Fully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to keep His word and to do what He had promised.

 

22 That is why his [Abraham’s] faith was credited to him as righteousness (right standing with God).

 

23 But [the words], It was credited to him, were written not for his sake alone,

 

24 But [they were written] for our sakes too. [Righteousness, standing acceptable to God] will be granted and credited to us also who believe in (trust in, adhere to, and rely on) God, Who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,

 

25 Who was betrayed and put to death because of our misdeeds and was raised to secure our justification (our acquittal), [making our account balance and absolving us from all guilt before God].  Romans 4:21-25 AMP

 

Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness – right standing with God. These words were not written just for his sake, but for yours as well, because through every generation, with or without the law, faith was required in order to be counted righteous, Works alone, no matter how good, cannot purchase righteousness. Righteousness comes only by faith – it is a free gift. Jesus was betrayed and put to death because of your misdeeds and mine.

 

God raised Jesus from the dead to secure your justification (your acquittal) making your account balance (He paid the debt you could not pay) and absolving you from all guilt before God. You can come boldly and confidently into the throne-room of grace to find mercy in your time of need.

 

Therefore, since we are justified (acquitted, declared righteous, and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us [grasp the fact that we] have [the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed one).  Romans 5:1 AMP

 

You are justified through faith and you have peace, and can enjoy peace, with God through your Lord, Jesus Christ, but it doesn’t completely benefit you unless you become aware of it and understand it through Him also we have [our] access (entrance, introduction) by faith into this grace (state of God’s favor) in which we [firmly and safely] stand. And let us rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God.  Romans 5:2 AMP

 

Through Jesus, you have access by faith into grace – God’s favor. This grace and favor is secure – as long as you believe in Him – it will always be yours. You can relax and know that God’s grace and favor rests upon you now and you can rejoice as you look forward to experiencing and enjoying the glory of God, in a measure here, and in it’s fullness in eternity.

 

Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance.  Romans 5:3 AMP

 

When you know how much the Father, Son and Holy Spirit love you, how much favor you have with them and how wonderful heaven is going to be – there is not much left that can scare you. For you to live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:29)!

 

You are so full of Jesus and so full of joy that you are not afraid of trouble or hardship. When you go through something hard you have two choices – you can let it take you out or you can take it out! When you decide to fight the good fight of faith, place your confidence in God, and bear up under the pressure, you are going to come out better than when you went in.

 

You are going to come out the other side with more patience than you had before and an ability to endure much more than you could before. The devil is not going to be able to push you around so easily the next time! You will be toughened up!

 

And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation. 5 Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us. Romans 5:4-5 AMP

 

When patient endurance is developed in your life, it also develops maturity of character. This kind of character produces the habit of joyful and confident hope – a hope that will never disappoint you. Some people are afraid to hope in case things don’t work out and they are disappointed, but when you have gone through some hard things and you have trusted in God and He has come through for you, you are encouraged to develop the habit of a hopeful attitude. This hopeful attitude will always serve you well and will not disappoint you. Hope is the foundation for your faith and you know that it is only your faith in God that causes Him to pour out His grace, mercy and favor on you when you ask for it. Therefore, when you face your next challenge – and you will – you can face it with confidence, remembering that God came through for you last time and knowing that He is sure to come through for you again this time, as you put your trust in Him.

 

The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and 2 saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were “unclean,” that is, unwashed. 3(The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. 4 When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.) 5 So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with ‘unclean’ hands?” 6 He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 7 They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’ 8 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.”   Mark 7:1-8 NIV

 

Religion and tradition are terrible things. They cause you to take your eyes off the really important things and to become obsessed with trivia – things that are completely unprofitable to your spiritual life. If the devil can’t get the Church to reject God outright, he will try to dilute the power of God and the power of the Word by mixing it with doubt, unbelief and man-made tradition. In the end you are serving a ritualistic form of religion and you have no more relationship with the Lord at all – you only think that you do. This is the place the Pharisees were. They were blinded and deceived by their religion, relying completely on their own works for favor with God and neglecting to keep their hearts pure and honest before God. They only did Him lip service. They worked at perfecting the outward man to impress people, rather than humbling themselves before God – the only One Who has the power to save their souls. Because they only gave lip service to God without giving Him their hearts, all their efforts amounted to nothing before God and were of no eternal value.

