Laboring in Grace!!!

Laboring for many Christians has become a stumbling block for their salvation. The religious gospel of man has tainted the gospel of Christ from the beginning and still today we evangelize a horizontal legalism unto men for their salvation. We bring men into the church and teach them that if they are serving in many capacities, they will earn their way into heaven. When we ask these brothers and sisters; “how do you know you are going to make it to heaven” they reply with a resume of all the works they’ve done or the fact that they were baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Sad to say unless the truth of the Gospel reach these men and women they will fall short of the kingdom. Our salvation is in grace alone and our belief in the Cross work of Jesus Christ (death, burial, and resurrection). We can only be saved by Grace through Faith. Their Labor is in vain and sadly will be burned up at the end of their life. Jesus talks about this to the crowd of disciples when they come back and boast in all that they done in driving out demons. Jesus tells them they are to only boast in their salvation. Jesus tells other disciples “unless you eat of my flesh and drink of my blood, you have no fellowship with me”. Today as we labor, be sure to boast in the cross and on the blessed assurance of our sealing by the Holy Spirit!!! Our entrance is free in grace through faith and our labor has to spread what was freely given unto us!!! Have a wonderful life of Labor on purpose!!!!!

Luke 10

Jesus Sends Out the Seventytwo
1After this the Lord appointed seventy-two[a] others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.
5"When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' 6If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. 7Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
8"When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. 9Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.' 10But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11'Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.' 12I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
13"Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. 15And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths.[b]
16"He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me."
17The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."
18He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

John 6

53Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever." 59He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
Many Disciples Desert Jesus
60On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?"
61Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you? 62What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit[e] and they are life. 64Yet there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him."
66From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
67"You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve.
68Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."
70Then Jesus replied, "Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!" 71(He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)

Labor in the Harvest!!!

We as believers in the Most High God through faith in Jesus Christ understand that our every day labor came as a penalty unto all men from the fall of Adam. We were commanded to till and subdue the land. Through our efforts in providing a life for ourselves and our families in this day we find ourselves in many places laboring. We use our God given talents and our learned skills and abilities in order to provide a life of self sufficiency in order that the name of the Lord may be exalted. As we continue to labor we know that we have a twofold reason for our opportunity to work in the places we do, first to make a living and second in order to fulfill the great commission of making disciples of all nations. The Lord is exalted in our workplaces through our example as we endeavor day in and day out to represent the light and life of Christ in our encounters with our coworkers. We really have to understand that the Lord places us with our assignments in tack in order to make Kingdom impact in the places we labor. The relationships that we have with supervisors, coworkers, and employees should be managed with the hope of having the door open to share the gospel so that we may save some!!! Remember, “The harvest is plentiful but the Laborers are few”!!! Have a wonderful life of Labor on purpose!!!!!


“The Charge” at www.thecharge-dcoutourier.blogspot.com

Psalm 128

A Song of Ascents.
1 Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD,
Who walks in His ways.
2 When you eat the labor of your hands,
You shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.
3 Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
In the very heart of your house,
Your children like olive plants
All around your table.
4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
Who fears the LORD.
5 The LORD bless you out of Zion,
And may you see the good of Jerusalem
All the days of your life.
6 Yes, may you see your children’s children.

Matthew 9

The Workers Are Few
35Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

Circumstances Vs. God's Timing!!!

If we look at circumstances the way God see circumstances we might have a totally different perspective. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ said that there will be trails that we will face in this life. It was a statement of fact and certainty. Yet we have been seduced into thinking that once we come to Christ our Life will be easy and free from “bad” situations. God is noted as a potter in our book of life, I would like to also see Him as a painter. A painter has to have the proper canvas to start with before they can create a master piece. God uses and allows these trails in our lives to set the perfect canvas for His artistic expression. We wish so gravely and pray so heavily for instant release from our terrible trials, yet God is using them to paint a beautiful portrait that attracts the world to Him. Paul said not only do I want to experience the power of Christ’s resurrection but also His suffering. If we look at our trails as the times when God wishes to use us as master pieces we will not be in a rush to be delivered. God is in no rush as we can see in His word, 100 years for the flood, 25 years for the birth of Isaac, 40 years in the wilderness, etc... All precious things take time to perfect, and if the process of purifying gold means that heat needs to be applied then we should count it all joy for each trial. God thought enough of us as He did His only begotten Son, to use us in His perfect Will to bring Glory to himself and a witness to the world. Stop looking at your circumstances as terrible and see them as opportunities for the Father’s Will to be expressed in His Time!!! Be Encouraged!!! Have a wonderful life of circumstances on purpose!!!!!


