“It Ain’t Easy; It’s an Experience”(DDP) – Day 10: 2019 Dietary Makeover

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I Still Feel Good!

Changing the way I eat, at this stage in life, is not easy. The experiences are akin to climbing a mountain. My success so far gives me more insight regarding the difficulty. It was simple for me to consume unhealthy meals and/or snacks. However, once I became willing to invest in healthy choices, the SIMPLICITY vanished. A changed dietary lifestyle becomes a catalog of experiences – occasions to experience God more intimately and episodes designed to prepare me to help others who are struggling. My dietary makeover is a productive investment in me.

I became exhausted with living a sedentary lifestyle due to physical disability. My behaviors need to change in order to realize different results. This is especially true in the investment world. When you are in denial of or dishonest about unfavorable rates of return, you are likely to suffer great loss. Investments are either productive or non-productive. Concerning my dietary investments, my health and body have greatly suffered as my returns have consistently been unproductive regarding quality of life. The more honesty I practice the more willing I become to change my investments.

The Natural vs the Spiritual

It is easy to be driven by sinful unhealthy impulses in the flesh. It is an experience to spiritually die to the flesh daily and live the Conqueror Lifestyle spiritually. I was invested in using food impulses to make me feel better. History has shown my dietary lifestyle was an unproductive investment in self. If I thought about it, I ate it – my dietary lifestyle was that specific. Regular emotional eating of unhealthy fried foods, sugary and/or salty snacks, vegetables cooked with fatty meats and lots of salt and a bevy of favorite desserts was an easy way of being regularly detached from a healthy lifestyle. The fast food industry enabled me to double down on my poor investment.

A dietary makeover is NOT easy! Similarly climbing a mountain is difficult. Healthy dietary productivity becomes possible when you understand there will be opportunities to realize victory over fast-food cravings, late night eating and overall unhealthy food choices as a new way of eating is on the horizon. This is what I experience every time I engage the Facebook Community of “Clean and Lean” subscribers. I am empowered spiritually by the Conqueror Lifestyle and naturally every time I connect to Dr. Ian’s content.

The combination of “Clean and Lean,” the product I use (I will unveil it on Day 20) and daily connection to the 10 Spiritual Directives of LiveTCL, are investments I have chosen to redefine my diet and redesign my active lifestyle.

Now, I know the returns will not come quickly. This productive investment is a long-term endeavor. I am be grateful for all results while I continue to embrace the daily experiences. I will not be deceived by self-defeating ploys for instant gratification like I used to. My gratitude is primarily based in God’s grace, loving-kindness and power. I am more than a conqueror through Him that loved me!

Yesterday I Won Over a Struggle

Here’s my inspiration for this post. I was having a great dietary morning/afternoon. The struggle to eat unhealthy food came, once again, as the result of seeing a McDonald’s commercial. At first I wanted to eat pancakes. Then I started thinking about making an iced lemon pound cake. The final thought was for White Castle double cheeseburgers and fries. The struggle with unhealthy choices became real intense! In the progression, the idea that I was doing well on the makeover and DESERVED a treat surfaced. My response was to use urban language and have a honest conversation with myself about what I REALLY deserved. Without sharing the specific content of my discussion w/ self, here are some of the highlights:

  • “You are not even hungry”
  • “Those foods you are thinking of are killing you, INCLUDING MICKY DEES”
  • “You deserve a better quality of life than to be fat, unhealthy and sedentary”
  • “You deserve the freedom to choose healthy options”
  • “Jesus Christ is your gateway to the freedom you need”
  • “Stop letting your sinful thinking influence you”
  • “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (I Corinthians 10:13)
  • “Walk by faith; not by sight” (II Corinthians 5:7)
  • “Endure hardship (suffer trouble) like a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (II Timothy 2:3)

My new investment is in the POWER OF CHRIST in me! I can do ALL things through Him, not self. He made it possible to live in me, so why not be more willing to invest in me? He’s in me! I ended up having a good time with the Lord, enjoying the comforts of home and eating “Clean and Lean” to conclude Day 9. God is faithful to ALWAYS be there in moments of temptation, struggle and unhealthy options to keep us from falling. In Christ, we can remain steadfast, unmovable and determined to stay committed to the investments He has given us the opportunity to make.

