Growth Daily Verses

[Albert Finch]

Scripture Of The Day - Following Christ

Matthew 4:25,5:1,2 - "And there followed Him great multitudes of people from Galilee and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judea, and from beyond Jordan. And seeing the multitudes, He went up into a mountain: and when He was set, His disciples came unto him: and He opened His mouth and taught them."

THESE LOCAL COMMUNITIES LEFT ALL WHEN THEY HEARD JESUS WAS NEAR. WITHOUT FORETHOUGHT, WITHOUT PACKING A DONKEY, WITHOUT SO MUCH AS TAKING EXTRA FOOD OR TELLING THOSE WHO REMAINED AT HOME WHEN TO EXPECT THEM, THOUSANDS OF MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN SPONTANEOUSLY FOLLOWED CHRIST TO A DESOLATE PLACE.

BUT WE READ OF NO ONE COMPLAINING THAT THE "SERVICE WAS TOO LONG," OR "THE WEATHER TOO HOT," OR "THE MESSAGE WAS BORING." WHATEVER THEY LACKED IN COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE WAS OVERSHADOWED BY THE GLORY OF BEING WITH JESUS!

PEOPLE SAW IN JESUS MEEKNESS, UNLIMITED POWER, AND PERFECT LOVE. IF WE WOULD WIN SOULS, PEOPLE MUST SEE IN US THIS SAME JESUS.


2 Corinthians 5:17 - "If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come."

EVERYTHING, EVEN OUR INTELLIGENCE AND PHYSICAL APPEARANCE ARE NOW SUBJECT TO CHANGE FOR THE BETTER. OLD FAILURES, PREJUDICES, AND ATTITUDES ARE DESTINED TO GO.

NEW FAITH AND HOPE SHOULD BE GROWING WITHIN US DAILY.

HOW DO I ATTAIN SUCH A WONDERFUL NEW BEGINNING?

I RECEIVE THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST INTO MY HEART TO EMPOWER ME AND I STUDY THE WORDS OF CHRIST TO DIRECT ME. WHATEVER I FIND IN ME THAT IS NOT LIKE JESUS, - I CRUCIFY.

 

[Carly Mac]

Ephesians 4:32 Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And be sweet one toward another and affectionate, and be forgiving one another, just as God in The Messiah has forgiven us.

 

[Albert Finch]

Scripture Of The Day - Meditations On Friends

Job 2:11 - " When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him."

Friends - people you hang out with -- people you feel committed to -- people you would go the extra mile for -- people whose beliefs and opinions you respect.

Popular Mindset -- That it is good to have a lot of friends.

Your goal in life should not be to have a lot of friends, but to bear fruit for God's Kingdom.

Matthew 6:33 - "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

The only friends you want to have are the ones you are spiritually one mind with.

Amos 3:3 - "Shall two walk together, except they have agreed?"

Friends you are not equally yoked with can retard your spiritual progress and God's purpose for your life.

2 Corinthians 6:14 - "Be ye not unequally yoked together..."

Even though you would probably not admit it -- friends can influence the way you think, even if you may not agree with them.

Proverbs 6:27 - "Can a man take fire in his bosom And his clothes not be burned?

The people whose spiritual lives you are developing through mentoring are your future friends.

Since you are in Christ and the love of Christ is flowing through your heart you can be willing to lay down your life for someone who is not necessarily your friend.

 

[Albert Finch]

Scripture Of The Day - Functioning In The Fullness Of The Holy Spirit

“Rise up and shine, for your light has come. The shining-greatness of the Lord has risen upon you. For see, darkness will cover the earth. Much darkness will cover the people. But the Lord will rise upon you, and His shining-greatness will be seen upon you. Nations will come to your light. And kings will see the shining-greatness of the Lord on you." Isaiah 60:1-3

"Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever." Daniel 12:3

The Lord is raising up for HIMSELF a people who are walking in the three-fold blessing of His Character, His Nature, and His Power! We need to access and internalize what it means to walk in the full stature of Christ, to move and function out of the fullness of the Holy Spirit, to experience the breakthrough power of the anointing.

