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Lindsay Roberts, Richard Roberts |
31 July, 2009
Man has to learn obedience. Even if he does not learn to obey God, he will still have to learn some kind of discipline. Those behind prison bars today are being subjected to the learning of discipline. Whether they willingly obey or not, they obey. So as Christians it is important that we understand the meaning of Christ’s words: If anyone desires to come after Me [be my disciple], let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me (Luke 9:23 NKJV).
Lack of self-discipline is why so many people break down in a crisis. They cannot achieve their goals because they have not learned discipline. We see this in athletics all the time. We see it in college players who would go on to the pros. Some have built into themselves a discipline that they carry beyond athletics.
Those who don’t, never make it; or if they start, they are cut from the squad.The same is true in marriage. Just about anyone can obtain a license and get married, but the test is after the ceremony. It’s whether self has been subdued, whether we are sensitive and open to one another, that determines if the marriage makes it.
While discipline is tough, its result is something wonderful. It brings the joy of attainment, a firmer faith, and a richer, fuller life. God promises, If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land (Isaiah 1:19 NKJV).
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Lindsay Roberts, Richard Roberts |
24 July, 2009
I once saw Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to climb Mt. Everest. He told of the very difficult task of climbing to the summit: the swirling, icy winds; the thin, oxygen-poor air; the task of carrying tent and gear for all kinds of challenges; the sheer fatigue; and the presence of death every hour.
Even with everything that he endured going up, Hillary declared that coming down was the most dangerous part of the climb. He was exhilarated from reaching the mountaintop, but the very joy of his accomplishment made him careless. He made it safely, but he learned that such an attitude could have cost him his life.
I have learned that difficult lesson in my own life. During the tent crusade years, when I was young and vigorous and full of faith, I thought everyone I prayed for would be healed. In one meeting I was feeling exhilarated over the great victories of healing and deliverance we’d won over satan, when a young boy in the healing line fell to the ground with an epileptic seizure. I knelt down to pray for him, but nothing happened.
At that moment I learned the vital lesson that I must totally rely on God. I stopped praying and told God how sorry I was. I asked Him to forgive me. I knew He had forgiven me when I prayed for the boy in the mighty name of Jesus and he was delivered!
We must never be careless about relying on God as our Source in every situation, especially when things are going well. Jesus said, Apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5 NIV). But when we depend solely on Him, He said, we will produce much fruit.
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Lindsay Roberts, Richard Roberts |
17 July, 2009
Luke 8 tells the story of a Jewish ruler of the synagogue named Jairus who came to Jesus and asked Him to heal his daughter who was at the point of death. Jesus agreed to go to Jairus’ house and pray for her, but on the way, a servant came to report that the little girl had died.
When Jesus heard the news, He said to Jairus, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole (Luke 8:50). Jesus told Jairus that he not only had to get fear out of the equation, but he also had to get faith into it. Healing is a twofold process: fear has to go out and faith has to rise up.
It’s the same for you and me when we are believing God for a miracle. Number one, we have to drive out the atmosphere of fear. When Jesus arrived at Jairus’ house, fear was running rampant. Verse 52 says, All wept, and bewailed her. So Jesus asked the mourners to leave. He was driving out the atmosphere of fear and doubt.
Number two, we need to create an atmosphere of faith. Jesus kept Peter, James, and John there with Him, along with the girls’ parents. The only people He wanted in the room were those who would agree with faith. He asked those who agreed with fear and doubt to leave.
How can you get faith to rise up for your miracle? Romans 10:17 NKJV says, Faith comes by hearing…the word of God.
Search God’s Word concerning healing. Associate with people who believe the Word of God and who practice miracles. When you get into that atmosphere, you are in the same place that Jairus’ daughter was when Jesus said, Arise (v. 54). And she was instantly healed!
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Richard Roberts |
10 July, 2009
Faith is a tool to be used each day to face anything that might come against us. Here are a couple more ways to use our faith: Develop a lifestyle of speaking God’s Word. The words used by the invalid beside the pool of Bethesda were negative not faith-filled—words. The opposite can be found in the woman with the issue of blood.
Mark 5:25-34 says that for 12 years this woman had gone to many doctors for relief from the constant bleeding, but no one could help her. She’d heard about Jesus and His healing power. She kept saying, If I only touch His garments, I shall be restored to health (v. 28 AMP). She kept saying…she kept saying…she spoke out her faith in Jesus’ miracle-working power. She wasn’t in denial of her problem, she just began saying words of faith, and those words of faith became her lifestyle.
This woman shows us how to live a lifestyle of speaking God’s Word: stand on His Word, believe His promises, and speak it forth. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but God’s Word is forever” (Luke 21:33).
Focus on the promise, not the problem. Each one of us has a promise from God, and every promise from Him is yes and Amen (II Corinthians 1:20). God promised to make Abraham a father of many nations. Abraham didn’t stagger at the problem—he and Sarah were way past the age of becoming parents—he set his gaze on God’s promise (Genesis 15:5-6).
When problems surround you and your faith seems to be growing weak, remind God of His promises, and then turn your focus to the promise, not the problem.
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Lindsay Roberts |
3 July, 2009
Have you ever felt like you didn’t know how to pray? Jesus knew that we might not understand how to pray; therefore, He gave us some guidelines for developing a prayer relationship with the heavenly Father so we can get our prayers answered.
Jesus said, “When thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the syna-gogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.” (Matthew 6:5).
Maybe you’ve seen the type of person Jesus was talking about. You know, those who make sure everyone sees them praying in church, but when they go home they live like the devil. It’s all a “show.” They shouldn’t be sur-prised when their prayers aren’t an-swered.
In the next verse, Jesus tells us to get into an atmosphere of prayer: “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly (v. 6).
Now Jesus doesn’t mean you have to go into your closet, push your shoes and clothes aside, and sit there and pray. He is saying to get alone with God in some quiet place, if only in your thoughts, and begin to pray in earnest, in sincerity, out of your heart.
Being alone with the Father, with no other eyes upon you but His, gives you the freedom to be open and totally honest with Him. It can help you be-gin to develop an intimate, loving rela-tionship between you and God which opens the door for your prayers to be answered.