Missed It

Sometimes what we want to do for God is not what God has for us to do. We feel great about doing the work we do in His name, but we missed it. We were so busy working at what we wanted that we missed what He was trying to tell us. Let’s take the time today to try to understand what the Lord has for us to do. ~ DickEvans.org

The Dark Places

Like a candle placed in the middle of a darkroom, The presence of Holy Spirit in us can light up the darkest places exposing the evil deeds that are found there. But it is up to us to invade that darkness; it will not come to us. ~ DickEvans.org

Press On

As we press on to know God, our relationship with Him grows and we can depend on His response whenever we call out to Him. ~ DickEvans.org

Fellowship

Fellowship with other believers is needed. We must develop relationships that last and that are deep enough for us to truly meet together; to allow others to encourage us. And we must be willing to meet with others in their times of great need so that we can be there to hold up their arms when they need it most. ~ DickEvans.org

Don't Worry

God says not to worry about tomorrow. He is not telling us to not think about the future. He is not saying that the future will just unfold itself like the pages of a book. He is telling us that no matter what our plans, not to worry about them. He is with us and with Him to guide us, nothing is impossible. ~ DickEvans.org

Believe without Proof

John 6:29 NLT
Jesus told them, "This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent."

I remember an old saying that the proof is in the pudding. I believe it means that you can talk about it all you want but the proof is in the results. If you are making a pudding then the proof of your success is in how it tastes.

So you go to school for years and come out with a piece of paper. That does not prove your success in what you studied. The application of what you learned will bring the success. Many learn but fail using what they have learned.

It is not about proving; it is about believing. And yet many spend their entire lives looking for proof of who Jesus is and proof of what is written in scripture.

With God all things are possible because of who He is and not because of what we know or do.

God is not looking for us to prove He is real. He is looking for us to have faith that He is who His word says He is.

God does not work in fear or feelings. He works in faith.

Jesus will be whatever you need Him to be as long as it lines up with the word of God. With Him the pudding always tastes good. Just believe.

Focus

He has watched us wander off in search of our own thing. He has seen us fall into the enemy’s traps; fall into temptation time and time again. He never leaves us, but we might think so because our focus has not been on Him. As we repent, turn away from our worldly ways, and focus on Him, we find Him there. ~ DickEvans.org

Look to God

As believers, we are in Christ and He is in us; we are therefore justified and vindicated by God. As such He calls us to live our lives by faith and not by pride. We are to look to Him and not our own abilities for all that we do. ~ DickEvans.org

Unity

He told us to go into the world and make disciples; to go and show others the way. With the foundation in place and Jesus as the cornerstone, it takes each of us to build the house bigger and stronger every day. And unity is the key. ~ DickEvans.org

Tasks

I believe that God never gives us a task to do that He does not know we can accomplish. And if He thinks we can, we certainly can. He will give us the understanding we need to accomplish all that He has for us to do. ~ DickEvans.org

Gifts

The more we study His Word and practice the gifts He has given us, the better equipped we become and God’s generosity will flow through us to those that we come in contact with each day. ~ DickEvans.org

Doctrine

John 6:29 NKJV 
Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."

Doctrine to me is another word for rules or law. Each church has them. And many attendees do not even know what they are. The do's and don'ts to be considered a faithful member.

And yet God's word tells us that the only work is to believe in He who the Father sent. Jesus fulfilled the law (Matthew 5:17) and in this age, under this new covenant, we are under God's grace. (Romans 6:14)

Each of us is different even though we are the same. The same because we are born again believers, Christ abides in us. (1 John 4:13) Different because no two of us are alike. Even twins are different.

How we minister depends not on a technique we learn from others experiences. Rather it depends on listening to Holy Spirit and finishing the work of the Father. (John 4:34)

We each have things in us that need to be removed. But the order of removal and even the time of recognition varies. For one it might be an addiction to alcohol. Others might have a lustful spirit. Or maybe overeaters. Some use foul language.

But even with all those demons involved, God will still use us to finish what He has begun. You see, it is not about this dead man. It is about who is alive in us. Holy Spirit will come upon us to minister to God's children.

If we had to wait for all our issues to be resolved first, no one would ever minister. There was only one perfect man and He is in us. As we die to self and allow Him to work through us miracles can happen. Words of wisdom will come forth. Prophecy will pour out. Healing will happen.

