Seed for Oct 31

Another mainline religion in the United States (one of the strictest) has decided to accept same sex marriage. And another in the line of dominoes falls to the ground. And in the last days men shall be lovers of self more than lovers of God, and shall be turned from the truth to fables, calling "good" evil and "evil" good. We see all the signs day by day coming to pass. Where is the sign of His coming? Everywhere! Because He delays, men's hearts turn hard and turn from God's truths! They begin to teach the doctrines of men, instead of the Truth of the Word of God. But be of good cheer, His coming is nearer than when we first believed. And Jesus is coming back for those that are watching for His return. Let the signs cause you to lift your eyes. Let the signs cause you to know His coming is nearer than when we first believed. Let the signs reinforce your faith. God said it would happen, so that we would not be surprised when it did. Be blessed

Seed for Oct 30

This reminds me of a lesson I learned several years ago. I am convinced that most believers have been persuaded (by the enemy) that the world just doesn't want to hear their witness of Messiah. They think the world regards us as silly, stupid, using religion as a cruch, etc. The truth of the matter is...they WANT to see the truth alive in our lives. They WANT to hear that there is redemption. They WANT to know that Elohim really does exist and that there is a way out of the darkness of their miserable lives (which they would like you to think isn't all that miserable; but it is merely a defense mechanism protecting them against false hope).

What they are missing from the lives of believers is a confidence in the good news; and a quality of discipleship that disposseses the believer from his own self-motivated lifestyle. The world understands that to receive REAL life and redemption from their own sin will cost them everything. They just don't see the professors of that redemption paying that price in their own lives...so they see us as fools; and our message as false hope.

A disciple of Messiah would be amazed at the response he/she gets if they live obedient lives to Messiah; and shares their testimony with confidence to the lost.

Grace and peace,

Dana

Seed for Oct 29

A city set on a hill cannot be hid. The light of that city will shine for miles and miles. We are that City, that Holy City, Zion. We are the lights of the world. We give direction to the lost to the City of Refuge where men can flee and be safe from the avenger of blood. What a great responsibility for us to be that shinning light. How important is every action, thought and word to a lost and dying world. The world is looking at our light wondering if it is for real? Do they really have something worth going after? If we are like the world, where is our "saltiness"? Where is our flavor? How will the world really know He lives in us? The lost will know that He is real thru that light and salt in us. Our conversation says "He lives!" Our actions say "He lives!" Our lifestyle says "He is real in us!" Be blessed

Seed for Oct 28

Give us our daily bread, has a 2 fold meaning. Natural food and the bread that came down from heaven. We need heavenly manna as much as we need to eat naturally. Man shall not live by bread (natural) alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Many of us neglect to eat the heavenly daily bread, which Israel was to gather early in the morning. I have found a website that will deliver daily bible reading to your email inbox. If you read that portion that they send each day, you will easily read the whole Bible in one year. What a good thing that early in the morning you can sit with your coffee and enjoy God's manna. Simply click on this link and it will take you there. Put in your email address and every day fresh as the dew you will receive a daily portion of the Word of God. You can easily pick the version of reading you want. Be blessed. http://www.bible-reading.com/daily-reading.html

Seed for Oct 27

There are only 2 types of Christians, Spirit led and carnal. The carnal Christian is represented by the "wilderness" experience of Israel after leaving their Egypt (sin). All that Israel was able to do, was wander around feeding their carnal appetites until they were all buried in the wilderness and they never reached the Promised Land!

The Lord had better plans for them, as well as for us. Jesus never intends for us to just wander around from circumstance to circumstance wondering why did this happen to me, or "poor me"! The Lord wants us to walk in victory. He wants us to get past the infantile age of whining and crying, and go forward and in victory and take our inheritance in the Spirit. We are to be more than conquerors, with more than abundant life. We are to walk in peace and victory, and to defeat every giant in our way. We are to possess the land for the Kingdom of God and eat from a land flowing with milk and honey.

Israel gets to "bitter" water and complains. Israel eats angel's food and complains. Israel sees a problem and complains. That is a carnal Christian.

Joshua and Caleb had "another" spirit and said "We are able and well able to take the land!" That is a Spiritual Christian. Examine yourself, Paul said. Be blessed.

Seed for Oct 24

Some times we need our eyes opened so we can see more than the obvious. Elisha and his servant were surrounded by an army sent to capture and kill Elisha. Elisha's servant was able to see the great army camped around them and was greatly troubled. He asked his master what were they to do, in such a terrible fix. You see the natural mind tends to fixate on the problem. Elisha prayed and the eyes of the servant were opened and he was able to see the Lord's host encamped about them as their protection. We, who are spiritual, need to have a vision checked from time to time. Is our gazed fixed on the natural things of life, that seem to come to defeat and destroy us? Or, are our eyes lifted up looking upon the One who never slumbers nor sleeps, and that watches over us for safety. Lord, open my eyes and let me see, that those that are for me are greater than those against me.

