Tag: #faith

EPISODE 358 THE RIGHT HEART

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The title of today’s episode: THE RIGHT HEART

When we come to Jesus, we are sinners. People often say that because we have repented, we got our hearts right. But getting our hearts right goes beyond salvation. It is a process of learning to walk in the ways of the Lord. We can be saved and still not walk fully in a position of having our heart completely right. Out of our heart flows the issues of life. It controls how we handle the various things that come our way.

Especially new Christians will not react from a place of a right heart. We all have room to improve not walking by flesh but by the Spirit that lives within us.

I am going to share several verses that will show how important the heart being right is to a person.

Matt 12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

Jesus was talking to the Pharisees. Because they knew the words of the law, but didn’t have a godly attitude he called them viper. They spoke the things of their flesh instead of speaking the things of God.

Prov 4:20-24 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. 21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. 22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. 23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. 24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

If we listen to the word of God and study it, until it gets into our hearts, we will find that it gives us life. The words of the scriptures are health to our flesh. We are to keep our heart with all diligence ( which means careful, persistent effort) because out of our heart flows the issues of life. Just as our fleshly heart provides life-giving oxygen and nutrients to our body, our spiritual heart can be life or death depending on the path we choose.

Prov 21:2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts.

Even Christians can sometimes fall into a belief that they are right. This is why there are so many denominations. Everyone believes they are right. But God looks at our hearts, he knows those in every building that is called a church, who will come to surrender fully their will and ask God for his perfect understanding and will. He sees us as we can be, if we will fully surrender to him.

Ezekiel 11:21 But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads, saith the Lord God.

Many believe they are right in the sight of God. But they are too full of religion. Isaiah 64:6 says our righteousness is as filthy rags. Walking the Christian Walk is about a right heart. From that heart comes our attitude, our words, our actions. If our heart is weak, we will fall into the works of the flesh. If our heart is strong in faith and the desires of God. We will have the fruit of the Spirit showing in our lives.

Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

We want to be found bringing good treasures to others. If our heart is right, we will share that perfect love of God. It is a process to increase our surrender to God. The more of our life we give him, the more our heart will reflect his love and mercy. Walking in love and compassion is not a sign of weakness, but of great strength.

It takes love to forgive those who have harmed you. It takes love to walk away instead of arguing with someone. It takes compassion to do good to those who have tried to destroy you in multiple ways. But the word says His love is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. Receiving his Spirit and learning to walk by that Spirit is the beginning of having a right heart. Even if we are not perfect, we will walk in God’s love and shine our light. Showing the world what it means to have a right heart.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE

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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode is: NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE

Almost not a day goes by that I don’t get a call to pray for someone. Some of the situations seem impossible to my natural mind. Some diseases are ruthless and destructive. To my natural mind it seems like there is no hope. People lose loved ones and the pain is so smothering that to the natural mind they will never recover. Grief is a powerful thing.

Others call because of concerns for family and friends. They are worried about their souls, while their family is bebopping along the road of life, without a worry. Sometimes our natural mind doubts that their family will every be saved.

Then we pick up our lens of God’s word and suddenly none of the situations seem like they will win. Suddenly nothing is impossible. The word tells us:

Genesis 18:14 Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

A lot of time passed from the time God made the promise to Abram and the time he became Abraham and it was fulfilled. Notice the question, Is anything too hard for the Lord? The answer is always no.

To the outside world these stories in the bible seems like they are just stories of a very creative author. Think about it, a creator made man from dirt and breathed life into him. He flooded the entire earth, but saved one family in a big boat with all the animals. He parted a Red Sea to let the Israelites through, then drown their enemy in the same water. Then he was born of a virgin. Grew up and worked many miracles, even raising the dead, before he submitted to being brutalized unlike any man before or since, to save us from our sins. He did all that to make up for the places that we broke God’s laws.