So it does not matter how long we have been saved. It does not matter if we have received our prayer language. It does not matter if we have not figured out yet that we have to leave some long-time friends behind for a while. No. What matters is that we listen to Holy Spirit and allow Him to come upon us to minister to His people. To practice His presence and see what He will do through us.

We must be careful not to use our experiences in God to create a doctrine for others to live by. Just because God did it that way using us does not mean it will work for anyone else.

Holy Spirit teaches us all things. (John 14:26) Maybe it is time we listen to Him instead of ingesting all we can from others. Reading about the experiences of others does not help transform our mind to the mind of Christ. Change occurs as we listen to Holy Spirit and look to the word of God to reveal truth to us.

"Father God help me to hear your voice. Open my mind to the truth in your word. Open my heart to be more like You. Renew my mind. Transform me. In Jesus name, I pray."

He Speaks

God can speak to us in many ways, but if we are unwilling to hear, even His voice falls on deaf ears. We must be willing and then we must listen. When we hear what He has to say, He will give us the understanding so we can then obey and move forward on the path He has for us to take. ~ DickEvans.org

His Example

Jesus has given us examples of how to deal with most of the difficult situations we face each day. He has shown us how to listen, how to learn, and how to teach. He has given us examples of each including how to use the power and authority every believer has in Him. It is up to us to use it. It is up to us to follow His example. ~ DickEvans.org

Marching

As we are marching on the path He has for us, we need to be following the lead of the Holy Spirit in all that we do. Being a soldier for Christ is a day by day commitment. If we just march on Sundays we are just a weekend warrior and not truly ready for battle. ~ DickEvans.org

Walk the Walk

It is through God’s Grace that we have been allowed salvation. He did not have to do that for us. Jesus did not have to die on the cross for us. But He did! It is up to us to do our part and walk the walk set before us. ~ DickEvans.org

The Teacher

As believers, we have a teacher like no other. Our life is the classroom and the Holy Spirit is the teacher. But just like in that classroom at college, we have to pay attention. We have to listen to that voice within and heed what He is telling us. As we do, we grow in knowledge and in experience. ~ DickEvans.org

Listen

When we became a believer, we became born again. That was the starting point for a life of changes. That is when we began to walk the walk He has for us. As we listen to Holy Spirit, Christ within us, and obey His commands, we grow into more and more of His divine nature. ~ DickEvans.org

The Good News

Galatians 4:4-5 NLT
But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law so that he could adopt us as his very own children.

Father God sent His son to earth to be one of us. Jesus did not come as the Jews thought. He came as a human. As an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes that Christmas morning.

He was born as a slave to the law just like all the other Jews. He grew up as any other Jewish boy learning a trade and studying Gods word as was written in that time. Like any other boy in his town, he memorized the words of the prophets.

When it was His time, He was baptized by John the Baptist and all who were present saw Holy Spirit come down and heard Father God speak telling Jesus He was well pleased with Him.

He was the same as all the other boys and yet as a man of thirty He had never broken even one of God's laws. Not one. He had never sinned. He was sent to purchase freedom for the Jews and for all of mankind.

He spent three years in the age of the law disciplining many followers as they heard His teaching and saw the miracles He performed. His close circle of twelve received most of His attention, but others learned as they listened as well.

He laid the groundwork for all believers to come. For all who would be called Christian.

When He was finished with His mission on earth He was hung on a cross, crucified for all to see. This was when freedom was given for all. Freedom from death. Freedom from the penalty of sin. Forgiven forevermore. Freedom from the curse of the law. Freedom from all sickness and disease.

This became the end of the age of law and moved mankind into the age of grace. Jesus paid our debt in full.

The Father, because of what Jesus did for us at the cross, never sees our sin and has forgiven and forgotten all our past sin. They are as far from Him as the west is from the east. He only sees us through His Son, Jesus.

All it takes for anyone on earth, no matter what they used to believe, or who they used to follow, is to believe in Jesus and what He has done for us. Believe and receive His salvation and grace forever. Believe and you are born again with a promise of eternity with God. Sealed with the guarantee of the Holy Spirit.

This is the Father's gift to all who believe. And He never takes back a gift. There is nothing we have to do. No work required. Just believe in He who the Father sent. Believe in Jesus.

This is the good news. God sent his son to purchase freedom for all mankind. This is the gospel of grace. Thai is the gospel of Jesus.

