What does the Holy Bible says on oceans?

What does the Holy Bible says on oceans?

God’s love for you is deeper than the oceans and His presence is everywhere. 

Whenever you’re at the beach just thank God for His beautiful creation.

If His hand has the power to create the seas than rest assured His hand will guide you and get you through trials in life.

Genesis 1:7-10  

So God made a canopy that separated the water beneath the canopy from the water above it.

And that is what happened: God called the canopy “sky.” The twilight and the dawn were the second day.

Then God said, “Let the water beneath the sky come together into one area, and let dry ground appear!”

And that is what happened: God called the dry ground “land,” and he called the water that had come together “oceans.”

And God saw how good it was.

Isaiah 40:11-12

He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young. 

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? 

Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance?

Psalm 33:5-8 

He loves righteousness and justice; the world is filled with the gracious love of the Lord. 

By the word of the Lord the heavens were made; all the heavenly bodies by the breath of his mouth.

He gathered the oceans into a single place; he put the deep water into storehouses. 

Let all the world fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.

Psalm 95:5-6 

The sea that he made belongs to him, along with the dry land that his hands formed. Come! Let us worship and bow down; let us kneel in the presence of the Lord, who made us.

Psalm 65:5-7 

By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas; the one who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with might;who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples.

Jeremiah 5:22

Do you not fear me? declares the LORD.
Do you not tremble before me?

I placed the sand as the boundary for the sea, a perpetual barrier that it cannot pass; though the waves toss, they cannot prevail; though they roar, they cannot pass over it.

Marks of the True Christian

Marks of the True Christian

9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 

10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 

12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 

13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.

15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 

16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.

17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honourable in the sight of all. 

18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 

19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 

20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Daly felicitus
For Daly-The Bible Homiletics

How the Bible Describes Angels

How the Bible Describes Angels

The Holy Bible has so many to say on Angels, Here are some points to remember:

Angels are referred to as masculine, although neither do they have a sexual distinction nor do they marry.

In the Bible we see large numbers of Angels many times.

Angels are very fast; they have great speed.

Angels are very strong but they are not all powerful (omnipotent).

Angels are very wise

Some Angels are good and some angels are evil; the evil ones are called demons.

The Angelic Host

1 At creation

Job 38:7

 when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

2 At the Giving of the Law

Galatians 3:19 

Why then the law?
It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary.

3 At the Birth of Jesus

Luke 2:13-14 (KJV)

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

4 At the Temptation of Christ

Matthew 4:11 

Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.

5 At the Resurrection of Christ

Matthew 28:2 

And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it.

6 When Christ Comes Again

Mark 8:38 

For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

Angel’s Ministry

1 They Minister to God

Psalms 148:1-2 

Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts!

2 They Minister to Man as Messengers

Luke 1:13 

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.

3 They Minister to Man as Guardians

Daniel 6:22 

My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.

4 They Minister to the Needs of Believers

Hebrews 1:14

Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?

On My birthday

I just need a prayer to be at peace with myself.

I’m tired of fighting daily with my self esteem and self image.

Each year when it’s my birthday in this month I never feel happy because nobody except for a few of my close friends celebrate it.

I just for once to be happy with me and my life. I need to stop being jealous of everyone else’s lives, because I feel have nothing.

Truly
Daly felicitus
Daly -The Bible Homiletics

Blessings for Obedience

Blessings for Obedience - topic for our word Ministration for today.

28 If you will only obey the Lord your God, by diligently observing all his commandments that I am commanding you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth; 2 all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the Lordyour God: 3 Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field.

4 Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb, the fruit of your ground, and the fruit of your livestock, both the increase of your cattle and the issue of your flock.

5 Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.

6 Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.

7 The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you; they shall come out against you one way, and flee before you seven ways.
8 The Lord will command the blessing upon you in your barns, and in all that you undertake; he will bless you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. 

9 The Lord will establish you as his holy people, as he has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lordyour God and walk in his ways.
10 All the peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you. 

11 The Lord will make you abound in prosperity, in the fruit of your womb, in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your ground in the land that the Lord swore to your ancestors to give you

12 The Lord will open for you his rich storehouse, the heavens, to give the rain of your land in its season and to bless all your undertakings. You will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow.

13 The Lord will make you the head, and not the tail; you shall be only at the top, and not at the bottom—if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I am commanding you today, by diligently observing them, 

14 and if you do not turn aside from any of the words that I am commanding you today, either to the right or to the left, following other gods to serve them.

Warnings against Disobedience

Warnings against Disobedience

15 But if you will not obey the Lord your God by diligently observing all his commandments and decrees, which I am commanding you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you:

16 Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the field.

17 Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.