“The Charge” at www.thecharge-dcoutourier.blogspot.com

Philippians 3

No Confidence in the Flesh
1Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.
2Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. 3For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh— 4though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.
7But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

James 1

1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings.
Trials and Temptations
2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
9The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. 10But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. 11For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.
12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
13When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
16Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. 17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

Circumstances Vs. God's Sovereignty!!!

We are afforded the most awesome gift ever given and that is to be co-heirs with Jesus Christ in eternal life and to have a Father that is all knowing and all powerful. Sometimes we allow our circumstances to take away the power and wisdom of God. There were many times when we were children and we would explain what we were going through to our parents, as we told them our situation they would start to give us advice and the first thing we would say was “but you don’t understand”. Many of us still do this today but now with our Heavenly Father. We take our prayer requests and our fears to Him and as soon as He shows us something in His Word, or sends someone our way with a word, or speaks straight to our heart, instead of listening and accepting what He is saying we say “but you don’t understand”. When we do this to our Lord we negate His power and wisdom, and bring Him to our finite level. Our God is Sovereign and He wants us to know that He loves us each day. When we start to believe that our Father is the biggest, strongest, and wisest one on the block we will start to look at our circumstances in a new view!!! Don’t complain to Dad about your circumstances, tell your circumstances how big your Daddy is!!! Have a wonderful life of circumstances on purpose!!!!!

Matthew 6

Do Not Worry
25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[b]?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Circumstances Vs. God's Will!!!

When we look at the life of Samson, we see someone who was tremendously blessed from birth in order to do great things for his people according to the Will of God. We all know that God’s will is perfect and shall be accomplished through either obedience or disobedience. Samson was the strongest man alive because he had “God with him” throughout his life, yet Samson failed to live an abundant life because of his disobedience. He took the power of God to all sorts of places where he was not called to be. Samson found himself in many different circumstances that he was able to get himself out of because of the blessing of God. Can we imagine how much greater Samson’s life and legacy would had been if he would have treasured the blessings bestowed upon him and carried the power of God around to where God’s Will would have been magnified. Imagine what could have been accomplished if Samson’s heart would have been that God got the glory for all that was performed through his vessel. Sadly, today many Christians find themselves dealing with unwanted and uncontrolled circumstances and instead of being steadfast in God’s will they take their vessels that is filled with the power that raised Christ from the dead via the Holy Spirit into places where God has not called them nor wants them to be. Some experience heart ache and pain and wish to look for love in places where the Holy Spirit is being quenched. Some experience hurt in the church and wonder around for years being separated from the body of Christ and feeling all alone. Our gift was grace and salvation given to us from the Father and the only wish he has for His children is for them to choose to put themselves in proper places where they can allow the Holy Spirit to mature them to full Agape Love. We have to remember that the Lord will not put on us more than we can bare and we are the beautiful vessels of the Holy Spirit!!! Today, is God’s Will being experienced in your life as Dad intended for you in the places where the Holy Spirit can shine through you, teach, and admonish you!!! Have a wonderful life of circumstances on purpose!!!!!

Romans 8

Life Through the Spirit
1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,[a] 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. 3For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature,[b] God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering.[c] And so he condemned sin in sinful man,[d] 4in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.
5Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6The mind of sinful man[e] is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7the sinful mind[f] is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. 8Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.
9You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.
12Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.[g] And by him we cry, "Abba,[h] Father." 16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Circumstances Vs. God's Promises!!!

