Think Big

There can exist no true greater thinking than that which proceeds from the “mind of Christ.”

Text for Today – Philippians 2:5 – Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

One of the biggest problems I see in 21^st century Christians is that we just think way too small.  In fact, there are some Christians I encounter and wonder if they think at all.  Certainly, from the lifestyle they lead, the choices they make, and the smallness of life for which they settle, their thinking is, at its greatest, diminutive. 

Look at our Text for Today.  Whose mind are we to allow to be in us? The mind that that was in “Christ Jesus.”  Another way of saying that is that we should have the same mind in us that was in our “Anointed Savior.”  And what kind of mind did Jesus possess?  In His thinking, nothing is impossible.  As He thought on it, those who believed in Him could do all He did, and even greater things than He did in this earth.  According to the reasoning of our Lord, you could live in this earth, having what you say if you just believe it in your heart.  Now that was really radical thinking during the days of His earthly walk.  Sadly, it appears to be even more radical today.  I find it disturbing to find that unbelievers around the world, and especially Christians in third world nations who do not enjoy the wonderful blessings we have in America, hear, receive, and believe such a message much more quickly and more easily than do American believers.

We have become so mindful of SELF, the ability of SELF, the education of SELF, the skills of SELF, the sufficiency of SELF, and the indulgence of SELF, that the Holy Trinity has been pushed aside to become iconoclasts rather than the living, vital, absolutely powerful and truthful GOD the Father, GOD the Son, and GOD the Holy Ghost.  In short, too many members of the church today just think too small.  GET OVER IT!  There is nothing small about the thinking and mind that was in Christ Jesus.

He is able to do “exceeding abundantly above all you can ask or think, according to the power that is at work in you.”  Now, as Shakespeare would say, “There’s the rub.”  What is in us in abundance is the wisdom and images the world offers us, and not the wisdom and Godly vision that comes from investing quality time in the Word of God.  If your thinking is small, you’re believing the wrong influences.  Repeating an earlier phrase, GET OVER IT!   Turn to the Word of God, fill your heart, mind, and mouth with the Word, believe the Word, speak the Word, meditate upon the Word, and obey the Word.  The Word always works, and the Word of God will expand your mind.   So go ahead; THINK BIG!

Manna for Today – Ephesians 3:20; Philippians 4:4-9; Romans 12:1-3; Luke 1:37; John 14:12-14;    John 15:7; Mark 11:22-24

What?

No matter WHAT your question, Jesus has the answer.

Text for Today – 1 Corinthians 6:19 – What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

WHAT?  Now here is a question that merits an answer.  And every time it is legitimately asked, the Lord has the answer for you.  Here in Corinthians, Paul is asking this question almost as an exclamatory statement.  Look at the question he verbalizes after the exclamatory “WHAT?”  It is referring to the body being the temple of Holy Spirit.  As a child of God, you are owned, spirit, soul, and body by the Lord, and as His prized possession, it is His desire that He be able to take up residence inside you as His temple.  And He has chosen to do so in the person of Holy Ghost.  What an honor He has bestowed upon us!

But once again, please note that the question has to do with the body.  He knows WHAT you need before you ask Him.  In Matthew, that refers to the things you need to maintain life in your body on this earth.  Read the sixth chapter of Matthew, and you’ll see he is referring to food, clothes, and shelter; the natural things one needs in order to live well.

When blind Bartimaeus came to Jesus, Jesus asked, “WHAT would you that I should do for you?”  Once again, note the question; WHAT?  How often in His earthly ministry do you suppose Jesus asked that question of those He encountered, either by crossing their path or having them come to Him? 

Many times others came to Jesus with the same question; WHAT?  One form in which that question came is, “WHAT must I do to have eternal life?”  Regardless of how the question came, Jesus always had the answer the seeker needed.  Whether the question was one of singularly spiritual significance, or one of meeting a specific need, Jesus always had the answer, and the answer always tended to a rich and blessed life in this present life, not just the world to come.

So, WHAT do you need today?  Healing, provision, deliverance, or if you’re reading this and you’re not saved, salvation?  It makes no difference WHAT you need, Jesus has the answer. In fact, Jesus IS the answer.  He wants to take care of you, every need you have, every question you have, and every situation you face.  So, no matter WHAT it is, ask Him.  He knows WHAT you need, WHAT to say, and WHAT to do.

