How GreatThou Art - Elvis Presley

Neil Diamond sings "Amazing Grace" on American Idol

This is what God's Grace can do..Halleluyah!
Praise God!

'God, What's The Hurry?'

Luke 15:22
22“But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.’”

If you are a believer, you are probably familiar with the story of the prodigal son that Jesus shared. Who do you think represents the father in the story? Jesus’ Father in heaven, of course. Jesus was giving us a picture of His Father, who is also our Father.

In the story, the father was seen running towards his son, who was returning home. (Luke 15:20) Do you realise that God is never described as being in a hurry in the Bible? God is always cool and composed. The only time He is portrayed as being in a hurry is in this story. The father held up his robe and ran. Where was he running to? And why was he in such a hurry?

The father was in a hurry because he had seen his son, who was still a long way from home. He was running towards His child. He could not wait to hold His child tight in His arms and to kiss him. (Luke 15:20)

The father was in a hurry to clothe him with the best robe. Once, a prince named Jonathan gave his princely robe to David, bestowing on him his princely position. (1 Samuel 18:4) God has put the best robe on us, and in doing so, He was not bestowing but reinstating our positions, which we had lost when Adam fell, as kings of the Most High God. (Revelation 1:6)

The father was in a hurry to put a ring on his hand. Like the authority held by the signet ring of a rich man’s son, God is eager to put back into our hands the authority to invoke His name so that we can walk in dominion every day.

The father was in a hurry to put sandals on his feet to assure him that he was still his son — only servants went about barefoot. God never wants us to feel like outcasts. We are always His sons and daughters.

Beloved, if God appears to be in a hurry, it is because He is in a hurry to assure you of your position as His precious child!

Called From Your Mother's Womb

Galatians 1:15
15But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace...

God has specially called you from your mother’s womb. You have a calling and a destiny in Christ!

There are Christians who are called by God to be doctors. But I believe that among them are those separated from their mothers’ wombs for the healing ministry. They are passionate about seeking cures to alleviate the sufferings of humanity.

Likewise, I think that there are Christians who are called by God to be teachers in secular schools. But among them are those separated from their mothers’ wombs to be Bible teachers. What gives them tremendous fulfilment is seeing lives saved and transformed under their teaching.

What about those famous magicians you see performing tricks on television? They have a love for the mystical and supernatural. If they were to become Christians, they might just become prophets with ministries marked by the miraculous!

The apostle Paul knew that he was called from his mother’s womb. He had a misguided passion for God though, as he was persecuting the church, until he had his encounter with Jesus. (Acts 8:3, 9:1–6) If Paul, a terrorist to the early church, could be touched by Christ to become an apostle of grace, what about today’s terrorists who kill in the name of God? For all you know, if they receive Christ, they might just become trailblazers in the kingdom of God!

Now, don’t think that your calling has to do with your qualifications, abilities, achievements or even your walk with God. You were called from your mother’s womb. As a foetus in your mother’s womb, there was not much you could do — good or bad. That is why your calling is all by His grace. And since He has given you a calling, ask the Holy Spirit to help you discern the desires that He has placed in your heart, the passions that drive you in life, and fulfil your calling and destiny in Christ!

The Mind Of Christ Doesn't Grow Old

1 Corinthians 2:16
16... we have the mind of Christ.

“Oh dear, my memory is not as good as it used to be. I must be getting old.”

Have you heard that before? Maybe you have even said it yourself a couple of times!

But who says that as you grow older, you are supposed to forget things?

When the late Reverend Kenneth E Hagin was in his eighties, he was still healthy and strong. This amazing man of God would run around the platform as he preached. And if you have ever heard him preach, you would have heard him say things like, “In 1936, on September 13 at 3.30pm, it was a Wednesday…” Even at that age, the man’s memory was superb!

But he shared one time about how he had started to forget things when he was in his fifties. He had read a medical journal which said that every day millions of cells in our brains die. He didn’t realise it, but those words got into his spirit and he started to forget things.

