5 MORE AWESOME REVELATIONS ABOUT THE ARCHANGEL MICHAEL
Archangel Michael.
He’s truly one of the heroes of the Bible.
A superhero, we might say.
In review:
... View More5 MORE AWESOME REVELATIONS ABOUT THE ARCHANGEL MICHAEL
Archangel Michael.
He’s truly one of the heroes of the Bible.
A superhero, we might say.
In review:
1. Michael is a spirit.
2. Michael draws his power from God.
3. Michael will deliver the redeemed.
4. Michael is honored with the rank of prince.
5. Michael is the bearer of truth.
Here are 5 more awesome revelations about Michael you may not know.
Revelation #6: Michael always gives credit to God for the power he commands. Revelation 19:10 says:
“Then I fell down at [Michael’s] feet to worship him, but he said to me, ‘You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus . . .’ ”
Revelation #7: Michael guides the angels to care for the redeemed of the Lord. Psalm 91:11 assures us:
“For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.”
Revelation #8: Michael will one day announce the second coming of Christ. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 proclaims:
“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God . . .”
Revelation #9: Michael commands an army of equally powerful angels. Revelation 12:7a says:
“Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting . . .”
Revelation #10: Michael battled a dragon, and Michael won! Revelation 12:7b-9 touts the archangel’s victory:
“And the dragon . . . was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.”
In Genesis 32, Jacob wrestled with an angel, saying, “I have seen the face of God.” He also acknowledged that his life was delivered in the conflict.
God has us covered. With Archangel Michael at our side, we become victors in the name of our Lord.
Copyright © 2021 MyChurchNotes.net
POWER FROM PRAISE
The single most powerful word in the English language is please. The two most powerful words are thank you. The three most powerful words are I love you.
God commands all three of ... View MorePOWER FROM PRAISE
The single most powerful word in the English language is please. The two most powerful words are thank you. The three most powerful words are I love you.
God commands all three of these from us. He wants us to come before him with our needs; thank him for his blessings; and love him with all our hearts.
Our God, the most powerful being in the universe, commands us to do the very things that will draw power from him.
Let’s look at the book of Chronicles to find six ways praise can draw power directly from the almighty source, our Father in heaven.
Way #1: Praise plugs us into the power.
The Ark of the Lord was the most powerful thing the Israelites owned. It contained the essence of God. In 1 Chronicles 16:4 David appointed specific men to stand before the Ark to minister and send praises before heaven.
When we give our thanks to God for his blessings, we allow him to plug us into his magnificent power.
Way #2: Praise flips the switch.
1 Chronicles 16:35 reveals David’s fervent prayer before the Lord. In this verse, he asks the mighty ruler of all creation for salvation and for deliverance from the heathen, in order that he might give thanks to him.
When we come before God with our needs, we give him the perfect opportunity to bless us. Our praise flips the switch that starts his power flowing our way.
Way #3: Praise throws a party.
David had been greatly blessed in his lifetime. When it came time to turn his kingdom over to his son, Solomon, 1 Chronicles 23:5 tells us he instructed 4,000 musicians to praise the Lord with the instruments David had made.
When God gives us great blessings, he expects us to praise him in a great way. We should invite everyone we know.
Way #4: Praise turns up the volume.
The tribe of the Levites was assigned specifically to minister to the Lord. In 1 Chronicles 23:30, they were given instructions to come before the Lord in the mornings and the evenings to thank and praise the Lord.
There is never a time at which we can say we have given God enough praise. It is an ongoing process, for without our praise, God cannot let his power flow our direction.
When we turn up the volume, God turns up the power.
Way #5: Praise rings with our loudest voice.
David separated the praising of God in the tabernacle into specific categories, giving jobs to those who excelled in certain areas. 1 Chronicles 25:3 tells about Jeduthun, who gave thanks and praised God with his harp. Because Jeduthun was an honorable man of impeccable standing, his sons also praised God at his side.
When we offer the best of our skills in praise to God, he will bless our children and our children’s children with his goodness and mercy, and our praise will ring throughout the generations.
The sound of our praise will be carried unto the whole world and all will know our rejoicing.
Way #6: Praise shares the credit.
The construction of the Temple was David’s lifelong dream. He spent a lifetime filling storehouses for its construction, yet he left it unfinished.
As he turned the reins of power over to Solomon, he took no credit for his participation. In 1 Chronicles 29:13-16, David prayed before the congregation, giving thanks to God and praising his glorious name, acknowledging that all he had gathered came from God’s hand alone.