Many believe it is all made up and not real, because they are looking at these stories with natural eyes. To natural man these things seem silly, made up and not believable, mere fairy tales. But to us who are saved, who have believed that these words are true, they are power.

When we are called to send up prayers we can do it with faith. Because we know that these stories are true, we can believe for the impossible looking situation to work out. Because we believe in God, it is easier to get out of bed each morning and face a new day. We do not know what will happen before we lay our heads on our pillows that night. But his word tells us that he will work out all things for our good.

Jer 32:17 Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:

Nothing is too hard for God. We just have to have faith that he will work things out. I often quote 2 Cor. 5:7 We walk by faith and not by sight. This is one of my stand on, stay strong verses. When my natural mind starts to see a situation as impossible. I realize I am looking with natural eyes. I take out my lens and look at it through the word. Suddenly the impossible becomes possible.

Even those that were with Jesus had moments of weakness. We cannot beat ourselves up for being human. Everyone has moments of weakness and let doubt creep in, look at Peter when he was walking on the water. All it took was one second of doubt and he sank.

God knows we are human, and he has given us ways to increase our faith. His words are full of stories to strengthen our faith walk. There is power in prayer. There is power when we bind together with other believers in prayer and worship. But most of all we have to stay in that word and get to know the character of God. Then we will have less doubt and more Jesus.

I personally have seen many miracles happen. My family has always believed in the power of prayer. I have experienced miracles. These people that look at the word of God like some outdated history book are missing the point. God’s word is real, alive and full of what we need to give us amazing faith because of God’s amazing grace and the cross of Calvary.

There is an old hymn that often goes through my mind. The lyrics say that we have to, “Only believe, only believe, all things are possible, only believe.” Then it becomes something we say to God. “Lord I believe, Lord I believe, all things are possible. Lord I believe.”

When we believe, we will see miracles. My grandfather would often say, “A believer is a receiver and a doubter goes without.” I always want to be found in a place of faith and not doubt or fear. The enemy sends doubt and fear to destroy our faith. We have to look in the word and tell the devil that believe God for our miracles.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EPISODE 47 COMPLAINING KILLS FAITH PART2

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Yesterday we discussed the children of Israel and how they complained continually about every circumstance. They were a product of their own unbelief. They wandered for forty years in the desert because they didn’t believe God. Their complaints counteracted their faith, preventing them from receiving God’s promises for their life.

Today I want to start with Phil 2:14-15 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

The very act of complaining is saying that you know better than God what should be happening. Time and time again, this is not an accurate fact. How many times do we face things we feel like God needs to handle a certain way. When he doesn’t, we may feel like complaining. But in time, we come to realize that the way God handled it was the right way. At the time, we couldn’t see the big picture, but God could; he is all-knowing.

When we complain, we say that God is incapable of handling our situations. Again, this is not faith it is the opposite.

Which brings me to 1 Thes 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

If we are being thankful, we are saying we understand that God is in control. Sometimes, we don’t like the circumstances that we are walking out. We don’t have to be happy about certain things we are dealing with or walking through, but we are supposed to give thanks. Praise him in our storms and honor him as our God.

Having the right attitude will go a long way to moving the heart of God. He wants us to trust Him and His ability to handle everything. There is not a trial that we face alone. He will be there to sustain us and train us. Everything that happens to us is for a purpose in the grand scheme of life. I don’t want to miss the promises of God because I am too busy having a pity party.

People often grumble and complain for attention and sympathy. This is just feeding their flesh and making it stronger. In turn this makes it a little harder to keep it under control. Our words have power to heal or hurt our lives and the lives of others. Many in the bible died because they spoke the wrong words.

We have already established that the reason the children of Israel wandered forty years was because of their complaining and unbelief. Then we go to the story of Elijah, he prophesied during a famine that the next day there would be plenty to buy. The man who was close to the king in status, spoke unbelief and the prophet said you will see it, but will not partake of it. God worked a miracle, and it was just like the prophet spoke. The man saw it but was trampled to death by the crowd. If you want to read the story it is in 2^nd Kings Chapter 7. His arrogant words ended his life. We must guard our words. Part of that is by not complaining. By these examples and many others in the word of God, we know that our words can bring judgment.

