The 3rd John 2 Program - Real Healing From Food Addiction for God's People - Week 17 - Go The Extra Mile

Go the Extra Mile

Matthew 5:41

And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

My Experience, Strength & Hope

My husband and I went out of town for a lovely weekend. We attended a friend’s church Saturday night, and planned to return to the same church for their Sunday service. That weekend was another learning experience for me. It is not like I have not experienced this same situation before, but by the grace of God, I am believing that I will not fall for the same scheme of the enemy again.

As a person who has dealt with food/sugar addiction in the past, I have to be very careful when I am away from home. I have come to know that eating at home is really the safest place for me the majority of the time. By doing that I can count my calories, and I will know what I am eating. In a restaurant, we never know for sure what we are really getting or how something was prepared.

On Sunday, I had planned to go pick up a smoothie and then go to church. I heard a voice in my head tell me to just stay at the hotel and eat their free full-service breakfast buffet. Then I heard, “Go get your smoothie later.” I should have stopped and questioned those thoughts. What I needed to do was to ask the Lord, “Lord, is this You?” He would have been happy to tell me that it was not His plan or will and to stick with my original plan.

What happens is this; the enemy knows when we are in a compromising situation. He is lurking to find just the right moment to slip in a subtle temptation that sounds almost like it is the Lord Himself talking. But the best way to know is to A.) Ask the Lord, and B.) Take a minute to think about how the suggestion would work with our plan. By doing this, we can avoid a slip. We can ask ourselves, “If I do this, will it throw me off of what I know the Lord wants me to do?” If we can honestly answer yes, then we know what we need to do. We need to resist the devil with the word of God. We need to remind Him that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

I already know what God’s will is for me when it comes to eating. I know what to do and what not to do. But that particular day, I caved in to the suggestion and ate at the breakfast bar. I didn’t stuff myself or anything like that, but that is not what is important here. What I did was eat things I know I should not have eaten, and as a result I was in disobedience to the will of God. In other words, I was acting in rebellion. Rebellion is always of the devil.

When temptation comes, we have a choice. To be watchful and pray, asking the Lord for help, or to give in to the lusts of the flesh. But that’s not what Jesus did. He took up His cross and He tells us to take up ours.

For any person caught in the bondage of an addiction currently or even previously, we have to take up our cross. My cross is to deny myself the privilege of eating whatever I want. It is to follow the plan of eating that God has given me for life. The bottom line: I have to stick with the plan to keep my body strong, healthy and in balance. And it is a good plan. It is not a ‘fad diet’.

Rather, it is a healthy diet that is more than enough to keep my body running as it should, incorporating all the food groups in a proper balance. It’s all about balance.

For the one caught in the bondage of alcohol, it is to make a commitment to never pick up alcohol again. That is another thing that I committed to the Lord that I would never do again. For me that is super easy. Drinking always made me sick and left me ill for days afterward. I do not miss the drugs and alcohol one bit. When it comes to eating however, that hits a little harder –

a little closer to home you could say. Why? Obviously, we have to eat to live. Contrarywise, we do not need alcohol and drugs to survive. Praise God!

But my life will be a life of fasting from junk food, sweets and sodas among other things that are just not healthy things to eat. It will always be a life of low carb eating and exercising so I can stay in good shape - inside and out. The Lord wants us to be His disciples. Jesus had to deny Himself plenty while He lived on the earth. Former addict or not, we as Christians will have to live lives of self-denial if we really want to be His disciples. Many want to know they are born again and going to heaven, but when it comes to actually making a sacrifice for Him, they are not willing. The Bible tells us in Isaiah that if we are willing AND obedient, we will eat the good of the land.

What does all this mean? If I am willing and obedient to what the Lord tells me to do, and if I deny my flesh so I can live a holy and godly life, and if I go the extra mile and do more than what is required of me, then I will become like my Master – Jesus. I will be worthy to be called His disciple. I will have the best food, clothes, houses and a host of other blessings; so much so that I will always have plenty to share as the Lord intended for us in the first place.

But how do we get there? By faith. By spending time with Him and meditating on His words; reading it and speaking it out loud over our lives every day. That weekend I could have made the word of God work for me when temptation came my way. I could have submitted to God and resisted the devil and he would have left me alone. I would have had a clear conscience before God and man. Instead, because of my response, I lost my peace and my joy. It broke my fellowship with the Lord – the worst part of all. I know it did not please Him. He does not want me to try to serve Him and food, or anything else. He wants the number one spot in our lives.