David accepted none of the acclaim for the mighty works God had done, and neither should we. We must give God all the credit, for all creation is his, and all power comes from him.
We have a direct feed to the greatest power source in all creation. All we have to do is lift our voices in praise, and the power will start to flow.
Copyright © 2013 MyChurchNotes.net
Prophecy, Russia war. Part
#6. Ezekiel 39:10--14
GOD'S SEVEN BLESSINGS
When our children are disobedient, we cannot bless them with the bounty we would like. They haven’t proven they can accept the responsibility that goes with the blessings.
Ho... View MoreGOD'S SEVEN BLESSINGS
When our children are disobedient, we cannot bless them with the bounty we would like. They haven’t proven they can accept the responsibility that goes with the blessings.
However, obedient children earn the right to enjoy all the blessings we can shower upon them. We know they will handle them wisely.
God feels the same way. In fact, in Deuteronomy 28:1-14, God gives us seven blessings that will come our way if we obey his Word.
Blessing #1:
He will give us honor among the people around us.
The only condition for this honor is to observe all the commandments he has given us in his Word.
Blessing #2:
We will not be able to escape all the good things he wishes to give us.
When we listen to the voice of God, his blessings will come and find us wherever we may happen to be. They will literally chase us down, whether in our homes, at our jobs, or as we travel the most remote areas of the globe.
Blessing #3:
Everything we touch will prosper.
Our children will make us proud. We will be successful at our place of employment. Our pantries will be packed, our gas tanks filled, and our bank accounts solvent.
Blessing #4:
We will never know the end of all God wants to do for us.
The Scriptures tell us that we will be blessed when we come in, and we will be blessed when we go out. As we live out our lives, his blessings will continue to flow through everything we do.
Blessing #5:
God will fight our battles for us.
Not only will God be our champion, the enemy will be so frightened at God’s majestic power that he will come at us head on, but at the sight of God, the enemy will scatter in seven different directions.
Blessing #6:
The Father will oversee all that he has given us.
He wishes to make us his holy people, and his hand on us will be an example to the world. Everyone will see us and be afraid to go against us, for they will know God’s blessings are upon us.
Blessing #7:
He will make us the head and not the tail.
The treasures of heaven will shower us, and we will channel our blessings to those around us. We will be givers of advice to those without direction; we will be the face of God before all people; and they will know his majesty through us.
God’s bounty knows no limits. When we follow his commands, the windows of heaven are opened, and he showers his blessings on us.
Copyright © 2013 MyChurchNotes.net
TIT FOR TAT
What goes around comes around; live and let live; do unto others what you would have them do unto you.
These are all phrases for equality; for fair treatment of our fellow man; for livin... View MoreTIT FOR TAT
What goes around comes around; live and let live; do unto others what you would have them do unto you.
These are all phrases for equality; for fair treatment of our fellow man; for living well, yet not living well at another’s expense.
Tit for tat. I’ll give unto you what you gave unto me.
Normally used in a vindictive mien, this three word phrase’s connotation is that of equivalent retaliation. Often used in game strategy, it simply means to respond in kind.
We see this in business with the handshake given in greeting. I reach out—tit—and you reach back—tat—in a warm and congenial manner.
However, if the meeting does not go well, and I treat you unfairly, you are justified in also treating me unfairly. For example, I strike a fair deal with you, yet months later, I undercut your pricing structure. In tit for tat, you are free to then undercut my pricing structure, and so on.
In true tit-for-tat fashion, I even expect you to do so.
Gas stations do this all the time, one lowering prices, knowing the station on the opposite corner will soon follow suit. And airlines. Anyone who flies frequently is aware of the power of the major players, from baggage fees to food service. Even daily fares for every airline can drop radically if only one offers severe discounts.
Tit for tat is biblical, and directly from the mouth of Jesus. We can find his words in Matthew 7:12, Mark 12:31, and Luke 6:31, all telling us to play fairly.
Tit for tat.
Even under the rigid constraints of the Old Covenant, Leviticus 19:18 says not to bear a grudge or take your vengeance on another, but to love that person as you do the one who looks back at you out of the mirror.
Paul addresses this issue very specifically in Colossians 4:1. He is speaking to slave owners, but his words are to us.
The masters of slaves in Paul’s day owned them hoof and hind; there were few laws restricting how they were to be treated. Only the most heinous and brutal treatment was condemned.