YOU’VE GOT TO WAIT

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Did you know that everytime you wait it is an opportunity to strengthen your faith? God has sovereignly maintained the use of time to develop our faith muscles. Yet we do all we can to avoid the wait or keep ourselves occupied with outside influences which distract us from the boring, wearisome experience. It is the soul and body which objects to the seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years of waiting. All the while our spirits are starving for freedom which only the Spirit can provide. You’ve got to wait on the Lord in the midst of it all.

I am going to restart the Cyber Bible Study next week. It is a labor of love I started last year with my mom. Thankfully, it is an archived experience I will have to remind me of our Spiritual relationship now that she is no longer here. Every morning I am reminded of her loving care for me as her first born. She is the one who, with the help of the Holy Spirit, taught me the importance of waiting on the Lord. It is time well spent!

This morning I heard the Lord in my quiet time. He said, “Job waited on the LORD!” This was a phrase from a gospel song I used to sing in my youth now becoming a shining glimmer of Spiritual inspiration as I pondered the remaining lyric “tell me why can’t I…” I began to reflect on the intensity of his experience. Since 2011 I have realized how important the Book of Job is for me as I continue to recover from being divorced after 20 years of marriage. I have lost my strength, my career, my wife and family, home, cars, vacation properties, savings, security, social standing and youth. Through it all I have had to “endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist and fulfill my ministry.” (2 Timothy 4:3) The rewards are eternal! The waiting is so unnerving! His voice reminds me of  My mom who taught me these 2 verses as a child:

Job 13:15 NASB  “Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him…”

Job 23:10 NASB  “But He knows the way I take; When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold…”

The first verse compels me to share with you how, in spite of all my loss, I found the value of “this treasure (I have & you may too) in earthen vessels (our bodies) so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves.” 2 Corinthians 4:7. God has strategically removed from me ALL the things I used to IDOLIZE so that I would learn to trust in, rely on, have faith in the excellency of the power of the Spirit of Christ, the risen Savior, in me. It is from this source of power that I wait patiently on the LORD with good courage and He strengthens me in ways I can’t even explain. I NEED HIS HELP DAILY!! And because of His steady supply of strength I will maintain my case that He is my waymaker, heart fixer and mind regulator in whom I trust in as I HAVE TO WAIT ON HIM FOR ALL MY HELP!!! (Hallelujah Praise is in my hands!)

The next verse was mom’s favorite! We will ALWAYS be affected physically, mentally and emotionally by the wait. From a human perspective we just don’t like it! It causes us to worry, doubt, fear or become anxious because of whatever it is we want right now. Whether it is waiting on our children to come home from an evening out, or a package coming in the mail or public transportation to get to a destination, the wait causes our bodies and souls to suffer. When we use the distractions of the ear buds, phones, empty conversations or to the extreme become irritable – even to the point of belligerence – we miss out on the lessons of faith during the wait. God uses hardships, difficult circumstances, uncertainty, distresses, anxieties and fears to manifest new growth in our faith muscles. Always remember He is the Chief Proprietor of time. The way He uses it for His glory makes the difficulties with waiting diminish exponentially.

Job said, though He causes me to experience loss, pain, disappointment, weariness through overwhelming circumstances, I know it is GOD who is allowing these circumstances for my good and His glory! He knows what He is producing as my flesh is devastated with the results of the wait. God’s loving response to the difficulty is “YOU’VE GOT TO WAIT!” My faith, my hope and my confidence in Him is going to produce GOLDEN results in eternity which I can’t even imagine!

