Category: featured

In Him: No Condemnation

What is Condemnation? An overwhelming sense of shame that comes from the pits of hell. 

What does the Word God say about this?

ROMANS 8:1-4

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 

On this one verse lays the whole of the great sinners hope. In Christ and in Christ alone there is forgiveness and freedom from the condemnation of sin. It promises that there is NO condemnation. NONE AT ALL. It doesn’t say less condemnation. It says none. He will never bring up our sinful past again. It is dead and gone. It had been crucified and buried. All of our mess, mistakes, our sin was condemned at the cross.

Why is there NOW no condemnation? Because the thing that brought condemnation — the law of sin and death, has been broken off our lives, Jesus took on all the condemnation at the Cross!

2 Corinthians 5:21

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”

  • The enemy will always remind us of our past, to weaken our confidence, our standing in Christ. But those moments are dead, they no longer speak. 

But one thing that does speak and holds true to its promises is the blood of Jesus!

Reflect ///

  • When the enemy begins to flood your mind with past hurts, sins. Remind him who you are in Christ, that you are forgiven! set free!

Who is like the Lord?

If I were to ask you a question about the Lord, what would your response be? Would it be the same question that David is asking in the Psalm 113?

Psalm 113:1-10 “Praise the Lord! Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord! Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore! From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised! The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens! Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down on the heavens and the earth? He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people. He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children. Praise the Lord!”

No one is like Him and no one could take His place — Isaiah 45:5 “I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God.”

Our lives shouldn’t have to have a reason to give Him praise, from the rising of the sun to its setting, whatever happens, let us sing and let us sing “Who is like the Lord?”

Psalm 77:13 “Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God?”

So who is like the Lord?

  • Who can turn ashes into beauty
  • Who can be a father to the fatherless
  • Who can make a way where there is no way
  • Who can and who has turned your grave into a garden
  • Who can breath life onto dry bones and make them live again.

Sin That Dwells Within Part 2

“The ground that you had gained yesterday, will be a battle for today”

Just like a soldier on the battlefield who is always aware of his surroundings, expecting a battle at any given moment. We too should be on the lookout.

“Be sober-minded; be watchful… 1 Peter 5:8

2. EXPECT A DAILY BATTLE

LIVING A LIFE FOR GOD ISN’T EASY, WERE SWIMMING UPSTREAM. THOSE WHO ARE NOT WALKING IN THE FLESH, FEEDING THERE OWN DESIRES BUT WHO ARE WALKING IN THE SPIRIT WHO ARE NOT GRATIFYING THE DESIRES OF THE FLESH, THIS DEVO IS FOR YOU! HERE ARE A FEW REMINDERS:

– EXPECT THE GROUND THAT YOU GAINED YESTERDAY TO BE CHALLENGED TODAY.

– EXPECT THOUGHTS THAT ARE CONTRARY TO THE WORD OF GOD TO FLOOD YOUR MIND

– EXPECT PERSECUTION

– EXPECT WEAPONS TRYING TO BE FORMED

BUT KNOW WHO YOUR CAPTAIN ON THE BATTLEFIELD!

“BUT KNOW THAT THEY WHATEVER WEAPON FORMED AGAINST US SHALL NOT PROSPER”

REMEMBER THE PRESENCE OF TROUBLE DOES NOT PROVE THE ABSENCE OF GOD.

REMEMBER WITH EVERY OPPOSITION DOES NOT SIGNAL DEFEAT BUT RATHER MARKS THE BEGINNING OF THE BATTLE. 

EVEN THOUGH JESUS HAS DISARMED THE ENEMY, HE IS WANTING YOU TO BELIEVE THAT HE IS STILL ARMED, HES NOT REAL.

HE HAS DECEIVED MANY, BUT WE ARE TOLD TO NOT TO BE IGNORANT OF HIS DEVICES. 

WE MUST KNOW:

HE IS AFTER YOUR DESTINY, AFTER THE INHERITANCE THAT WE HAVE THROUGH CHRIST. HE IS AFTER OUR SOULS. 

BUT WE MUST REMEMBER THAT :

JESUS OUR VICTOR OUR CAPTAIN IS ON THE BATTLEFIELD, THE ONE WHO NEVER LEAVES NO MATTER HOW INTENSE THE BATTLE RAGES. NO MATTER HOW HOT THE FIRE GETS, NO MATTER THE PRESSURE THAT BUILDS, HE WILL NEVER FORFEIT.

TO KNOW THAT WHATEVER WEAPON THE ENEMY MIGHT FORM AGAINST US, WITH GOD IT SHALL NOT PROSPER!

–   EXPECT HIM TO MOVE ON YOUR BEHALF

  • EXPECT HIM WHEN THE ENEMY COMES IN LIKE A FLOOD THAT GOD WILL ALWAYS RAISE STANDARD
  • EXPECT HIM TO GIVE YOU STRENGTH THROUGH THAT TEMPTATION
  • EXPECT HIM TO BRING YOU THROUGH
  • EXPECT AS MANY AS OUR FOES, WE HAVE FAR MORE FOR US THAN AGAINST US.
  • EXPECT THAT THE GOD OF THE VALLEY IS TOO THE GOD ON THE MOUNTAIN!