FRUITFULNESS AND BREAKTHROUGH TO BE A WAY OF LIFE

Many have been thrust into great spheres of effectiveness and influence, according to God’s PURPOSE for their lives. The breakthrough glory realm sets in deeply like a firmly planted tent peg, altering everything to bring in great fruit and breakthrough in new levels of DESTINY.

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:20, 21).

EVERYONE HAS A MINISTRY

One of the unique things about the Church of the New Covenant is that God has authorized and commanded every believer to do the work of the ministry! God wants an entire army of workers out doing the vital work of DISCIPLESHIP of the saints and building up His Body, the Church.

The true success of our ministry to others will be by how it brought forth the formation of Christ within the person God has given us to DISCIPLE.

"...I feel the same kind of pain for you until Christ is formed in you." - Galatians 4:19

 

[Albert Finch]

Scripture Of The Day – April 17, 2022

John 15:12-15 - "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you."

Jesus says, "You are My friends if you do whatever I command you." It is easy to take this verse and maybe take a more "robotic" approach, thinking, "Oh, I need to go look at the 10 commandments." But actually, what Jesus is saying here concerning His commandments is in an ongoing tense.

He is calling them to continue in intimacy through hearing His voice, following His directions, and yielding to His Spirit. Through this sensitivity and yielded life comes the ability to follow after His heart which leads to fruit-bearing for His Kingdom.

John 10:27 - "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me."

Here is His command for His friends – those who walk with yielded lives to Him in God's PURPOSE for their life (their CALLING in Christ). He has brought His disciples beyond the point of operating in a slave system (being a slave to the Law) and taken them into an organic, living relationship.

God has taken us out of a slave-system having brought us into His family as sons. Our hearts have the cry of His Spirit bringing us into intimate communion with the Father. The same picture can be seen in that we are now saints, not sinners. The old life is gone and the new life of Christ living through us has come.

 

[Albert Finch]

Scripture Of The Day - Playing It Safe In Church

Matthew 28:19 - "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations....teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you."

A young man told his pastor "I'll pursue signs and wonders when I know I have more of the character of Christ in me."

As good as that sounds, it comes from a religious mindset, not a heart abandoned to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Is it possible the reason there are so few miracles in North America is because too many before us thought they had to become better Christians before God could use them? Yes!

That single lie has kept us in perpetual immaturity because it protects us from the power encounter that transforms us. The result is we have converts trained and over trained until they have no life, vision, or ingenuity left.

 

[Albert Finch]

Scripture Of The Day - Finding Our Place Of Departure

1 Kings 19:9 "Then he came there to a cave and lodged there; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?"

Elijah had come to Horeb and lodged there in a cave. Soon, the word of the Lord came to him, “what are you
doing here Elijah?”

Three of the most important questions God can ever ask us are:

1. What are you doing here?
2. How did your service to me become so dry and desolate?
3. When was it that you left your first love?

Isaiah 43:18,19 - "Do not remember the former things: neither consider the things of old. Behold I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."

As we find our place of “departure,” There are some things WE NEED TO LEAVE BEHIND. As we depart one phase or season, we will also see our place to enter; we develop new strength to run the race ahead.

Our identity in Christ will allow us to display the wisdom of God and authority to the powers and principalities that have blocked us in past seasons. We ask, knock, and seek until we come to understand God’s purpose for our life. We replace our past with revelation of new frontiers to conquer.

The Lord renews our strength -- the power of barrenness is broken -- light and revelation break the power of darkness around us. We are propelled into a season of fruit-bearing for God’s Kingdom

Declarations:

I DECREE AND DECLARE THAT 2022 IS A YEAR OF NEW BEGINNINGS.

I DECREE AND DECLARE THAT THE COURAGE, THE CAPACITY, THE DRIVE, THE COMMITMENT TO WALK AWAY FROM OLD THINGS AND INTO THE NEW IS RELEASED INTO MY SPIRIT NOW.

 

[Albert Finch]

Scripture Of The Day - Fighting From Victory

Psalm 78: 9-11 - "The sons of Ephraim were archers equipped with bows, yet they turned back in the day of battle. They did not keep the covenant of God and refused to walk in His law; they forgot His deeds and His miracles that He had shown them."

The apostle John wrote, "They overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death" (Rev. 12:11).

