifts of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control?  I want to assure you that your family, friends, neighbors and co-workers will so appreciate those who extend gifts to them like this.  Remember, what we give we position ourselves to receive.