18 Cursed shall be the fruit of your womb, the fruit of your ground, the increase of your cattle and the issue of your flock.

19 Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out.

20 The Lord will send upon you disaster, panic, and frustration in everything you attempt to do, until you are destroyed and perish quickly, on account of the evil of your deeds, because you have forsaken me. 

21 The Lord will make the pestilence cling to you until it has consumed you off the land that you are entering to possess. 

22 The Lord will afflict you with consumption, fever, inflammation, with fiery heat and drought, and with blight and mildew; they shall pursue you until you perish. 

23 The sky over your head shall be bronze, and the earth under you iron. 

24 The Lord will change the rain of your land into powder, and only dust shall come down upon you from the sky until you are destroyed.

25 The Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies; you shall go out against them one way and flee before them seven ways. You shall become an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth. 

26 Your corpses shall be food for every bird of the air and animal of the earth, and there shall be no one to frighten them away. 

27 The Lord will afflict you with the boils of Egypt, with ulcers, scurvy, and itch, of which you cannot be healed. 

28 The Lord will afflict you with madness, blindness, and confusion of mind; 

29 you shall grope about at noon as blind people grope in darkness, but you shall be unable to find your way; and you shall be continually abused and robbed, without anyone to help.

30 You shall become engaged to a woman, but another man shall lie with her. You shall build a house, but not live in it. You shall plant a vineyard, but not enjoy its fruit. 

31 Your ox shall be butchered before your eyes, but you shall not eat of it. Your donkey shall be stolen in front of you, and shall not be restored to you. Your sheep shall be given to your enemies, without anyone to help you. 

32 Your sons and daughters shall be given to another people, while you look on; you will strain your eyes looking for them all day but be powerless to do anything. 

33 A people whom you do not know shall eat up the fruit of your ground and of all your labors; you shall be continually abused and crushed, 

34 and driven mad by the sight that your eyes shall see. 

35 The Lord will strike you on the knees and on the legs with grievous boils of which you cannot be healed, from the sole of your foot to the crown of your head. 

36 The Lord will bring you, and the king whom you set over you, to a nation that neither you nor your ancestors have known, where you shall serve other gods, of wood and stone. 

37 You shall become an object of horror, a proverb, and a byword among all the peoples where the Lord will lead you.

38 You shall carry much seed into the field but shall gather little in, for the locust shall consume it. 

39 You shall plant vineyards and dress them, but you shall neither drink the wine nor gather the grapes, for the worm shall eat them.

 40 You shall have olive trees throughout all your territory, but you shall not anoint yourself with the oil, for your olives shall drop off. 

41 You shall have sons and daughters, but they shall not remain yours, for they shall go into captivity. 

42 All your trees and the fruit of your ground the cicada shall take over. 

43 Aliens residing among you shall ascend above you higher and higher, while you shall descend lower and lower. 

44 They shall lend to you but you shall not lend to them; they shall be the head and you shall be the tail.

45 All these curses shall come upon you, pursuing and overtaking you until you are destroyed, because you did not obey the Lord your God, by observing the commandments and the decrees that he commanded you. 

46 They shall be among you and your descendants as a sign and a portent forever.

47 Because you did not serve the Lordyour God joyfully and with gladness of heart for the abundance of everything, 

48 therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the Lord will send against you, in hunger and thirst, in nakedness and lack of everything. He will put an iron yoke on your neck until he has destroyed you. 

49 The Lord will bring a nation from far away, from the end of the earth, to swoop down on you like an eagle, a nation whose language you do not understand, 

50 a grim-faced nation showing no respect to the old or favor to the young.

51 It shall consume the fruit of your livestock and the fruit of your ground until you are destroyed, leaving you neither grain, wine, and oil, nor the increase of your cattle and the issue of your flock, until it has made you perish. 

52 It shall besiege you in all your towns until your high and fortified walls, in which you trusted, come down throughout your land; it shall besiege you in all your towns throughout the land that the Lord your God has given you. 

53 In the desperate straits to which the enemy siege reduces you, you will eat the fruit of your womb, the flesh of your own sons and daughters whom the Lord your God has given you. 

54 Even the most refined and gentle of men among you will begrudge food to his own brother, to the wife whom he embraces, and to the last of his remaining children,

 55 giving to none of them any of the flesh of his children whom he is eating, because nothing else remains to him, in the desperate straits to which the enemy siege will reduce you in all your towns. 

56 She who is the most refined and gentle among you, so gentle and refined that she does not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground, will begrudge food to the husband whom she embraces, to her own son, and to her own daughter, 

57 begrudging even the afterbirth that comes out from between her thighs, and the children that she bears, because she is eating them in secret for lack of anything else, in the desperate straits to which the enemy siege will reduce you in your towns.