This is why, when we come under attack of a disease or affliction in our body, we should never use the phrase, for example, I have blank disease. You are claiming it. It doesn’t belong to you. Instead, you can say I am under attack of blank disease, or the doctors say I have blank disease. You are not accepting it as something you have; you are not taking possession of it. It is easier to pray to get rid of it if you don’t claim it.

We can change our circumstances by praying for God to help the situation. Then, speak faith. You are not denying the way things currently appear. You are speaking faith that God is going to do what you have asked him to do.

I know things appear bad concerning the evil in our world. But complaining about it will not make it better. We need to walk by faith and start speaking faith. God is going to turn around America. I know it looks bad, but God has always taken care of His people. We have to have faith and trust in Him. Not complaining but praying and believing that he will turn it around.

James 3:8-12 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. 11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? 12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

We all have a decision to make. Are we going to speak life, victory, and thanks to God? Are we going to speak negativity, doubt, fear, and complaints? As children of God, we are supposed to give thanks in all things and not speak doubt by complaining.

I want to leave you with this verse and thought

James 1:19- Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

We are encouraged by James to be swift to hear and slow to speak. Maybe in the hesitation to speak, we filter our words to see if they are edifying or if they are negative complaints. Maybe, just maybe, that is why God gave us two ears and only one mouth.

Thanks for watching,

Until next time, BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

EPISODE 11–CRAZY FAITH

Hello my friends

The title of today’s episode is: “Crazy Faith”

People thought Noah was crazy for building a boat. He preached and warned the people for years. He warned them of something that was supposed to take place that the world had never seen before: rain. He knew someone they did not know. Noah knew a God who was his friend and his deliverer. Noah took his crazy faith and put it into action. Noah never let people get in his way of doing what God told him to do and his faith saved his family from destruction.

Daniel prayed to the one true God, against the king’s command. He was bold about it. He did not get in the corner of his bedroom and quietly whispered. He opened his windows and prayed loudly to his God three times a day. He showed he had boldness. Many would consider that crazy faith. When it came to being thrown into a lion’s den, he trusted God to deliver him. God honors the bold and the brave. He uses them in ways that bring deliverance to others.

It sounded impossible that a man of God could bless a meal barrel and a pot of oil for a widow, and it would not run dry until the famine was over. But the widow took all she had and fed the man of God. To many people, that would sound crazy; why would she give him her last meal? But her crazy faith saved her and her son. God blessed her sacrifice and sustained her through the famine.

We are in a day and age when the world needs to see devoted people. They need to see the miracles and signs that our God is awesome. We need to be bold enough to step out and even look a little crazy if necessary, walking in that crazy faith.

A friend of mine recently asked if my grandfather had ever cast out devils. Deliverance ministry is on the rise in our country, as God shows his strength and power. I told her he had but I did not experience it. Then I remembered when I was a twenty-two-year-old, newly married woman. My husband went to visit some friends. He came home and told me to call my family to pray that he was going back to cast a demon out of our friend. In shock I said, “Can you do that?” I didn’t feel equipped myself, he said, “The bible says I can” and out the door he went. He returned an hour or so later and shared that our friend was fine.

He was so full of faith, he had what the world would call crazy faith. In order for us to fight the enemy in the times we are living, we need to ask God for a dose of crazy faith.

I Cor 1:26-27 (26) For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

(27) But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

Sometimes, God asks us to do things that the world may think are crazy. But I would rather look crazy to the world than miss what God wants me to do or say. Pleasing Him is all that matters.

Many things to the natural mind look crazy or seem impossible. The Bible is full of people who were brave enough to step out of their comfort zone and use their faith. God honors the bold and the brave. What is He wanting you to do that some may think is crazy?