The elements of victory are recounted to us in this passage:

They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb:

This means we no longer fight FOR victory but we fight FROM victory.

Triumph is assured when we enter the battle.

Matthew 11:12 - "Violent men take the Kingdom by force."

It is to be understood that our battles are to be the manifestations of His victory. The ultimate challenge is not the battle itself but the decision to participate.

Notice that the "armor of God" in Ephesians Chapter 6 has no protection for your back. We are ill-equipped for retreat.

 

[hawkman]

It is to be understood that our battles are to be the manifestations of His victory. The ultimate challenge is not the battle itself but the decision to participate.

Very true indeed . I had conflict in my life yet when I decided to ask God to put me in the battle He was there leading me through the battle .

Notice that the "armor of God" in Ephesians Chapter 6 has no protection for your back. We are ill-equipped for retreat.

I believe the Helmet of Salvation is why I am still in the battle .

 

[Albert Finch]

Scripture Of The Day - Extreme Worship

Mark 14:3,4 - "Jesus was in the house of Simon the leper, in Bethany; while He was eating, a woman came in with an alabaster jar full of a very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on Jesus' head. Some of the people there became angry, and said to each other, 'What was the use of wasting the perfume? It could have been sold for more than three hundred dollars, and the money given to the poor!' And they criticized her harshly.

But Jesus said, 'Leave her alone!'"

Everyone but Jesus thought it to be excessive and extreme. The only true worship is extreme worship, and only extreme worship brings extreme results -- TRANSFORMATION.

Exodus 8:25 - "Go sacrifice to your God in the land."

Pharaoh responded to Moses' request to let the Israelites go worship by giving him permission but only if they stayed and worshiped in Egypt.

The devil doesn't mind our worshiping God if it doesn't require change.

True worship and the freedom it brings requires the dedication of our entire lives to God. An offer that tries to convince us otherwise is a false one. If we try to keep worship ("in the land" -- in other words with requirements and stipulations) of the devil's domain, we give him legal access to influence and spoil our efforts.

Affirmations:

I REALIZE THAT BROKENNESS HELPS ME DIE TO MYSELF AND MY INHIBITIONS.

I ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TO BREAK MY HEART, HIS WAY, SO I CAN RELEASE TRUE FRAGRANT WORSHIP TO GOD.

EXTRAVAGANT WORSHIP IS MY LIFESTYLE.

 

[Albert Finch]

Scripture Of The Day - Eight Ways Christ Blood Avails Us

There are many Scriptural benefits concerning what the Blood of Jesus has done for us.

According to Revelation 12:11, "And they (the believers) overcame him (the accuser of the brethren) because of the Blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even to death."

We overcome by testifying what the Blood of Jesus has accomplished. His triumph over the powers of darkness is enforced as we agree with and declare the benefits of His precious Blood.

According to Hebrews 12:24, Jesus has established a new covenant through His Blood interceding on our behalf to establish His Blood covenant with us. As Leviticus 17:11 says, "For the life of the flesh is in the Blood." In Christ's Blood, we receive life that death cannot conquer (see Isaiah 53:12; John 6:53-57).

The Eight Ways the Blood of Jesus Avails for Us:

1. Forgiveness. I have been forgiven through the Blood of Jesus. Hebrews 9:22, "All things are cleansed with the Blood and without the shedding of Blood there can be no forgiveness."
2. Cleansing. The Blood of Jesus has cleansed me from all sin. I John 1:7, "But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the Blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." (See also 1 Peter 1:2.)
3. Redemption. I have been redeemed by the Blood of the lamb. Ephesians 1:7, "In Him we have redemption through His Blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace." (See also Romans 7:14; 1 Peter 1:18-19.)
4. Justification. By the Blood I am justified--just as if I have never sinned. Romans 5:9, "Much more then, having now been justified by His Blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him." (See also 2 Corinthians 5:21.)
5. Sanctification. I have been sanctified through Jesus' Blood for a holy calling and out of satan's territory by the Blood of Jesus. Hebrews 13:12, "Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own Blood, suffered outside the gate."
6. Peace. Peace has been made for me through the Blood of the Cross. Colossians 1:20, "And having made peace through the Blood of His Cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in Heaven."
7. Access. I now have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the Blood of Jesus. Hebrews 10:19, "Since therefore, brother, we have confidence to enter the holy place by the Blood of Jesus." (See also Ephesians 2:13-14.)
8. Power Over Satan. - I have power over any circumstance that does not match up with heaven. "They defeated him by the blood of the Lamb. and by their testimony." - Revelation 12:11

INTO ACTION

What are the last 3 occasions when I meditated on the Power of the Blood of Jesus?