 

And he said to them: “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’   11 But you say that if a man says to his father or mother: ‘Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is Corban’ (that is, a gift devoted to God), 12 then you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother. 13 Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”   Mark 7:9-13 NIV

 

Because the Pharisees’ hearts were not right with God, they were not afraid to brashly pervert the Word of God. They were so deceived by religious tradition that they even encouraged people to bring an offering to the temple in lieu of obeying the Word and commandments of God! They built their kingdom at the expense of God’s kingdom. No wonder they were disturbed and threatened by Jesus – He exposed their lies and hypocrisy and their impure hearts.  

 

Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. 15 Nothing outside a man can make him ‘unclean’ by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him ‘unclean.'”  17 After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. 18 “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him ‘unclean’? 19 For it doesn’t go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods “clean.”) 20 He went on: “What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean.’ 21 For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean.'”  Mark 7:14-23 NIV

 

You must not only put a guard on your lips, but you must guard and protect your heart. Don’t try to please or impress man. The only One you should be trying to please, is the Lord – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Your lip service is totally insufficient without a humble heart that is yielded to the Lord. Your sacrifice is worthless if your heart is not submitted to God and if it is not right with God. If you turn your heart toward God and you seek to please only Him, then He will gladly accept all your sacrifices, including your sacrifice of praise.

 

O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. 16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.  Psalms 51:15-17 NIV

26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”  27 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom.”   Matthew 26:26-29 NIV

 

When Father God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, to the earth, it was for a specific task and a specific reason. He came to die, to shed His blood, to cut a covenant between God and man. His blood was poured out and an everlasting covenant of grace, mercy and forgiveness was established on the behalf of all those who believe in Him and receive His sacrifice.

 

14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.16 For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham.17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.  Hebrews 2:14-18 NKJV

 

We are created, flesh and blood. Jesus came to earth, also becoming flesh and blood, God in the body of a man, to die for us. That is what Christmas is all about. God came to earth as man to share in all our sufferings, to die as a sacrificial lamb, to destroy the devil, and to release us from the bondage we were in all our lives, which was caused by the fear of death. He did not come to save angels – there is no redemption for fallen angels – but He came to save us from sin, fear and death.

 

But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh,14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.   Hebrews 9:11-15 NKJV

 

The blood of Jesus is powerful enough to wash away every sin without exception. He cleanses our conscience from dead works and religion and tradition, bringing us into a relationship with the Father that we never had before. In His blood is the fulfillment of the promise of eternal inheritance promised to all those who will receive it by faith.

 

22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished- 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.   Romans 3:22-26 NIV

 

We have all sinned and fallen short of God’s grace. The good news, the joy to the world that the angels spoke of at Jesus’ birth was that Jesus Christ was born to die, an atoning sacrifice, redeeming us from sin and judgment, bringing us into right standing with the Father if we believe in Him. 

 

13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.  Colossians 1:13-14 NKJV

 

Through Jesus, the Father has delivered us from the all the powers of darkness and He has conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.

 

Through Jesus’ blood, we are redeemed, and our sins are forgiven and washed away.

22 And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.   Hebrews 9:22 NKJV

 

Because of the blood of Jesus and only the blood of Jesus, we stand pure and holy before the Lord of Hosts.

 

 

 

[What, what would have become of me] had I not believed that I would see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living!   Psalms 27:13 AMP

 

What would have become of me had I not believed that I would see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living?

