The Lord's State of the Union Address

by Lonnie Lane 

What if the Lord gave a State of the Union address, to give an account of what is happening in the Kingdom of God presently. Can you picture it? From all over the world those who are the Lord's gather together in a huge chamber large enough for multitudes upon multitudes. Levels upon levels of balconies rise high into the heavens. As this is a governmental meeting, only those who have been elected – those who are of “the elect” (Matthew 24:31; Romans 8:33) may attend, except for the angels who stand in poised attention as aides along the walls. The place is alive with activity as we greet one another with rejoicing. Then suddenly, a trumpet is blown and Gabriel (Luke 1:19) comes through the enormous chamber doors that open automatically as he approaches them. All attention turns toward him as he steps into the chamber. Expectant silence fills the chamber. Then with a thunderous rumble that rolls up the balconies he announces, “THE LORD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH!” (Daniel 5:23; Matthew 11:25; Luke 10:21; Acts 17:24). All stand to their feet. 

Make an Exchange

Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. —Exodus 12:40

Life is a process of exchange. We enter to leave, go up to come down, give to receive, and die to live. God wants to make some exchanges in your life. He wants to lead you out of bondage and into your Promised Land.

The status quo is your greatest enemy of the cause of Christ. The Israelites were comfortable in Egypt and soon begged to go back. But your abundance is tied to the process of exchange. God wants you to exchange the bondage of your Egypt for the abundance of His Promised Land. He wants to bring you out of the kingdom of the world and into His glorious kingdom.

Don't stay in bondage another day. Determine to break through the boundaries the devil has raised up around you. Exchange your way of doing things for God's, and go forward with Him into your Promised Land.

GOD WANTS YOU TO LIVE A LIFE OF VICTORY

As you read the Word of God, you will discover that the Bible is full of people just like you who faced trials. Here is a list of just some of them:

• Abraham, Sarah, Joseph, David, Caleb, Joshua, King Jehoshaphat
• the lady with the issue of blood (Matt. 18:26)
• a blind man (Mark 8:22-26)
• a crippled woman (Luke 10:17)
• and many others who faced difficult circumstances and many times impossible situations.

However, each of them put their trust in a promise of God and every one of them came through their trial victoriously.

God has revealed His plan for us in His Word. John 10:10 says, "The thief comes only in order that he may steal, and may kill, and may destroy. I came that they might have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows") (AMP)

Start Speaking Faith Now

"Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things." (Matthew 12:34-35)

Words won't work without faith any more than faith will work without words! It takes them both to put the law of faith in motion.

Many believers don't realize that. They'll continually speak words of doubt and unbelief, then they'll jump up one day and say a couple of faith words and expect mountains to move-- and to their dismay, they don't.

Why not?

Because as Matthew 12:34-35 says, it's the words that come from the heart that produce results. The person who just throws in a couple of faith words now and then isn't speaking them from the abundance of his heart, so they're not effective.

Does that mean you shouldn't start speaking words of faith until you're sure you have the faith to back them?

No Delays, No Limits

Written by Carolyn Savelle

God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!  (Eph. 3:20 MSG)

Today's Confession: God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that I could ask or think.

Becoming intense on the inside of you will stop the struggle in your prayer life. Once the struggle is gone, then the delay will be gone. Why? Because we've run out of time. Time is being compressed down to these last moments that we have left on planet Earth, and God's Word will be fulfilled for His children.

I'm not just telling you something I made up. This works! I have tapped into something from God. I have become intense in my prayer life. I just won't settle for anything less.

“From Empty to Full” – Part 1 “Filled To The Brim”

“As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.”

Psalm 42:1
King James Version

EXPLORATION:

“From Empty to Full” – Part 1

“Filled To The Brim”

“Fullness” – Containing all that is possible. Complete in every detail.

What empty place in my life would I like to have God fill with His fullness?

INSPIRATION:

“O Lord, You have created us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.”