 

[Albert Finch]

Scripture Of The Day - God-Given Right

Ephesians 1:5,6 - "Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved."

A low opinion of yourself or self-hatred is not from God, but from the enemy.

Prayer is not trying to get God to do something for you by making Him feel sorry for you. It is coming to Him knowing that you not only deserve what you ask because of the righteousness of Christ, but you also have a right to it because it is based on His Word.

Hebrews 4:16 - "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

John 8:39 - They answered and said to Him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you are Abraham's children, do the deeds of Abraham."

Abraham was an alien and stranger on the earth. The goal of his life was to have a place in what God was building, not men.

We are not the heirs of faith because we know that we must live by faith, but we become the heirs of faith by actually having faith, by doing the same deeds that Abraham did.

We must devote ourselves to finding what is God's PURPOSE for our life and sacrifice whatever is required to manifest it.

Galatians 3:6,7 - "Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham."

 

[Albert Finch]

Scripture Of The Day - Help Is On The Way

Psalm 138:7,8 - "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies and Your right hand will save me. The Lord will perfect that which concerns me."

God has promised to revive you in the midst of trouble. He promised to perfect that which concerns you. That means your recovery from your adverse circumstances, from the schemes of the devil, your victory, and all that God has destined for you has been planned out in heaven.

Pain is merely a passage to a miracle. Failure cannot happen in your life without your permission!

Affirmations:

SINCE I DO NOT ACCEPT WHAT I KNOW TO BE TRUE IN THE NATURAL AND ACCEPT WHAT I KNOW TO BE TRUE IN THE SPIRITUAL, THE NATURAL CHANGES.

I DO NOT DEPEND ON WHAT I CAN DO, BUT ON WHAT THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD WILL DO THROUGH MY SITUATION.

Zechariah 4:6 - "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts."

 

[Albert Finch]

Scripture Of The Day – May 4, 2022

“We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:10) "

Going to church, reading the bible, and listening to Christian music will not advance your spiritual life. These activities may give you more understanding but until you are ready to lay down your life and take up your cross this leads nowhere.

This requires the sacrifice of self to advance the cause of Jesus Christ in the world. There is a DESTINY that God had for each of us that only we can personally discover. We can discover it only by detaching from the world and making ourselves available for the Holy Spirit.

By detaching from the world--now you have time--the commodity that most Christians are not willing to give.

Jesus said, "Self-help is not help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, to finding yourself, your true self. (Matthew 16:25)

"God has planted eternity in the human heart." (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

"Anyone who lets himself be distracted from the work I plan for him is not fit for the Kingdom of God." (Luke 9:62)

"The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me." (Acts 20:24)

"We have been sent to speak for Christ." (2 Corinthians 5:20)

Affirmations:

AS I RECOGNIZE HIS PRESENCE AND TURN ASIDE TO STAND BEFORE HIM, I BECOME THE EXPRESSION OF HIS VOICE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS OF TODAY.

AS I EXPERIENCE SPIRITUAL HUNGER AND SEEK FOR SOMETHING MORE, I AM CALLED APART TO BE ALONE WITH THE LORD FOR A TIME OF PREPARATION.

AS I RECEIVE ANOINTING AND IMPARTATION OF GOD'S GRACE, I WALK A GRACE-FILLED LIFE IN MY CALLING IN CHRIST TO SEE THE GLORY OF GOD FILL THE EARTH.

 

[Albert Finch]

Scripture Of The Day - Hope - The Entrance Into Destiny

Hebrews 6:18-20 -- "Therefore, we who have fled to Him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the HOPE that lies before us. This HOPEis a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God's inner sanctuary Jesus has already gone there for us."