Seed for Oct 23

"Give and it shall be given to you." Preachers use this verse to talk about you giving money, but in reality it was speaking of "mercy" not money. There is a spiritual law at work here, and that law is about giving and receiving in the spirit. In order to receive you must first give. But we see this reality in nature too. In order to reap a harvest, as a farmer, you must first plant the seeds to produce that harvest. It cost you something to reap a harvest in the spirit. (that is profound)! So today think about what you need. Do you need encouragement? Do you need uplifting? Do you need someone to brag on you? Do you need mercy, peace, joy, or help? Just what ever you decide you need today, go and give it away to someone else. (plant the seeds for your harvest). Find someone and give to them exactly what you want and need, and you will see, what ever you give away will be given back to you good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over shall men give to you. It is important to note that harvest doesn't come the day you plant. So store some harvest up for the future by planting those seeds today. By planting seeds for future harvest everyday, you will begin to have a reaping of past plantings everyday. Be blessed.

Seed for Oct 22

We are the keepers of the "oracles of God." We are the ones entrusted with the Word of God. It is our testimony to our children that is going to count. It is our generation that must pass the Truth to our children, the next generation. It will be our witness to our children that will make God real in their lives. Unless He is real to me, how could I possibly transfer that Truth to my children. They have to see me live the truth of the Living God everyday of my life. We cannot just put God in box, and take Him out once a week on Sunday, and believe that God will be real to our children. We are to speak to them in the morning and evenings, as we walk by the way, and when we sit at home. We are to take the living God out of the invisible realm and make Him alive and living for our children. We have to pass the truths of God to the next generation.

Seed for Oct 21

You have really hit the nail on the head with this one, Billy. Even the upper percentile of the churches, who are really "dedicated" and/or "committed" to their faith...are not genuinely hungry for all of Him. The desire for Him falls short of their desire for worldly comfort and security. In my nearly 40 years of being a stranger and pilgrim on the earth, I have met only a handful of "believers" who genuinely longed after Elohim, as though if they did not have more of Him they would be as one dying of thirst or hunger. That kind of desire is replaced by the contemporary gospel that says one can merely "believe" and receive the free gift of salvation (and they don't even know what salvation means). That makes the gift more important than the giver. It exalts the selfishness of the flesh; rather than the selflessness of the spirit...and firmly plants the believer on the broad path that leads to destruction. A disciple who years for Elohim. Now THAT is a beautiful thing; and to see one will stir up similar yearnings inside one who truly does love Him more than His gifts. Grace and peace, Dana

Seed for Oct 20

Is He the true Treasure? Do we seek after Him hard, like the greatest treasure of our lives? Or do we seek the treasures of the world? The Bible speaks of a treasure which a man uncovers while working in another man's field. He covers the treasure up again and goes and sells all that he has that he might return and buy the field with the great treasure. Is that what He is to us? Will we go and sell all that we have and invest in Him? We are not talking about something we can actually buy, but in the spirit, it is an attitude that it is Him that I will seek with all that I have.

Many are so busy with the cares of this life, and seeking the treasures of this world, that they have no time to seek Him. Or they have the "God" thing down to something you do one day a week or so...just some religious thing we do. We often just go through the motions of seeking Him. But He is not a "treasure" to us. The Bible says that where a man's treasure is, there will his heart be. Jesus is that Pearl of Great Price. He is the treasure buried that we might go and sell all that we have, to buy Him. We are to seek Him with all our heart, and go after Him with all our being. What do I spend all my time seeking after?

Seed for Oct 17

To continue the analogy, the children of Israel (wilderness Christians) did not possess their inheritance until they changed their mentality about their enemies who currrently held their land. They had to embrace the necessity of driving our and/or destroying 31 different nations before they had rest upon the promised land. There was an aggressive commitment to overthrowing the enemies of their rest and their blessing. Perhaps this could be likened to renewing the mind; but certainly it should be compared with the idea of taking up our cross daily to follow him...to acknowledge that unless we bury ourselves into Him, we will draw upon selfish motives for our living; and life in the flesh CANNOT please the Father, and DOES not inherit the blessing. Interesting thoughts. Thanks for provoking them. Grace and peace, Dana

Seed for Oct 16

What is a "wilderness" Christian? A "wilderness" Christian is someone who like Israel was delivered from Egypt (sin), but instead of going on to the Promise Land, they get stuck in the wilderness. Let me describe the wilderness. It is an endless circle of wandering without direction and purpose, constantly having trials and struggles, and never reaching the land of milk and honey. You see there is a destiny for the people of God, to reach the land of promise (and we are not talking about heaven). Unfortunately, many Christians never realize God's great plan and destiny for them, they just seem to wander around, up and down in their Christian experiences, and never able to maintain the victory God has given them. They are constantly being defeated in each spiritual battle. For a wilderness Christian it is an endless cycle of going to church, but never growing up into Him.