As we run the race that is called life we continue to find ourselves bombarded by many circumstances. Some we have no control over while others we have actually walked into due to some decisions we made on our part. While most of us will complain about the circumstances we have no control over and how they affect our lives we can be honest and say they do not affect God’s Promises to us. There are so many of us in the body of Christ today that receive a “Word” from God and as soon as our circumstances change that “Word” changes. This happens in relationships that God speaks to us about, finances, stewardship, family issues, etc… God may have told us to be still in regards to changing jobs or to move with the glory cloud because our season at this present job was up. Yet when something changes; whether a new job opened and we were supposed to stay or the job we thought we were going to be receiving because our season was up did not come through so now we are staying, because of these circumstances all of a sudden the “Word” God gave us a day, week, month, or year ago has somehow changed along with your circumstances. When we read the word of God we see that His promises to His children never change. When He promised Abraham at the age of 75 that he and Sarah would have a child, God did not change that promise in the 25 years it took it to come to fruition. But because Abraham was getting older and his circumstances were changing he thought he could help God out or that God’s promise had to be carried out in a different manner than in the way He proclaimed it. Abraham created Ishmael because he wouldn’t wait on the promises of God. How many of us today are creating Ishmaels because we keep allowing our circumstances to either change the meaning of what God spoke to us or we simply turn aside to our own ways. God is that same yesterday, today and tomorrow and so are His the promises to His Children!!! Stand on His Promises and show your circumstances the Power of God!!! Have a wonderful life of circumstances on purpose!!!!!

Genesis 15

God's Covenant With Abram
1 After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, [a] your very great reward. [b] "
2 But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit [c] my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?" 3 And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir."
4 Then the word of the LORD came to him: "This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir." 5 He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be."
6 Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

Genesis 16

Hagar and Ishmael
1 Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar; 2 so she said to Abram, "The LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her." Abram agreed to what Sarai said. 3 So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. 4 He slept with Hagar, and she conceived. When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, "You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my servant in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the LORD judge between you and me."

Genesis 21

The Birth of Isaac
1 Now the LORD was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what he had promised. 2 Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. 3 Abraham gave the name Isaac [a] to the son Sarah bore him. 4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.
6 Sarah said, "God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me." 7 And she added, "Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age."

God's Appropriation, God's Timing

God’s Will is perfect!!! We do not have to just read it, preach it, and teach it, but we also have to believe it. We see God as omnipotent, yet flawed. We get so frustrated when he delays in our request for this or that. God is a loving Father who did not have to adopt us in the first place or give up His only begotten Son. God does not fear nor will he be mocked. There are so many times we want to tempt His love, and He is so gracious that He gently corrects us after a while and allows us to grow to understand that His timing in appropriation is for our blessing. His timing ultimately is what is used to continue to build our faith and trust in Him. Our confidence in an unchanging and faithful God comes when we realize that even if our prayers are not answered and we stay in a storm way longer than we wish to, His love will never fade. Job put it this way, “Yet He slay me, still will I trust Him”. How many of us today have this attitude? All these things that we go through, the trials and tribulations which Jesus said, “You will go through”, the tests, and the allowed temptations from the enemy are all allowed to appropriate the wisdom of God’s word in order for us to grow and mature into Agape Love. Worry not about the time Dad takes to do His will, just be thankful that you are in it!!! Enjoy the process, that is what this life is all about!!! Have a wonderful life of appropriation on purpose!!!!!

Matthew 6

Do Not Worry

25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[b]?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Appropriation God's Way

The process of appropriation is one that many people struggle with especially in our society and culture. God is in no rush to do anything, he is like the patient potter working master pieces in each one of our lives. We come to the faith and instantly think that we will be given peace in any situation, the power to overcome all sins, the wisdom to understand every scripture, and the ability to save every soul. Our Father is one who wants long lasting relationship, if we were able to instantly get all that we desired even with the right motivation, our nature will soon take over and once again see no need for God in our lives. That is not to say that Dad strings us along, but it’s to say that He never wants us to hurt ourselves. If God allowed the Holy Spirit to somehow microwave each one of us into instant maturity we would all be 7 years olds trying to drive race cars. The Holy Spirit has to slowly fill us with all that is the wisdom of God in order to displace all that the enemy has filled us with. We cannot empty ourselves out, we have to allow the Holy Spirit to do that by filling us up. The only thing we can do is say yes to Dad’s will and His way. If we place ourselves in the proper environments we will be able to grow and allow the process to take form, just like with any flower. Today say “YES” and make sure you are in the proper environment to grow!!! Have a wonderful life of appropriation on purpose!!!!!