58 If you do not diligently observe all the words of this law that are written in this book, fearing this glorious and awesome name, the Lord your God, 

59 then the Lordwill overwhelm both you and your offspring with severe and lasting afflictions and grievous and lasting maladies. 

60 He will bring back upon you all the diseases of Egypt, of which you were in dread, and they shall cling to you. 

61 Every other malady and affliction, even though not recorded in the book of this law, the Lord will inflict on you until you are destroyed. 

62 Although once you were as numerous as the stars in heaven, you shall be left few in number, because you did not obey the Lord your God. 

63 And just as the Lord took delight in making you prosperous and numerous, so the Lord will take delight in bringing you to ruin and destruction; you shall be plucked off the land that you are entering to possess. 

64 The Lord will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other; and there you shall serve other gods, of wood and stone, which neither you nor your ancestors have known. 

65 Among those nations you shall find no ease, no resting place for the sole of your foot. There the Lord will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, and a languishing spirit.

66 Your life shall hang in doubt before you; night and day you shall be in dread, with no assurance of your life. 

67 In the morning you shall say, “If only it were evening!” and at evening you shall say, “If only it were morning!”—because of the dread that your heart shall feel and the sights that your eyes shall see. 

68 The Lord will bring you back in ships to Egypt, by a route that I promised you would never see again; and there you shall offer yourselves for sale to your enemies as male and female slaves, but there will be no buyer.

How you can be led by the Holy Spirit following the Spirit

How you can be led by the Holy Spirit following the Spirit

Rev Samuel S Konjah from Ghana

Be Spirit conscious

*Realize that you are born of the spirit

3 Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."  4 Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"  5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  (John 3:3-6, ESV)

*Keep the flesh under

But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.  (1 Corinthians 9:27, ESV)

*Walk in the spirit

For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.  (Romans 8:6, ESV)

*Pray in the spirit

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.  (Galatians 5:16, ESV)

If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.  (Galatians 5:25, ESV)

For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit.  (1 Corinthians 14:2, ESV)

For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful.  (1 Corinthians 14:14, ESV)

Listen to the inward witness

*The spirit communicates with your spirit

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,  (Romans 8:16, ESV)

*We have the witness within

Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son.  (1 John 5:10, ESV)

*Listen for a check in your spirit: intuition, hunch, premonition

9 Since much time had passed, and the voyage was now dangerous because even the Fast was already over, Paul advised them,  10 saying, "Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives."  (Acts 27:9-10, ESV)

*What does your heart say

for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.  (1 John 3:20, ESV)

*He shall direct your path

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.   6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.   (Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV)

Judge all things by the word

*Beware: Satan quotes scripture also!

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  (Matthew 4:1, ESV)

*Not every voice is of God

There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning,  (1 Corinthians 14:10, ESV)

*Prove all things.

but test everything; hold fast what is good.  (1 Thessalonians 5:21, ESV)

*Check it out, The word

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.   (Psalm 119:105,
ESV)

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.  (Romans 12:2, ESV)

How to sharpen your spirit

*Meditate on the word

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.  (Joshua 1:8, ESV)

*Put it to practice

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.  (James 1:22, ESV)

*Always give the word first place

20 My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.   21 Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart.   22 For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.   (Proverbs 4:20-22, ESV)

*Instantly obey your spirit

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.  (Romans 8:14, ESV)

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,  (Romans 8:16, ESV)

*Pray in the spirit without ceasing

12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.  13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.  14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.  (1 Corinthians 2:12-14, ESV)

God bless us all

https://chat.whatsapp.com/89Y5tHSb0KbHEU0wtrGUYghttps://chat.whatsapp.com/89Y5tHSb0KbHEU0wtrGUYg

How you can be led by the Holy Spirit by hearing the voice of the Spirit

How you can be led by the Holy Spirit by hearing the voice of the Spirit

The Holy Spirit leads us

*Led by the Spirit guides us into all truth

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.  (Romans 8:14, ESV)

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.  (John 16:13, ESV)

*Teaches us all things

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.  (John 14:26, ESV)

Through our own Spirit

*Your Spirit: the candle of the Lord

The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all his innermost parts.   (Proverbs 20:27, ESV)

*He lights our candle for direction

For it is you who light my lamp; the LORD my God lightens my darkness.   (Psalm 18:28, ESV)

*The Holy Spirit speaks to our spirits

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,  (Romans 8:16, ESV)

*We have the unction so that we can know all things

But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.  (1 John 2:20, ESV)

Create the Atmosphere

*Renew your mind, cut out all anxiety

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.  (Romans 12:2, ESV)

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  (Philippians 4:6, ESV)

