For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body being many, are one body, so also is Christ.   ~   I Corinthians 12:12

In this scripture Paul compares the Body of Christ to the human body.  Our human body, even though it’s considered one body, has many members that make it up.  Some members of our human body may not seem all that important until you lose them.  Take for instance your fingernails, they may not seem all that vital, but if you were to lose them you’d find out that they perform many important functions for you.

The Body of Christ is the same way, every member is important to the overall health and function of the body.  As members of this one body we can’t pick and choose what part we are going to be, or where we are going to be placed at in the body.  Just as the members of our human body don’t get to decide where they are going to be, we as members of the Body of Christ don’t get to either.

It still amazes me that some people in the Body of Christ think they can pick and choose where they are going to be.  If they don’t like one place in the body they feel at liberty to move to another place in the body.  I can assure you that this is not a liberty that is granted by Jesus the Head of the Church.

Our lives will never truly be satisfying until we take our place in Christ’s body where we belong.  So, the next time you’re tempted to change your place in the body just remember these words from I Corinthians 12:18,  “But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.”

In this freedom Christ has made us free - completely liberated us; stand fast then, and do not be hampered and held ensnared and submit again to a yoke of slavery - which you have once put off.   ~   Galatians 5:1  Amplified Bible

Our forefathers came to this country seeking one main thing…  freedom!  Thank God they found it.  The United States has been, and still is one of the freest nations to ever exist.  But, over the years we had to stand for that freedom.  Sometimes we’ve even had to fight for it.  This is what the Apostle Paul is saying to the Galatians…  you have to fight and stand for the freedom that we have in Christ.

When we came to Christ He set us free from sin, the world, the flesh, and the devil.  So we ought to fight to stay as far away from them as we can.  I think that far too many believers try to stay as close to the old way of living, from which they’ve been delivered, without totally going back into the world.  But our thinking should be to see just how far away from our old lifestyle we can get.  As the Apostle Paul said, “to avoid the very appearance of evil.” 

We shouldn’t see how much we can look like the world and still get by with it.  We should come out from the midst of them and be different.  I said different, not weird.  You see, you can be different without being weird.  Leaders are always different.  So the next time you’re tempted to compromise a little just remember the words of Paul to the Galatians, and stand fast in the freedom with which Christ has made you free.  Thank God our founding fathers stood for freedom!

By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of  God wherein you stand.    ~    I Peter 5:12

Grace is a wonderful thing.  It can be defined as God’s unmerited favor.  Something we never earned, it was just freely given to us.  Strong’s Concordance defines it as “Divine influence upon the heart and it’s reflection in the life.”  In other words, it’s God’s power that changes us from the inside out. 

Grace can also be defined as God’s favor upon our lives.  Favor is what a king can do for you if he so chooses.  Grace is also God’s divine enabling and gifting.  The Apostle Paul said he was what he was by the grace of God.  Grace can also be defined as God’s giving attitude toward us.  Grace causes our heavenly Father to just want to do us good!  It’s no wonder the Apostle Paul talked about the many sided grace of God.  Once again, grace is a wonderful thing!

Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.   ~   I Timothy 6:17

God wants us to enjoy life!  He wants us to enjoy our relationship with Him!  In the past some have painted a picture of Christianity as being low-key, can’t have much fun, and you probably should be kind of sad most of the time.  Not true!!

We believers should enjoy serving God.  However, there are some things that will hinder you from enjoying your relationship with God.  One thing is condemnation.  Always being down on yourself because you’re not perfect yet.  Get a clue…  you’re not!  Now, that’s not an excuse to live a sloppy life, but on your road to reaching for perfection give yourself a break.

Another thing is caring the cares of this life.  You’re not big enough to solve all your problems so why not let Father God take care of those things that concern you?  Another thing that will keep you from enjoying your relationship with God is a lack of trust in God’s guidance.  If you’re always concerned about your future you can’t enjoy the present.  Trust God to lead your life.

Lastly, legalism will strip you of joy.  Legalism is striving to obtain by works what God has provided by grace.  Quit striving and start enjoying the blessings of God.  If you’re a legalist you’ll always feel like you’re coming up short because you can never do enough.  Stop frustrating God’s grace in your life and just enjoy the wonderful relationship He has freely given to you!

Beloved I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.  ~  III John 2

So, why all the fuss about prosperity?  It seems to me that this verse, plus many others, are very plain about the fact that God wants us to prosper?  I think the problem lies in four different areas.  First, some think that money is evil.  The Bible never says that money is evil, it says that the love of  money is the root of all evil.  Money has no personality of its own, it only takes on the personality of the person who has it.  So, if that person is evil then money will be used for evil purposes.

Second, some think that God is not interested in money.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  The Scriptures have an abundance of good things to say about wealth and God’s desire to bless the righteous with it.  Third, the way prosperity is perceived.  When some hear those of us that preach about prosperity they immediately think we’re teaching that all of God’s children can live this lavish lifestyle of the rich and famous.  That’s not Bible prosperity.  Bible prosperity is a lifestyle where we can have all sufficiency and be able to abound to every good work (I Cor. 9:8).  God wants us to have more than enough.

Fourth, the way the prosperity message has been presented by some has turned many off to it.  Some do preach and present it as the lifestyle of the rich and famous.  Those who preach and live prosperity our of balance with God’s Word usually end up in trouble and give the message of prosperity a black eye.  However, when left in proper balance with the Scriptures it seems clear to me that God does want us to prosper!

Being predestined according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will.   ~   Ephesians 1:11

The word translated “predestined” in this verse means “predetermined”.  God has a predetermined course for every one of us.  That course was determined before we were born.  The Lord said to Jeremiah, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.“  (Jer. 1:5)

God knew you and I before we were born and He set an individual course for us to follow.  Now it’s up to us to seek Him to guide our lives and believe that He will do it.  We can start following His plan by being faithful where we are right now.  As we’re faithful He will begin to unfold His will for our lives.  We may not always be aware of Him working, but as we trust Him we can be confident He’ll complete His will for our lives.

And these are they by the way side where the word is sown; but when they have heard, satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.                ~  Mark 4:15

Interestingly enough the words “taketh away” in this verse of scripture actually means “to make doubt“.  One of the ways satan steals the word out of our lives is to cause us to doubt what we have heard.  Now of course, most believers believe that God would never lie, so satan would never get them to believe that God’s Word is a lie.  However, he is successful in getting many to believe that God’s promises would never come to pass in their lives.

Jesus not only told us to take heed what we hear; He also told us to take heed how we hear.  So, to put it plainly, you’ve got to “take heed how you hear what you hear.”  How you hear what you hear is very important.  Someone could hear God’s Word and say, “that would never come to pass for me”, while another hears the same thing and says, “thank God that’s for me and it will come to pass in my life.”

You see, you can either hear God’s Word with doubt or you can hear it with faith.  If you hear it with doubt, satan will steal the Word out of your heart.  So from now on, check up on yourself and ask, “How am I hearing God’s Word, with faith or doubt?”