Verse and Message (Week of April 20-26, 2008) April 24, 2008

 

Luke 10:19
I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.

  

According to www.merriam-webster.com , AUTHORITY is defined as follows:

  

*An individual cited or appealed to as an expert.

*Power to influence or command thought, opinion, or behavior.

*Freedom granted by one in authority.

*Persons in command.

*Convincing force.

Synonyms:  influence, power

As Christians we have within us more AUTHORITY than we can possibly imagine.  That’s right….with the Holy Spirit, our influence and power are limitless.  The Holy Spirit desires to supernaturally enable us to be filled and experience Him with the benefit to use the authority that He has given us.

As Christians we have within us more AUTHORITY than we can possibly imagine.  That’s right….with the Holy Spirit, our influence and power are limitless.  The Holy Spirit desires to supernaturally enable us to be filled and experience Him with the benefit to use the authority that He has given us.

 

Even though the devil is real and has power, we must not forget that “The One Who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world.” 

1 John 4:4

 

It’s crucial to know the Enemy and be prepared for battle. Scripture provides specific things regarding the nature of the Enemy.  The following traits of the Devil found in When the Enemy Strikes by Charles Stanley may better prepare us on the battlefield:

 

1.  The Devil is invisible.

(He will disguise himself; you will not see a red devil with horns.)

2.  The Devil is organized.

(He has a vast team of evil working for him.)

3.  The Devil is a murderer, a liar, and a thief.

(His goal is to steal, kill, and destroy–John 10:10)

4.  The Devil is crafty and scheming.

(Shrewdness in manipulation is his game plan.)

5.  The Devil is 100% evil.

(He is opposite of our Perfect Prince.)

 

We must be alert, and we must not underestimate the wiles of Satan…………..however, we must NEVER UNDERESTIMATE the POWER that we have been given through Christ Jesus.  You and I have the same power available to us that was utilized in the resurrection of our Lord! The crown of glory that we received through the purchase of His blood on the Cross gives us complete authority to overcome the power of Satan. However, we cannot engage in conflict with the Enemy and be successful without allowing the Savior to battle for us! 

 

A couple years ago, Pastor Chris Hodges of Church of the Highlands, shared some profound points on taking authority and increasing faith. In order to be victorious over the Enemy, we must be bold to mark our ground when we face evil. 

 

**AUTHORITY comes through HIS NAME**

  

When we speak the beautiful name of JESUS CHRIST the Enemy Trembles….Mountains Move….Miracles Take Place!!  When we claim victory over a situation in the name of Jesus Christ, we have the POWER through His precious blood to overcome anything the Enemy aims at us. We are more than conquerors when we are able to comprehend the power His Holy Spirit has given us. Romans 8:37

 

**Our CONFIDENCE comes through RELATIONSHIP**

  

Isn’t it true that the more you spend time with a person, the more you get to know that person? A personal relationship with Jesus Christ affords us a friendship that will never be broken or abandoned. Prayer and active use of the “Sword of the Spirit” (The Bible) are the resources to claim GOD-FIDENCE…. “God sized confidence.” This confidence and boldness must also be obtained by maintaining open two-way conversations with the Father. When I refer to “two-way” this is not merely downloading our “to do” list for God. 

  

**Our POWER comes through the CROSS**

  

If we want to triumph in our faith, we must recognize the significance of the event that changed the world at Calvary more than 2,000 years ago.  Jesus is the LAMB who was slain for our sins.  When we accept His sacrifice and ask Him to remove the stain, the CROSS becomes our platform for power and authority. 

 

Again, the main tools for success in overcoming the Enemy include receiving Jesus as our Savior and proclaiming His Precious Name, intimate prayer time with our Father, and absorbing and meditating His Word. (Scripture is our most active tool in warfare. It is our best offense, even though we have additional protection for our defense.) We must not be fooled. As Christians we are involved in active combat with Satan on a consistent basis. 