A Roman slave could not even speak up for himself in a court of law.
Yet Paul encourages tit for tat. Do unto others what you would have them do unto you.
Paul says it this way: Masters, give unto your servants good and fair treatment…
Yet, those words only give us the tit. Certainly, it is right and good that the master treat his slave well, but where is the benefit for the master?
That brings us to the tat.
Paul continues: Remember, you also have a master, one who resides in heaven.
Tit for tat. What goes around comes around. Live a life well-ordered and full of mercy, and let those you interact with each day have the opportunity to live in the same manner. Treat your business partner; your neighbor; your spouse; and your children in the way that you would want to be treated.
The Word of God goes so far as to offer us some suggestions:
#1:
Be positive. Hebrews 10:24.
Tell those around us at least one good thing they’ve done each day. If they live far away, text it to them.
#2:
Be patient and kind. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.
Count to three, then don’t say it. Then ask if there’s anything you can do to help. Then help.
#3:
Show respect. 1 Peter 2:17.
Imagine that the person next to you is your grandmother. How would you treat her?
#4:
Be sympathetic and tenderhearted. 1 Peter 3:8.
Just listen. Then don’t offer advice. Listen, cry along, and let them come back and do it again. For free.
#5:
Be merciful. Ephesians 4:32.
Put on their shoes. Have a meal with them. Get to know the person who’s offended you. Then decide if you want to punish them. Finally, remember, you are wearing their shoes.
#6:
Be generous with those in need. 1 John 3:16-19.
Once a month, leave a $50 tip. In ten years, you will not remember, but that waiter always will.
#7:
Honor one another. Romans 12:10.
Cook a cake for a neighbor, simply because they live next door. Meet the postman with a water bottle. Smile, and say, this is because you are special.
If the only rule we live by is the Golden Rule, then we will live well.
Copyright © 2014 MyChurchNotes.net
CHUNKIN' PUNKINS
There is a sport that takes pumpkins—the Halloween kind—and sees just how far we can toss those round, orange fruits.
The competition is so fevered, some teams resort to buildin... View MoreCHUNKIN' PUNKINS
There is a sport that takes pumpkins—the Halloween kind—and sees just how far we can toss those round, orange fruits.
The competition is so fevered, some teams resort to building massive trebuchets to send their orange bombs as far into the field as possible.
Why trebuchets? Simply, there is a bucket or loop on one end to hold the little orange beastie, and the weight on the other end can be wound as tightly as desired to build up as much force as possible. Then, when the trebuchet’s giant arm swings around, launching the pumpkin forward, it flies through the air with the greatest of ease.
Now, some people might read this and think, “Oh, what a waste of a good pumpkin!â€
True. However, pumpkins are grown in massive quantities, and if they are not used in a timely manner, they spoil and become a smelly nuisance. A rotten pumpkin is something no one wants around.
What are the rotten pumpkins we fail to load into our trebuchets as Christians? Ah, now we’re to the meat of our article. There are things we need to cast as far from us as possible, because they will pollute our walk with Jesus.
Let’s look at seven examples from the Word of God:
Example #1:
Psalm 37:8 tells us: “Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.â€
Chunk that punkin!
Example #2:
Proverbs 14:29 reminds us: “Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.â€
Chunk that punkin!
Example #3:
James 1:20 cautions us: “For the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.â€
Chunk that punkin!
Example #4:
Ecclesiastes 7:9 is our guide: “Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools.â€
Chunk that punkin!
Example #5:
James 1:19 directs us: “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.â€
Chunk that punkin!
Example #6:
Proverbs 15:1 is all about our tongue: “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.â€
Chunk that punkin!
Example #7:
Ephesians 4:31 lays it out for us boldly and without question: “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.â€
Chunk that punkin!
What pumpkins does God wish us to load into our trebuchets? Our anger, of course. If we fail to get it as far from us as possible, our anger will rot within us, and we will become a sour stink in the nostrils of God.
When we’re chunkin’ punkins, we’re sending our anger as far from us as possible. Then we win, God wins, and our fellow man also wins.
Copyright © 2014 MyChurchNotes.net
PUNCHING UP THE PACKAGE
Our Christianity is a package deal. We can’t pick financial blessings and overlook the mistreatment of our fellow man. We can’t claim heaven as our home and forget that th... View MorePUNCHING UP THE PACKAGE
Our Christianity is a package deal. We can’t pick financial blessings and overlook the mistreatment of our fellow man. We can’t claim heaven as our home and forget that there are people still going to hell.
