Released To Respond | 06.30.12

Release is the freedom to start all over again but with a greater sense of responsibility than before.  Bondages are absolutely nothing to play with.  They wreck lives, destroy relationships, ruin careers, dissolve trust, deplete finances, manifest disease and ultimately kill people.  The opportunity to experience release from any form of bondage is nothing short of us witnessing the miraculous extension of GOD's life-altering mercy.  The freedom to start all over again, however, is not a license to enter into that same bondage again.

Responsibility is simply the ability to respond.  With every bondage release there must come greater ability to respond to the factors that initially led us into the bondage from which we've been released.  Why?  Because the enemy is not intimidated by freedom.  As a matter of fact, according to Matthew 12:43-45, an unclean spirit that's been cast out comes back with seven other demonic influences more evil than itself because--just like GOD's plans--Satan's plans require human anatomy for earthly manifestation.  Therefore, deliverance is about much more than a release unto freedom.  Following the recovery of territory occupied by the Kingdom of Darkness in an individual's life, there must be an imparting of power that divinely enables the now free individual to guard their territory against the greater attack to come.

No Longer Finishing Last | 06.12.12

Over a period of just a few days, I had several conversations with different people during which frustrations were aired concerning the trials and tribulations of simply being "nice."  There's a saying that states, "Nice people finish last," but I beg to differ.  The biggest mistake we make as nice people is believing that everyone we are nice to is nice just like us.  Not so...  Just because nice people believe in treating others the way we wish to be treated, we can not assume that others function similarly.

Nice people are essentially givers and will put their own needs aside to help someone else.  Don't get me wrong: that's a very good and noble thing.  However, it's a not so good thing when someone's niceness is taken advantage of and abused.  And as much as I hate to admit it, that tends to be the case for nice people.  Where we, as nice people, fail miserably is in not understanding that givers always attract needy people; and needy people--point blank--are not givers.  In fact, needy people are award-winning receivers.  They have little or no regard for the time and plans of givers because their whole world revolves around what's happening to them and how they feel about it.  Since people can only do to a person what that person allows them to do, it's time to stop feeling frustrated with inconsiderate people and leverage that frustration to create change.

My own life experiences have really allowed the Holy Spirit to teach me what must be done to ensure I don't finish last simply because I'm a nice person.  Making time to take inventory of my relationships is VERY important because a conscious effort must be made to clearly identify the givers as well as the needy folk.  And as good as it may feel to write off the needy people, that's not the Kingdom-driven approach to take...  Instead, I must choose to govern my time in such a way that more of it is invested in nurturing stronger relationships with the fellow givers in my life as opposed to those always in need.  Eventually, the needy people will either adapt to not having as much access to me as before or they'll walk away because they've found another giver who's willing to invest more time into their neediness than I am.

Peace In Knowing | 06.10.12

Peace, it seems, is something many people are running short on these days.  And not just those who are unsaved... There are MANY Christians whose lives are anything but peaceful.  People everywhere are crying out for peace because the chaos of their daily existence is literally driving them crazy.  They literally don't know from one day to the next HOW they're going to make it through, and the enemy is constantly flooding their minds with all kinds of crazy thoughts.  Whether it be condemnation for past mistakes or anxiety over an uncertain future, the minds of so many are robbed daily of a peaceful presence.

We can test our prayer lives and dependence on GOD by how much peace we have in our hearts.  These two areas of our lives are the first two places we should examine whenever we find ourselves not at peace.  Philippians 4:6-7 teaches us that we're to pray earnestly and petition the Father with thanksgiving so that GOD's peace guards our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  The peace we lack is a direct result of us either praying ineffectively or not praying at all.  And when there's a lack of prayer, you better believe there's also a lack of dependence on GOD.

Love Responding To Love | 06.06.12

About a couple of days ago, I was listening to the song "How He Loves," as recorded by David & Nicole Binion along with the music ministry of Covenant Church.  During his exhortation, David Binion says, "Worship is simply love responding to love."  Now I've listened to this song a number of times over the two years I've owned this recording, but THIS TIME it stood out like never before.  My guess is because I'm getting a greater understanding of GOD's love, its significance and its power, thanks to the book I recently finished reading ("Furious Pursuit: Why GOD Will Never Let You Go" by Tim King and Frank Martin), which has phenomenally impacted my life.  (It was so good that I've consecutively read it twice and am about to read it AGAIN.)

Shortly after awaking this morning, I pondered that quote from David Binion and the Holy Spirit began to impart His insight to me as I meditated on those words.  Worship is the manifestation of our relationship with GOD.  He loves us so much that we'll literally spend the rest of our lives and all of eternity comprehending the magnitude of GOD's love.  More than anything, worship is our response to GOD's love.  The more extravagant our response to the love of GOD, the greater our comprehension of it.  Furthermore, as we mature in the depth of our comprehension of GOD's love, the more extravagant growth we'll see in our love responding to His love.

Recognizing the Kingdom at Work (AUDIO) | 06.04.12

This week's inspirational podcast endeavors to help us better recognize evidence of GOD's Kingdom at work in our lives.  It's so easy to take on the wrong perspective, but the Word of GOD is always there to ensure we do not lose sight of His heart's intentions for us.  Material gain has its place in our lives, as Kingdom citizens; however, it in no way defines what life is all about in GOD's Kingdom.



Music By: Longzijun
Transcript of podcast available at facebook.com/thisisfhw.