Manna for Today – 1 Corinthians 6; 2 Corinthians 6; Mark 10:46-52; Matthew 6:8

All He MUST, and MORE

“Oh, how He loves you and me!  He gave His life; what more could He do?”  Make that your song today.

Text for Today – Ephesians 3:20 – Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

Here are a few questions that I trust will provoke you to thought.  What more must God do in order to save anyone?  What more must God do in order to heal anyone?  What more must God do in order to deliver anyone?  What more must God do in order to provide for anyone’s needs?

Well, of course, the answer is, “Nothing.”  He has already done all He must do in order for any of those blessings to exist in any person’s life.  In Genesis we are told that when God had ended His work, He sat down.  In the Gospels, we read the words of our Lord stating, “It is finished.”  Three days later, we see Him as risen Lord, conquering King, and within a few days, seated on the right hand of the Father.  God had completed His work, placing all authority in the hands of the Son, and the Son had completed His work for this age, and placed all His power into the hands of the church through His Word and His Name.

Yet, because of His great love for us, He does yet more.  I had been battling some rather severe pain in my left foot for several weeks.  I knew it had arisen from an injury I sustained in a workout.  I had gone to the Word, made my stand in faith on the Lord’s provision of my redemption from the curse of the law, and was holding fast to my profession of faith.  In my heart, I knew that healing belonged to me already, and though I had not fully received the manifestation of that healing, I was holding fast to my profession of faith, without wavering, with full expectation.  And during that time, I was continuing to work out, doing my very best to put works (corresponding action) to my faith.

Then one evening, as I sat in my bed, reading, meditating, and writing, I felt and heard a loud pop in my foot and ankle.  It was so strong that it startled me.  Within seconds, I realized that it was no longer painful to move my foot.  I was pain free, and could walk and jump on it easily and painlessly.  I knew the Lord had done something special for me.  Although He had already done all He MUST to provide for my redemption, suddenly, He did even more.  It’s called a gift of healing; supernatural and immediate healing that goes beyond one’s holding fast to his profession of faith.  I perceived the Lord speaking to my heart.  He said, “Long ago I did what I must.  Now you have done what you must, and in so doing, freed Me to do even more; all because I love you.”  He loves you with that same love.  Enjoy it today!

Manna for Today – 1 Corinthians 12; John 3:16-17; Galatians 3:13-29

Commercials

What is the most advertised thing in your life?  What is your favorite commercial?

Text for Today – Proverbs 4:23 – Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Are there television commercials you have seen that really stuck in your mind?  Why does that happen?  It’s not just because they’re interesting, or even memorable.  It is because of the seemingly endless repetition.  American’s minds are bombarded with television images that have impacted generations.  Phrases from movies have become internationally known.  And once again, it is the constant repetition of such phrases that keep them in our minds.

It is the constant repetition of certain words and images that in the marketplace build brand recognition, and ultimately bring great pressure to bear that causes one brand to win out over it competitors.  This is a fact of marketing and advertising on which the world has learned to capitalize to the point of incredible wealth for many people.

So what brand is winning in your life?  I can tell you without hearing your answer.  It is the brand to which you give the vast majority of your personal “air time.”  Think of this; faith and fear are spiritual opposites.  Both come by hearing; faith by hearing the Word of God, and fear by hearing words of doubt and unbelief.  That which you hear the most, and that upon which you meditate the most will be the think you have in your spirit.  For instance, Job was constantly offering sacrifices for his children out of fear, NOT faith.  And what was it that came upon him?  The thing he feared the most.

Today I challenge you to write your own commercial, using the Word of God as your script (it is the Scripture, you know?), and write for yourself victory, safety, healing, wholeness, provision, and abundance.  Then, through constant meditation upon those Scriptures (your script), play those spiritual images like commercials in your heart and mind, throughout your daily life (programming).  Just like television commercials, break in on yourself at key times and view your commercial.  Do it repeatedly until your heart and mind are captivated by them.  When the product of those meditations (your internal commercials) become the attraction that keeps you focused on Jesus, and brings you, again and again, to the use of His product, that product will become your own personal brand in life.  It’s not magic, nor is it mind over matter.  It is simple obedience to the Word of God in your life, instructing you on how to walk in total victory.