Yet the religious world thinks nothing of arguing church dogma and religious precepts that differ only slightly from denomination to denomination.
Even Catholic to Protestant … we all believe in the same Christ.
We need to punch up the package. That means we need to tout the triumph of the entire deal. We need to raise Jesus high and let the arguments slip away unnoticed.
How important does God consider this? Let’s look at ten examples from his Word:
Example #1:
2 Timothy 2:14 tells us: “Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers.â€
Winning the argument is for our edification only. God’s kingdom receives no satisfaction at all from our victory.
Example #2:
2 Timothy 2:16 cautions us: “But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness.â€
The current soap opera drama or neighborhood gossip is not good subject matter, not if we want to remain close to God.
Example #3:
2 Timothy 2:23-25 says: “Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.â€
Quarreling brings no one to Jesus. Rather, it drives them away.
Example #4:
James 4:1-3 questions: “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.â€
Rather than argue with each other, we should turn to God with our words, for he has all the final answers.
Example #5:
2 Corinthians 10:5 gives us focus: “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.â€
When we compare the arguments of this world against the Bible, all dissention will fade away. Only the Word carries the ultimate truth.
Example #6:
Proverbs 21:9 offers us a humorous comparison: “It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.â€
The lesson we can learn from this? If we persist in arguing, we will drive people from the church and from Jesus.
Example #7:
Proverbs 15:1 is our solution: “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.â€
We can’t afford to cave in to wrong thinking just for the sake of peace. Neither can we confront misconceptions with a strong hand. Rather, we must gently present the truth.
Example #8:
1 Timothy 6:4 describes the argumentative man: “He is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions.â€
This is a mirror we can hold up to ourselves. How do we compare?
Example #9:
James 1:19 speaks to those on both sides of the argument: “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.â€
It takes two to argue. It also takes two to slow down and discuss a subject peacefully.
Example #10:
Matthew 7:3 shows just how ludicrous arguing really is: “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?â€
No one is perfect. We just tend to overlook our own imperfections and yet hold others to impossible standards.
Not only is Christianity a package deal, so are the people who walk the straight and narrow way at our side. When we punch up the package, we become a support network for one another. We encourage stragglers in times of difficulty, correct misunderstandings with gentle words, and always, always stand by those who endeavor to do right in the sight of the Lord.
Christianity is not Winner Takes All. We find our success as a team.
Copyright © 2015 MyChurchNotes.net
THE SMALL RAINBOW
Rainbows are transient things, not there in the most real sense, but rather an effect of several other things. What makes up a rainbow? Water. Sunlight. That’s it. Even then, howe... View MoreTHE SMALL RAINBOW
Rainbows are transient things, not there in the most real sense, but rather an effect of several other things. What makes up a rainbow? Water. Sunlight. That’s it. Even then, however, we must be at a certain angle to the sun, and the water in the sky must be in a certain location, or the rainbow is not there at all.
But who cares about all that? It is the beauty of the rainbow that is important. It spans the sky, and in all its colors we see the magnificence of God’s creation exemplified.
What rainbows really do is signal the coming clearing, the ending of the storm, and the brightening of the day. In Genesis 9:17, God tells Noah that the rainbow is a sign unto man that he will never again destroy the earth by flood.
We cannot see a rainbow in the midst of the storm, however. If there is no sun, there is no rainbow. It takes water droplets refracting the sun’s rays to create the rainbow, and without both, the magic is simply not there.
Hence God’s promises.
God reassures us that the storm will end. We will see our rainbow. No matter how dark the clouds, the sun will eventually break through. God’s promises are our “small rainbows.â€
Here are ten of God’s small rainbows to which we can cling in the time of storm:
God’s Small Rainbow #1 –
Genesis 8:1 tells us that God remembered Noah, and the waters receded.
God’s Small Rainbow #2 –
Psalm 3:2-6 says the Lord answers us from his holy hill.
God’s Small Rainbow #3 –
Mark 4:30-34 relates Jesus’ story of the mustard seed that grows to be the largest of all garden plants.
God’s Small Rainbow #4 –
Luke 18:35-43 describes Jesus giving sight to the blind man.
God’s Small Rainbow #5 –
1 Corinthians 15:54-58 lets us know that death has lost its sting through our victory in Jesus Christ.
God’s Small Rainbow #6 –
Revelations 22:18-21 promises Jesus is coming soon.