St. Augustine

My sister and I had a game we played as kids. Much to our mother’s displeasure, we would get a carton of milk from the refrigerator at lunch and see who could fill their glass the highest. Believe me, this was tricky business. We would pour quite rapidly until a certain point, then good reflexes and careful attention took over as ever so slowly we tried, a little at a time, to raise the level of the milk until it came right to the top of the rim on our glasses.

“From Empty to Full” – Part 4 “Nothing – Except”

“As a deer longs for a stream of cool water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for you, the living God.” Psalm 42:1
The Good News Bible

EXPLORATION: “From Empty to Full” – Part 4

“Nothing – Except”

“Fullness” – Containing all that is possible. Complete in every detail.

If I feel like I have nothing in my life, what is the “except” I can bring to Jesus?

“She said, ‘your handmaid has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.’” 2 Kings 4:2 Amplified Bible

Pears, Pears, Everywhere

Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. — John 15:5

My family had a tree in our backyard that provided two things: shade and countless jars of pear preserves. One day, I asked my mother why she made so many jars every year. Her response was, "If I don't, they will start falling off the tree and go bad." With that, I went outside to take a look for myself. There were pears everywhere--so many, in fact, that the tree branches were beginning to sag and snap under the immense weight of their fruit. It looked to me like my mother's faithful picking was encouraging the tree to produce even more!

Heaven's Economy

"Giving thanks unto the Father .. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." (Colossians 1:12-13)If, in spite of all the Bible's promises about prosperity...in spite of all the prayers you've prayed...you are still struggling financially, consider this question: Where do you think God is going to get the resources to meet your needs?

Many believers limit God without even realizing it by training their eyes on the limited resources of this world rather than the unlimited riches of God's kingdom. Their faith fails when they think of the troubled economy on the earth, of the shortages and scarcity that surrounds them. They wonder, "How is God going to bless me in the middle of all this?"

Believe what the Word says; speak to the mountain

No matter what your situation in life may be God has a plan for your victory. Thank you for allowing us to minister the Living Word of God to you regarding your debt.

No matter what your situation in life may be, God has a plan for your victory. God has already made provision for your every need. He has made available to you all things that pertain to life and godliness through the exceeding great and precious promises in His Word (2 Peter 1:3-4). Through these promises, we are able to partake of His divine nature.

See yourself exactly as God sees you. Second Corinthians 5:17(KJV) states, Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things have passed away; behold, all things are become new. Agree with God’s Word, not with your position in the natural. See yourself as a mature, healthy, prosperous Christian, possessing all the blessings Jesus Christ Himself purchased for you on the cross of cavalry.

The Blessing of God has been released from heaven, and you have the God given right to use His authority and take dominion over all the circumstances Satan is trying to use against you. Satan’s authority has been broken.

Believe what the Word says; speak to the mountain. This mountain can be any kind of debt, lack, sickness and disease or even unemployment. Just know and understand that any situation you are facing today is under your feet, remember you are joint heirs with Jesus Christ. You are seated in heavenly places with Him. God is not holding back His blessings from you. He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that you can ask or think (Ephesians 3:20).

The blessing of God is yours right NOW!

Give God a Way In

"And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land." (Malachi 3:11-12)

God is vitally interested in your finances. He wants to multiply and protect them. But He won't be able to--unless you open the door for Him to do it.

How? Through tithing.

When you tithe, you give God the legal right to intervene in your financial affairs, to bless you richly, and to defend you against the destruction the devil brings. When you tithe, you lay a foundation for success and abundance. You establish deposits with God you can draw on when you need them.

But don't wait until your back is against the wall to start. Begin now. Start developing your faith when things are going well by meditating on the blessing God's Word promises you as a tither. Learn to act on that Word now, and when Satan tries to put you in a financial corner, he'll fail. His power over you financially will have already been broken. Because you've established yourself on the covenant of God, Satan will have no chance against you. God will rebuke him for your sake.

R.S.V.P.

 "Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: ...And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled." Luke 14:16, 23

LUKE 14:16-24

The man who made the supper symbolizes God who has invited "whosoever will" to come to Him. The parable teaches that it is not God who fails to offer salvation to everyone, but rather it is the invited guests who reject God's offer.