Manna for Today – Proverbs 4:20-23 & 6:20-22; Isaiah 55:11; Joshua 1:7-8; John 15:7

Help Them Walk

Someone you know needs you to help them stand steady until they are strong enough to stand.

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Text for Today – Romans 15:1 – We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

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A loving grandmother brought her seven-year old grandson to the meeting.  He had never walked.  His legs were locked at the knees with his heels being pressed against the back of his thighs.  The soles of his shoes looked like new, but there were holes in the toes from his crawling about on calloused knees. 

I set him on the communion table, prayed, and commanded his legs to be loosed in Jesus’ Name.  Immediately they fell loose.  He was amazed and wanted down.  I helped him off the table to his feet, but as soon as I released him, he crumbled to the floor. 

I lifted him up, and asked the Lord what I had missed.  The Lord spoke very clearly to my heart, “What you commanded has happened.  His legs are loosed.  But he needs to learn to walk.  Help him stand and I’ll teach him to walk.”  I obeyed, and within seconds, that little boy was strengthened in his legs and stood, then walked, and quickly ran.  What a celebration was had in the Lord by all who were in attendance.

I have witnessed a similar scenario many times, sometimes in the physical realm in a healing or miracle, but perhaps more often in the unseen spiritual arena for a newborn babe in Christ, or a newly delivered believer who has known the Lord for years, but walked in ignorance or unbelief.  In so many cases, I see people whom the Lord has wonderfully touched, still need more.  As believers, we must not fall back into doubt or unbelief, or allow the past tales of tradition to rob people of the miracles and power of God because we don’t see a COMPLETE manifestation immediately. 

Abraham had to hold on to his confession of faith for a year or more before Isaac was born.  Joshua and Caleb had to hold to their profession of faith for 40 years.  Methuselah had to hold on to his profession of faith for 969 years.  And God had to hold on to His for over 4,000 years.  We should have no complaints if we have to hold on to our own, or help someone else hold to theirs for any length of time.  Whether we are helping a person to walk, or helping them to stand in faith for a wayward child, or stand with a wife whose husband is in military combat, we that are strong are to help those who are weak to bear their infirmities until they stand on their own.

Manna for Today – Romans 14:1; Romans 15; 1 Thessalonians 5:14; Matthew 18:19-20;     Deuteronomy 32:30

A Matter of Thanks

True thanksgiving raises your level of joy, your strength, to win every time.

Text for Today – Hebrews 13:15 – By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

It all begins with thanksgiving.  We are to enter into His gates with thanksgiving in our hearts and mouths.  It is thanksgiving by which we are to keep our petitions refreshed before the Lord.  It’s not a matter of asking for the same thing over and over again, but it is a matter of continually giving thanks for that for which you have asked.  Think of it; if you really believed God heard your prayer the first time you prayed, then it stands to reason you need to thank Him from the moment you ask until you see the answer manifest in your life, and beyond.  It all begins with thanksgiving.

True thanks, the kind of thanks that is offered the moment a petition is given, is thanks that truly believes the answer is already released.  This kind of thanksgiving builds anticipation.  Anticipation feeds joy in a person’s heart.  Anticipation based on a promise given by a person with integrity builds strong joy, and does so quickly.  Think of it; if you asked me for a million dollars, and I told you I would have it transferred into your account immediately, and you knew me to be person of absolute integrity, how thankfully joyful would you immediately become?  No one has more integrity than God.  If He says it, that settles it.  If you really believe God, then His supernatural integrity produces supernatural joy in your heart the moment you receive His Word on it.  That is the joy of the Lord.

The joy of the Lord is your strength.  No one can be any stronger than when he is truly believing God based on His Word.  Now think on this; the stronger you are when you enter a battle, the more likely you are to win, and the more quickly you are likely to win.  If you enter a battle with the supernatural strength of the joy of the Lord in your heart, you are assured the victory.  So once again I say to you, it all begins with thanksgiving.