When I discussed this with my husband after the fact, I asked him to be my faith buddy. He had a nudging in his spirit that I was making a wrong choice, yet he held back from saying anything. So I gave him the permission to be my faith buddy. I told him the next time, if there is one, and if he gets that nudging again, he can let me know in a loving way. This will help me to stop and depend on the Lord so I can get through the situation victoriously. Going the extra mile would have been to eat less than I was allowed rather trying to have more.

Like we have discussed before in this program, no tool is helpful if it is left lying in the tool shed. We have to pick up the word of God (sharp sword) and speak it, stand on it, and believe it. Then we will get the victory. When the Lord asks us to do something, we would all do well to take heed (pay attention to) what He says and go the extra mile for Him. We need to do more than He asks of us, and not look for ways to do less. In that, we can prove our love for Him. Otherwise, our words are meaningless.

Think about the times you may have done more than you were asked to do by a boss or a friend or family member. Think about why you wanted to do more for them than they had asked. Was it to please them? Was it because you wanted to be a blessing to them in some extra special way?

Well, we can think of this same scenario when we are considering how we respond to what the Lord is asking us to do. He will never control us or make us do anything. However, when He asks, we would be very wise to obey and even do more. It will only bless Him and bounce back and bless us too! Be encouraged my friend as you go the extra mile for Jesus!

Scriptures from This Message…

Matthew 4:4

But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Matthew 26:41

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

2 Peter 2:9

The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.

Luke 6:38

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

Putting it All Together:

·        Remember that the enemy is a deceiver. He will always come around again and again with the same old tricks up his sleeve. Whatever has been a stronghold in our lives will be the area he will most likely tempt us. You have the greater One living inside of you. When you hear a suggestion to do something, it is OK to ask the Lord if it is Him that is talking to you. 

·        Will you take some time to seriously ask the Lord if there has been any rebellion in your heart toward Him? He is waiting to help you. He will not condemn you. He wants to bring you up from where you are at.

·        Will you make a plan to go to the Lord in prayer every time a tempting thought comes to your mind? If you do, He will deliver you out of that temptation.

·        Think about your willingness to be obedient, take up your cross and become like your Lord and Savior – the Master – Jesus. In what ways can you change your behavior/habits right now in order to work toward that goal? Make a note and keep them in a prominent place.

·       Finally, are you willing to give Him your all and go the extra mile? The answer to this all-important question is pivotal in achieving your goals in your walk with Jesus.

**If you would like to join our weekly call, please send an email to the following:

The3rdJohn2Program@yahoo.com

Be blessed! 

Hanny

The 3rd John 2 Program - Real Healing From Food Addiction for God's People - Week 16 - Be Steadfast & Immovable

Be Steadfast & Unmovable

1 Corinthians 15:57-58

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 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.

My Experience, Strength & Hope

The opening verse for the message this week gives us a promise and a victory declaration to speak out loud over our lives – hallelujah! Instead of saying, “I’m an addict” we can say, “Thank You Lord that through Jesus You give me the victory and I am free from all bondage!”  Because of Jesus I will be steadfast. I will be immovable. I will abound in the work of the Lord. I know that my labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

My friend, that is what applying God’s word is all about. Saying it out loud and applying it to ourselves, by faith every day. The more verses we can pick out to say every day the better. What is important to make note of here is that we need to hear from the Lord every day and know what He is asking us to stand on specifically by faith. When we hear what He says, then we can keep saying it and standing on it knowing He will bring it to pass in our lives if we really believe it.

We can also add other verses in His word as they apply to our day to day struggles and situations. Really believing it and confessing it out loud will produce a harvest over time. And even if we didn’t do so great one day, we can get back in the race and keep on going the next day – we can be steadfast. We can be unmovable. All we have to do is place our faith 100% on the word of God.