 

What would have become of me had I not believed?  I would have lost heart (NKJV); I would have despaired (NASU); I had fainted (KJV), unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.  God is good and He has promised us that if we trust Him and obey Him, that He will show us His goodness. Because I believe that I will see the goodness of the Lord, at this time and in this place, I encourage myself in the Lord – I will not lose heart, despair or faint.

 

God has promised us that He would bless us and take care of us in the land of the living – here in this lifetime. I believe that I will see His goodness – here and now – because I believe the promises in His Word. I believe (RSV); I am still confident of this (NIV); I am expecting the Lord to rescue me again (TLB), so that once again I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living! I will see God’s goodness because I believe in Him and His word! His word is true, but it is only true to me if I will believe it.

 

I cannot afford to give up, to look at the dark side of life, to be depressed, or to be discouraged. I must keep my hopes up, keep the faith, trust in His word, and keep my eyes on Jesus! My believing brings the promise to me that He has already promised. If I refuse to believe the promise, then I will give up hope and I will be lost – I will never see His goodness. 

 

King David knew the promises of God and He trusted His word. That is why he was successful when all the odds were against him. That is why he lived a long, prosperous life – because he believed that God would take care of him. He also knew that if he doubted God’s word that he would have been lost. He knew that God was his source and supply and he leaned totally over on God allowing God to be God in his life.

 

The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell. 3 Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war should rise against me, in this I will be confident. 4 One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple. 5 For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. 6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.

 

7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice! Have mercy also upon me, and answer me. 8 When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You, “Your face, LORD, I will seek.” 9 Do not hide Your face from me; do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation. 10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take care of me. 11 Teach me Your way, O LORD, and lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies. 12 Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and such as breathe out violence.

 

13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14 Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD!  Psalms 27:1-14 NKJV

 

When your life hangs in the balance – will you believe in God’s goodness and allow Him to be strong on your behalf – or will you doubt Him and lose what little you have? You know what the right answer is! Be strong and of good courage, wait on the Lord and expect Him to keep His word.

“The Anointing”

For since He Whom God has sent speaks the words of God [proclaims God’s own message], God does not give Him His Spirit sparingly or by measure, but boundless is the gift God makes of His Spirit! The Father loves the Son and has given (entrusted,committed) everything into His hand. John 3:34-35

Rodney Howard Browne teaches us that Jesus had an unlimited supply of the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon His life. He was not anointed sparingly or by measure, but the Father furnished Him with a boundless quantity of His Spirit. This is because Jesus spoke the words of God. He spoke the words that His Father told Him to speak and only those words. He added nothing in and He left nothing out. He proclaimed God’s own message. He was not a lone ranger. He did nothing on a whim. He was completely led and directed by the Holy Spirit and totally yielded and submitted to Him. God trusted Him implicitly.

Rodney Howard Browne shows us that Jesus came into this world with a mission. God had a specific plan and a purpose for Him. His whole life, death and resurrection were planned and mapped out by the Father and He submitted His will to the will of God. Jesus said what God told Him to say, He did what God told Him to do and He went where God told Him to go. He did nothing on His own.

In Deuteronomy 18:18-20 there is a prophecy about Jesus, “I will raise up for them a prophet (Prophet) from among their brethren like you, and will put My words in his mouth; and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And whoever will not hearken to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him. But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.”

It was Jesus’ responsibility to speak the words that God put in His mouth and our responsibility to hear and obey those words. We are held accountable for the Word that we know and yet do not submit to. We must be doers of the Word and not just hearers only.

Then they said to Him, “Who are You?” And Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning. I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.” They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father. Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” John 8:25-29 NKJV

Just as Jesus submitted Himself to the will of the Father, so too must we submit ourselves to His will if we desire to please Him. Jesus was God Himself, equal with the Father, and yet He submitted to the Father. We ought also to submit to the plan of God for our lives. We should commit ourselves to first hear from God and then to speak what He tells us to speak.