*Supplication with Thanksgiving

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.  (Romans 8:26, ESV)

*Praying in the Spirit

For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit.  (1 Corinthians 14:2, ESV)

For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful.  (1 Corinthians 14:14, ESV)

*A tender conscience, ministering to the Lord while fasting

through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared,  (1 Timothy 4:2, ESV)

I am speaking the truth in Christ-I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit-  (Romans 9:1, ESV)

Beware of the 'Fleece'

*Do not pursue prophecies, special signs are not reliable, do jot seek visions

1 Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.  2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."  (Acts 13:1-2, ESV)

*Personal prophecy must confirm God's message to you. eg. Marriage, business, ministry

1 Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.  2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."  (Acts 13:1-2, ESV)

*We have a more sure word

1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,  2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.  (Hebrews 1:1-2, ESV)
God bless us all

How you can be led by the Holy Spirit

Rev Samuel S Konjah from Ghana

How you can be led by the Holy Spirit

Man is a spirit

Creation in the image of God, Spirit, soul and body

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."  (Genesis 1:26, ESV)
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.   (Genesis 1:27, ESV)

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  (1 Thessalonians 5:23, ESV)

The hidden man

but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.  (1 Peter 3:4, ESV)

The inward man

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.  (2 Corinthians 4:16, ESV)

The spirit leaves the body

23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.  24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.  25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith,  (Philippians 1:23-25, ESV)

God dwells in you

The spirit of God is in you

Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?  (1 Corinthians 3:16, ESV)

Dwells in you

What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.   (2 Corinthians 6:16, ESV)

Abides in you

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,  (John 14:16, ESV)

You have a new nature
You are a new creature

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.  (2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV)

Born of God

No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.  (1 John 3:9, ESV)

That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  (John 3:6, ESV)

Partakers of the divine nature

by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.  (2 Peter 1:4, ESV)

The role of the Holy Spirit

Comforter

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,  (John 14:16, ESV)

Helper

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.  (Romans 8:26, ESV)

Reveals things to come

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.  (John 16:13, ESV)

He will teach you

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.  (John 14:26, ESV)

He will guide your mind

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.  (John 14:26, ESV)

He will lead you

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.  (Romans 8:14, ESV)

God bless us all

The name of Jesus

Rev Samuel S Konjah from Ghana

Hallelujah
The name of Jesus

The more excellent name: How it came

*By Prophecy

And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.  (Luke 1:31, ESV)

*By Inheritance

1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,  2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.  3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,  4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.  5 For to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my Son, today I have begotten you"? Or again, "I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son"?   6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him."   (Hebrews 1:1-6, ESV)

*By Bestowal

9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,  10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,  (Philippians 2:9-10, ESV)

*By Conquest

He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.  (Colossians 2:15, ESV)

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,  (Colossians 1:13, ESV)

Back by Deity (God himself)

*He is God with us

"Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us).   (Matthew 1:23, ESV)

*He is the express image of God

For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,  (Colossians 2:9, ESV)

2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.  3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,  (Hebrews 1:2-3, ESV)

*He is God

Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.  (Acts 20:28, ESV)

"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."  (Revelation 1:8, ESV)

*He is the Judge of all flesh

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.  (2 Corinthians 5:10, ESV)

For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son,  (John 5:22, ESV)

Authority in the Name

*Jesus has authority over the spiritual realm

5 When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him,  6 "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly."  7 And he said to him, "I will come and heal him."  8 But the centurion replied, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.  9 For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes, and to another, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."  10 When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, "Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.  (Matthew 8:5-10, ESV)

*All power belongs to Him

And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  (Matthew 28:18, ESV)

*He has the keys of authority

and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.  (Revelation 1:18, ESV)

*The name stands for the person Himself

17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;  18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover."  (Mark 16:17-18, ESV)

*The name belongs to all believers, especially me

For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them."  (Matthew 18:20, ESV)

3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms.  4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, "Look at us."  5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them.  6 But Peter said, "I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!"  (Acts 3:3-6, ESV)

The name in Prayer

*Ask in the name , ye shall recive

In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.  (John 16:23, ESV)

Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.  (John 16:24, ESV)

The name is salvation

*The only way to the father, the only name given to men

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."  (Acts 4:12, ESV)

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  (John 14:6, ESV)

*The only mediator, the only Saviour

She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."  (Matthew 1:21, ESV)

"Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us).   (Matthew 1:23, ESV)

For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,  (1 Timothy 2:5, ESV)

God bless us all

Exercising your Authority

Hallelujah

Exercising your Authority

God expects you to exercise your Authority

*Be strong in the power of God

*Resist the devil, and he will flee from you

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  (James 4:7, ESV)