These people had feeble excuses just like the excuses of those today who don't accept God's offer of salvation. Therefore, the Lord's Marriage Supper of the Lamb will be furnished with "undesirables" from the world's point of view, not because God rejects the upper class, but because they reject Him.

He Is Able

Often when people define disability, they speak on what a personn cannot do. And although what they say may be true, we must remember the ‘ability’ in disability, because we are ‘able’ in He who is more than able. 

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Hi, I'm Joni Eareckson Tada; thanks for joining me for "Joni and Friends.”

You often hear me talk about my wheelchair, but hopefully every time I do, you hear a lot of “ability” whenever I say that word “disability.” Always look for what you are able to do; I like that word “able.” And there is no one more “able” than our wonderful God, right? In fact, the apostle Paul stated it best: "I know I have believed and am persuaded that He is able!"

I was curious about what the Bible has to say about God being able, and you’re going to be surprised at what I found. I discovered more than a few wonderful little verses that focus on God being able. They encouraged me so much and I just know these “able verses” will bolster your faith, too. 

Expect a Harvest

"Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." (Luke 6:38)

Give and it shall be given unto you. That statement came straight from the mouth of Jesus. Yet there are a great many believers who flatly refuse to believe it. In fact, they actually have the mistaken idea that it's wrong to expect to receive when they give.

The truth is--it's wrong not to!

What would you think about a farmer who planted seeds, then let his crop rot in the field? You'd think he was a fool, wouldn't you? And if he did it when others were starving, you'd think he was criminally irresponsible.

Well, it's just as irresponsible to give financial seeds and ignore the harvest God promised. Especially when that harvest could help send the gospel to people who are starving to hear it. It's just as wrong to ignore the key to prosperity that Jesus Himself gave us as it is to let a wheat crop rot in the field.

Three Relationships that Make Us Rich

Then one from the crowd said to Him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."  But He said to him, "Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?"  And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses" (Luke 12:13-15).

This man came to Jesus to get him to "sort his brother out" over the inheritance, not realizing that his brother was the real treasure in his life - not the things he might inherit.

Here are three relationships that make us rich:

1.      Our relationship with God.  To know God makes you rich, no matter what material resources you may or may not have.

Some of those that the world would call rich are actually bankrupt when it comes to the most important treasure of all.

2.      Our relationship with others.  People, not things, are the real treasures in life.  I can honestly say that I am a rich man.  I have family and friends that I love and that love me. Things lose their meaning, and serve as a very poor substitute for relationships with people.

3.      Our relationship with our own heart.  Commune with your own heart… declares the psalmist in Psalm 4:4 (KJV).

That means hold some serious communication with your heart—get acquainted with your heart.  Don't let you and your own heart be strangers!

Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God
 LightSource@crosswalkmail.com

Come and See!

Today's reading: Psalm 66:1-20

In Psalms 65 and 66, the psalmist recounts all that God has done and all that he has created. In jubilant psalms of praise, the psalmist describes God's "awesome and righteous deeds" (Ps 65:5), God's power displayed in his creation, God's abundance in caring for the land and watering it, God's bounty in providing for humankind and animals alike. "Come and see what God has done," he says in Psalm 66. "his awesome deeds for mankind" (Ps 66:5). Physician and author J. Matthew Sleeth invites us to share the healing that comes from bearing witness to the miracle of God's creation:

When the psalmists advise us how to heal spiritually, they do not tell us to purchase a television, car, house, self-help book, or exercise equipment. God, they say, is to be found in the natural world that he created, a world filled with the grandeur, beauty, and peace that are so often lacking in our material world.

CAN WE LOSE OUR ABUNDANCE DURING A TESTING TIME?

Serge Roux-Levrat

Did you answer yes to the title question? Why? Is your Father in Heaven surrounded by less abundance while you go through a trial? No. Do you lose your adopted son or daughter-ship status when you navigate in rough seas? No. Does God love you less when you face tough challenges? No. So, why did you answer yes to my question then? The simple truth is that the devil can seek to steal everything from you (like he tried to with Job), but if you resist him by flexing your faith muscles, he cannot win.