We are to experience the joy of our salvation on a daily basis. We are to go from victory to victory, and from faith to faith. We are to enjoy all our inheritances now from the Lord. We are to possess the Spiritual land we live in as conquerors and more than conquerors. This is so far above the "wilderness" experience that there is no comparison. Living this promised life has to do with Him increasing in us. It includes us growing in grace and knowledge and to come to the understanding of Him in us, and the hope of His calling.

If our only experience in God is only "church going" on Sunday, or whenever, then we will wander around as "wilderness" Christians all our lives. But if He is our desire and the object of our devotion, the Lover of our life, then we can inherit all He has for us now!

Seed for Oct 15

He must increase and I must decrease. These words were spoken by John the Baptist, talking of his ministry and the ministry of Jesus. Yet these words hold a deeper meaning and truth about the Jesus that lives within us. When we first come to God, by faith a Seed is planted in us, with the expressed hope of growing and producing the fruit of the Spirit. Problem is that many do not decrease themselves and allow the Lord to increase and grow in them. If there is no desire to worship and no hunger for His Word it is a definite sign that He is not increasing in you. The Christian life was never about "going to church" but about allowing the living God to live out His being in and thru you. He must increase. That planted Seed must grow and mature and fruit, while at the same time, I must decrease my hold on self and self will and independent actions. Most people think just being a Christian in (name only) and going to church ever so often, and just doing the best they can is sufficient. That is the lie of "religion." It is about me dying to self and Him living in me. Paul said, "Reckon yourself dead unto sin and alive to Christ." "Present your bodies a living sacrifice, which is your reasonable service." What is "reasonable"? Total surrender of yourself upon the altar of sacrifice. Examine yourself Paul said. Every one of us has the ability to see...Is He increasing in me? Am I a Christian in name only, or in deed? Be blessed.

Seed for Oct 14

The Bible says that all our past repented sins are under the blood of Jesus. They have been blotted out, and this is exactly how several verse put together the relation of our past sins to God: 1. He will cast our sins behind His back. 2. Our sins are cast into the sea of forgetfulness. 3. To never be remembered against us again. 4. Though our sins should be red, they shall be white as snow and white as wool. 5. He will separate us as far as East is from West from our past sins. Putting these verses together, we may remember our past sins, and Satan may remind us, but the Lord has no remembrance. He has forgotten. His mercies are new everyday, like the dew. What a wonderful God we serve.

Seed for Oct 13

Ps 27:11 The LORD is my light and my salvation-- whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life-- of whom shall I be afraid?(NIV)

If the Lord be on our side who can stand against us? What a privilege to know He that neither slumbers nor sleeps, but keeps watch always over those that love Him and call upon His name Jesus! We have nothing to fear or dread, for fear has torment. He did not give a spirit of fear, but of love power and a sound mind. We are reminded to be mindful of the benefits of serving the Lord, who forgives all our sins, and heals all our diseases. What a great God we serve and what a wonderful blessing to know His name, Jesus!

Seed for Oct 10

The Lord will not give His glory to another. When we talk of luck, or count our luck stars, lucky horseshoe, we are actually stealing from the glory of the Lord. Christians are not governed by "luck." The Word says that the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. That before we were formed in the womb, He knew us. So what does luck or chance have to do with us? Nothing!

We need to know that it is the Lord that rules and reigns over us and not luck. We are to look for the doors that the Lord opens, and not try to open the doors in life that the Lord has closed to us. So our constant prayer (conversation to God) should be Lord you are in control of every detail of my life and I give you glory, not my lucky saints!

"Acknowledge the Lord in all your ways and He will direct your steps" pretty much takes luck and chance out of the equation. Trust in the Lord and lean not to your own understanding, and always ask His leading in every situation. Be not anxious about anything, but enjoy the comfort and peace of God in every situation. I have a new attitude: "I sit back and see where the Lord is taking me, and what I am about to enjoy." For you see my hope and trust is in Him, and I will not give His glory to another.

Seed for Oct 9

Life and death are in the power of the tongue. All a judge or king has to do is to speak a death sentence and that sentence will be carried out. All an appeals judge has to do is to commute that sentence and the life is spared. This is great power in the tongue. With this same tongue we can bless God and curse man, made in His image. With this small member we can boast great things, and set our lives on course of hell. The tongue is a little member, but reveals what is in the heart of man. With this same tongue confession can be made to salvation. You see life and death are in tongue. The tongue is the "unruly" member which no man can tame. That is why the Captain of our souls takes control of the tongue as proof of His King-ship of our hearts. You can see who rules a man's heart by who rules his tongue. Life and death are in the power of the tongue. Just listen to how men talk, and know who rules their tongue!