*Your job is to enforce Christ's victory at all times

* Stand your ground

God expects you to exercise your Authority

*Be strong in the power of God

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.  (Ephesians 6:10, ESV)

*Resist the devil, and he will flee from you

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  (James 4:7, ESV)

*Your job is to enforce Christ's victory at all times

8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.  (1 Peter 5:8-9, ESV)

* Stand your ground

and give no opportunity to the devil.  (Ephesians 4:27, ESV)

Pre conditions for exercising Authority

*First, be submitted to God

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  (James 4:7, ESV)

*Be submitted in every other area

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.  4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.  5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,  6 being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.  (2 Corinthians 10:3-6, ESV)

*The example of Jesus himself

For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."  (Luke 7:8, ESV)

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,  6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,  7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,  10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,  11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  (Philippians 2:5-11, ESV)

How to exercise your Authority

Take personal action by:

*Confessing and asserting your god God-given authority

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,  6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,  7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,  10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,  11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  (Philippians 2:5-11, ESV)

*Use the spoken word to enforce the will of God

and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,  (Ephesians 6:17, ESV)

But he answered, "It is written, "'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"   (Matthew 4:4, ESV)

*Cast out devils, heal the sick, preach the kingdom,  bind the forces of darkness,break their power

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.  4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.  5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,  (2 Corinthians 10:3-5, ESV)

Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.  (Matthew 18:18, ESV)

17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;  18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover."  (Mark 16:17-18, ESV)

Do it in faith

*Walk in the knowledge that Satan is already defeated, know that and below you

He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.  (Colossians 2:15, ESV)

and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,  (Ephesians 2:6, ESV)

*The power backing our authority is God himself

Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.  (1 John 4:4, ESV)

*The words we speak are backed by God's performance

Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.  (Matthew 18:18, ESV)

If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.  (John 14:14, ESV)

You will decide on a matter, and it will be established for you, and light will shine on your ways.   (Job 22:28, ESV)

The extent of our authority

*We have authority over all powers of darkness

*Authority in your own house, family and all that's yours. Authority over demon spirits, but not over human wills

*Jesus never imposed his will on men

51 And Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" And the blind man said to him, "Rabbi, let me recover my sight."  52 And Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.  (Mark 10:51-52, ESV)

*You cannot exercise power beyond your limits, unless permitted by your neighbors

God bless us all

Thanks Rev Samuel S Konjah from Ghana

Knowing your Authority

Knowing Your Authority

What is Authority
Authority is delegated power. It is a mandate to run affairs, to take charge. It can be exercise on behave of a higher power. Eg. Policeman, Ambassadors, Lawyers, Agents etc

To Authorize means:
To empower
To sanction
To endorse

Christ's Authority (How he got it)
*Bestowed on him by God Himself
*All power in Heaven and Earth is given to him
*He has already defeated Satan and his forces
*He who has the keys is the one in authority
*God has committed all judgement to Him, All things are under His feet.

18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,  19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might  20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,  21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.  22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,  23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.  (Ephesians 1:18-23, ESV)

And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  (Matthew 28:18, ESV)

For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son,  (John 5:22, ESV)
and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.  (Revelation 1:18, ESV)

He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.  (Colossians 2:15, ESV)
Our Position in Christ
We are the body of Christ

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.  (1 Corinthians 12:27, ESV)

We are citizens of heaven

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,  (Philippians 3:20, ESV)

We are the people of God

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.  (1 Peter 2:9, ESV)

We are a royal priesthood

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him
who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.  (1 Peter 2:9, ESV)

We are risen together with him

having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.  (Colossians 2:12, ESV)

We are seated together with him in heavenly places

and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,  (Ephesians 2:6, ESV)

We are joint heirs with him

16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,  17 and if children, then heirs-heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.  (Romans 8:16-17, ESV)

He has given Christians His Authority
*Every single believer has his authority

17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;  18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover."  (Mark 16:17-18, ESV)

*Authority over all, not some the power of the enemy.

Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.  (Luke 10:19, ESV)

*All believers have the keys of authority

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."  (Matthew 16:19, ESV)

*Authority to rule in this life

For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.  (Romans 5:17, ESV)

We have the power to bind or loose

Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.  (Matthew 18:18, ESV)

5 Let the godly exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their beds.   6 Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands,   7 to execute vengeance on the nations and punishments on the peoples,   8 to bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron,   9 to execute on them the judgment written! This is honor for all his godly ones. Praise the LORD!   (Psalm 149:5-9, ESV)

God bless us all

Six skills to resolve conflicts with teachers and parents while protecting relationships

Six skills to resolve conflicts with teachers and parents while protecting relationships
   
It’s only human who try to avoid conflicts, but unfortunately, few problems just quietly slink away.