 

Don’t be passive, TAKE ACTION! The armor of protection is ours, but we must wear it! Ephesians 6:10-18

  

RECOGNIZE THE ENEMY

REALIZE THE POWER YOU HAVE IN CHRIST

ACCENTUATE YOUR AUTHORITY IN CHRIST

  

SUSIE MC

A Must See Video!Laminin – Holding us together! April 22, 2008

Hey Friends,

Here is a profound video on youtube sent to me by a brother in Christ, Gary Mikawa!  Tears streamed down my face as I viewed this message….check it out….

Smiles,

Susie Mc

 

We serve an AMAZING GOD!!!

 

Learn how laminin holds us together by watching this wonderful discussion on Laminin. Mash the underlined word to watch and learn. Oh and by the way, that is a diagram of laminin below. Look familiar?

 

This is amazing. Paul in his letter to the Colossians said in chapter 1 verse 17, “HE HIMSELF is before all things, and in HIM all things hold together.

 

 

Ever heard of Laminin?  I have not until this video. Pretty inspiring at the start but it gets even better when Louie talks about Laminin.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e4zgJXPpI4

 

Feel free to Google “Laminin” after you watch the video.

 

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4DGUS_en___US216&q=Laminin

Verse and Messag (Week of April 13-19, 2008) April 18, 2008

1 Corinthians 5:7

….For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.

  

Since the Jewish Passover begins at sundown on Saturday, April 19 and ends at nightfall on Sunday, April 27, I thought it would be fitting to share a message explaining what the Passover means to us as Christians.  I am including a portion of a message on this topic that was sent to me a couple years ago by a brother in Christ, Mike McCormick.

  

It’s interesting how the Jewish Passover links to our comprehension of Jesus Christ as our Savior.  I hope you all are able to gain a deeper understanding of what Passover means to Christianity.

 

Exodus 12:7, 13

Verse 7

And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it.

Verse 13

Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are.  And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.

 

The Egyptians had no protection form the destroyer, but the people of Israel who put the blood of the lamb on their dwellings were safe.

 

The blood represented the Blood of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world — Jesus Christ (Rev 13:8). Judgment was legally avoided because of it.

 

The blood application stopped the destroyer.  Action was required to stop him — not just passive belief in the blood.

 

Not only were the children of Israel spared from destruction, but they all left Egypt in good health carrying away the wealth of Egypt. 

 

Christ is our Passover.  Can we not expect Him to provide us as much protection and deliverance as the lamb provided the children of Israel?

 

New Covenant believers have the right to draw a Faith Blood Line that the devil cannot cross.  By speaking words of faith we apply the Blood over the “doorposts” of our lives. 

 

With blood on the door of the Israelites in Egypt, no evil dared to enter their homes.  Likewise, we are kept safe through the protection of the Divine Blood of Jesus.

 

All the attempts of the “Destroyer” are futile when we realize the AUTHORITY that we have in Jesus Christ.  In order to live victorious in this life, we have to be actively engaged with the enemy as disciples of Christ. 

–I will cover more on SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY in my verse and message coming to you next week.–

 

For now, speak these words over  your life:

“Jesus Christ is my Passover who protects and delivers me and my family.”

And…don’t forget that not only did Christ go to the Cross to save us from our sins, but His mission was to set us free from brokenness and oppression.

 

It’s our JOY and HONOR to share the FREEDOM that comes from our Savior Who shed His precious BLOOD on the old rugged cross. Don’t forget His last words on the CROSS…”IT IS FINISHED.”

 

DON’T PASS OVER THE PROTECTION OF THE PRINCE OF PEACE!

  

SUSIE MC

Verse and Message (Week of April 6-April 12, 2008) April 8, 2008

2 Corinthians 1:3-5

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.  For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

  

The F5 tornado that tore through the area 10 years ago today altered the lives of many people in the Birmingham area.  The twister obliterated most of Oak Grove, Rock Creek, McDonald Chapel, Edgewater, and Pratt City.  In Sunday’s edition of The Birmingham News, survivors shared stories of how they have been able to rebuild their lives since that tragic moment on April 8, 1998. Marcus Coleman was spotlighted, because he had lost his bride of one year.  He was working on a class project at UAB when the sirens eerily warned of the powerful catastrophe.  Colette, the wife of Marcus Coleman, was visiting her grandmother’s home in Edgewater for a family birthday celebration that dark evening. Unfortunately, Colette did not live to tell her story. 