1Cor 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Sometimes, I wake up with a song on my heart. God often uses them to set the tone for my day. Other times I wake with a to do list running through my mind. But I want to focus on Jesus this morning. There is nothing he cannot do. Some people hear that phrase and think we are all crazy. Because they prayed with all their heart for something to happen and when it didn’t (when God said no) they lost faith.

One of the most important things we can hold on to is faith that all things work out for our good. Even when it seems like all hope is lost. Even when our hearts are breaking, holding steadfast to our faith is very important.

Where would all the inspirational stories in the bible be if those people lost faith? What if Moses had stood at the Red Sea and curled up in a ball crying, “We’re gonna die!!!” But he held on to his faith and God provided a way of escape. He had been through enough with the Lord to know he could trust him.

Many of the saint that have gone before us had a dose of crazy faith. It is going to take that over the top, “God says I can, type of faith to win the next generations. So be encouraged, hold on to your faith, God is with us.

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Thanks for spending a little time with me. Check out my blog at http://www.godfocus.net. Email me at angela@godfocus.net. Until next time, Be bold, Be brave and keep your God Focus.

JESUS THE LAMB / SHEPHERD

John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

Different passages in the scriptures say that Jesus is our good shepherd. In order to be a good leader, you need to walk through the places your followers need to go. Experience makes one a good leader.

Most people in the work force have been subjected to a boss that doesn’t have a clue about how to lead. They have never done your job. They do not know what it takes to get the job done. All they see is the bottom line and have unrealistic expectations of how they want you to accomplish your goals. They ask the impossible of you.

We will never walk through some of the things Christ had to endure. He will never ask the impossible of us. There are times when the tasks are intimidating. But he is with us every step of the way. What he asks will not be impossible for us as long as we follow his leadership.

THE PASSOVER LAMB

In the book of Exodus, chapter eleven. During the last plague on Egypt, God sent the death angel into Egypt to smite the firstborn of every house, even their animals.

As protection against the death angel. God told the Children of Israel to slaughter a perfect lamb without blemish. Then they were to take the blood from the lamb and spread it on the doorposts and lintel.

When the death angel passed by it did not enter the houses that had the blood applied. This was a type and shadow of Christ as our sacrifice. He shed his blood to save us from death. Not the death that we would think about in this life, but spiritual death.

Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 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.

How could Jesus lead us in this life as our shepherd if he had not first been THE LAMB? The lamb that was perfect, He knew no sin. He was tempted in every way we face today yet walked perfectly, avoiding all the pitfalls.

Jesus sacrificed for us. We are asked to sacrifice the things we (our flesh) want to do in order to follow him. We are living sacrifices because our lives are for others to see Jesus.

Heb 4:14-16 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Jesus, our shepherd, knows how to lead.

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

Acceptable In Thy Sight

Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

We have all said something unkind that we would like to take back. The Bible says the tongue is hard to tame. We have, at times, allowed our minds to get fixed on a goal or material thing. But only in Jesus can we have true peace.

Only when we focus completely on him will all of our words and our actions be acceptable in his sight? He is so faithful to be there, to help us up when we fall. Our strength comes from the Lord. He is our Lord, Savior, Father and Friend. He is the one who saw something special in each of us, enough to die to save us.

We were created to worship the Lord. The word tells us to have a pure heart that worships the Lord in Spirit and truth. We need to worship Him with our whole hearts. If our words are acceptable in His sight, we will be speaking God’s love and truth.

If the meditation of our hearts is acceptable in His sight, we will have our hearts fixed on the things of God. We will be thankful and grateful for all He has done for us. Our hearts will be for the things of God. Our desire will be to see souls saved.

Every day we should wake with a grateful heart and ask for God to guide our day. If we put him first and focus on his direction, we will accomplish what is necessary for the day. This is a verse that we should pray every day.

Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.