Conflicts have a way of turning into crises.  A researchers adapted the skills specifically for principals and other educational leaders who often must manage conflict with both teachers and parents over classroom performance issues.

“The challenge for leaders is how to address the conflict in ways that minimize the relational harm in doing so,”

Skill 1–Express yourself and describe your position. An optimal solution integrates the legitimate interests of both parties.  For this to happen, you must fully express your point of view and you must listen carefully to what the teacher or parent is saying. Take the time to describe and explain your perspective.   Give relevant reasons, examples, or evidence to help the parent or teacher understand why you have the point of view you do.

“One of the differences between the problem-solving of expert and typical principals is that experts are more likely to clearly disclose their own interpretation of a problem and provide supporting reasons,”

Skill 2– Listen for deep understanding.  Careful listening in response to complaints restores trust. Your curiosity in the discussion signals a deep respect for the other person’s ideas and concerns and helps build a working affiliation. You should listen both to fact-find and to understand how the facts have been interpreted. You must understand the emotional content of situation as well as the factual details.  There is a long-term payoff, as well. Listening gives you the information you need to prevent or resolve similar situations in the future.

Skill 3–Check your understanding.  Make sure that you have correctly understood what the parent or teacher has communicated and that your reactions are not based on faulty inferences and attributions. “Interactions that are emotionally laden and conflict-prone provide considerable opportunity for mutual misunderstanding,” the authors write. Checking your understanding disrupts your assumptions so that you can more effectively resolve the situation.

Skills 4 and 5–Re-examine your point of view and  help the other person re-examine theirs. Research shows that people selectively hear information that confirms their existing beliefs.  Keep an open mind to improve the outcome. When people are not so certain about their initial positions, they are more tentative and flexible in searching for a solution.
“The doubt triggers more inquiry into alternatives, and this, in turn, encourages the other person to take a more flexible stances

If one person begins to doubt his or her position, this modeling sets up a reciprocal dynamic.

The ability to engage the other party in a reconsideration of their perspective is a high-level skill requiring that you both challenge and respect the other’s point of view. This is where good listening pays off. The teacher or parent is more likely to follow your lead in re-examining your perspective if they feel you have really listened to them.

Skill 6–Agree with the principal and parent/teacher on what to do next. Expert principals genuinely try to find solutions that satisfy the legitimate interests of all parties. Even after taking all of the steps above, the best solution may not be obvious to you. You must also work with stakeholders to craft the optimal solution.

“Typically, principals were more skilled in advocating their own position than in deeply inquiring into and checking their understanding of the views of the parent or teacher,”

There are some more findings of the study:

Principals displayed limited (low-to-modest) effectiveness in handling the two interactions with parents and teachers

They behaved consistently across the two scenarios.
They were more skillfull when seeking to understand the teacher’s point of view than the parent’s.
Their weakest skill, as a group, was in checking understanding of the parent or teacher’s view.
Principals were more likely to try to help the teacher than the parent consider an alternate point of view.
Possible explanations for why principals did not do better at checking for understanding are that they feared it. would confirm the existence of disagreement or that they were preoccupied about what to say next,

One of the Response that we received to “6 skills to resolve conflicts with teachers and parents while protecting relationships”

Understandably, principals would be better at explaining their own point of view than hearing the teacher’s views. Principals are easily outnumbered when pressure comes from parents, or from students whose parents serve on school boards supported by a higher level authority

Principals may be more effective advocates if they taught new teachers the politics of their school environments. While the higher paid administrators and assistant administrators act the warm, inviting hosts, they also can be conveniently too busy to respond to or assist educators.

In this era, it’s common knowledge that the students have the rights, not the teachers. Instead, educators carry the mother load of responsibilities–to teach, inspire, guide, counsel, develop character and future citizens, provide a nurturing and stimulating environment, understand teaching pedagogy and school law, apply conflict resolution, crisis intervention, and establish connections with students, parents, and administrators while responding to daily changing priorities set by students and administrators.

I understand that students were once victims of the zero tolerance policy, a repressive, impersonal bureaucratic system of discipline. But now, I believe the teachers will end up the victims, where there can be little or no support from the school bureaucracy or a union.

Faith is Action and Faith in Action

Faith is Action and Faith in Action

Our actions correspond with what we really believe.