If we really do have faith in God and His word, there is no reason for anyone to ever fail because God’s word never fails. For example, if you were trying to quit smoking, you could do something like this. Every time you pick up a cigarette you say, “Thank You Lord, I’m free.” And every time you take a puff, say it again, “Thank You Lord, I’m free.” Keep saying it. When you buy a pack of cigarettes, say, “Thank You Lord, I’m free.” When you lay the pack down by your bed at night, say, “Thank You Lord, I’m free.” In time, you will become free. This can be applied to any form of addiction. If Jesus is your Savior, and you want to make Him your Lord, just trust in the power and authority that He already gave you and keep standing on His word and speak it out loud over yourself in faith.

Say what you want to see yourself doing in the future as if it has already happened. Faith calls those things that be not as though they already were. (Romans 4:17) There was a man who approached our pastor with this very problem. He was addicted to smoking and did not think he could quit. He said he could not quit smoking no matter what he tried. Our pastor asked him to never say “I can’t” again. Then he gave him the advice I just mentioned.

Within a month, the man approached our pastor with his face beaming and said, “I’m free!” He had quit smoking and lost the urge to ever pick up a cigarette again! Glory to God. Our words are more powerful than most people really think. We can do this for anything we have been struggling with. It can be food, alcohol, drugs, you name it.

If we keep saying His word out loud in faith (be steadfast!) – regardless of what has happened or how things look, in time we will see His word bud. Then it will spring forth and produce the sweet fruit of victory in our lives. You see, God’s word is a seed. When we plant it in our heart in faith, over time, it will begin to bud and blossom. Our faith is what shines on the word (like the sunshine needed for any healthy plant to grow) in our lives and causes things to happen. I have seen it work for me again and again. If I missed it one day, I just confessed, repented and got back up and continued to depend on God and His word again the next day. I depend on the power of His Spirit.

We will not be able to achieve success in our own strength. I have had to learn this the hard way to be certain! But God’s Holy Spirit will get the job done, if we will cooperate with Him. I can’t explain how He does it, but I stand forever amazed that He does. Glory to His name forever! Being in His presence and working with His word by faith really does produce results.

Conversely, if we are watching TV, reading magazines and watching the news and weather all the time, we will miss it. We must focus on the Lord and His word. We must spend time in His presence. That is the best place to be after all. And there is no Christian on this earth who does not have the power and authority over the enemy and their flesh. They just have to use it.

The last part of today’s verse is a command. It is something the Lord is telling us that we must do. We must be steadfast. According to Webster’s Dictionary, this means to be devoted to something, or loyal – firmly fixed in place. Have you ever ‘dug your heels in’ on something? You refused to budge. Well, this is the same type of thing. We should dig our heels in and refuse to be moved from our labor in the Lord. We need to be unmovable – refusing to budge. Again, it is a determined effort to remain steady on something.

If it is to overcome an addiction, then that should be our stance. We refuse to give up until the thing is starved to death and no longer bringing thorns into our lives. The best way I have found to overcome an addiction – and I have had to overcome several, is to starve it. I had to be determined to get past it. God told me I could so I stuck with it. That is what it means to be steadfast and unmovable, abounding in the work of the Lord.

Don’t feed the addiction. Instead, feed your faith by speaking the word of God over yourself. In so doing, you will find out how God gives you the ability to be steadfast and unmovable so you can abound in the work of the Lord. 

Scriptures from This Message…

This week, we will focus a lot on the power of our words, running our race and finishing strong – being steadfast and unmovable. For example, look at these key points about our words…

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. 

·         Our words should reflect our desires

·         Our words should reflect our confidence in the dreams we have in our hearts

·         Our conversations should be used to magnify (make a big deal of) our dreams

·         God’s words created the world

·         Our words create our world

·         Words can link people together

·         Our words are the bridge to our future

Next, we need to understand that while speaking has a very strong and specific purpose, we also need to remember that there is a time to be silent.

Look at these points…

Proverbs 18:21

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

·         We must stay silent when it comes to revealing the damage the enemy has done

·         We must stay silent rather than discuss the weakness of others or bring up their past

·         We must stay silent to avoid advertising our own mistakes

Now that we have laid the groundwork to understand the power of our words, let’s look at some scriptures about speaking, being steadfast and always abounding in the work of the Lord…

Genesis 1 (NKJV)

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 

Then God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.” Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so. 

Then God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so.

Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so. 

Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so. 

Then God said, “Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens.” 

Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind”; and it was so. 

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.  Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food”; and it was so. 

Revelation 12:11

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Psalm 18:29

For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.

Proverbs 4:10-13

Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many. I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths. When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble. Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.

