Blessed and Prosperous

3 John 2

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest

prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

At the beginning of a new year we often receive greetings from friends wishing us a happy new year or a blessed and prosperous new year. The greeting is encouraging but usually doesn’t come with instructions on how to be blessed and prosperous. In 3 John 2, God expresses to us His desire for the kind of life we should live and He also gives us a key on how to live it. Notice verse 3: For I rejoiced greatly when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.

He said that we need the truth in us and then we need to walk in the truth.

The beginning of a new year is a good time to examine our commitment to the truth of God’s Word, but we also need to do it on a continual basis. As we do, I hope we will realize that the Bible is not just a “you ought to do it” book, but it is mostly a “how to do it” book. The Bible is your instruction book for how to get to heaven and also how to live a blessed and prosperous life here on earth.

The word “bible” literally means, a book. It can also form an acronym for Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth, which is a good description. I believe we should all strengthen our commitment to time in God’s Word. The result will be life lived at a new level of blessing, prosperity, and health.

In addition to personal Bible study, take advantage of the opportunities offered by your church to learn Bible truth and how to walk in it. Attend evening services and Sunday School. If you are not in a church where the truth of God’s Word is taught, find one.  Consider enrolling in a systematic course of study such as Life Christian University. http://www.lcus.edu

We can look to the future with excitement as we continue to seek God’s truth and walk in it.  Be Blessed!

Destined to Win!

Jesus was Destined to Win from the beginning. Because he knew whose he was, he knew where he came from, and he knew where he was going. His ultimate destiny was unique and single; no one else could fill his shoes. It would not be glamorous, but it would be Glorious. It would not be popular but it would be Powerful. It would lead him to death, but would raise him to Life!

John 15:9-17…Jesus chose us to be on his team(verse 16)

John 5: 16-23..Jesus does nothing apart from his Father.

Matt 3:17…God confirms his Word to us.

Matt 11:27…Jesus knows his destiny, and Jesus is the only one who knows your destiny, besides the Father.

(If we want to win in this life this is the first question we all must ask ourselves.)

Which team are we on?

Winning Team = (Saints) The winning team is the team where Jesus is the head coach and he is calling the plays. God the father is owner of the team. And he wants us to enjoy the rewards that come with winning.

Rom 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Losing team = (Sinners) the losing team is the team where satan is the head coach, and he decided he does not need an owner or an overseer. He wants to have all the glory to himself.

Isa 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

Isa 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

Characteristics of the devil

John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Psalm 14:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, and there is none that doeth good.

Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Characteristics of Jesus

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. ( no one wins in life without Jesus )! When Jesus said I am the way the truth and the life, life in the Greek there is Zoë (meaning the life of God).

Rev 22:13-14 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. 14 Blessed are they that do his commandments that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

What is our goal (destination)?

Our goal in life as a Christian/or as a  (Church) should be the same as our head coach Jesus Christ. To be one with the Father as it was in the beginning. He intended for us to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth.

John 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

Isa 43:7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.

This Glory here that Isaiah was speaking about in the Hebrew (Kabod ) means splendor, honor, glorious. Jesus wants to take us from Glory to Glory, or from victory to victory. God wants us to take his Glory his splendor and go fill the earth with it. This is our main goal in life.

But we will fulfill this one-day at a time, one promise at a time, one person at a time. Every promise of God we find in the Bible is ours to receive, which Jesus has purchased for us. We must receive it by faith and then take it to the field of life. The goal is to get these truths these promises that Jesus taught working in our own life. Then ultimately we take them to the world (the end zone).

And the goal or purpose of the devil and his losing team is to stop us.

What is our game plan?

(John 2:5 Jesus’ mother then told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.)” Jesus is head coach over the Church.

The head coach of a football team did not just one day decide I want to be a coach. No if I was the owner of a football team in search for a head coach. Here are some qualities I would be looking for.

1)    Character… (On and off the field) Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever.

2)   Ability ……………(Matt 28:18) all power and authority has been given to me in heaven and in earth.

3)   Patience……….(John 2:15) And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables

4)   Achievements. Birth, Life and teachings, Miracles and healings, Death and resurrection for Eternal life with the Father. His final achievement his second coming, the new heaven and the new earth. Paradise restored.

Every winning team has to have a proven leader to lead them to victory. Jesus has that track record and we must submit to his instructions to win each game. He is seated at the right hand of the father, forever interceding for us. He knows the defense of the opposing team. And he knows what play will work each time to get us closer to the goal.