If you have been born again, you are a child of God. As such you are rich beyond measure and can enjoy the abundant life that Jesus died for you to have. God has already given you a “Promised Land;” a land that lacks nothing and where everything exists in abundance. Yes, God’s plan for your life may require that you appear poor in the eyes of the world. However, do not make the mistakes of seeing yourself as a poor person, because you are wealthy beyond imagination.

→ Don't believe me? Then think about this: was Jesus poor or rich, living in abundance or in scarcity? Before you answer, let me give you a clue. Imagine that the world’s richest person decided to live one year with the poorest tribe on earth. And, in order to experience firsthand what they have to go through each day, he decides to take no money, no credit card, and no mobile phone with him. Put differently, he leaves all his material wealth to a steward to manage it. Now, while our richest man is in the “land” of poverty, is he rich or poor? Well, for the tribe he currently lives with, he is probably poor, as they do not know how wealthy he really is. But for the rest of the world, he is still the richest man on earth.

USE YOUR SEEDS OR YOU WILL LOSE THEM ALL!

Serge Roux-Levrat

In Matthew 13, Jesus tells the parable of the sower to the large crowds that had come to listen to him. What He told them can be found in Matthew 13:12: “Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.” We all have good seeds to plant, so what is this scripture telling us? It basically reveals to us that if we use (i.e. plant) our seeds, we shall reap abundance.

This is certainly also true in the natural world. If a farmer would only get back one seed from each seed that he plants, then he would not continue sowing seeds as he would be spending his time in utter futility. With just one apple seed, for example, a farmer can expect a harvest of more than 100 apples each year. As the law of harvest applies everywhere, what is true in the natural world is also true in all the aspects of life. Reaping more than we sow is essential, otherwise no one would activate the law of harvest. Thus, we can reasonably expect someone who keeps planting his seeds to be blessed abundantly over time.

→ Let’s now address the warning part of the scripture. If we all have seeds to plant, how can we then find someone who hasn’t any? The answer is not as difficult as we could imagine. We all know people who tell us day after day that they have no talents, that their dreams will never come to pass, that they will never get the job they hope for, that they wished that they were like someone else. Do you see what’s happening? They are not planting good seeds, but bad ones. Where are those seeds coming from? From their thoughts! They basically “engineered” them. Guess what? The law of harvest gets in motion and produces in their lives truckloads of bad fruits.

Stop, Look And Listen

Growing in the Lord.

A corn plant when it is fully grown and at harvest may have 2 -3 cobs per plant.

However when the plant is only a few weeks old and has sprouted it doesn't have the strength or ability to hold the corn cobs. 

If we focus upon growing the harvest will eventually come.

Too often we focus upon the wrong areas of life.

So how do we grow in the Lord.

One way is by knowing what God says about you and accepting this. 

I consider this to be one of the hardest areas of our lives.

Success begins at understanding why we believe what we believe

Before we can transform our finances we need to transform our belief system.

Be bold and positive about your goals.

Remember - The position you are in today is not your Destiny. Don't accept it.

Your destiny is the higher calling of God which is abundance.

Your thoughts are shaping your financial future.

Learn to take control of the thought process going on within us.

Phil 4:4-8 (KJV) Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.


This passage highlights the fact that we need to think on thoughts that are:

• true
• honest
• just
• pure
• lovely
• good report

I want to concentrate on two of these in relation to finances. True and of a good report.


The bible promises abundance therefore we need to stop focusing upon lack and not having enough.


1 Corinthians 2:9 (KJV) But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.


Our inner beliefs have been shaped by the things that we have seen and the things that we have heard over time. Therefore the way we respond to situations in life that we are confronted with is based upon the past information we have processed. We do tend to have a negative focus on life based upon lack and failure. We are scared to act positively with so much negativity going on around us. To overcome a person has to be bold and have faith.


In Summary, do not let the past experiences shape your destiny.


Let your destiny be shaped by the truth in God's word which promises the more abundant life of abundance.


Lou Galloway

http://www.harvestwells.com/ge/successbeginsat.html