God’s Small Rainbow #7 –
Leviticus 26:40-45 reassures us God will honor his covenants with us.
God’s Small Rainbow #8 –
Joshua 10:25 wants us to be strong and courageous, for the Lord is with us.
God’s Small Rainbow #9 –
Job 5:16 states that the poor have hope.
God’s Small Rainbow #10 –
Romans 5:2-7 offers us the glory of God, for hope does not disappoint those who are in Christ.
In the darkest storm, we can see the small rainbow in the breaking clouds, and we know the end is come. We are filled with hope, because we can see the clearing sky.
God’s promises give us that hope. Even amidst the troubles that surround us, when we cling to one of God’s promises, we have his small rainbow with us all the time.
When we keep our eyes on Jesus, he is our promise of hope.
Copyright © 2014 MyChurchNotes.net
THE SHARP BLADE
When we cook, we want the sharpest blade possible. That T-bone steak? The meat has to come off the bone. Ham, no matter how meaty and tender, also has to be carved off the bone. Even ... View MoreTHE SHARP BLADE
When we cook, we want the sharpest blade possible. That T-bone steak? The meat has to come off the bone. Ham, no matter how meaty and tender, also has to be carved off the bone. Even vegetables require the sharpest knife possible, or else all we will do is bruise the food and damage its appearance.
Yet, that same blade can cut other things, too. Get a finger too close while slicing that onion, and the blood will flow. Painfully, too.
The same is true during cleanup. The sharper the knife, the more care we have to take to ensure we don’t cut ourselves.
What about our hearts? What about when life is that sharp blade, and it slices us to the core? Our job, our health, or even those we are closest to; what about when life slices those things away from us, and we can do nothing except cry out in despair?
The Word gives us bandages for our wounds, padding that we can wrap around the injuries, so that we can heal and move on.
Let’s take a look at six of God’s healing bandages:
Bandage #1: Proverbs 3:5
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.â€
Sometimes we simply have to step out in trust, and accept that God knows more than we do. He has all of time in his hands; we can see only the present moment.
Bandage #2: Ephesians 4:31-32
“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ forgave you.â€
Life cannot be allowed to take the joy of God from us. Our relationship with other people is more important. Even in our distress, we must reach out, allowing God to keep us connected, one to another.
Bandage #3: Isaiah 43:18-19
“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.â€
God has a new path for us, if only we can turn loose of the old. If all we do is look back, we will never find his new direction. Instead, we will run into every obstruction in our way, even the ones God does not intend.
Bandage #4: Philippians 3:13-14
“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.â€
Only God can help us heal our wounds. All he asks from us is that we remember our job: to win others to Christ by the example we live out every day.
Bandage #5: Proverbs 29:11
“A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.â€
We will hurt. We will know pain. However, it is the love of God that others must see in us.
Bandage #6: Philippians 4:6
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.â€
God is our source. When we are in pain, he wants us to turn to him, so that he may reach back unto us. Then his healing can cross that great divide, flooding into our places of hurt, and healing our every wound.
Life has a way of hitting us broadside. That is what it means to be human. God doesn’t prevent life from happening to us, but when it does, he will be our bandage. He will place our feet on solid ground, and we will find our peace in him.
When life beats us up, God’s love wraps us up.
Copyright © 2014 MyChurchNotes.net
Christmas Blessing Project Update #6
CAMBODIA - Prek Ro Tang Village
This short 80-second video is of a special Christmas event at Prek Ro Tang Village in Cambodia. Our Message Ministries ministry p... View MoreChristmas Blessing Project Update #6
CAMBODIA - Prek Ro Tang Village
This short 80-second video is of a special Christmas event at Prek Ro Tang Village in Cambodia. Our Message Ministries ministry partner, Pastor Rin Yame of Mercy Village, works with other Christian leaders in Cambodia to help organize Christmas events and outreaches in various places.
This event took place in a village where Pastor Samphann Leng ministers throughout the year. The CBP was blessed to be a part of this Christmas outreach and others by sending CBP donations to help purchase gifts for children. Gloria a Dios!
Please pray for Pastor Rin, Pastor Samphann, the other leaders, and the ministry team as they continue with more Christmas outreaches in Cambodia throughout December. Thank you!
To help us do more this Christmas, just hit the link below.
https://christmasblessingproject.com
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