… for You, Who try the hearts and emotions and thinking powers, are a righteous God. – Psalm 7.9 AMP

GOD IS GOING TO PUT US IN SITUATIONS TO GROW OUR FAITH!

Phillip found this out when Jesus asked him: Where are we to buy bread, so that all these people may eat? This is the ONLY time Jesus asked anyone for advice!

The impossible circumstance is 5,000 men, plus women & children who need to be fed.

Instead of throwing up our hands,  retreating & surrendering, we have to have a strong faith attitude of NO RETREAT NO SURRENDER. We ARE going to OVERCOME!

But He said this to prove (test) him, -- John 5.6  AMP Phillip offered his solution: All we have is about $40 ! Everyone is

Jesus already knew how this thing was going to come down. …He well  knew what He was about to do.- John 6.5.6 Amplified

• This story  is  the ONLY Miracle mentioned in all 4 gospels: Matthew 14, Mark 6, Luke 9, & John 6.

At the end of the day, the 12 came up with the solution… send them to get their own food!

All they had come up with was a boy’s lunch of 2 fish 5 small barley loaves.

…a great crowd was following Him because they had seen the signs (miracles) which He [continually] performed upon those who were sick.-John 6.2 BUT, they haven’t given it any thought that  JESUS JUST MAY WORK A MIRACLE HERE ON THE FOOD!

• They are telling the Bread of Life – there is no bread ! They have lost perspective of who they are with and what He has been doing! There is a great lack of faith!

How do we keep a Faith Perspective?

1. Let your THOUGHT LIFE be dominated  that  GOD IS A MIGHTY GOD  !
2. Raise your expectancy level! EXPECT God to do something!
3. Give God What You Have  --  Full Surrender - the boy gave all he had.
   Giving what we have often opens up the door to the miracle.
4. PRAY ----- Bless it!
5. Take Action!

Persevere. Don’t give in ! DO NOT RETREAT ! Don’t give up!? DO NOT SURRENDER !

I like the quote from The Christmas Carol:

"But I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time, -- as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time: the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. And therefore, uncle, though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it!'"

                                                  - Charles Dickens -  1843

I guess things haven't changed much over the years!

So many peopGle have a "Do Not Disturb" sign that hangs around their life.
I have been challenging you to have  a Personal 15 Revolution. Revolution comes from the Latin revolutio meaning  "a turn around". This Christmas Season & into 2010 do a turn around & take 15 minutes a day to see others as Dickens fellow-passengers to the grave.

To acknowledge them... with a kind word, by opening a door, smiling, or even wishing them a Merry Christmas !

Join me & others in this Personal 15 Revolution and say: God Bless it!

We are often faced with this great disconnect between an Abundant Life...and our Present Reality. We have been promised by Jesus: "I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abudnace (to the full, till it overflows) - John 10.10 AMP This verse also tells us that The Thief only comes to kill, steal, & destroy. When life is nothing but hassles... it leaves you feeling powerless; it leaves you feeling like you can't do anything about it. YOU HAVE A BATTLE TO FIGHT! IT is a FIGHT OF FAITH! James gives us some straight direction: SUBMIT to GOD -- arrange your life under God. Do things God's way! Arrange your mouth life aroudn how God things; arrange your financail life arond how God instructs; Arrange your sex life arond how God gives direction! Get under His umbrella of protection! Do it! BECAUSE it works! RESIST the Devil & he will flee! YOU have to DEAL with your enemy! You are under spiritual attack! In an articles by Jennifer Riley in Christian Post Reporter, I quoate that most U.S. Christians do not believe that Satan is a real being...6 out of 10 strongly afreed or somewhat agreed with the statemetn that satan "is not aliving being but a symbol of evil." In contrast, 35% of American Christians believe Satan is real! BE A 35 percenter! Then, RESIST!

You can't help but notice the great picture that was captured on our new sign. I have realized that we have 2 signs in one! The Day Look is entirely different than in the Night Look. The Daytime sign the words "Light of Hope" are bright on the dark background. The Night Look, the sign is transformed into a "beautiful" sign... a comment that I have heard several times. There is something spiritual about our sign. The Day Look shows that we are shinning brightly in the darkness even though it is daytime. At night, when things are that the physical darknest we shine beatifully! May truly offer a Light of Hope to the Miami Valley!

I heard about this rat experiment where the rat was placed into a  tub of water with high sides. The tub was placed into a room with total darkness. They wanted to know how long the rat would swim with no hope. Swim time was 3 minutes.

Then they placed another rat into a tub of water into a dark room with a ray of light. The second rat swam 36 hours! Over 700 times more than the rat in total darkness!

If you are down ask yourself like the psalmnist:

Why am I discouraged? Why so sad? I will  put my hope in God! I will praise Him again -- my Savior. -Psalm 42.5 NLT

Hope can make a huge difference!   Because we have Christ, we have  hope ! ...Christ in you, the hope of glory. - Colossians 1.27 We can endure and persevere in life regardless of dark circumstances.

Commit your dark circumstances to God & keep your praise "On"!

 

 

The Apple of His Eye & the EYE OF GOD

 

I have shared this pic with you before, I love this NASA picture titled "The EYE of GOD". The pupil is the apple of an eye. If we get close to another person, we can see ourselves in their pupil! To be in the Apple of His eye means that we have gotten close to God, so close that we can see ourselves in His pupil. This 40 days of Fasting with Prayer is all about The Source of Life, God Himself. The focus is on God as we deepen ourselves with Him. This 40 day Fast isn't about the Resources of Life, food or water, nor it is not about not eating. It is all about getting close to Him !

 

Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, you hypocrites. - James 4.8 NLT