 

This story is important to me, because Colette was a former co-worker of mine at the Sheraton Birmingham. As I was saddened by the loss of this beautiful person, I cannot help but consider what her husband must have experienced. I can’t fathom the pain so many went through in the aftermath of the most treacherous tornado to touch down in Birmingham.  One thing I do remember is being so grateful that the tornado did not spread its wrath during the day hours.  A wiped out and flattened Oak Grove High School answers my relief that the storm occurred in the evening.

 

I recount the minutes as I prepared for this storm. I was living in my home in Trussville with my son and husband at the time.  Connor was almost three years old. My husband was at a going-away party in Southside with co-workers at the time of the storm.  Connor and I hid under a solid oak desk made out of a door that had been built for the downstairs office of our home.  The reason this moment resonates so clearly to me is that as I look in my rear-view mirror I was embarking the most painful twister of my personal life that I have ever realized.  From that time in 1998 to close to the same time of year in 2001, my life took a turn that I could never have imagined.  It’s a time in my life that I never would want to repeat. The trial I am speaking of is the tragedy of divorce. Nothing would ever be the same.

 

Marcus Coleman shared how God has restored his life with a wife whom he married in 2004 and the gift of 18 month old twin daughters.  He spoke of how he appreciates life more and is less impatient.  He describes his life as blessed and how he doesn’t let a lot of things affect him now. Through the tragedy, he declares how he grew closer to the Lord. 

 

I too declare my personal growth in the Lord. Many blessings come from brokenness.  I credit the strong faith I have today due to the storms I experienced at that time of my life.  I see things differently now, and I cherish the lessons the Lord has taught me from the time of my divorce to the present.  I am able to “weather” the storms of life more effectively now that I realize my JOY comes from Jesus. Divorce is not a concern with my forever husband Jesus Christ — who is always there for me.

 

Throughout that trial, God molded me to become an encourager for the discouraged….to become a comfort to those who have also dealt with the pain of divorce or a difficult break-up.  Today I can honestly say that I ”consider it all JOY.” I admit that I went through a period of bitterness, but ultimately, I began to understand that I had a choice.  I chose to move forward and trust in the sovereign power of God by taking the steps with Him necessary to heal. I began to believe that He was my Perfect Counselor, in addition His services were free. Most importantly, He has used me as a conduit of His unconditional love.  My platform as His Servant would not have its solidity without the trials He allowed me to travail.

 

We were created for His GLORY and His purposes.  We need to be thankful for the places in the wilderness we have had to walk.  There are so many hurting and so many hopeless, therefore, He has established us as ambassadors of His Hope.  I know that without Him I could do nothing.  My writings would be futile without my background. My positive or challenging experiences would have been endured in vain without the reward of receiving Him and developing purpose and passion for His Kingdom. 

 

My message today is dedicated to all who have experienced the pain of death or divorce — and honestly, I feel the two are similar.  I want to tell you that whatever you are facing now, remember that we have a Father Who makes “all things new.” He hurts for you, and He wants you to make your foundation in Him.  He is the Author of the fresh start, and promises to be close to the brokenhearted. 

 

He understands pain, because He suffered more pain than we will ever know.  “This too shall pass” for one day there will be no more tears and no more pain.  Until that day, it is our job on this journey to share the GOOD NEWS that the COMFORTER is available to all who seek His presence.  Keep your eyes on Him!  If you choose to look in your rear-view mirror, isolate that action to study only how far you have come.  You are a SURVIVOR.  Speak words of LIFE over yourself and with His power, you will be able to shine that LIFE of LIGHT to others. Appreciate the scars that have made you smarter.  For true wisdom doesn’t just happen, it has to be learned from the Teacher who knows all things.