In the meantime, the waiting is much more satisfying when you focus on His presence, His POWER and His peace which are revealed through His Word while you wait. Can you imagine how Heavenly the wait can be? You will have some of the best encounters with the risen Savior when you hang with Him during the wait! That is what He created us for in the first place. Stop allowing the world and its influences to detain you from your appointed time spent with the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth! Spend all the waiting time with Him, His Word and His Spirit in you! YOU’VE GOT TO WAIT for the experiences to prepare you, train you, teach you just how FAITHFUL AND POWERFUL HE IS!

The next time you are bothered by the wait, read CONQUERORSHOTS, the Psalms, Isaiah 40:28-31 ,Ephesians, Colossians or Hebrews 11 & 12 and realize when you wait on the Lord in the midst of the external opposition to the wait, He will reveal the faith growing exercise He planned just for you! It is the epitome of His love for you that makes the wait worthwhile. Sign up for the Cyber Bible Study for more.

 

 

 

 

 

Watching My Mom Transition & Being Inspired

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I have not lost my mom to death even though I watched her breathe her last breath. The pain of knowing I can’t call her, visit her any longer is horrific. However, I know she is in Heaven where there is no more suffering to be had. I can only imagine how wonderful it is for her now. That brings me joy. I am thankful for all the years she labored teaching me God’s word rightly-divided. Here is a reflection I began in the hospital and completed today:

I am watching my mom transition into eternity. I can’t help but be reminded of all the years of service (50+) to others teaching God’s Word. My sister and I were her lifetime students. Through the years mom and I have cast an unknown number of seeds of faith in the gospel of the grace of God.

It is for this reason that I am sharing 1 Corinthians 3. Paul’s message in the text lines up with the intention of this writing. It makes no sense to argue, debate or even choose whose message is noteworthy. Gospel seed planting is a group effort with Christ being the LEADER of the group. It does not matter who plants the seeds or who waters the seed to facilitate growth. In fact no seed can thrive on one round of watering. It is necessary for regular hydration agriculturally and Spiritually. Most importantly, all lessons, sermons, publications, blog posts et al require God’s increase for Spiritually, effectual results. No man or woman has the power to cause one’s heart to yield to the authority of scripture. Therefore, we must avoid the temptation to expect or demand instant results when sharing the gospel.

Stop insisting the student/hearer must respond to the Word in the moment of delivery for spiritual validation. Also, avoid being bias to the teaching/preaching of one person. The text indicates that, under the Authority of Christ, God uses multiple vessels to deliver His Word. Be equipped to discern the Authority of Christ and His Word as it is delivered. Or be equipped to discern where man is attempting to deliver the word himself.

Mom taught me, while teaching Bible study throughout the Tri-State area when I was a boy, God is responsible for any and all results after we deliver the Word. All efforts to teach, preach, share or write the gospel should be seasoned with the Spirit. Then, the Holy Spirit adds the increase in accordance to the Father’s will. All the while it is the Son of God, Jesus Christ, sourcing His Word into His children. What a Mighty God we serve. I’ll see you in Glory mom!

Jesus Is Lord & Savior; NOT a Good Luck Charm

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People in the world are quick to attribute success to good luck.In the same manner, they will attribute failure to bad luck.Good luck is not in the Lord’s repertoire.Luck is NOT associated with any of His characteristics.The Lord is Great in ALL He does.

“Every good and perfect thing is from above and comes down from the Father of lights…” is how James 1:17 makes the point in our title. All God does is good. The book of Job reveals that any evil in our lives is allowed by God. God allows evil in the lives of His children to build our faith in His Power to prevail over the evil. We are on display for the angels and all the evil spirits in the heavens to see God’s powerful goodness revealed in and through us. 2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

God uses His children to maintain His Sovereignty over evil.Therefore, good luck is in no way associated with God’s goodness, grace, mercy, compassion and love for us.Luck and Jesus do NOT add up.