We have a responsibility, before God, to speak His words and not our own. Under the law, the punishment for a prophet who claimed to speak for God when God had not commanded him to speak—was death. A prophet who spoke on behalf of another god would also die. We live in a dispensation of God’s grace, but our responsibility before Him is the same. There is an ultimate truth—God’s Word is truth. We must embrace the truth, we must love the truth, and we must speak the truth. The anointing follows the truth and confirms the truth.

Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. John 17:17 NKJV

Everybody is searching for the truth. Many people, who do not believe God’s Word, claim to have found the truth outside of God’s Word, even though the “truths” they have found are different from other people’s “truths.” People try to say that the truth is whatever you decide that it is. But there can be only one truth. That one truth is rigid and unmoving. Truth is truth and it cannot change—that’s what makes it the TRUTH. You can’t bend it and you can’t twist it. God’s Word is the ultimate truth. It is not our job to decide whether God’s Word is true or not, but it is our job to obey it completely and speak it accurately and boldly. The anointing is on the Word of God. If we want God’s anointing, we will do His will and speak His Word.

I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me. John 5:30 NKJV

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS MEEKNESS

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 KJV

The Greek word for “meekness” here does not mean weakness, but rather it has to do with humility. When you have humility you have a teachable spirit and you esteem and regard others more highly than yourself. You are humble toward God and man. You do not promote yourself, but you exalt the Lord in everything.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death–even death on a Cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:3-11 NIV

Humility is not selfish, nor is it pushy. Humility puts the interests of others above its own. Jesus did not first consider His own welfare or His own best interests when He agreed to be born into the earth in the body of a man. He was not thinking of Himself when He took the place of man, taking man’s sin upon Himself, being judged on man’s behalf, and dying a cruel death on the cross. Jesus was thinking only of His Father and of us. His Father asked Him to take our place and bring us back into His family. His sacrifice would save and redeem us. And because Jesus humbled Himself – Almighty God highly exalted Him!

The meekness – humility — demonstrated by Jesus was not weakness, but it was the fruit of power. He was not meek because He could not help Himself — He was meek because He had the infinite resources of God at His command! When the soldiers who were sent by the chief priests came to arrest Jesus, His disciples tried to defend Him. He told them to put their swords away because He had more than 60,000 angels (twelve legions) at His disposal — all He had to do was to ask for them (Matthew 26:53). Jesus humbled Himself by laying His life down, even though He had heaven on His side. No one could have laid a finger on Him without His consent.

Therefore putting aside all filthiness and {all} that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. James 1:21-22 NAS

When you are humble you are teachable. You receive God’s Word for your own life and allow it to discipline and correct you. You hear the Word and you do it. When you are humble you allow the Holy Spirit to lead, guide and teach you without excuses or rebellion. You obey the Spirit instantly and precisely. You conduct your life in the way that the Word and the Lord leads you to.

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. James 3:13 NIV

When you are full of God’s Word and when you have grown in His wisdom then you will display humility. A wise person is also a humble person. Proverbs 12:15 and 15:5 says that a person who thinks that he knows everything and refuses instruction is a fool.

Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Galatians 6:1 KJV

Even when you have grown in the Lord and have become a very spiritual person, bringing correction and speaking into the lives of others, you must do it with a humble attitude. If you have a humble attitude then you will protect your own heart and you will not be tempted to fall into sin yourself. People who try to bring correction to others in an arrogant, know-it-all attitude tend to end up falling into sin themselves. When you are humble, you do not believe that you are infallible. You do not have to walk in constant fear of falling into sin, but by the grace of God you should guard yourself, never allowing yourself to be put into a situation where you could be faced with temptation. You avoid the very appearance of evil.

Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” When your head is lifted up in pride – you can’t see where your feet are going. You cannot see the trap that the devil would like to set for you. Humble yourself and let God do the exalting. You know that you are humble when you don’t care about being exalted anymore!

But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6 NKJ

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you.

