Spirit Food - April 2017

Once you are presented with what the Word of God has to say about an issue, you are responsible for receiving His love, grace, & favor; and the gift of His righteousness. Remember, you are greatly blessed, highly favored, and deeply loved by your Heavenly Father.

This month let’s focus on receiving God’s Grace!

In Hebrews 10:17, it says “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Most people here about the Grace of God through the preaching of His Word.

If you think about it, the Bible (The Word of God) is one of the one of the bestselling books in the world, however, much of the time, the book remains on the bookshelf or coffee table and only presents a good appearance. Unfortunately, even in a lot of churches today the person speaking is more of a motivational speaker and not pointing to Jesus. In fact, some preach their convictions on politics, or what someone else has written they happen to agree or disagree with.

In 1 Corinthians 1:21, it alludes to people having wisdom by the worlds standards, but not knowing God. This is why “… it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”

God has provided His Word (The Bible) to assist mankind in establishing an intimate relationship with Himself; with each and every human being (after all, He is our Creator)!

When a person accepts Jesus as LORD, they’ve done so because they’ve heard or read that God sent His beloved, only begotten Son Jesus to die on the cross, paying the price for all of mankinds sin. And although they may not understand all the details and what it represents at the time, they make a decision to accept what they’ve heard and confess Jesus as their LORD.

Again, unfortunately, this is all many Christians understand, that they are saved from going to hell and will go to heaven. Many have not been taught much farther in the “relationship walk” to understand that their Heavenly Father has a plan and a divine destiny for their life!

This life is described in Deuteronomy 28:1-14, and it states when we develop a relationship with Him, what we can expect in life; and verses 15-68, allude to a life without perusing a daily relationship walk. Yes, if you’ve accepted Jesus as LORD, when you die you will go to be with Him, but His plan for your life is so good, it is really in your best interest while on this earth to pursue His purpose for your life. Deuteronomy 30:19 states “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:”

God looks at faith, not works. His power is made manifest in those who trust His goodness instead of their good behavior. God has a plan for your life that you would be very happy with. You need to know what His plan is for your life! Then you need to receive His plan for your life by grace, or unmerited favor, through faith.

You need to comprehend that we cannot earn the blessings of God. We receive them by believing God’s love and grace toward us. If we receive the greatest blessing—salvation—by simply believing that Jesus did it all for us and not by working for it. What makes us think that the other lesser blessings can be obtained by our works?

Christians need to focus on His Grace … and to know what His Will is for each life individually. It is not His Will for a Believer to be in poverty, sickness or fear in this world. His Word informs us of that! When you know what His Word has to say about an issue, act on it as the final authority in your life, and call those things that are not as though they are by faith. He will ensure they come to pass. This happens when we have a relationship developed with Our Heavenly Father!

In Proverbs 4:20-22, it says “… give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart.”

When you accepted Jesus as the LORD of your life, the Holy Spirit came to abide within you (with your spirit). Remember: We are spirit beings (created in the image of God), we have a soul (our mind, will, and emotions), and we live in a body (I call an earth suit).

Regarding your body, you have ears … you can refer to them as ear gates. As you hear things, you have decisions to make about what you hear. When you are bombarded with negative and evil things, this is not good for your well being. When you keep you focus on good things, and the bible instructs us in Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

Your body also has eyes … you can refer to them as eye gates. Be mindful of what you allow your eyes to see. When you allow yourself to be distracted by ungodly things, like horror shows, pornography, or even scary movies, you’ve taken your focus off of Jesus and His perfect Will for your life.

When the ear gate and the eye gate get bombarded with ungodly issues on a continuous basis, it affects your mortal spirit … you tend to conform more to this worlds ways and reactions. It affects your heart … and according to Matthew 12:34 “out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh.” Many Christians are truly unaware that they even curse.

Many Christians are not walking victoriously in certain areas of their lives, and it is because the devil continuously wages a war of distraction against them. He has managed to take them away from the one thing that can bring them victory—the Word. He will do everything possible to prevent them from opening the Bible because he knows that the Word will deliver them.

The distraction can be very subtle: A lot of things to get done, a lot of TV programs that interest you, or it may take the form of a big problem that makes you feel that you need to focus all your attention on it. The enemy knows that if he can get you to take your eyes off the Word of God, he can keep you from winning the battle.

When you are going through a tough time, it is not enough to know that God’s answer to the problem is “somewhere in the Bible”. Find the scripture in which God has promised the solution. Meditate (softly speak it to yourself over and over seeking the Holy Spirit to reveal Our Heavenly Father’s truth on the verse for your specific issue to you) on it until the truth of that scripture is revealed to you. When you do this, no demon or devil can prevent that word from God from bearing fruit in your life.

Even Jesus Himself used the Word to defeat the devil in the wilderness—“It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:4) The way to defeat the enemy is with “It is written…”

When you remain focused on your relationship with Your Heavenly Father and what Jesus accomplished on the cross for you; and the fact that you have the Holy Spirit living on the inside of you, providing guidance and direction in life, you will begin to reign in this life on earth.

Should you decide to give and financially support this ministry with gifts given in faith, I join my faith with yours to see the devourer rebuked (Malachi 3:11) and for you to receive a harvest; pressed down, shaken together and running over (Luke 6:38). Please remember to name your seed!

If you’re reading this, but you have not made Jesus the Lord of your life, and would like to, pray this prayer out loud in an audible voice:

Heavenly Father, your Word says in Romans 10:9-10- “that if I confess with my mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in my heart that and believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead, that I would be saved. For with the heart one believes unto salvation.” I believe your Word Heavenly Father and confess Jesus Christ (the anointed one and His anointing) as Lord of my life now. I believe that You raised Him from the dead. I confess that I was a sinner, but now I’ve been saved by Your grace, and in Your thoughts, I am now in right standing with You. I denounce Satan and all he stands for. Write my name in the Lamb’s book of Life. In Jesus Name. Amen (so be it).

Congratulations! If this is your first time praying this prayer, please write and let us know!

Should you decide to give and financially support this ministry with gifts given in faith, I join my faith with yours to see the devourer rebuked (Malachi 3:11) and for you to receive a harvest; pressed down, shaken together and running over (Luke 6:38).

Dr. Mark Krom, Ph.D., D.Psy

Minister/Clinical Pastoral Psychologist