What are you facing today?  What battle, obstacle, or difficulty.  God’s Word has the solution for your victory.  Find it, believe it before you ever begin the fight, and then enter into strong thanksgiving, trusting the Lord fully that He will keep His Word to you at all times.  As your thanksgiving rises, so will the anticipation of victory.  Your joy will then rise in you as God’s supernatural strength in your life.  Then, in a spirit of thanksgiving, go win your battle and bring home the blessing.

Manna for Today – Philippians 4:4-9; 1 Timothy 2:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-19; Psalm 100; Psalm 150; 1 John 5:14-16

Fresh Eyes

When Jesus asks what you want today, respond, “Oh, that I might see!”

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Text for Today – Revelation 3:28 – I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see.

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How are you seeing?  Are you seeing only by the natural eye?  Or are you viewing what is before you with the eye of faith?  If your sight is only natural, you only see what the rest of the world sees, and will therefore be greatly impacted and influenced by it.

But there is more to see than what the natural eyes see.  If all you see is the natural, your future holds little hope other than what you have already seen.  But if you see beyond the natural, there is joy for your strength.

The spirit of faith believes, and therefore speaks.  The natural man seeks to see before he speaks.  Men of faith speak and then see.  The natural man sees and then speaks.  All the natural man is doing is reporting what has already happened, while the man of faith reports what he believes; what is yet to happen. 

What we must understand about the spirit of faith and how it works in the believer is that before faith speaks, creating the seen, the spirit of faith has already seen the unseen.  They see with faith eyes; eyes made fresh and alive by the spirit of faith in the man’s heart.  That’s fresh eyes.  Oh, that God would grant this present generation fresh eyes that could see what the spirit of faith sees before it can be seen.

May the Lord grant to His people fresh eyes; faith eyes; eyes anointed with fresh eye salve to see the unseen so clearly that men of God may describe the indescribable by speaking the unspeakable joy of the Lord that is full of glory.

Why don’t you determine today, right now, to be one of those people?  Fill your heart and mind and mouth so full of the Word of God that nothing contrary to the mind of God is uttered forth from your tongue.  Make up your mind that you will say what God says, and nothing less, about any situation you face, any battle you fight, any obstacle you must overcome, any ministry you undertake, every arena of your life and the lives of those your faith touches.  Ask the Lord to anoint your eyes with fresh eye salve that you may see all He wants you to see, the way He wants you to see it, when He wants you to see it.  Oh, my God, give us fresh eyes!

Manna for Today – Proverbs 4:20-23; Psalm 91:8; Deuteronomy 32:10

Programmed

We live in a world where renewing one’s mind is a constant work.  Use the right tools.

Text for Today – Romans 12:2 – And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

The soul (Greek – psuche) is comprised of our mind, will, intellect, and emotions.  The mind is the thinking, reasoning apparatus; the will is the determiner, the decision-maker; the intellect is the data collector; and the emotions are our release valves for attitudes.  From the Greek word for soul, psuche, we derive the word psychology, and other related words.

Most people today use computers, though there are wide ranges of computer literacy among those users.  Try to cause a computer to function contrary to its programming, and it won’t work.  It will argue with you for so long, and will likely shut down after a number of attempts to contradict its programming.  You may read on the screen words like, “This program is not responding.  End now.”  Your computer simply won’t violate its programming.  In order to make it function in a manner different from its programming, it must be re-programmed.

What is 2+2?  You automatically answer, “4.”  That’s easy!  But just for the sake of our discussion, what if math changed, and “2+2” suddenly became “5?”  Your mind would reject that out of hand.  Your will would say “I refuse to accept that.”  Your intellect would say, “That doesn’t match the data I have on record.”  And your emotions may laugh or become argumentative, depending on how it was presented to you.  In order for you to accept that 2+2=5, you would have to reprogram your entire soul.

Welcome to the process known as “renewing the mind.”  All your life you’ve been told that God only heals when it is His will.  Now you hear it’s always His will to heal.  Your soul rejects the new input.  You’ve been told that it may not be God’s will for you to prosper.  Now you hear His greatest desire is that you prosper, even as your soul prospers.  Your soul rejects the new input.  I could go on and on, but you already see the picture.  It’s time to reprogram your soul; it’s time for the renewing of your mind so you can think the way the Lord thinks; the way He reveals His thinking in His Word.  It’s up to you.  Go to the Word of God, go often, go regularly, take up residence in it, and continually speak what the Word of God says about you, regardless of what your senses perceive, or how you feel.  You CAN reprogram your mind, and if you will succeed in your walk with Christ, you MUST.  Get busy!  You’ll be glad you did.  And remember, it’s an ongoing process that takes a lifetime.