We often live our lives without experiencing the power of hope because we fail to realize what is available and waiting for us. God sent a message to us about hope. Hebrew 6 tells us that hope is anchored in eternity, immovable by the events here on earth. This hope is not altered by challenging circumstances. This hope is anchored in a Person -- Jesus Christ.

Because we have Someone in our future directing our lives in the present moment, we do not have to live a life of desperation and hopelessness. When God reveals Himself to His people in the now moment, He is experienced, not from the future, but from eternity. The word "future" is not a word based on an eternal perspective. Eternity is a realm without time -- it has no past, present,or future. The arrival of hope in our lives comes from a realm not limited by time and space.

PROPHECY IMPORTS HOPE

The gift of prophecy is a ministry that imports HOPE into people's lives. A repeated theme in Paul's ministry was his strengthening and encouraging of the Church.

Paul gave us the tools to approach our earthly DESTINY when he gave us the revelation of our identity in Christ. The hope (that we have a destiny in Christ) changes people's lives because it diverts people away from living a life without an objective into the flow of fruit-bearing that remains for God’s Kingdom -- God's purpose for their lives.

As our hope is in a Person, so is our DESTINY.

 

[Albert Finch]

Scripture Of the Day – Imagination Controlled By The Word Of God

1 Chronicles 29:16,18 - "O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have prepared to build Thee a house for Thine holy name cometh of Thine hand, and is all Thine own....keep this forever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of Thy people, and prepare their heart unto Thee."

The Hebrew word that was translated "imagination" in the Old Testament literally means "conception." Imagination is how we conceive new ideas. Without it, we become spiritually and creatively sterile.

SEEING THE WORD OF GOD ON THE INSIDE

Hebrews 4:12 - "For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword........"

The Word of God comes alive when you can picture what it's talking about. If we can let the Word of God control our imagination as we think about scriptures, we will see things in Scripture that can't be seen with the physical eyes. We see it on the inside.....in our imagination.

Psalm 103:2,3 - "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth, all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;"

When the Bible says you're healed, you've got to meditate on that truth until you see yourself healed. Most people allow their imaginations to become vain and agree with the image the doctors have painted rather than the Word of God. They're told what is going to happen, and they imagine it as truth.

THANKSGIVING HEIGHTENS OUR IMAGINATION

Psalm 78:41,42 - "Yes, again and again they tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. They did not remember His power: the day when He redeemed them from the enemy."

When we fail to be thankful and glorify God, our imagination automatically becomes vain. That doesn't mean it isn't working; it just means it begins to work against us. A person with a vain imagination is a pessimist, imagining failure instead of success. We need to use our imagination to agree with God's Word and see ourselves the way God sees us: full of joy, healthy, and prosperous.

1 Corinthians 2:12,16 - "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. For "who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ."

DETACHING FROM OUR PRESENT STATE

Colossians 1:27 - "To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."

When the believer has the sense of Christ as his imagination, he sees why Christ died and rose again from the dead to save man--why he must detach his imagination from his present state (ie. he must die to his present state) and match it to a higher concept of himself if he would rise above his present limitations.

Romans 4:17 - "God calls things that are not seen as though they were, and the unseen becomes seen."

 

[Albert Finch]

Scripture Of The Day - Increase Our Faith

Luke 17:5 - "The apostles said to the Lord, Increase our faith."

WHEN YOU ARE PRAYING FOR FAITH YOU ARE PRAYING TO BELIEVE. EITHER YOU BELIEVE OR YOU DON'T BELIEVE.

SUCH A PRAYER IS REALLY BASED ON UNBELIEF, AND THEREFORE IT WILL NOT BE ANSWERED.

FAITH COMES AND INCREASES AS WE HEAR AND BELIEVE THE WORD AND PUT IT INTO PRACTICE.

Romans 10:17 - "Faith cometh by hearing and hearing, by the word of God."

1 Corinthians 1:26,27 - "Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. "

Affirmations:

I CONFESS THAT I AM EXACTLY THE KIND OF PERSON GOD WANTS TO USE!

MY HEART IS RIGHT; MY ATTITUDE IS WILLING; AND I DEEPLY DESIRE FOR GOD TO SHAPE ME TO BECOME A MIGHTY INSTRUMENT IN HIS HANDS.