1 Corinthians 9:24

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

Hebrews 12:1-2

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

2 Timothy 2:3

Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

2 Timothy 2:12

If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us.

Matthew 10:22

And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

1 Corinthians 3:14

If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

Isaiah 40:28-31 (NKJV)

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

Luke 14:25-33

And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.  

For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.

Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

John 17:4

I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

John 19:30

When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

Philippians 3:12-14

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 1:9-12

For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

Acts 20:24

But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

Things to Consider on Your Own:

·         What have you been speaking out loud about your life and goals?

·         What are you making large in your life through your words and what are you diminishing by not speaking?

·         Do you fully acknowledge that the Lord can help you when you do your part? If not, list the reasons why and take it to the Lord in prayer. Be honest with Him and He will help you.

·         Think about some of the eternal rewards that you will attain for being steadfast.

·         What are some immediate rewards that you are planning to see in the natural realm as you progress through your new season of success?

·         Will you meditate on the verses in this message and make them personal, saying them out loud over yourself every day?

**If you would like to join our weekly call, please send an email to the following:

The3rdJohn2Program@yahoo.com

Be blessed! 

Hanny

The 3rd John 2 Program - Real Healing From Food Addiction for God's People - Week 15 - A Living Sacrifice

A Living Sacrifice

Romans 12:1

 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.

AMPC

I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.

My Experience, Strength & Hope

If we are to be doers of God’s word, really, then we need to look at these verses as the absolute instructions for our lives as we seek to live a godly life. These are things that the Lord wrote to us through men of God as they were directed by Holy Spirit – just like I am when I write one of these messages. These words are the Lord’s instructions to us. They must be adhered to if we want to really be disciples of Jesus.

Coming out of an addictive lifestyle takes some serious work and discipline on our parts. God is with us and He will always do the bigger part that we cannot through His Holy Spirit. But the Bible is full of “If’s”. What does this mean? It means that “if” we do our part, then God is obligated to do His part. He always tells us what our part is and then He tells us what He will do if we fulfill our obligation to Him.

When we walked in addiction, no matter what it was, we were offering our bodies to that substance, or thing. We gave it permission to control our lives by controlling our thinking, our actions and reactions. It controlled our body. It became impossible to let go of on our own. However, for the born again child of God, we must remember that we have the power of God living right inside of us. It is too marvelous to put into words! (Read Ephesians 1, 2 & 3 & pray it over your life)

With His power at work in us, there is no addiction that we cannot overcome – not one. Isn’t that great news? Our bodies are the place where His glory dwells while we are on the earth – He is literally living in there. He sees every single thing we do or think. He knows how we are treating the bodies He gave us. In another message, we talked about not putting trash into our bodies. That can be in the form of unhealthy food, drugs, alcohol, or anything that comes in through an ungodly sexual encounter, etc. - our eye gates and our ear gates. If it is not 100% clean and good, it should not be coming into our bodies in any way. We are God’s house now that we are born again.

And as we discussed previously, we wouldn’t take our trash to a friends house and deposit it there, would we? Picture this – taking our bags of trash and placing them at the altar at church. Sound hideous? Of course it does. And it is just as hideous to do that to our bodies – it’s really the same thing. That’s perspective, isn’t it? In the same way, the Lord expects us to offer our bodies up willingly to Him as an act of worship. How many know that when we do this, it is a form of worship? Exercising is a form of worship. Why? Because we are trying to take care of God’s house by keeping it strong so that we can serve Him effectively.

The Bible says in our opening verse that because of all God has done for us, we are asked in turn make a determined or decisive decision to dedicate our bodies to Him in holiness – holy (set apart for His use) living. This is pleasing to the Lord – very much so! It has to be a willing choice on our part. The Lord will not ever force us to do it – we get to make the choice. He does not control people – never did – never will.

When it states “your reasonable service” it is as if He is telling us that this is the very least we can do in response to His wonderful mercy toward us. He didn’t give us what we deserved – punishment and a sentence to hell. Instead, He sent Jesus, who gave His body as a reasonable and even exceptional service, above all other people, to the Lord as a living sacrifice. Jesus never sinned in His mind or His body. He kept Himself pure at all times.

