Sunday October 20, 2024: The Right to Yourself: The Essence of Sin Monday October 21, 2024: New Gifts for a New Ministry Tuesday October 22, 2024: His People Are Covered Wednesday October 23, 2024: Called Alone Thursday October 24, 2024: Spiritual Food Service Friday October 25, 2024: His Wonderful Kindness Chose You Saturday October 26, 2024: Read the Word Daily as Long as You Live Sunday October 27, 2024: Heed the Warning and Pay Attention Monday October 28, 2024: Blessings Follow Forgiveness Horizons Unlimited PDF Archive 
Sunday October 20, 2024
The Right to Yourself: The Essence of Sin We know the Do Not's of the Bible and the Ten Commandments. Every man born in this world and especially in this country knows that murder, adultery, and robbing a bank are wrong.
There are times people allow themselves to be influenced by others and things like drugs and alcohol. Wrong influences lead to a path ending with negative consequences.
There is a sad belief that often says, "I can beat the wheel." Very few ever do. I used to work in a drug rehab center. Never did I ever hear one user say, "I intentionally started using drugs to become an addict." Every one of them thought they could play and not have to pay the piper.
If they understood that Jesus had already paid the price for them to walk in the liberty He provided, they would not foolishly say, "I have a right to do with my body what I want." No, you don't.
Jesus bought us back from the devil as He hung on the tree at Calvary. His desire is for us to willingly submit to His leadings. When we fail to receive Him and to take up our cross daily and follow Him, we begin to operate in the essence of sin, which is nothing more than arrogance. It is foolish to believe that you can know more about what you need than God does. That is faulty thinking to believe that you have a right to yourself. You belong to Christ whether you receive Him or not.
Back to list Monday October 21, 2024
New Gifts for a New Ministry I am not removing anything from you. Are not My gifts and calling without repentance? Think over what the world considers modern conveniences. Are they really better? Do you really have more time for the things I call you to do? The world's 'new' is just strange and different. My 'new' is strange, different, and profitable for both you and others whose paths will cross yours.
You want more time for yourself, but you will have more time for Me if you so choose. I will not intrude on your time. I just will not let you be at peace if you neglect Me. I am not out to extract from you what you have. I want to impart new life and a dynamic and dimension yet not evident in you. I can never allow you to become comfortable in your complacency. You would lose your luster to attract others to My Son.
Your age does not factor into anything I have for you to do. The more birthdays you celebrate, the more satan uses each celebration to cause you to doubt what I want to do in and through you. Men and women of old acknowledged another year of their lives as the yardstick by which they could proclaim My goodness and My faithfulness on their behalf. Surely, you remember Abraham and Sarah, Moses and Caleb. Joshua took the lead for a hard-hearted, rebellious people. Zechariah and Elizabeth became the parents of John the Baptist when they were old and Viagra was not part of the equation.
Clear your thinking and renew your mind with that of Christ. Your new gifts for your new ministry will only operate when they are received and dispensed from a new mind. Forget those things which are behind. Put your faith in gear and get ready to do mighty exploits. Go back to when you had only your faith to go on. Your faith worked for you then. It will work for you again with your new gifts for your new ministry. Trust Me. I've never failed you.
Back to list Tuesday October 22, 2024
His People Are Covered Romans 14:9, NLT: Christ died and rose again for this very purpose, so that he might be Lord of those who are alive and of those who have died. Most of us like to believe that what we are doing is pleasing to God and "If you are not doing what I am doing, then one of us is wrong." What narrow thinking! Our concern about what others are doing should never result in our criticizing them. The place of power and victory for us is to make sure we are doing what we have heard Him speak to us.
We all have to work at not being critical of others. Paul said, "Accept Christians who are weak in faith, and don't argue with them about what they think is right or wrong" (Romans 14:1 NLT). We have been taught to have great faith, strong faith, and mountain-moving faith, and there is nothing wrong with that. But we are also taught to increase our faith, which implies that everyone's faith is not at the same level.
Some of us have selective faith. We can effectively use our faith to believe God will raise the dead and give life and wholeness, but please don't ask us to fly or to cruise on a luxury liner! Some have knocked the devil in the head when it comes to believing for finances, but don't even suggest that they go up in a New York City high rise building! Some have faith for building huge edifices and properties, but healing is a subject to be avoided.
Christ died and rose again to be the Lord over those who died in Him as well as those living for Him. When I discovered this, it was a shock. I always thought that He, like His Father, was the God of the living and not the God of the dead. If you are His, you are covered.