BOUNDARY LINES

Boundary lines separate countries, cities and every small town in this nation and the World. It keeps those who belong bound to that area. Boundaries keep things out that are harmful and ultimately protect us. Having filters in our life on the things you watch, do, and say doesn’t mean you’re weak, it doesn’t mean that you don’t like having fun – they’re meant to protect you.

The devil is wanting to destroy you and convince you that you are made perfect by the flesh.

I’ve seen too many people say:

“I’d never do __________ ” then eventually inch their way into the things they spoke against.

Boundaries aren’t popular, culture says “do whatever makes you happy” but boundaries are what keeps us through this age.

We see boundary lines in the Bible:

Adam & Eve

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.””

Genesis 3:1-5 ESV

The tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil was not to be eaten from or even touched. It was a boundary line that God said NO to.

On the other side of the line:

The enemy will make you doubt the Word of God

The enemy with deceive you by convincing you to satisfy the flesh.

The enemy will make whatever you are being led to desirable, promising fulfillment.

FACTS:

You will never be fulfilled by the flesh

You will never be perfect by stretching the line of boundary to fit a lukewarm lifestyle.

Sin will never satisfy until it takes your life, but then it will be too late.

How to Have Success

Many people strive for success, but are we striving in the right direction?

For some it’s all about selfish ambition, doing anything to reach the top, being the most famous, getting the most sales, having the fanciest car, having the biggest house in the subdivision, most followers on social media, etc. These are the ways of those who are striving in a different direction to get to the top. The challenges they face will be fought in their own power and will.

  • HOW TO HAVE SUCCESS

There is a God who knows our every need and wants to bless us. He sees our weaknesses and struggles and offers help everyday. Whether it be with our job, our family, our business. In Him there is no striving but resting in His Grace, knowing that whatever challenges you may face, He has already gone before you and by faith we will overcome.

In Joshua 1, God tells Joshua, who is now leading the people after Moses’ death, to “Be strong and courageous” and then He says ” Being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.” This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”

God gives us two ways to have success

#1 – OBEDIENCE

Actions speak louder than words, are we who we say we are? Our obedience to God says all.

#2 – READ/MEDITATE ON THE WORD

The Word of God is our roadmap our instructions on how to live a life of success.

Something Has to Break

I’ve never had the lyrics of a song really deal with me and recognize the need for Holy Spirit like I have heard of this song by Red Rocks Worship Titled “Something has to break”

I feel it in this room
Holy Spirit move
‘Cause when you have Your way
Something has to breakTear down every lie
Set the wrong thing right


‘Cause when you have Your way
Something has to break
Something has to break

Right now in Your name
Something has to break

Something has to break
Right now in Your name
Something has to breakI believe You’ll get me to it
I believe You’ll lead me through it
I believe that You will do it right now
Something has to break

To partner with Holy Spirit and letting Him take control over your life is so vital. 

Paul says in Galatians 5:25-26

25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another."

We need reminded that what has been doesn’t have to be in our future, in other words, your current chapter doesn’t have to define your future.

Every time that we are in His Presence something will break! Something has to break. But we have to let Him in.

Q: Why is it that we can’t be free from certain areas in our life?

A: Imagine you are remodeling a home and you tell the contractor the only rooms you want refinished. He does what you’ve asked and He does no more. Just like the rooms in our hearts, if we don’t allow Him to convict, to show us where we need correction then we can never change.

Anytime you revisit the events of your past apart from the blood of Jesus, you are visiting something that no longer exists and you are empowering that lie to deceive you.

Remember this:

Your capacity for more of Him will never increase in your comfort zone.

Choose to allow Him in every part and see what He will do!

Choosing freedom instead of religion

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”

-Galatians 5:1

The Galatians began to forget the freedom they received when they accepted Christ. Paul is writing to them to challenge them to walk in freedom once again.

In the letters to the Galatians, Paul has to remind the people that circumcision is no longer needed. Jesus had introduced the new concept of Salvation by grace through faith alone. Paul was reminding them that there is no other replacement that would take place of salvation, other than faith in Jesus.

Prior to the arrival of Jesus, every Jewish man had to be circumcised as a symbol of the covenant between God and the people of Israel.

Much like today, some try to achieve good works and kind gestures of earning favor and approval and salvation from God but don’t be deceived. “It was for freedom Christ has set us free”. There is nothing more that we can do to earn more of God’s love or do less to not earn His love. His love was this, He sent His only Son to die a horrible death, “he was led like a lamb to the slaughter…” to bear our sins, past present and future, but He rose on the third day, declaring victory over death, Hell and the grave so that you and I could have eternal life. For this we must choose Him, everyday.

————–Question to ask ourselves

Are there any kind of religious ritual, rule or practice that you engage in as a means of earning approval or favor from God?

————–Reflect

Just as Paul was reminding the Galatians, that it is through a relationship that we have this freedom. Have you invited Jesus into your life?

Romans 10:9 “ If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”