Those who are content to base their experiences on luck – whether good or bad – are living in darkness.They are awake naturally but ASLEEP Spiritually! This begs the questions, are you walking in your blessed life awakened to God’s goodness?  Do you associate everything thing that is good in your life with good luck? Do you equate your luck with God’s wrath? Are you believing that bad luck indicates God’s wrath? If so, be deceived no more.

Jesus is Light and in Him there is no darkness.David declares in Psalm 8:9 “How EXCELLENT IS Thy Name” as he concludes the 8th chapter.He starts the chapter declaring the same phrase.Loosely translated, the quote means The Name of the LORD is the most wonderful name in all the earth.His name initiates praise throughout the heavens‼️

David references Jehovah in the Old Testament where over 40 characteristics define His name.Here’s a few:

•Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Will Provide)

•Jehovah Shalom (The Lord Is Peace)

•Jehovah Nissi (The Lord My Banner)

•Jehovah-Raah (The Lord My Shepherd)

•Jehovah Rapha (The Lord That Heals)

•Jehovah Shammah (The Lord Is There)

•Jehovah Tsidkenu (The Lord Our Righteousness)

•Jehovah Mekoddishkem (The Lord Who Sanctifies You)

David considered all the wondrous works He has done.He looked up to the sky & marveled at His Divine handiwork of the sun, the blue sky, clouds, moon & stars.Then David looked at mankind, God’s handiwork.He marveled at how precious human beings are in His sight.David was convinced of God’s sovereignty!

Every aspect of our humanity demonstrates God’s excellence.Consider the nervous, pulmonary and cardiac systems & how they draw from each other.

The human body is a model of the Body of Christ solely exposed in the Pauline epistles. The Apostle Paul was given the commission to preach the gospel of the grace of God to the Gentiles after the Jews rejected it.(See Acts 13) Jesus told Paul to preach the gospel – Christ died on the cross for our sins, that He was buried and rose again from the grave on the 3rd day according to the Scriptures (1 Cor.15:1-4)

This is the Divine purpose of Paul’s ministry:

Act 26:18  “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”

What more does God need to do to prove to you How excellent is His name?

It is a travesty & shame how humans – men, women, boys & girls- both then & now have gone from reverencing God as Creator to reverencing themselves as gods.

You see it in every arena:

•In the homes

•In the churches

•In the communities around the country

•In the world

People are worshiping each other & themselves more than God

Their blatant disregard for the fact that God is the source of their life-giving air for respiration and blood flow – PROVES why Jesus had to equip Paul with the gospel of the grace of God REVEALED in Jesus Christ’s death, burial & resurrection

The Power of this revelation revealed to Saul changed everything about his life

•his name changed

•his belief changed

•his message changed

God Empowered him to preach, teach and live the gospel of the grace of God

Every detail surrounding his changes were not due to luck – good/bad

IT WAS DIVINE PROVIDENCE! 

SALVATION IS A DIVINE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO RECEIVE & BENEFIT FROM Spiritually

•You will go through hardships

•You will go through disappointments, uncertainty, and yes CHANGES

But DON’T LOOSE YOUR FAITH

GOD IS GREAT & GREATLY TO BE PRAISED NO MATTER WHAT THE SITUATION OR CIRCUMSTANCE IS.

GOD NEVER FAILS & THERE IS NO FAILURE IN TRUSTING JESUS AS Lord & Savior.

WHEN YOU PUT ALL YOUR TRUST IN Jesus Christ, LUCK is not a part of your experience as a child of God & member of the Body of Christ.

DIVINE PROVIDENCE IS ALWAYS THE CASE‼️

Included in Paul’s ministry is our final point concerning the title “Jesus is Lord and Savior; NOT a good luck charm.”