 

THE HEALER KNOWS YOUR HEARTACHE

  

BYPASS BITTERNESS–BECOME BETTER

RECEIVE HIS LOVE AND COMFORT–

HE DESIRES A BEAUTIFUL LIFE FOR YOU!

SUSIE MC

Verse and Message (Week of March 30-April 5, 2008) April 2, 2008

Psalm 37:8-9 (The Message)

Bridle your anger, trash your wrath, cool your pipes-it only makes things worse.  Before long the crooks will be bankrupt; God-investors will soon own the store.

  VS   

1 Peter 4:8 (NIV)
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

  

With my lengthy email distribution list, I receive quite a number of emails.  Many times I receive duplicate emails, but I received one I had never seen before, and I couldn’t resist sharing it in conjunction with my verse and message this week.  A sister in Christ, Mallory Slaughter, sent me the message I am referencing. I thought it was a great example of how we should respond when we are faced with some of the frustrations that life throws us. See what you think…how would you respond?

THE LAW OF THE GARBAGE TRUCK

One day I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for the airport.  We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us.  My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us.  My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy.  And, I mean, he was really friendly.

  

So, I asked, “Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!” This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, “The Law of the Garbage Truck.”

  

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks.  They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment.  As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it, and sometimes they’ll dump it on you.  Don’t take it personally.  Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on.  Don’t take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day.  Life’s too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so…..”Love the people who treat you right. Pray (and love) the ones who don’t.”

There are some out there who would unload on the person who pulled out in front of that taxi.  There are some who would just say a few words under their breath, and aim a blank stare.  How many of us would smile and wave?  

  

I receive Charles Stanley’s IN TOUCH monthly publication.  I just happened upon an article called “Taming the Beast Within” in this months issue.  I wanted to share what Dr. Gary Chapman defines as “GOOD” VERSUS “BAD” ANGER. 

GOOD ANGER

Definition:  Anger toward any kind of genuine wrongdoing, mistreatment, injustice, or breaking of laws.

Sparked by: Violation of laws or moral code.

How to identify:  If you can answer yes to these questions: Was a wrong committed? And do I have all the facts?

What to do:  Either confront the person or decide to overlook the offense.

BAD ANGER

Definition:   Anger toward a perceived wrongdoing where no wrong occurred.

Sparked by:  Stress, fatigue, unrealistic expectations, or people who hurt us.

How to recognize:  Feelings of frustration or disappointment feed the anger.

What to do:  Halt the anger, and gather information to help you process your emotion.

As I was told in my divorce recovery program….there is nothing wrong with “feelings.”  Anger is an emotion.  It’s how we carry out our anger that determines when or if sin erupts.  Jesus got angry, but He of course did not sin. We must recognize when our tempers flare, and H.A.L.T. 

We should halt (to stop and pray) when we are

HUNGRY (H) – ANGRY (A) – LONELY (L) or TIRED (T) !!!

According to Chapman, when we find that we have a problem with anger we must recognize that we have the problem, restrain from our normal reaction, and identify the focus of our anger. It’s crucial that we don’t hold the anger inside, but face it in a positive way.  In confrontations, he recommends that we first LISTEN, then AFFIRM what you heard (active listening), and finally SHARE YOUR SIDE.

Of course the best rule of thumb is praying for self-control with the Author of self-control and sweetness, and focus on forgiveness.  And forgiveness goes for ourselves as well as others.

Well, I hope some of these tips have helped.  No matter what our personality traits reflect, anger is something we all experience…..speak words of LIFE not DEATH over others and yourself! LET IT GO!

AVOID THE DANGER OF UNHEALTHY ANGER!

FORGIVE, FORGET, AND FLEE THE STRONGHOLD OF ANGER!

  

CLEAN UP THE GARBAGE WITH A BEAUTIFUL ATTITUDE IN CHRIST!

SUSIE MC