He did not eat in ways that would destroy His body. He did not get drunk or take anything in that was not good. He suffered and went without many things many times so He could take His body all the way to Calvary to offer it to God as a payment for all mankind when His blood would be poured out of His holy and pure body to wash away our sins; offered as full payment for the sins of all  mankind on the mercy seat in heaven before the Father. 

When we consider all of that, it should make us stop and think every time we want to pour bad stuff into what belongs to God; for we are His born again children. We can be thankful that Holy Spirit is right here with us to give us the leading and prompting of what to do or, what not to do. But we have to listen and obey. That’s our part.

Friend, we can walk away from addiction. How do I know this? Because I have seen God’s power work in my life so wonderfully that I can be a witness to tell the world that His power really works. I have experienced it. I experience it every day. The drugs, cigarettes and alcohol were one thing to walk away from; but the food – well, that was another matter altogether. And busyness, that’s still an other. It was a battle I fought for far too long and it seemed overwhelming more times than I can tell you. All because my focus was wrong.

But over time, the Lord, through His Spirit and His word has made possible for me what I could not (no way, no how) do for myself! Glory to His name forever. And what He has done for me He will do for you. He wants to. He loves you so very much. He wants you to succeed. He wants you to be healthy, wealthy and wise with His wisdom. He wants you to be a bright light to the world around you; a city on a hill displayed for all to see. He wants you to walk in the freedom that Jesus died and was raised to give you.

My friend, be encouraged in His presence today. Be strengthened and healed in the name of Jesus. Keep professing His word out loud over your life every day. If you do sin, go to the Lord and confess what you did and ask Him to forgive you in Jesus name. Then forgive yourself, get back on the saddle and repent – stop doing the wrong thing and start doing the right thing. Keep on as if it never happened. As you continue to receive His revelations and words in your life by spending time with Him and hearing from Him personally and in His word, believe it, receive it and walk in the victory that your heart desires. He always causes us to triumph in Christ Jesus and you are in Christ and He is in you if you are a born-again child of God. Hallelujah!

Scriptures from This Message…

·         What is a living sacrifice?

·         How can we be a living sacrifice unto the Lord in our everyday lives?

Definition of Sacrifice…

a:  Destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else. b:  Something given up or lost (the sacrifices made by parents).

James 1:21-25

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Luke 14:25-27

And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

Luke 6:40

The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.

The Bible has a lot of “IF’s” in it. What does this mean? I call it a God sandwich – the finest meal indeed. If we do what He asks us to do – the bottom bun, then He will do what He promised – the meat of the sandwich, and we will have a desired result – the top part of the sandwich – the bun, making the meal full and complete. Hallelujah!

2 Samuel 24:21-25

And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the Lord, that the plague may be stayed from the people. And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood. All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The Lord thy God accept thee. And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. And David built there an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord was intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.

2 Corinthians 9:6-11

But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.

Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)  Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.

God is NOT the one who is in control of your life and body. It is our choice to OFFER it to Him cheerfully, freely. We always get to choose, each and every moment of every day. The majority of how our life will turn out depends on our response to the word of God.

Is this the cry of your heart?

Matthew 26:36-46 (NKJV) Jesus and His prayer scene in the Garden of Gethsemane. What is your prayer in your Garden of Gethsemane?

Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.” He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then He came to His disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”

2 Corinthians 2:14

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.

1 Corinthians 15:57

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Important Things to Think About:

·         As we look back over our lives, even in recent days, it is good to see where we have missed it so we can understand where we need to grow. What have you seen by Holy Spirit revelation in this message that you believe will make major changes in your future?

·         Have you been willing to make a cheerful offering to the Lord? Think about this and ask the Lord to help you see what you need to see right now in this season of your life. He always wants to help us and bring us to a higher place. He never condemns us.

·         In what ways can you change the way you are living right now so you can be a holy offering – a living sacrifice to your Savior?

·         Will you remember to depend on God’s power and the help of His Holy Spirit in you to bring you up and out of bondage forever?

·         God wants to use you as a witness to this dark world. Remember, the thing you struggled the hardest with is the very tool the Lord can use to bring others up and out of their Egypt.

·         The Lord Jesus was sent to give you an abundant, rich, full life with joy - beaming with His love and blessings. Will you receive that gift fully and freely right now?

**If you would like to join our weekly call, please send an email to the following:

The3rdJohn2Program@yahoo.com

Be blessed! 

Hanny