As Savior He saves us in 3 ways:

  • He is our source for salvation from our past & present sins. We must have faith in the blood of Jesus.
  • He also SAVES us from the principalities, powers, rulers of darkness in this world and spiritual wickedness in high places on a daily basis. We must have faith in the Power of the resurrection of Christ.
  • He will save us from the penalty of sin which is eternal separation from God. We are saved from the judgement the world & the Devil are guaranteed‼️ We must have faith in the gift of eternal life.

As Lord He is the Head of the body which is all those saints who, BY FAITH, believe in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. There is 1 Body and Jesus Christ Lords over it as the “brains” of the operation. Faith in Jesus Christ maintains His power to Lord (be Master)over every aspect of your life from day to day. 

In salvation you are baptized by the Spirit making you adopted into the family of God where you are complete in Christ. His baptism can never be undone‼️ God the Father becomes your Heavenly Father who is watching over you both day & night.Every name David rejoiced in is maintained in Jesus Christ. He has placed His Spirit in Us. This is what makes us “more than conquerors through Him that loved us.”

Jesus makes EVERYTHING happen – the good times, the bad times, the easy times & the hard times – HE MAKES ALL TIMES GOOD AND PERFECT‼️

And luck has NOTHING to do with the outcomes because He is Sovereign

Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow!

Why We Need Grace

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Many people use the phrase “But for the grace of God, but for the grace of Godthere go I” as a way of expressing their personal account of God’s grace in and over their life. But my Uncle Junior has taken this personal account to another level by posing the question “Why do we need grace?”   His answers are truthful and will compel you to be more deliberate in your use of this popular phrase. I am so grateful to him for his willingness to be of service to Conqueror Ministries by way of his writings. We will continue to deliver them to you even in the New Year.  Please keep reading and get his spiritual shot of encouragement to trust God more.

At this time I want to thank you, our readers, for continuing to stop by and choose a spiritual shot.  May the God of all grace strengthen you, protect you and bless you during this holiday season and may the gift of a New Year be filled with precious accounts of His faithfulness in your life.
Stay in the race!
Darrin

 

So why is Grace so needed? 

Jesus said in John 6:37-44 KJV (37)All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (38) For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. (39) And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. (40) And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. (41) The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. (42) And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven? (43) Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. (44) No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 6:65 KJV And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

This is not to be misunderstood – NO MAN can come to Christ unless he has been effectually drawn to Him by God the Father. This is why we need God’s grace.

Every man who is so drawn will be endowed with the matchless grace of God through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The gift of Eternal life also demonstrates His grace when He exchanges our human, sinful bodies for a glorified body, just like Christ’s at His resurrection, when we begin our eternal life. There are no exceptions to this clear teaching from God’s Word (the Bible).

Of course most men think of themselves as “good” and “capable of doing good” and they are able to go to God on their own, whenever they feel the need to.   This is the epitome of human deception. In your flesh you can NOT please God, nor can your human works make a difference to God.

 

But Scripture, which should be our final authority, proves man is a liar and unable to please God, as demonstrated below:

“Men are evil continually” Genesis 6:5 KJV And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

” Men love evil and hate good” Psalms 52:3 KJV Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah.

” Men unable to go to God” (John 6:65 given earlier)

“Men in the flesh (unregenerate state) cannot please God” Romans 8:7-8 KJV Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. (8) So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

” Men are under Satan’s control” 1 John 5:19 KJV And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

So as we consider the matter of God’s grace,and why we so badly need it, review this conclusion thoroughly.

“No one can come to God the Son unless God the Father enables him.” 

Ephesians 1:1-14 KJV Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: (2) Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. (3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: (4) According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: (5) Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, (6) To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (7) In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; (8) Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; (9) Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: (10) That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: (11) In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: (12) That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. (13) In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, (14) Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

We need the grace of God to realize who we can become IN Christ! The only reason anyone comes to Jesus Christ is because the Father has drawn him. Through Christ we are made complete and fit for the Master’s use. Our standing is made perfect in God’s sight through our faith in Jesus Christ and we are justified to find peace with God. We can live undefeated lives as we realize we are “more than conquerors through Him that loved us.”