Seed for Oct 8

In the beginning God created man to seek after Him, but after the transgression in the Garden of Eden, God has been seeking men ever since, while men seek after sin. Could you imagine God's own creation, made in His own image, and designed with a basic nature to seek God? Ever since that day, God has had to seek men. "Adam, where are you?" And Adam's reply was that he was hiding, because he was naked.

What is our hearts desire? Is it Him? Do we long for a real and rich living relation with the King and our God? Do we seek Him early, late and long? Is it His name we love to speak, and His face we desire to see? Is He the lover of our soul? The hope of our future? The desire of all our longings? Are we really seeking Him? He said, "I will be found when you seek me with all your heart!" After all that was the whole reason I was made...to seek God!

Seed for Oct 7

Do we love Him enough to deny self? "There is a war within, said the old Indian. "There is a black dog and a white dog inside me fighting." When asked, " Which one wins?" The old Indian said, "The one that I feed the most." Are we willing to deny self and allow Him to live as King in our hearts? It is not a matter of me, but of Him. It is not by will power, but by faith, that He lives in me while I was crucified with Him. I now present my body a living sacrifice to Him to do with what ever pleases Him. Jesus offered Himself, and was obedient even to the Cross. We might ask ourselves in the middle of a trial, "What good can this do?" How many wondered what good the Cross did to Jesus in the prime of His life and ministry. You see, only the Father sees the whole picture. Do we love Him enough to offer ourselves to Him? Here I am Lord, live and rule and reign in me. Your will be done in me as it is in Heaven. I trust your way to be the best way. It is hard to see the victory in the middle of the fiery trial, but faith sees it. Faith is trusting Him even when it seems defeat is evident!
Remember Israel at the Red Sea. Defeat was eminent and yet they still won. Incredible!

Seed for Oct 6

*"Be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind". This world is constantly trying to conform us (make us more worldly). It is pulling much like gravity toward the will of man and nature. But there is inside us (having been born again) a new nature. It is the very nature of God all rolled up in a tiny Seed. That Seed was planted in our heart (mind) with the very hope of growing and producing the Fruit of God. That is the difference shown here in that verse, "being conformed compared to being transformed". Each is being changed into something, one more like the world, and one more in the image of God.

The Lord said in His word, behold I set before you life and death, choose life, for why will you die O House of Israel? The way of the world leads to death, but the power of God in us yields the fruit of life. Who would not choose life, when put in those terms? Let your mind be transformed into the mind of Christ by the power of God. Paul said, "Let this same mind be in you that was in Christ, who thought it not robbery to be equal to God, but made no reputation of himself, but humbled himself to be obedient even to the cross." We are being change from glory to glory, we are decreasing and He is increasing in us. We are being transformed into sons of God! Powerful!

Seed for Oct 3

Have you ever heard, "just keep the 10 commandments and you will be OK"? Or have you thought you would enter in if your good out weighed your bad on that Judgment Day? Nothing could be farther from the truth. Anyone that is telling you to just do you best and that is enough is doing you a great disservice: 1. The 10 commandments came to show us sold under sin and without hope! 2. Our good will never be good enough. 3. Being lost or saved has nothing to do with good or bad, but with source. What the Lord wanted us to see by the giving of the 10 Commandments, was our utter hopelessness. The Bible says if you have broken one of the 10, then you are guilty of them all. Even if you have never murdered, if you coveted then you have broken all the 10 commands. The Law came to show us sin, to show us TO BE sinners, and to show us without hope apart from Him. God is the Law giver and Jesus is the Law Keeper in us. If you have never been born again, then you will never please God. It takes a new birth, a new life in us, and our faith in what He can do, and not in what we can do. Trusting Him is forsaking all other hope. He said, "Apart from me you can do nothing. I am the Vine and you are the branches." Unless we are tapped into the Life in the Vine, we have no eternal life and no eternal hope.

Seed for Oct 2

"be mindful of the benefits of serving the Lord..." Ps 103. We watched a movie called "Osama" about female life in Afghanistan and the worship of the Muslims. That movie brought to mind the great blessing to know the true and living God, our Jesus. What bondage and mistreatment they suffer at the hands of the "religious zealots" in the name of their god, Allah (the moon god). When we think we have it tough, we ought to review that movie and then rejoice over our "little" problems in life. We have a great big God who is well able to finish what He has started in us, if we hold fast to our faith to the end. Be blessed.