John 3

John the Baptist's Testimony About Jesus

22After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. 23Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were constantly coming to be baptized. 24(This was before John was put in prison.) 25An argument developed between some of John's disciples and a certain Jew[i] over the matter of ceremonial washing. 26They came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him."
27To this John replied, "A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. 28You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ[j] but am sent ahead of him.' 29The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30He must become greater; I must become less.
31"The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 34For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God[k] gives the Spirit without limit. 35The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 36Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."[l]

Fill Your Tool Box

Appropriation defined by dictionary.com is the act of setting apart or taking for one's own use. So in this manner of appropriation we as believers have to read the word of God in order to know which scriptures we should use to cast down every imagination that tries to exalt itself over the word of God. We all know that the enemy was not happy with our acceptance of the salvation through grace from God that we received in Jesus Christ. Each day Satan sets out to render us in effective for the kingdom by taking our focus off the mission we were created for and setting our focus on temptations, fires, and accusations. The only weapon we have to fight and defeat him in any given season is the word of God rightly divided. Jesus Christ our champion modeled this while He was in the wilderness when He quoted scripture from the book of Deuteronomy, which applied to each of the three temptations that Satan was bringing before Him. If we continue to search these marvelous scriptures, we equip ourselves with a wonderful tool box were we can continue to appropriate God’s word in order for us to fight the good fight. Fill up your tool box, “having the right tool for the job, makes the job that much simpler!!!” Have a wonderful life of appropriation on purpose!!!!!

Matthew 4

The Temptation of Jesus
1Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."
4Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'[a]"
5Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6"If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: " 'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'[b]"
7Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'[c]"
8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9"All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me."
10Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'[d]"
11Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

Read the Owner's Manual!!!

Many Christians today come into this relationship with Christ Jesus and stop at the salvation peace. They feel good and reassured that they are not going to hell and continue to struggle through life in the same manner as they did before coming to Christ. Their understanding of this relationship is like a man who went to purchase cable for the first time in his life and acquired Verizon FIOS. Now he was always used to watching the local channels for news, weather, and sports and now that he has FIOS he can get those channels and he sees that there are other channels that he can view as well. He then goes to his friend's house and notices all the channels his friend has and that his friend has recorded some of his favorite programs and he sees his friend watching a free movie that is on demand. The guy says to his friend; “man I wish I had the ability to record my favorite programs and watch movies for free whenever I wanted” and his friend replies; “you can, I have the same FIOS you do, did you ever read the manual to see all that comes in your package?” The bible for us is our owner’s manual and we have to read to see all the benefits we get with this salvation. Please see all the wonderful promises that we have working in us and the process by which the Holy Spirit takes us through!!! Have a wonderful life of appropriation on purpose!!!!!

Romans 15

1We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: "The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me."[a] 4For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
5May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, 6so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. 8For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews[b]on behalf of God's truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs 9so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: "Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to your name."[c] 10Again, it says, "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people."[d] 11And again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and sing praises to him, all you peoples."[e] 12And again, Isaiah says, "The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; the Gentiles will hope in him."[f]
13May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Complete In Christ

When we read God’s word we are to do so in the hope that through the Holy Spirit we will gain understanding and wisdom which we can then apply to our lives and to help strengthen the body of believers all around us. As we read His word we see all the wonderful promises that the Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father gave to His blessed children. When we read these blessings we have to understand that these blessings rightly divided have already been completed and sent into our lives and it just takes us going through the process with the Holy Spirit to recognize and experience each one of His blessings but we actually have them all right now. It is like a child understanding that right now at the age of 9 they have all they need to be tall enough to dunk a basketball. Now we could never tell a child that in true confidence because we do not know that for sure if they will grow tall enough or have the physical strength, but we know that God’s word is sure and if He says He will never leave us nor forsake us, we should never utter the words that we are alone. It may take time for you to come this realization through many hard times were the Holy Spirit reveals the Lord caring you through trail after trail, but the promise was complete the second you believe on Jesus Christ. In other words we as Christians live a life that is not abundant based on the fact that we are still waiting for the next blessing. If we understand that we are complete in Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit has sealed us then we can know with a blessed assurance that as I study the scripture I get to see all the things that I have operating inside of me. Be the saint, stop looking for them!!! Have a wonderful life of appropriation on purpose!!!!!

Ephesians 1

1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints in Ephesus,[a] the faithful[b] in Christ Jesus:
2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Spiritual Blessings in Christ
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5he[c] predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9And he[d] made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
11In him we were also chosen,[e] having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.