Manna for Today – Philippians 2:1-11 & 4:4-9; Ephesians 4:22-24

Move God In

Jesus did not purchase you as a “roll-over,” but as a permanent dwelling.  You’re HIS house.

Text for Today – Revelation 3:20 – Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Jesus said that if we loved Him, we should keep His commandments, and that He and the Father would come and make their abode in us.  That’s great news.  But sadly, some Christians I know don’t seem to have read the entire story.  They live their lives as though Jesus is their house guest.  There was a time in my own Christian walk that I did the same thing.  I treated Jesus as though He were an honored house guest.  But therein lies a great problem.  If you come to stay in my house as a treasured house guest, I may treat you very well.  But regardless of how I treat you, you’re still a guest.  That means, as my guest, no matter how honored you are, you don’t have run of the house.

Well, heads-up, dear friend.  Jesus did not come to live in you as a glorified Holiday Inn.  HE OWNS THE HOUSE!  He’s NOT your house guest.  He has purchased you, spirit, soul, and body.  You fully belong to Him.  So, I guess the question of the day is this; what does the Lord think of you as a house guest? 

Jesus said that His Father’s house has many mansions in it.  Paul wrote to Timothy about “vessels of honor” in a great house.  How about it?  Are you one of those mansions in the Father’s house?  Are you a vessel of honor for the Lord? 

It’s time to treat Him as the homeowner He is.  Romans 12:1-2 should take on a whole new depth of meaning for every believer who reads this.  Jesus is the homeowner; we are tenants.  How should we respect His property?  How should we tend to His property?  What should we, as tenants, do to properly maintain and utilize His property so that He gets maximum benefit from it? 

It’s time we truly acknowledged His Lordship over our entire person.  Let Him run the house the way He chooses.  If we acknowledge His Lordship over our whole being, we release Him to do all that is necessary to keep it in top condition.  When He purchased us, we were real fixer-uppers.  Let Him be Lord to complete the process so we can glorify Him in our whole spirit, soul, and body.

Manna for Today – Ephesians 3:16-19; John 14:23; 2 Corinthians 6:11-18; 1 Corinthians 6:15-20;     John 14:1-3

Take It Back

If it belongs to you, Satan has NO RIGHT to it.  TAKE IT BACK!

Text for Today – Matthew 11:12 – And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

When Lot was taken prisoner by warring kings, Abraham armed the trained servants of his household and went to Lot’s rescue, delivering him and his possessions from the hands of the marauding kings.  He took back what the enemy had stolen.  When the Philistines came against Judah, and the men of Judah came to the rock at Etam to get Samson, Samson went with them to Lehi and won a great victory for the children of God.  He defeated and enemy that had stolen their peace.  He took back what the enemy had stolen.  When David’s family and possessions were taken from Ziklag by the enemy, David led his men against them, and recaptured his family and their possessions.  He took back what the enemy had stolen.

Abraham is the father of our faith, Samson was a champion of Israel, and David was a man after God’s Own heart.  All of these mens’ exploits are but simple previews of what was to come.  Adam lost all the Father had given him.  It then took our Father God 4,000 years to get enough Word into the earth to get Jesus here, but He succeeded.  And when Jesus had ended His work, He had TAKEN BACK all the enemy had stolen, and restored it to His people for the church. 

What has the enemy stolen from you?  Health, provision, family, business, peace, joy?  It’s time to gird yourself with the armor of God and take it back.  You have the authority in Jesus’ Name, and the ability by His Word and His Spirit.  If you believe, all things are possible for you, for with God, nothing shall be impossible.  Just remember, don’t go onto the enemy’s turf as a sight-seer; go as a soldier, armed and ready for battle.  And when you discover what the enemy has taken from you, use your faith, and the sword of the Spirit, and TAKE IT BACK!

Manna for Today – Matthew 8:17; Joel 2:18-32; Habakkuk 3:12-13