Merry Christmas!

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Defining “Grace”

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After much time living life, ministering the Gospel of the grace of God along the Eastern Seaboard and representing the Conqueror Lifestyle, there is much that I must do to catch up here on ConquerorShots. God willing you will come by and get more “shots” for your spirit as God gives me the wisdom to serve them up.

Thankfully, my Uncle (mom’s brother) has agreed to contribute to ConquerorShots. He prepared a series of posts that I am grateful to publish on his behalf. Thank God for email, it still has significant purpose in the world of internet communications.  What is Grace? is the first of several posts on the way from Uncle Ralph (AKA Uncle June) who the Lord has gifted with a message of truth that will inspire you to work out your own salvation.

Philippians 2:12 “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. (with fear and trembling, used to describe the anxiety of one who distrusts his ability completely to meet all requirements, but religiously does his utmost to fulfil his duty – http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Phl&c=2&v=12&t=KJV#s=t_conc_1105012)

Thank you for continuing to stop by. Stay in the race! D

We often hear the word “Grace” but what exactly is it? Grace is the unmerited favor of God. It is where God shows us mercy, kindness, and patience instead of the judgement that we deserve for sinning against Him.grace

God’s grace cannot be earned by our actions or sincerity. It cannot be lost by our rebellion or sin. Grace is based on the character of God and not on our sincerity, performance, or ability to keep the Law of God. Otherwise, grace would not be grace. Here are some Biblical examples:

[Romans 11;6], ” But if it is by Grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.”

[Galatians 2:21], ” I do not nullify the Grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the Law (our own good works), then Christ died needlessly.”

[2 Timothy 1:9], ” who has saved us, and called (chosen) us with a Holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and Grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.”

If it were not for God’s Grace, we would not ever be saved from His righteous judgement. It was the Grace of God that worked in Christ who bore our sins in His body on the Cross.

 

1 Peter 2:24 KJV   Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

God’s grace makes it so that we might be forgiven and justified (i.e. declared righteous before a Holy God) by faith (Romans 3:23-28, 5:1 Read these verses often). And it is because of God’s gracious kindness to all who put their trust in His work on the Cross, they will receive forgiveness, Salvation from their sins, regeneration (i.e. God the Holy Spirit comes within you to impart new life: you are “Born-again), and the Eternal love of God epitomized in the precious gift of Eternal Life.

Again, God’s kindness to us is based on His character not on ours. His Grace to us is completely and totally an act of His free will and not based on any ability, merit, or performance of our own. God’s Grace is also manifested to the unbelievers also. Ultimately, all people deserve the judgement of God because all people have sinned.

 

Romans 3:23 KJV
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

But, God does not execute His judgement upon all people right away. Instead, He is exceedingly patient and kind towards them. Please consider what Jesus said regarding loving our enemies even as God loves the unrighteous.

 

Matthew 5:43-48 KJV Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. (44) But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; (45) That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. (46) For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? (47) And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? (48) Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

May God’s Word fill your heart with a desire to seek Him, and Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior.
Uncle Ralph
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Humble Thanks

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After much time spent on releasing our second book “Qualities of a Conqueror Vol. 1” and experiencing real change personally, the Lord God Almighty beckoned me to write here. God willing ConquerorShots will regularly coincide with our “#TellUrSelf tweets.”  Ultimately you will experience spiritual delicacies to enhance your experience living the Conqueror Lifestyle. Our goal is to make it easier for you to get familiar with our Christian brand through our books, ConquerorShots, upcoming workshops and teaching materials and more all to enhance your walk with God through Christ Jesus one day at a time.