So he asked the Lord, “What is happening to me?” And the Lord said, “You read that article and you believed it.” He repented and asked the Lord what he should do. The Lord said, “Confess My Word. My Word says that you have the mind of Christ, and the mind of Christ never forgets.” He started to confess that he had the mind of Christ and that was how his memory remained sharp for the rest of his life.

My friend, the Word of God says that you have the mind of Christ. The mind of Christ is not forgetful, slow or old! I don’t care how old you get. You don’t have to become forgetful. Don’t believe and confess what medical science or your friends say. Believe and confess the Word of God which brings life.

The power of life and death is in your tongue. (Proverbs 18:21) So use your tongue for life. Don’t sit around saying, “I am getting old and forgetful.” Say, “I have the mind of Christ. My mind is sharp and quick because it is the mind of Christ!” Believe it, confess it, and see your thinking and memory live up to it!

God Will Surely Show You Kindness

2 Samuel 9:7
7So David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually.”

When the people in the palace heard that King Saul and his son Jonathan had died in battle, they panicked. Fearful that David was coming to seize the throne, and kill all the sons and grandsons of Saul, they ran for their lives. A nurse took Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, and ran. But as she fled, the five-year-old boy fell and became lame in both feet. (2 Samuel 4:4)

The poor boy would not have been crippled if they had known that David actually loved Jonathan and Saul, and would have looked after Jonathan’s boy because he had made a covenant with Jonathan. (1 Samuel 18:3)

In this story, King Saul represents the human race. He is like Adam who sinned against God and forfeited all that God gave to man. He had the position, but not the power anymore because of sin. Jonathan, who came from Saul, represents Jesus, who came as a human. Jonathan was not like Saul — he was good, just as Jesus is not like Adam — He is the perfect Man. David represents God. So Jonathan’s covenant with David speaks of Jesus’ covenant with God. Mephibosheth represents believers today who are “lame” in some way — sick, depressed, fearful, poor and so on.

Now, Mephibosheth became lame because of bad news that was based on a lie. Many believers today are suffering needlessly because they believe the wrong things about God. They think, “My sin has found me out! God is coming after me!”

Well, I have good news for all Mephibosheths: David is not after your life! When David looked for Mephibosheth, it was to show him kindness, to take care of him and restore to him the land that belonged to Saul his grandfather.

Likewise, God is not out to get you. He knows all about your sins and still loves you. That is why He sent Jesus as the payment for your sins. And because of Jesus’ covenant with Him, He says to you, “Don’t be afraid, I will surely show you kindness. I will restore all to you and you shall always eat at My table!”

The Mind Of Christ Doesn't Grow Old

1 Corinthians 2:16
16... we have the mind of Christ.

“Oh dear, my memory is not as good as it used to be. I must be getting old.”

Have you heard that before? Maybe you have even said it yourself a couple of times!

But who says that as you grow older, you are supposed to forget things?

When the late Reverend Kenneth E Hagin was in his eighties, he was still healthy and strong. This amazing man of God would run around the platform as he preached. And if you have ever heard him preach, you would have heard him say things like, “In 1936, on September 13 at 3.30pm, it was a Wednesday…” Even at that age, the man’s memory was superb!

But he shared one time about how he had started to forget things when he was in his fifties. He had read a medical journal which said that every day millions of cells in our brains die. He didn’t realise it, but those words got into his spirit and he started to forget things.

So he asked the Lord, “What is happening to me?” And the Lord said, “You read that article and you believed it.” He repented and asked the Lord what he should do. The Lord said, “Confess My Word. My Word says that you have the mind of Christ, and the mind of Christ never forgets.” He started to confess that he had the mind of Christ and that was how his memory remained sharp for the rest of his life.

My friend, the Word of God says that you have the mind of Christ. The mind of Christ is not forgetful, slow or old! I don’t care how old you get. You don’t have to become forgetful. Don’t believe and confess what medical science or your friends say. Believe and confess the Word of God which brings life.

The power of life and death is in your tongue. (Proverbs 18:21) So use your tongue for life. Don’t sit around saying, “I am getting old and forgetful.” Say, “I have the mind of Christ. My mind is sharp and quick because it is the mind of Christ!” Believe it, confess it, and see your thinking and memory live up to it!