If Jesus is Lord and Savior of your life your are Destined to Win, and you are on a winning team. That does not mean the game will be easy, but if we stick to the game plan which is the Word of God. We will rule and reign in this life with Christ.

I declare:

I was born of God for a specific purpose.

His Holy Spirit will reveal that purpose to me as I seek him.

He will develop the goals and plans, which will become my destiny.

I will embrace all the changes necessary to achieve those goals and fulfill those plans.

And if my purpose is to assist another’s vision, I will joyfully do as a bold, God empowered helper, for I realize the reward is the same for all who are humbly obedient.

I have a purpose!

It is my destiny!

I will achieve it!

Say Yes 2 Jesus today!

Self-denial is embraced by much of Christianity today. Historically, self-denial has always been a big part of false religion. Most religions of the world teach an abasement of self, but they do it as penitence in order to obtain salvation. This is not the denying of self that the Bible advocates.

True self-denial as the scriptures promote is not self hatred or masochism, but rather an enthroning of Christ above self. We have a new identity in Christ that replaces the old self. We don’t deny self in order to obtain salvation, but it is a love response to what Christ has already done for us. He gave His all for us and we willingly give our all back to Him.

Denying self in an attempt to earn salvation is most always motivated by guilt and characterized by rigid rules as Paul describes here. True Christianity, on the other hand, is not the observance of rituals, but a relationship that produces holiness as a fruit and not the root of salvation.

Holiness doesn’t come from the outside and work its way inside. When we are born again we become righteous, and we work that holiness out into our physical lives.

Trying to destroy the power of self through harsh laws actually arouses and strengthens sin. Christians must not let life become a set of rules, but rather a response to a loving relationship with Jesus Christ.

Written by: Andrew Wommack

1 Corinthians 13:8

Fear of failure. It’s haunted all of us at some time in our lives. Popular psychology tells us to adjust to it. But the Word of God tells us that there is a failure-proof way to live without it. It is the way of LOVE.

If you want to know real success, you must learn to be moved and motivated by love. That’s how Jesus was when He was on the earth.

Even when John the Baptist was senselessly, brutally murdered and Jesus went away to be alone, He didn’t deviate from the way of love. For Matthew 14:6-14 says that even then in that emotionally taxing time when the people followed Him and would give Him no solitude, He was moved with compassion and healed their sick.

I used to wonder how Jesus could just turn away from that terrible crime and not retaliate. What I didn’t realize was that He did retaliate. He overcame the works of Satan with compassion. He defeated hatred with love. He attacked Satan in the spirit realm by destroying his works of sickness and disease.

Compassion doesn’t strike at the surface of things. It goes to the root of the problem. That’s why it always succeeds.

“But wait!” you may say. “I can’t operate like that. I’m not Jesus.”

Yes you can, because the Word of God says that His love has been shed abroad in your heart! (Rom. 5:5). And 1 John 2:5 says His love is perfected in you as you keep His Word.

Commit to living the life of love today. Watch God turn failure into success at home, at work…in any situation. LOVE NEVER FAILS!

Scripture Reading: Matthew 14:1-14

Written by: Kenneth Copeland

The serpent didn’t come to Eve in the garden threatening to bite her if she didn’t eat of the forbidden fruit. Instead, he came with deception, presenting himself as being concerned for her welfare. Satan’s greatest weapon is deceit.

Just as a football player, a boxer, or military man’s success depends partly on how well he knows his opponent(s), so believers must not be ignorant of Satan’s devices. Jesus stripped Satan of all his authority (Mt. 28:18). The power that Satan uses against us now, is deception. Those who ascribe other powers to him have already fallen prey to one of his lies. The devil deceives us and uses our own power and authority against us. The thing that makes deception so deadly is that those who are deceived don’t know it. Once they realize they are deceived, they aren’t deceived any more.

The best defense against the devil is to be so God-centered that you give no place to Satan. People who are very sensitive to the devil’s presence usually are so at the expense of being sensitive to the Lord’s presence. David said, “If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there” (Ps. 139:8). Anytime Satan’s oppression is present, God’s presence is there too (Heb. 13:5). It’s just a matter of where our focus is. Focusing on the devil is a trick of the devil. Choose to focus on God.

Written by: Andrew Wommack