 

Psalm 136:26 NET BIBLE Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his loyal love endures! If you have never read this chapter we suggest you do so and make it a regular reading for your personal gratitude prayers. Giving thanks, i.e. gratitude, is a necessary daily experience children of God, MTaCs, practice. We learn that in giving thanks we find the production of the fruit of the Spirit manifesting in amazing circumstances. God, who created the Heavens and the Earth, you and I and everything we appreciate while we are living day by day, is worthy of our daily gratitude because of His loyal love. The NET Bible uses the word loyal so perfectly here. No matter what we do, or do not do, in the way of service to God and others, God’s love for us NEVER changes! He is the most loyal love I have ever known.

 

When we put emphasis on gratitude for the material, human accomplishments – education, money, success, children, spouses, careers, houses, land, cars, boats, vacations et al – we are subject to the evil of deception and confusion as we focus on the Earthly rather than the Heavenly.  This is where the application of “Humble Thanks” is best realized. When you are in spiritual acceptance of your NEED for a Savior, and Jesus Christ is REAL to you, you willingly humble your human nature under the authority of God.

Wenceslas Hollar - The kneeling sinner
Wenceslas Hollar – The kneeling sinner (Photo credit: Wikipedia) A Depiction of Humble Thanks to God

By regular confession of sins, transgressions, iniquity, guilt,shame and fear before Him in prayer and thanksgiving for the simplest of blessings you come to realize through your need for His providence, you will humble yourself under God’s mighty hand for His continual protection and power in your life and the lives of others. The air you breath, the blood running warm in your veins, the activity of your limbs and your mind being sane and at peace become blessings of enormous praiseworthiness.

 

In humble thanks to God’s loyal love which endures through any and all human conditions, your gratitude will always be acceptable to God and it will reflect His love off of you into many other lives, situations, circumstances and conditions here on Earth. Heaven is our home but the Earth is our training ground. Be humble before God as your realize your spiritual training. Every scripture in Psalm 136 KJV ends with “His mercy endureth for ever” to emphasize that all of the human accomplishments acknowledged in the list exist because of the eternal endurance of God’s faithful, goodness and kindness towards His children. Give humble thanks daily and create your own list – IT WORKS!

 

Stay in the race!

 

Darrin

 

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A Choice To Serve

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Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Choices
Choices (Photo credit: Sky Noir)

Every day you realize you are awake and able to live another day, you have a choice to make.  In addition to the choices about what you will wear, what you will eat and what you will do first as you survey your list of options, you are responsible for an even greater choice. If you are not willing to make this choice, your decision is made for you. You can thank Adam for that. Whether you are God‘s child, or not, the life you live will always present opportunities for you to become willing to make a choice to serve the God who created the Heavens and the Earth or the gods of this world.

The choice is found in who you will serve –  who you will work for through the service of your life.  We all are destined to be used by God – goodness and evil are all manifested by God’s Sovereignty. Many of you seperate good from evil and designate good as being of God and evil exclusively being from Satan.  We need to consider Psalm 24:1 A Psalm of David and I Corinthians 10:26 An Epistle of Paul’s – “The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein” – EVERYTHING THAT IS HERE AND EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS HERE IS BECAUSE OF THE LORD’S SOVEREIGNTY. If you fail to accept this truth then your choice will always be manipulated by your own ideas.  Even the evil that manifests through you is under the authority of Christ today. 

Joshua was nearly at the end of his life when he delivered this sermon in Joshua 24. It gives attention to doctrine and application.  The doctrine is represented by all of the deeds in which the Lord God Almighty provided for His people. From the calling of Abraham, the birth of Isaac, the deliverance out of Egypt and through the Red Sea and their warring victories into the Promised Land, God proved His determined will and put it on display for the world to know. The Hebrews were recipients of the consistent manifestation of God’s Sovereign Power.  They had proof to know that no other god is comparable to the God of the Heavens and the Earth.  But it is the application of the sermon where we find the purpose of the choice to serve.