Father, I desire to develop more concern and interest in knowing what I am supposed to be doing. Then I want to do it all to Your glory. I ask for understanding of what others are involved in that is uniquely different from what is required of me. I repent for comparing myself to others, and I move forward in a deeper commitment and conviction of what was made available for me as a result of Christ's dying and rising again for both the living and the dead. In Jesus' name I pray.
Back to list Wednesday October 23, 2024
Called Alone Isaiah 51:2, NIV: ”...When I called him he was but one, and I blessed him and made him many.” When God called Abram, Abram elected to bring his nephew Lot along for the trip. However, Lot was not called to the vision God was giving to Abram.
God calls each of us independently of others. We may become called to work our individual calls together, but the original call is to each individual.
Crowds can be either good or bad, depending on how they are perceived and received. If the majority responds when God speaks to an individual, then who becomes accountable to God for the call? Also, whom is God going to bless and make to increase? More than 25 years ago, my late husband and I simultaneously experienced the prompting of the Holy Ghost to leave the security of our home and our circle of friends to obey and pursue the call. Nevertheless, the call was so individual for each of us that it was as though the other did not exist.
I believe God does it this way because each of us should be able to receive the blessings of God and His increase based on our individual relationship with Him and our obedience to His call.
Clinton and I were called to do the same thing and at the same time, but each of us received the prompting of the Holy Ghost independently. And as we followed the Spirit’s directions, we saw God’s blessings on us as a couple and as individuals.
Heavenly Father, I’m so glad that You know best and that You do things Your way. I know beyond any doubt that You alone called me. Therefore, should anyone else decide to pursue another path, it would have nothing to do with Your call for me. I am also glad that Your blessings abound toward me as I obey Your individual call for me.
Although You may produce growth in our ranks and blessing beyond measure, we are still responsible and accountable to obey Your call on our lives. We have a part to play, and You have a part to play; and our parts never cross each other in the fulfillment of Your plan. May we always remember our callings and glorify You as we do Your will individually and corporately, in Jesus’ name.
Back to list Thursday October 24, 2024
Spiritual Food Service Acts 6:2, CEV: The twelve apostles called the whole group of followers together and said, "We should not give up preaching God's message in order to serve tables." There is nothing wrong with serving tables unless, of course, you have been called to serve "spiritual food." There is tremendous pressure on the five fold ministry gifts to comply with the desires of the sheep as opposed to obeying their call concerning the sheep.
Pastor, don't fool yourself or waste your time by producing gimmicks and games, and permitting behavior and conduct in your services that you know cannot affect your young people in a positive way. The book of Acts is a good guide for spiritual leaders to follow as to how their assembly should operate. When we fail to follow Acts as our example, the preacher and the assembly diminish in power and effectiveness a little at a time.
God does not just want us to increase in finances. He wants us to increase in His power and in our effectiveness. The book of Acts will teach us how to do that.
I used to think I had to socialize somewhat with the people, and had to attend all the current crusades, seminars and Campmeetings, only to find that based on my call, I needed more time in His presence.
Christian leaders, I encourage you to stop serving tables and allow the Holy Ghost to regulate your calendar to include more prayer, more study of God's Word, and more time before His face. We have not been called to serve tables. Pray for the right people to fill that job so you can retire your apron.
Back to list Friday October 25, 2024
His Wonderful Kindness Chose You Galatians 1:6, NLT: I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who in His love and mercy called you to share the eternal life He gives through Christ. You are already following a different way. One Sunday, a young man arrived at RLCC and sat on the front row. It was obvious he was not born again. During praise and worship, the Holy Spirit sent me over to him to publicly lead him in the salvation prayer. He prayed and was transformed right before our eyes. Hands raised, eyes sparkling and frowns replaced with ear-to-ear smiles, he soon spoke in tongues, was baptized in water and eventually served as a host.
Maybe a year later, after being in every service, his seat changed to a row further back. He began to absent himself from some services. I finally received word that he said that he was not being fed, and would be attending another fellowship.
Immediately I knew the problem. An early departure like that tells me the individual is listening to others who are saying that no one is expected to live by the standards held at RLCC. Paul says there is only one true message, but some people are causing you trouble and want to make you turn away from the good news (Galatians 1:7).
Keep your ears tuned into the Word of God and the voice of the Holy Spirit, whose kindness drew you out of darkness and into His marvelous light. Time alone with the Lord will reveal His will and standard to you. The choice is then yours to follow and obey.
