Building a Spiritual Life

Building a Spiritual Life is a process which demands faithfulness. If we are steadfast, the answer always comes eventually. It had to because the scriptures say:

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. And let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not”. Galatians 6:6-9

When you sow the word of faith you will always get a harvest. But I will confess to you, there were times when I got weary in well doing because my due season took so long to arrive, but even then I kept the faith.

We should learn from all our experiences. What I have discovered is that although we live by faith there is always a time of patiently waiting for God’s promises to materialise in our lives. It is possible to speed things up a great deal. If you are a wise and spiritual farmer, you can shorten the times between seed time and harvest.

How? By carefully tending the soil of your heart.

That natural farmer who wants a great harvest will fertilize the ground, water it and keep the weeds out.

The same thing is true in the realm of the spirit. There are some things you have to do if you want your faith to produce effectively.

What are these things?

Today I am determined to use two words

1. Sanctify yourself, “Sanctified” is a spiritual word that means “to separate yourself” in two ways

• From the things of this world
• To the things of God

Yet this is not what many of wants. We want the things the world is chasing; we want to do the things they do, to live the way they live.

Things we would not say or do 20-30 years ago are now being said and done every night and even days on our television.

Paul in his writings to timothy warned these days would come. 2 Timothy 2:1-4 (amp bible)




Back to our text

Paul tells us what he gave up and remained steadfast

What Paul gave up

1. Health and Comfort
Paul felt hard pressed v.8 but never crushed

2. Calm and Uncertainty
Paul felt perplexed v.8 but he never fell into despair

3. Peace and Acceptance
Paul was persecuted v.9 but he was never forsaken

4. Strength and Poise
Paul was struck down v.9 but he was never destroyed

5. Paul gave up his own life and in his body he bore the mark of Christ’s death. He received the life of Jesus.

What does this mean?

Remember we are not of this world, since we are born again we are not to conform to the image of this world, but rather we are to conform to the image of Jesus.

Whatever you give your attention to is what is going to be inside you either fertilizing or depleting the soil of your heart. Hebrews 12:1-14

Requirements for Preaching

Following a personal study with Bishop Wagner a few years ago on the requirements of a preacher, here are a few notes from that session I hope will inspire your own study and development. For more information on Bishop Wagner, please check out his web site on www.calvery4u.org

Preaching Requirements

• You need Purpose = what is God thinking?
• You need Power = inspiration of God
• You need Plan = organization of thought, time and tempo

What a Preacher should Know……

• His God
• His subject
• The audience
• Self

As a Minister of God, you handle sacred things:

1. The Word
2. The Truth
3. The Life

Condemnation vs Consecration

You can be closer to God than you are to your best friend. That in it self would be reason enough to live a holy lifestyle. But the Bile promises even more rewards.

1 John 5:17-18 says, “All unrighteousness is sin. We know that whatsoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself =, and wicked one toucheth him not”.

Can you imagine what life would be like if the devil couldn’t touch you? Well that’s the way God wants your life to be. He wants you so free, satan can’t hurt you in any way. For your information, you can be free. Please see 1 John 3:21-22

Beloved, if our heart condemns us not, then have we confidence towards God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive from Him because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

Many people don’t receive answers to prayer, because when they stand before God praying, they have no confidence. They couldn’t ask in faith because their heart condemns them.

When your fault is impaired or weakened, result is far from you. When you are not where you ought to be in God, you know it and your heart condemns you.

In the same way also, when you are sold out to God, your heart knows it. So instead of condemning you, it gives you confidence towards God. So live holy.

To aid you in your preparation, please study The Seven Spirits of God, and you will be enlightened, see the scriptures below for reference.

Revelation 4:5
Isaiah 11:2

1. The Spirit of the Lord
2. The Spirit of Wisdom
3. The Spirit of Understanding
4. The Spirit of Counsel
5. The Spirit of Might
6. The Spirit of Knowledge
7. The Spirit of the Fear of the Lord




Bishop Melvin A Brooks

Shame

“Herein is our love made perfect, (mature) that we may have boldness in the day of judgement: because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love: but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love Him, because He first loved us. “ 1 John 4:17-19

1. Their fear was a result of their shame.
2. The problem was that they had lost the ability to believe that God could love them.

Even though Adam and Eve had sinned, God did not separate Himself from them. In fact, He went looking for them, He sought for them; the did noot seek for God. Why?

a) They felt ashamed, not guilt.
b) Our guilt is not a problem to God.

Our shame in a problem.

God is well able to deal with our guilt. He provided all that was necessary to deal with our guilt, all we must do is ask to be forgiven and we are.

However, shame is a problem because there is more for us to do and if we are not able or willing to co-operate, we prevent Him from being able to help us.

We must all come to the place of recognizing and acknowledgeing our guilt before God can help us.

God Bless you all as you stive to stand before Him.
Pastor Melvin Brooks

My Favorite Song

This is my FAVORITE Song!! The song of the year, When you see me coming i've got him on my mind!!

Bishop Norman L. Wagner - El Bethel

Bishop Norman L. Wagner, Mount Calvary, Youngstown, Ohio USA - One of my favorite Preachers of all time!