BECAUSE OF MY ATTITUDE AND WILLING HEART, GOD IS GOING TO USE ME MIGHTILY TO FURTHER HIS KINGDOM ON THIS EARTH!

 

[Albert Finch]

Scripture Of The Day - INVADING TERRITORY WITH IMPACT

Joshua 5:11, "And they ate of the produce of the land on the day after the Passover, unleavened bread and parched grain, on the very same day. Then the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten the produce of the land; and the children of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate the food of the land of Canaan that year."

The day the children of Israel ate of the food of the Promised Land the manna ceased the day after. Now they were living in a place of breakthrough because they had crossed over into the place of God's intention, establishment, promise, and blessing.

Too many times the Body of Christ is in "retreat mode" in reaction to the enemy but we need to be in a "pursue and overtake" mode plundering his camp. Instead of living with a mindset of "self-preservation" we should be "invading territory". It is a completely different way of thinking.

Acts 10:38, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him."

Jesus was always taking territory. God calls us to invade and have an impact. We don't need to wait around for something to happen then "react" to it. Rather our actions should be making the enemy react to us. We are in a battle to see people restored to the Father, restored in their lives and made whole in the presence of Jesus.

Be intentional about all that you do. Know that Jesus has given you power, authority, influence, and a life PURPOSE in the Holy Spirit to see lives changed. Expand the horizons of the possibilities in what God can do through you. He has no limitations and intends to overflow our lives with His life-changing presence.

Matthew 28:19 – “Go therefore and make disciples….”

 

[Albert Finch]

Scripture Of The Day - Jesus' Crown Of Thorns

The third-place Jesus shed His blood broke the curse of poverty.

Genesis 3:17-19 - "Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying 'You shall not eat of it': Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both THORNS and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground."

Thousands of years after Adam sinned, Jesus Christ, the second Adam, was taken before the religious and political authorities to stand trial as a fraud and a heretic. On the way to Pilate, as they were mocking Jesus, "All hail, King of the Jews," they saw a THORN bush --the symbol of the curse of poverty on the land. They took some of the THORN branches, wove them into a crown, and placed them on the brow of Jesus until the blood flowed from His head.

The symbol of poverty was placed on the brow of Jesus, the second Adam. When those THORNS pierced His brow, He shed His blood for our redemption from poverty.

We were cursed with poverty by the sweat of Adam's brow, but we were redeemed from the curse of poverty by the blood on Jesus' brow.

Now, by the power of the blood of Jesus, not only is the curse of poverty broken, but those who take the name of Jesus and claim His blood are anointed to prosper.

2 Corinthians 8:9 - "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich."

Jesus never was poor. When the Bible says, Jesus became poor, it means He was poor in comparison to what He had in His heavenly home.

Before Mary and Joseph went to the barn, they first went to the inn to get a room. Mary and Joseph had plenty of money to get a room at the inn. The problem was, the inn had no room for the savior.

Yes, Jesus was born in a manger, but not to teach us poverty. God was showing us that we were not making room for the Savior to be born in our lives.

 

[Albert Finch]

Scripture Of The Day - Knowing Jesus

"They said to one another, 'Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?' And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them, saying, 'The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon.' They began to relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread" (Luke 24:32-35).

When we discover who Jesus is at one level, He will empower us to know Him in a deeper and more profound way. Our hearts are ignited to burn with a passionate love. The living, resurrected Word will manifest in flesh (our flesh) once again.

Jesus was the firstborn of many brethren. God knew Jesus was the prototype, the first of many sons and daughters to come. God had a divine plan from before time began. God knew us before He brought the world into existence. After we are saved, we come to understand our identity in Christ, and He shows us His PURPOSE for our life.

God fashions the lives of those who love Him to reflect Jesus' life and ministry on earth.

Every one of us mirrors a diverse form and reflects a different aspect of Jesus. God orchestrates everything to bring forth His love and PURPOSE in our life. God is faithful to establish us in our CALLING, to build us until we are transformed into His image. We see who we are destined to become in glory when we see Jesus (see Romans 8:28-30).

As we mature in Christ we take on His form. We look more like the God we love. None of us look the same as we did ten years ago. If we are not continually changing, then we are stagnant. Remember, we are destined to know Him from glory to glory.