Back to list Saturday October 26, 2024
Read the Word Daily as Long as You Live Deuteronomy 17:19, KJV: And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them. Another way to put this would be "Read the Word daily so that you may live." I don't understand why any Christian, especially a leader, wouldn't spend quality time in the Bible daily. I am just as mystified at believers saying the Bible is boring.
I must be reading a different Bible, for the one I read, regardless of translation, is exciting! I resent having to stop.
I have read the Bible through annually since age thirty-seven, and each year it is as though I never read it before. His Word is new every morning.
God never wanted Israel to have a king besides Him, but He knew when they arrived in the land that God had given them they would desire a king like the nations around them (Deuteronomy 17:14). He said, "Since this will happen, let's provide some boundaries and guidelines for that king."
The first requirement was that the person be God's selection (verse 15). Since God required this for a leader whom He would tolerate, why in some instances do unsaved, ungodly, unholy men and women select a pastor for a church? Jesus alone reserves the right to choose that ministry gift in the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:11). It is unscriptural to have men and women deciding who will head up a local assembly.
When the people in churches fail to fast, pray, and wait before the Lord for the next shepherd to be assigned, the popular vote for the person with exciting styling and profiling of God's message but who is not His choice will result in lots of "mess" in that church. This could explain the adultery, homosexuality, and abandonment of the moral fiber God intended for His people to live by.
I believe the Spirit spoke to me concerning the revealed contrary challenge of pedophilia among leaders in the church. It is a result of a man-made rule that is to God's plan. He said it is not good for man to live alone (Genesis 2:18 CEV). When living alone becomes a requirement in order for one to serve God, those with sincere hearts will find themselves in compromising positions.
Stay in and live the Word, not the dictate of a man or woman.
Back to list Sunday October 27, 2024
Heed the Warning and Pay Attention Ezekiel 33:2, 3, CEV: Ezekiel, son of man, warn your people by saying: Someday, I, the LORD, may send an enemy to invade a country. And suppose its people choose someone to stand watch and to sound a warning signal when the enemy is seen coming. Since in the Old Testament God may have sent an enemy to invade a country, it was up to the people there to select someone to stand watch by sounding a warning signal when the enemy was seen approaching. If they chose to ignore the warning sound, they were killed in battle and it was their fault, because they could have escaped had they paid attention (Ezekiel 33:4, 5). If the person responsible for watching and warning failed to execute his or her responsibility, the enemy still came to attack and kill-but only the sinful people of that country.
God used the prophet to stand watch and warn His people for Him. Since God finds no delight in the death of His people, He will punish those appointed to speak for Him. It grieves my heart when Christians are planted in a church whose pastor preaches a social gospel instead of the Word of God.
Most of the callers to "The Choice Is Yours" belong to a church, but there is little evidence of their spiritual maturity. Many of them are hungry for truth, which they are not getting to help them in their day-to-day issues. "The Choice Is Yours" is to be a supplement for their growth, not a revelation. My role is to confirm what their pastor has said.
Pastor, what are you saying?
Back to list Monday October 28, 2024
Blessings Follow Forgiveness Psalm 32:1, CEV: Our God, you bless everyone whose sins you forgive and wipe away. Because we often struggle with forgetting what others have done to us, we tend to measure God in the same way. Even when we obey God's Word and forgive others, we allow the offense to occupy space in our heads. Look closely at how God handles it. He not only forgives an offense, He wipes it away. It's difficult to form or reconstruct a picture of something you have erased.
Aside from that, failing to erase offenses by confessing them to God affects your bones and keeps you in pain all day long. In addition, God's hand weighs heavily on you, and your strength is faded as in the summer heat (Psalm 32:3-4). Psalm 32:5 (CEV) reads, "So I confessed my sins and told them all to you. I said, 'I'll tell the Lord each one of my sins.' Then you forgave me and took away my guilt."
Don't try to hold back anything that you need to confess. It will hinder your joy and your worship of God. The joy of the Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10). When you realize that you have sinned, confess it, pray, and prevent being swept away by a raging flood of guilt and condemnation. Always remember that where sin abounds, God's grace much more abounds (see Romans 5:20).
God's desire and promise to us is that He will point out the road that we should follow. He wants His Holy Spirit to teach us and watch over us (Psalm 32:8). I don't know about you, but I need this kind of blessing that can only come from God as I serve Him.
Back to list Horizons Unlimited PDF Archive
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