We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.” We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right. If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed. Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother. II Thessalonians 3:6-15 NIV

There are some born-again believers (sadly) who talk the talk, but they don’t walk the walk. Do not allow yourself to be influenced by these people. Don’t be moved by their gifts (or the gifts they claim to have) – look at how yielded they are to the Word of God. If they are not personally yielded to the Word of God – do not let them speak into your life because they do not hear God’s voice! The measure of a person’s submission to God’s Word, is the measure of their heart condition toward God Himself. Do not let lazy, irresponsible, disorderly, busybody shirkers have an influence on you. Remove yourself from their presence. Charles Finney said that he would not allow anyone near his children (even if they were relations) who might corrupt their morals or their manners. We should have that much sense with our own selves, as well as with our children. You don’t have to stand in judgment of that kind of person, just remove yourself and your family from their presence and their influence.

Some people think that if they do not work, they are walking in faith, but they are actually walking in foolishness. You must PRAY like it all depends on God, but you have to WORK like it all depends on you! Paul instructs us that we should work to feed and support our families and ourselves. We should not become a burden upon other people simply because we are too lazy, or too busy poking our nose into other people’s business, to provide for ourselves. It is very important that we mind our own affairs and not those of other people, because while you busy yourself with other people’s business, your own responsibilities go unfulfilled. Minding your own business is a command given by God to you. In the day you stand before God, you only give an account for the areas you are responsible for, not the responsibilities of others.

For example, while you involve yourself in other people’s affairs, yours are being neglected and getting all messed up and you can’t even see it. There is no one that will take care of your affairs, except you, so take care of your own business and not others people’s business. If you encounter lazy, irresponsible, disorderly, busybody shirkers in church, the Bible says that you should not associate with them. However, it also says that we should not treat them like an enemy, but admonish and warn them as a brother. Rebuke lazy Christians, but don’t criticize them. Correct them with the Word in order to help them, not to hurt them. Continue to do the right thing without becoming weary or losing heart. Every one wants to do right, but many give up because of worldly pressure or because they feel that they are the only ones doing right. Make up your mind that even if no one else honors God by doing right – you will be the one to do it and the blessing of the Lord will be upon your life.

Foundation scripture: I John 4:7-12 (KJV)

7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.I John 4:19-21 (KJV)19 We love him, because he first loved us.20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

Pastor Rodney Howard Browne teaches us that everybody that knows God has God living on the inside. God is love and when He lives in you, His love lives in you. If His love lives in you, it will be manifested to everyone. They will see God’s love in you and they will see it flow through you towards others. When you are born of God and you know Him, you will love Him and you will love others. The more you know him, the more you will walk in, and manifest, love. Rodney Howard Browne shows us that if you say that you are a child of God and that you love God, but you do not show love towards others, then the Bible calls you a liar! We have a commandment to love.

The entire law is fulfilled in two commandments – love God, love your neighbor. Love enables you to keep the Ten Commandments.Matthew 22:37-40 (KJV)37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.38 This is the first and great commandment.39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.Think about that – you will not break one of God’s commandments if you love Him and you love others! If you love God, you will not do anything, which will affect the fellowship that you have with Him and if you love people, you will do nothing to hurt them because love is incapable of hurting in any way.

Matthew 7:16-23 (KJV)16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.18A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.19Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.20Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.21Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.Love is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5: 22&23).

If you know God, you will produce the fruit of love. People will see God’s love in you – they will feel God’s love through you. You can do all kinds of wonderful works, prophesy and cast out devils, but the love manifest in you and through you is the true fruit of whether you are a godly person or not. Some people seem to think that as long as the power of God is manifest in their lives, they don’t need to walk in love, but they are mistaken. How terrible to waste your life, doing all the right actions, with all the wrong motives – and in the end be rejected by God. The only true way that everyone will know that we are Christians – followers of Christ – is by the love we show to others.John 13:34-35 (KJV)34

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.35By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

I really enjoyed the nursing home outreach in West Palm Beach. The man who accepted Jesus was named Barney and was very excited and receptive to God’s Word for salvation. I asked him if I could give him a hug and He really lit up! This is a great experience. RMI and Rodney howard browne has made it very easy to win the lost.