Be Aware

I don’t know about you, but I must be aware of my walk daily. It is so easy to cross the line in our dealings with others and in our dealing with the law, even the speed limit law. We must be careful for others are watching. What we do as Christians can affect their salvation. ~ DickEvans.org

New Birth

Asking Jesus to be our Lord and Savior takes a decision. And that decision comes after hearing about Him and believing. It is more than “Who wants to go to heaven?” That would make someone decide but not to believe and without belief, there is no new birth. ~ DickEvan.org

Flashlight

As we go out into the world, out into the dark places, the places where evil is prevalent, we see the effect His light has. People may be drawn to us and not know why. People may be repelled by us and not know why. But if we never turn on our flashlight, the light of Jesus, the world will never know Him that is in us. ~ DickEvans.org

Obey

As we go about our business each day, Holy Spirit speaks to us. He guides us into all Truth, but do we listen? And when we listen, do we obey? If we ignore Him, we are only fooling ourselves. ~ DickEvans.org

Np Matter What

No matter what the error was, no matter what the sin of the past was, God forgave it all when Jesus went to the cross that day for you and me. He wiped the slate clean. And He continues to forgive us for the errors of today and even tomorrow. ~ DickEvans.org

Encounraging

We must work hard to not take on the ways of society; to not take on the language of the world. Just because society has changed the rules of normal behavior does not mean God has changed His rules. So we must refrain from language that is foul. We must take care to not use abusive words to our spouses, our children, or to anyone; let all our words be encouraging words. ~ DickEvans.org

Walk in Grace

Ephesians 2:8 NKJV 
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

Each day as we walk out our life's journey do we tend to try very hard to follow all the rules we've learned along the way? What we should do. What we shouldn't do. All to be pleasing to our God.

John 6:29 NKJV
Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."

We carefully step here and there to stay under God's grace. And yet we don't seem to understand that we can't come away from His grace. His grace is permanently there for us. He unconditionally loves us. The only work we are to do is to believe in Jesus and what He did for us.

Psalm 103:12 NKJV
As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

If we are walking under his grace we can do no wrong in his eyes. We don't do the things we shouldn't do, not because of the rules we are trying to follow, but because as new creatures in Christ we have no desire to do them.

Psalm 37:23 AMP
The steps of a [good and righteous] man are directed and established by the Lord, And He delights in his way [and blesses his path].

The steps of a righteous man are directed by the Lord, so his word tells us. And yet we analyze what a righteous man is. Are we right just on our own because of what we do? No. There is no way that we can become the righteousness of Christ by what we do.

2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

We are the righteousness of Christ because of what Jesus did on the cross. What He did by sending Holy Spirit to live in us when we became born again believers.

We walk in the righteousness of Christ when we walk in God's grace. And that is where He wants us to be. He doesn't want us to be walking as who we were before we knew Him. He does not want us to be walking in our self-righteousness because of how great we think we are walking the walk. It has nothing to do with us and everything to do with the cross.

Hebrews 1:3 NKJV
who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

At the cross, Jesus took away our sins forevermore. At the cross, He totally paid our sin debt. Yep. No longer are we walking with the burdens of curses, sickness, or infirmity. He died so we can live a healthy life doing what He commanded us to do. We are to be preaching the gospel message everywhere we are and laying hands on all who have burdens and seeing them recover.

Hebrews 12:2 NKJV
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 has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

There is no reason for any of us to leave this earth in any condition but healthy and yet we let our thinking bring us back down to our earthly existence and allow the enemy to infiltrate our bodies and our minds. Instead shouldn't we come to our senses and stop looking at our shortcomings and look instead to Jesus, the author of our faith?

He Guides

When our eyes are on the goal instead of the troubles of the day, we can slide right past them into tomorrow. With God all things are possible. The Holy Spirit is right there coaching us and guiding us through each of the trials of this life as He lights the way. The end is eternity with Him; the end is a sinless existence with joy everlasting. ~ DickEvans.org

Just Believe

God is looking for those that will believe without seeing. He is looking for those that hear the Word and know that they know that they know they have heard the Truth. Something inside is triggered and they don’t need to see anything at all. They just believe. ~ DickEvans.org

Lose It

We read the Bible and are excited about what God has just revealed to us. We attend church and believe that the message speaks directly to us. We go to a special meeting where a traveling minister speaks on a matter we have great interest in. But two days later we find ourselves in that same place. We didn’t use it so we lose it. ~ DickEvans.org