#Bible

The Key to Understand the Word of God

Are you calling out to Father God, but feel like you are not receiving a response? Instead of giving up it’s time to dig deeper and find out the key to understand the Word of God.  Do you recall your school days, waiting for the final bell to ring? Your Friday evening would already be set and your weekend plans were good to go.  With backpack intact and your eyes glued to the clock, in just a few seconds you would be free. Suddenly, your English teacher would state,”…Oh yes! Before I forget, I want a report on the book we’ve been discussing in class. It will be due this upcoming Monday.” The bell would ring right after their unwanted announcement and a smile of great joy would appear on their face because they had completed their goal to make your life miserable.  Oh, the agony! A huge sigh would escalate around the entire room and students would mumble how they couldn’t stand the teacher and they couldn’t wait to graduate. Sound familiar? Today, we find ourselves in similar situations. Whether at school or work, we are always tested or asked to do something we do not want to do. However, it must be complete or we will not receive benefits. This scenario, my friends, is very similar to the Bible.   Understanding the Word of God   For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. (Hebrews 4:12 NLT) In the scripture above, the Bible is “very powerful and strong and sharper than any sword.”  This means its purpose is to shed light on our lives and speak the TRUTH. Although we don’t like to admit it, the truth hurts. As we grow deeper into the truth, note everything we read will not be understood at that time. For the things God allows us to understand,  we may not like. However, we must remember the Word is meant to strip us clean and make us whole again.   All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT) Similar to the school teacher we could not stand, at the end of the day we were able to make it through their class right? What about turning in that book report? Although we did not want to do the work, when we received a good grade on our paper, we just couldn’t wait to show our parents. Throughout the Word of God you will likely run across scriptures you do not like and commandments you just don’t understand. Take Luke 6:27 which reads … love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Now I’m not sure about you, but when I began to know God and understand Him for myself this scripture was a hard pill for me to swallow. Alongside prayer, I would meditate on this scripture by repeating it over and over again.  Since I had been manipulated by friends and backstabbed by people who I had given my heart to, I didn’t know how in the world I’d be able to forgive them, better yet love them. Especially since all I was doing was praying and repeating a line. I wish I could tell you the change happened overnight, but it did not. This transformation took some time. I had to connect with Godly counsel, continue to seek God, and think positive when evil thoughts would come to mind. Nevertheless, slowly and surely God changed my heart. No longer did I have hate or malice against my enemies but my heart reached out to them. I wanted God to move into their lives and connect them closer to Him. My friends, this is why it is soooo important to get into the Word of God. The time we are living in today is crazier than ever, but with God’s Word, He will truly keep us from falling. If you truly desire Christ in your life, but can’t seem to find Him, ask Him for His help. Yes, classes, homework, jobs, extracurricular activities can get in the way, but we must remember that we wouldn’t have been able to even get to that stage in our lives without Christ. He deserves a portion of our time EVERY DAY! If you start off with a willing mind and an open heart to follow Christ and do as His Word says your life will change for the better. How do I know might you ask? I am a living witness. Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.  (Jude 1:24-25 NLT)  Thanks for reading! Did you enjoy what you read? If so, comment below on how you incorporate God into your daily schedule! I’d love to know!

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What’s in Your Hands?

It’s wonderful how GOD speaks to us in the simplest ways and get our attention to move with HIM. We sometimes get frustrated in our situation and ask (beg) how long must we endure and when are things gonna change? We look up (as if God is in the ceiling) to say please change my situation. In one of my times of desperation,I cried out to God and He answered. Not in an audible voice but in a message. This message did not come from the depth of my heart but one that I heard and will share with you. The Message: God is always with you. You are not alone in any situation. Sometimes the things we go through are not there to hurt us(although it doesn’t feel real good at the time)the difficulties in our life forces us to Grow in HIM. We do not like difficulties and most times we are asking God to change our situation and His–What’s in your Hand? Remember Moses? (Exodus 3:17) Like most of us, he didn’t know what to do either. God was telling Moses how he was going to deliver His people out of the hand of the Egyptians and bring them out from that land to a land flowing with milk and honey. God told Moses he wanted him to go to Pharaoh and get the job done.Moses was stunned.He didn’t know what to do and wanted to negotiate how he was not the man for the job and no one will listen to him anyway. God didn’t hear none of that and by the time we get to Exodus 4:2 God is asking Moses, What is in your Hand? Moses said, “a rod”and God told him to throw it down and before his eyes that rod became a serpent at which Moses ran from it. (So much for bravery) God said to pick it up by the tail and when Moses did, it returned to a rod. God showed Moses that what he had in his hand was adequate and usable to do want is needed. What do you have in your hands as you’re crying to God. What is HE highlighting that you have to solve your situation? HE will help you.HE is so powerful. HE can change a stick into a serpent. Remember the woman in II Kings 4:1, she needed help badly, her husband died leaving a humongous debt and the bill collectors where coming to take her sons for payment. She cried out to Elisha what was she going to do? Have you ever been desperate for a solution, at your wits end trying to figure it out? Are you trusting HIM, listen,HE is giving you a solution,What’s in Your Hand? This is what Elisha said basically, he asked what hast thou in the house?What do you have? Do you think it’s too insignificant to matter? The lady said she didn’t have anything but a pot of oil.She was saying I don’t have anything to take care of the debt just a pot of oil. But don’t we say the same things as Moses and this lady? Are we full of fear and doubt that we cannot see What’s in our hand? I am no different than you I have struggled crying out also wondering where will my help come from. The help is in YOUR HAND. Ask GOD to highlight what you have.With HIM,it will change your situation. This is what the woman had to do. Elisha told her to borrow vessels from all her neighbors and when she did, they pour the oil from her vessel into all the ones she borrowed and had enough to pay her debt. God is not short in helping you, in guiding you; HE is delighted to assist you in getting what you need accomplished. God does not want order takers or robots. HE wants Sons & Daughters that are willing to invite HIM in their lives and let HIM lead them to green pastures. The man of God told the woman to sell the oil and pay the debt and live, her and her children. Praise God! About the Author: Clarence Hester is a pastor with Flaming Heart Ministries, who transforms lives with practical teachings from the Word of God. Through Flaming Hearts, his  goal is to renew the value of God in each person’s life, in each family and each community.

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