Faith is only made complete by a corresponding action

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?  15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,  16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?  17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.  18 But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.  19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe-and shudder!  20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?  21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?  22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works;  (James 2:14-22, ESV)

Noah pleased God by active faith

6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.  7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.  (Hebrews 11:6-7, ESV)
[10/02 1:45 am] Divine Push: Doing, not just hearing the word, is what guarantees success

"Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  (Matthew 7:24, ESV)

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.  (Joshua 1:8, ESV)

God expects us to pit into practice, whatever the words says

14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.  15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.  16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.  17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.  18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.  19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;  20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.  21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.  22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.  (James 1:14-22, ESV)

Don't expect to see the promises of God, expect you back your confession with action

Faith in action

In spite if God promises, his answer will not manifest until we take action

Our Faith can be seen by things we do

18 And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus,  19 but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus.  20 And when he saw their faith, he said, "Man, your sins are forgiven you."  (Luke 5:18-20, ESV)

24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"-he said to the man who was paralyzed-"I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home."  25 And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God.  (Luke 5:24-25, ESV)

If you believe, you will act

By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.  (Hebrews 11:7, ESV)

When we act, then we receive

The actions of a doer coincides with his confession

How to write your own ticket with God

Say it

Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.  (Mark 11:23, ESV)

Do it

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,  (James 1:2, ESV)

24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.  25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.  (James 1:24-25, ESV)
Receive it by faith

Tell it

45 Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.  46 This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel,  47 and that all this assembly may know that the LORD saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the LORD's, and he will give you into our hand."  48 When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine.  49 And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.  50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in the hand of David.  (1 Samuel 17:45-50, ESV)

God bless us all

The Power of Confession

The Power of Confession

Agree verbally with, before we believe

Confess: acknowledge verbally, assert, declare and proclaim

Confession: The key to unlocking faith

* Confession is faiths way of expressing itself.

For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.  (Romans 10:10, ESV)

* After believing, confession is vital, if we are to obtain the promise

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  (Romans 10:9, ESV)

Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.  (Mark 11:23, ESV)

* If you really believe something you will speak out

Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, "I believed, and so I spoke," we also believe, and so we also speak,  (2 Corinthians 4:13, ESV)

*Jesus himself is the high priest (performer) of our confession

Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession,  (Hebrews 3:1, ESV)

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  (Hebrews 4:14, ESV)

* Your mouth will utter whatever is store in your Heart

You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  (Matthew 12:34, ESV)

Confession of God's word brings Faith

* Renew your mind with God's word

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.  (Romans 12:2, ESV)

* Know that God will by all means perform his word

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.  (1 John 5:14, ESV)

Then the LORD said to me, "You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it."  (Jeremiah 1:12, ESV)

"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,   (Isaiah 55:10, ESV)

* Confess God's word, not men's ideas

Put me in remembrance; let us argue together; set forth your case, that you may be proved right.   (Isaiah 43:26, ESV)

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.  14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.  (1 John 5:13-14, ESV)

* Faith increases as you hear yourself speaking the word

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.  (Romans 10:17, ESV)

Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.  (Mark 11:23, ESV)

*Confession of God's word dispels fear

My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word!   (Psalm 119:28, ESV)

The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.   (Psalm 119:130, ESV)

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.  (Romans 10:17, ESV)

Confess your rights and privileges in Christ

* Discover and learn more about your privileges in Christ searching the scriptures

And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.  (Acts 20:32, ESV)

Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.  (Acts 17:11, ESV)

* What God, through Christ, has wrought for us in his plan of redemption

* What God has, through the word and the Holy Spirit wrought for us in the New Birth

* What we are to God the father in Christ Jesus

* What Jesus I'd doing for us right now at the right hand of the father

* What God can accomplish through us, and what his word can do through our lips

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  (Philippians 4:8, ESV)

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.  (Philippians 4:13, ESV)

Right and wrong confession

Out minds may not comprehend everything the word says about us

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.   9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.   (Isaiah 55:8-9, ESV)

To confess the right things, we have to thing on the right things

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  (Philippians 4:8, ESV)

To confess the right things, we have to think on the right things

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  (Philippians 4:8, ESV)

Confess whatever the word says about you, even when in contrary circumstances

37 For nothing will be impossible with God."  38 And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.  (Luke 1:37-38, ESV)

Believe that  it is impossible to please God without faith

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.  (Hebrews 11:6, ESV)

Whenever you speak doubt, you have believed something

You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  (Matthew 12:34, ESV)

Doubt is the think of God greater blessings

23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,  24 but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them.  25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea.  26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, "It is a ghost!" and they cried out in fear.  27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid."  28 And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water."  29 He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.  30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me."  31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"  (Matthew 14:23-31, ESV)

Never confess the problem. Confess the solution

"For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,  (Joel 3:1, ESV)

You can have what you say

You can speak your way to life, or to death

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.   (Proverbs 18:21, ESV)

if you are snared in the words of your mouth, caught in the words of your mouth,   (Proverbs 6:2, ESV)