Your acquaintance with good and evil notwithstanding, it is a fundamental Biblical truth that when your flesh is controlled by sin you can not please God. You sow seeds of sin through all types of lifestyle choices.  Every decision you make is based on your pursuit to manifest and fulfill the desires of the flesh.  Joshua was reminded of Moses who declared the importance to choose life with a heart that loves the Lord, His Word all with a willingness to serve Him daily. Read Deuteronomy 30:11-20.  You can offset any affinity towards sin when you make a choice to serve God by praying for the knowledge of His will and the power to be all that He has created you to be. You can be of maximum service to God, realize the Conqueror Lifestyle  and serve Him and others effectively, when His power is working in you and through you conforming you to the image of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. But you can make this choice to serve God only because of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ which gives you access into His grace.

Others realize your choice by every word that comes out of your mouth, every deed of your hands and every direction that your feet move towards. The heart decides which choice is to be made.  A heart that is willing to freely surrender to God’s Sovereignty is a direct result of a quickened spirit connected to the power of the resurrection at work in you. It’s not hard at all to make Jesus your choice when you accept all that He has freely done for you.  You willingly desire to serve Him because of how effectively He serves you.  Stop trying to be your best you independent of God’s spiritual blessings at work in you. You will know true service as He manifests His good works in your life when you make the choice to depend on and serve Him in all that you say and do. Agree with me and Joshua and make your choice THE LORD.

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Let Him Lead You

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"Lead Me, Guide Me" by Doris Atkers
Verse 1 
I am weak and I need Thy strength and power,                                        
To help me over my weakest hour. 
Let me through the darkness Thy face to see, 
Lead me, oh Lord lead me. 
Chorus 
Lead me, guide me along the way, 
For if you lead me I cannot stray. 
Lord, let me walk each day with Thee. 
Lead me, oh Lord lead me. 
Verse 2
Help me tread in the paths of righteousness.
Be my aid when Satan and sin oppress. 
I am putting all my trust in Thee: 
Lead me, oh Lord lead me. 
Verse 3 
I am lost if you take your hand from me, 
I am blind without Thy light to see.
Lord just always let me thy servant be,
Lead me, oh Lord lead me.

“Where Your Feet Are IS Where You Are”

Solid as a rock
Solid as a rock (Photo credit: Joybot)

     For years I struggled with the TRUTH in the slogan above.  Furthermore, for decades I maintained enormous opposition against the idea of “God‘s leading” over my life. As I look back over my life I can now see that all of my struggling with the prospect of surrendering to God’s will for my life was due to me wanting to be in control, my ego leading me in the fulfillment of the desires of my flesh and my human affinity towards being a product of this world rather than a servant of the God who created me. I could not “Be still and KNOW THAT GOD IS GOD” and appreciate all of the goodness that He brings into my life through His Sovereignty over my life. The best I could do was to continue spinning my wheels of human potential landing in life situations where I ultimately got stuck in ditches that got deeper and deeper over time. I could not appreciate the joy in the journey because I was always frustrated with one aspect (or another) of my life’s reality where I kept coming up short. 

     Along the way to the point of realizing God’s mission for my life, I came to appreciate all of the hardships, pain and suffering, grief, loss, guilt, shame and remorse my life manufactured. Today “I do not regret the past nor do I wish to shut the door on it.” Like Iyanla, “I did my work.” The evidence of the task is soon to be realized publicly with the release of the books. Today I can be grateful for where my feet are because my heart and mind are humbled under the “mighty hand of God.” There is a consistent awareness of God’s presence that sustains me. The reason for the presence of peace, love, joy, thanksgiving, faith and hope that wakes me up every day and preserves me throughout most of my days is because GOD IS LEADING ME. The essence of His leadership in and over my life is realized in the Conqueror Lifestyle that He prepared just for me. 

God has a Conqueror Lifestyle prepared just for you as well. To find out more about the Conqueror Lifestyle follow me on twitter @ConquerorShots.

 Darrin D. Payne

 

 

 

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A Conquering Response to a Trending Lack of Love

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