Rosalind B.

Greetings, I was in Anchorage, Alaska in the early and mid 90’s (not sure of the month and year) when Dr. Brown and his family came to Anchorage Christian Center. I had not been going there but a few weeks when I received a flyer in the mail. It announced that if you want to be changed forever come to the revival services.

I had just rededicated my life to the Lord a few months before. After 9 and a half years of wakening every morning to make a decision as to where I would take my life that day or live another day in torment. I lived those years in demonic torment, of knowing that if I died I’d spend eternity in hell. Yet the Holy Spirit wouldn’t let me alone everyday He would perusing me calling me back wooing me back to Jesus. I was mad at God for letting me live after trying to take my life in 1982 in the mist of marital problems. I went to the first day of revival and you called me out I don’t remember all that you spoke over me except that the Holy Spirit was all over me.

As you laid hands on me I fell to the floor slain in the Spirit. I had never had the experience before, But as I laid there on the floor crying then laughing going from one to the other. I didn’t know what was happening to me at the time, but I know that I got up different. I couldn’t explain it at the time but I felt as if a heavy load was lifted from me. I attended every meeting and came forward every time you had an alter call. As I lay on the carpet God was doing great and mighty things in me.

I began a new life. God was delivering me of many past hurts and wounding. You came to Anchorage every few months and I attended all of the meetings and at one of the meetings. I went into a trance and was in the Throne room of my heavenly Father, They say I was out for more than 4 hours. I just know that every cell, fiber, organ, every part of me was worshiping. I could feel weightiness like a blanket warm and heavy yet light. It was the most wonderful feeling I’d every had. I came to myself knowing for the first time in my life that God really loved me and was changing me from the inside out. Those times have changed my life forever. I no longer was in one day and out the next.

I have always wanted to do something for my Lord to be used for His glory. I had for many years before wanted to go to Bible School and never could find one or afford to go, I had a family to take care. God supernaturally moved us to Arkansas in 1995, and in 1998-2000 God made away for me to attend one here in Arkansas. I also attend church getting very involved in many of the programs in the church. God called me out of the church and told me to start one. I thought I must be crazy, but God confirmed it many times. After 2 years of wrestling with God because of my age and that I was a woman, I obeyed and started a home church.

God blessed it and we moved into a building Jan. 2007. God has been faithful, to supply all that we have need of and an abundance more. We are still a small but growing church. But God has laid it on our hearts that we will train and equip people and send them out for ministry. To fulfill their destiny that God has planned for them. We just finished a conference called “Come Away My Beloved” and many lives have been changed and testimonies of how God has changed the lives of others, as many went home and shared with friends and co-workers about the conference. Praise God the Conference was completely paid for before we had it. We were able to bless many. As I was on my computer tonight and had signed off and was praying God brought you to my remembrance and I looked your web site up to see if Little Rock, Arkansas is one of the cites on you plan to come to, on one of your tours. Or if you will be in a near by city any time this year. Please pray and see if the Lord would have you to come.

The body of Christ here is in great need of a revival of fire one that will stir up and fire them up. There are many in the churches that need a life changing experience. I share my testimony often of what God did in me and for me, through your ministry. God used you to change my life and I give thanks to Him and to you for your obedience. I know that you have touched many lives. I have people in our church that God has used you to touch and we talk about the change God has done in us. He has used you to change all of us.

We all thank God for you and the ministry of your Brother, God has used you both to impart into our lives. I thought you would like to hear that you have touched lives that have been really changed and is treasures you have stored up in heaven and fruit that remains. Again thank you and God bless you.

Darlene D.