Here's the Thing

"You are snared with the words of your mouth, you are taken with the words of your moth." Proverbs 6:2

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, because you have rejected knowledge..." Hosea 4:6 (NKJV)

'Here's the thing' is a common phrase when someone is telling you something. When they are talking, they say, “Here’s the thing” and continue to express their opinion. It’s like Jesus saying, “Truly, truly I say to you…”, only His opinion is the truth! So we too say today, “Here’s the thing…”

Here’s the Thing: Lack of knowledge does not come from a shortage of information, but rather a rejection of new instruction from information. Most people believe they are right, they want to be right. They are closed to the idea of change or they might be wrong. Many people judge and condemn new information because of a lack of understanding. Without understanding, the door to God’s supernatural provision and power closes.

Here’s the Thing: Living in victory is a gift to receive; it is not by striving toward better behavior. Regardless of how you feel, say, “God always causes me to triumph in Christ (II Corinthians 2:14). I have sufficiency for all things (II Corinthians 9:8).”

Here’s the Thing: Choose to stop letting emotional moods control your life and replace emotions with the oil of joy and the garment of praise (Isaiah 61:8). Say, “The joy of the Lord is my strength (Nehemiah 8:10). I walk and I am not weary (Isaiah 40:31).” To walk means living everyday in peace, joy, patience and love for all things which is our true calling. “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.” Colossians 3:15 (NKJV). The power of the Holy Spirit is our ability to choose the Word of God for our future belief system.

Here’s the Thing: We must remain open and teachable. “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.” James 3:17. Entreated is to be teachable. We must accept the fact that we do not know what is best and right. Some churches believe their doctrine is correct above others. This is a faulty, limited religious idea based on pride. We will never know enough to move away from Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 1:16-18. Paul makes mention to the people in prayer that the Father of glory gives us wisdom, revelation and the eyes of understanding to be enlightened. As we behold the glory of God and His creation, we discover there is no end to Him. God will always be renewing our strength and youth by our willingness to discover Him. There are no big shots in God’s kingdom. The ground is level at the cross. We are the containers of the ‘real’ Christian, Him!

Here’s the Thing: We are not just human. It takes time and practice to get used to the idea that our Creator-Redeemer has given us exceedingly great and precious promises so we may be partakers of His divine nature (II Peter 1:4). Mix II Peter 1:3 with faith: “By God’s divine power, He has given me all things that pertain to life and godliness.” How? Through the revealed knowledge of Jesus Christ who called us to glory and virtue. It is important to remind ourselves that all things from God are not earned nor deserved, rather received and believed! This concept is strange to most people because it is opposite of how they were taught and how they believe. God desires to abundantly bless us. Allow this concept into your belief system to become a life-style. Thank you Lord Jesus Christ for being my peace, power, plenty and purpose. I am open and receptive now to Your ‘all things’ for me! How does obedience to God’s Word fit in? Once we receive salvation of God’s great grace, we are fixed in His New Covenant. We enter into the New Covenant made between God and Himself, Jesus. In the New Covenant, by the Holy Spirit, we are designed to obey God’s Word. Obedience is a creative urge that puts pressure on us. Jesus said, “If you hear my sayings and do them, you are strong (Luke 6:47).” This means we don’t do things to be blessed, we do things because we are blessed to be a blessing to ourselves and others. We sow in the Spirit by which abundance is ours (Matthew 25:29). The more we give to others, the more of the abundant, blessed life will follow and take over our lives. 

Here’s the Thing: We are blessed in the city, blessed in the field, blessed in the fruit of our bodies, blessed in the beginning of our day and blessed at the end our day (Deuteronomy 28:3-6). We walk with the oil of joy and the garment of praise every day. Thanks be to Jesus Christ whose mercy endures forever. Amen. Believe and receive!

Pastor Jimm