What you say is what you get, whether positive or negative

17 Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan and said to them, "Go up into the Negeb and go up into the hill country,  18 and see what the land is, and whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many,  19 and whether the land that they dwell in is good or bad, and whether the cities that they dwell in are camps or strongholds,  20 and whether the land is rich or poor, and whether there are trees in it or not. Be of good courage and bring some of the fruit of the land." Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes.  21 So they went up and spied out the land from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob, near Lebo-hamath.  22 They went up into the Negeb and came to Hebron. Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, were there. (Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)  23 And they came to the Valley of Eshcol and cut down from there a branch with a single cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a pole between two of them; they also brought some pomegranates and figs.  24 That place was called the Valley of Eshcol, because of the cluster that the people of Israel cut down from there.  25 At the end of forty days they returned from spying out the land.  26 And they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the people of Israel in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh. They brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land.  27 And they told him, "We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.  28 However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there.  29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country. And the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan."  30 But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, "Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it."  31 Then the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are."  32 So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, "The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height.  (Numbers 13:17-32, ESV)

You can have whatever you say you have

And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."  (Mark 11:25, ESV)

God will judge you by what you say

for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."  (Matthew 12:37, ESV)

Say to them, 'As I live, declares the LORD, what you have said in my hearing I will do to you:  (Numbers 14:28, ESV)

Remember,  confession be beats a path to the answer

No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.  (John 1:18, ESV)

For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.  (Romans 10:10, ESV)

Faith

Faith

By Rev Samuel S Konjah from Ghana

Faith: confidence, firm conviction, complete trust, absolute dependence, reliance

Faith is a strong belief, trust and absolute reliance on one whose trustworthiness in a particular situation has not yet been proven

Faith says I am convinced about the existence of something, though I do not see it

What is faith?

*Everyone has natural human faith

If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son.  (1 John 5:9, ESV)

*Faith is the substance of things hope for, the evidence of things not seen

*Faith says we're confident of what we hope for, convinced of what we do see

*Faith is now

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.  (Hebrews 11:1, ESV)

*Faith believes with the heart, and confesses with the mouth

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.  (Hebrews 11:1, ESV)

*Faith is action

So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.  (James 2:17, ESV)

For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.  (James 2:26, ESV)

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son,  (Hebrews 11:17, ESV)

Two kinds of Faith

*Man's kind of Faith (Thomas) seeing is believing

24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.  25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe."  26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."  27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe."  28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!"  29 Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."  (John 20:24-29, ESV)

*God's kind of Faith (Abraham) believing before seeing

17 as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations"-in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.  18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, "So shall your offspring be."  19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb.  20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God,  21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.  22 That is why his faith was "counted to him as righteousness."  (Romans 4:17-22, ESV)

*We walk by faith and not by sight

for we walk by faith, not by sight.  (2 Corinthians 5:7, ESV)

*Without Faith it is impossible to please God

But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.  (Hebrews 11:16, ESV)

*Choose God kind of Faith

20 As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots.  21 And Peter remembered and said to him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered."  22 And Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God.  (Mark 11:20-22, ESV)

How do we get Faith

* God has dealt to every man the measure of faith

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.  (Romans 12:3, ESV)

*Faith comes by hearing the word of God

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.  (Romans 10:17, ESV)

*Hearing the word produces Faith for salvation

13 For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."  14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?  15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"  16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?"  17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.  (Romans 10:13-17, ESV)

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.  (Romans 1:16, ESV)

*We are saved through faith

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,  (Ephesians 2:8, ESV)

Example of Faith for salvation

13 And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, 'Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter;  14 he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.'  15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning.  16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'  17 If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?"  18 When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, "Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life."  (Acts 11:13-18, ESV)

*Example of Faith for healing

And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease."  (Mark 5:34, ESV)

Faith versus Hope

*Faith and hope are not to be confused one with another

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.  (Romans 12:3, ESV)

*Faith comes by hearing the word of God

4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.  5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,  6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:  (Romans 4:4-6, ESV)

* Faith says, it is done,I have now

as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations"-in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.  (Romans 4:17, ESV)

*Hope waits for some future manifestation

*Faith receives in the present the thing we hope for

Faith sees answers

*The eyes of faith see the answer as having already happened

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.  (Mark 11:24, ESV)

*Looking at the word, makes us see the answer, not the problem

20 My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.   21 Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart.   22 For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.   (Proverbs 4:20-22, ESV)

*Faith contradicts circumstances

19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb.  20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God,  21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.  22 That is why his faith was "counted to him as righteousness."  23 But the words "it was counted to him" were not written for his sake alone,  24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord,  (Romans 4:19-24, ESV)

* Faith says the answer

Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.  (Mark 11:23, ESV)

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  (Hebrews 4:14, ESV)

God bless you all.