It’s Time for a Dietary Makeover

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2010 at Family Circle CupBeing overweight was normal for me. There was a time when I was conscious of my food choices to the degree that White Castle was no longer a desire. Today I keep a six pack in my freezer. I used to be a regular fixture at the local gym – doing cardio, taking step classes, lifting weights, playing racquetball and regular pool activities – to keep my body lean, toned and pleasing to look at. Now the only exercise I get is walking from my house to the car, parking away from the entrance of the supermarket and occasional restaurant visits and taking a shower – by the way I avoid the bathroom mirror’s imagery of all the blubber as often as possible. It is time for a makeover.

The normalcy of being a fat, middle-aged graduate student perplexes me to the nth degree. Self-loathing is inconsequential as I do my best to keep up a positive outlook everywhere I go. Most of the time it is because I am living the Conqueror Lifestyle which keeps me Spiritually fit. But lately I am struggling with my lack of physical fitness which is apparent to everyone I come in contact with as well. Those I encounter are met with a dichotomous interaction with a sober, Spiritual core that is housed in a body that is diabolically unfit. My experience with “let your light so shine before men”(Matthew 5:16) is congruent with realizing that people are not inundated by my good works but rather the un-pleasingly plump persona present in the room.

Now I must admit I am hanging in some pretty “nice” circles because no one has said anything to me about being overweight. They appear to be accepting of who I am. Some are even complimentary about my appearance in the clothes I choose to wear. However, lately I am really feeling strange and, at times, invisible in some of the locations I visit. It is as if people don’t see me. I have honestly NEVER felt this before. Prayer with introspection became as regular as inhaling.

“Lord, what is this I am feeling?” is where my prayers began. Upon further self-examination I became tearfully aware of how miserable I am with all the weight I am carrying. Then afterwards, I proceeded to eat 2 hot dogs – mustard, sauerkraut, relish -, pork and beans seasoned to perfection, a plate of french fries and a steamed White Castle double-cheeseburger. I washed it all down with my signature flavored sparkling water and diet cherry-pomegranate mixed drink on ice. Late night snacking on a daily basis coupled with an overdose of fried foods was my flesh’s way of coping. All of my deceased, overweight family members began to come to mind. In my family, food is an emotional product capable of supplying instant gratification that kills! We willingly consume it and all it’s perilous derivatives – diabetes, heart disease, stroke, esophageal varices and obesity.

Eating is no longer satisfying to me. In fact, I am at the point where I’d rather not eat. The toxicity in my stomach and small intestines which compels me to put sugar, salt and empty calories in my body frightens me. I eat because I have to not because I want to. Upon further honest appraisal of my appetite, while in constant conversations with Jesus Christ my Savior, I began to explore alternatives I could afford. Being on disability does not afford me the luxury of many current weight loss outfits out there. Look for another article on how difficult it is to eat right on a fixed income another time with solutions the Lord gives me. By God’s grace I became willing to invest in my future by committing to using a product a friend introduced me to last month that I will share later on. In conjunction with this product, I am also a believer in Dr. Ian Smith’s “Clean and Lean” brand. It is a system I choose to implement as I re-establish my eating habits over the next 2 months.

I am not on a diet. Since I am a child of the 70’s & 80’s, I watched the diet industry develop into what it is today. I believe in the Oprah declaration “diets do NOT work!” Today is the 1st day of my dietary makeover. I have eaten one meal today and I awakened at 6:30 am. After seeing it in action with my roommates for years, I am now a regular at making smoothies. Yes I have a particular product I am using as a meal supplement twice a day to get my body healthy again. It is AMAZING! I have not felt hunger all day. I drink water, I eat almonds as snacks and I am “walking by faith; not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). I believe the Lord sent me the answer by way of the product I am using.

I now believe being overweight is NOT normal. For me it is sinful! Gluttony, greed and sloth have kept me in bondage to food for far too long! For the record I read “Clean and Lean” in 1 day last month. I joined the FB group and posted my trepidation on 2 occasions which were met with much encouragement and empathy. The food costs are high and I need to begin stockpiling “Clean and Lean” foods little by little. Here is where my budding smoothie lifestyle is the first phase of my dietary makeover. It is my hope that I will continue to add this content to ConquerorShots as it is further proof that #LiveTCL is an effective Christian lifestyle. “…The Lord is the strength of my life…”(Psalm 27:1) and in Him will I trust. I know this is another leg of my life’s journey He has me on and as long as I remain connected to His power “I am more than a conqueror through Him that loved me.” The joy is in the journey!

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

“Oh Taste and See”

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Psalms 34:8-9 KJV
8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
9 O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.

Every morning this week I have awakened to a songs from my youth that depict God the Father and Son being “sweet.” I have posted the songs on my personal Facebook feed with numerous responses. But the idea of the Father and Son being a sweet taste is not a literal translation. After all, we have to use our mouths in order to get the sweet taste to register in our brains.

In all my years of Bible study, training, preaching, teaching and counseling I still have not experienced the actual sweet taste associated with my faith in Jesus Christ in a physical manner. Trust me, I truly have a sweet tooth and love desserts – with the exception of cheesecake and exclusively chocolate creations. I mostly enjoy the sensation of peach cobbler, Haagen Dazs Dulce De Leche ice cream and french vanilla flavored coffee constantly registering my sweet taste buds as I savor the individual flavors as long as possible. In my vast experience with sweet tasting treats, experiencing the sweetness associated with faith in Jesus Christ is extremely more satisfying.

David’s sentiment implies the urgency he developed for trusting in the LORD. He was on the run from King Saul at the time of the writing. He feigned being a madman to avoid harm to him. He had no human aid he could trust in. Yet day by day, the LORD kept David alive, safe, secure and provided all his needs while on the run for his life.  When you read the back story of Psalm 34 in 1 Samuel 21 and 22 you get a deeper sense of his personal need for Divine Providence. God provides for His children!

ConquerorShots will always make the distinction between Old Testament lessons and New Testament Christian theology. We must all adhere to the urgency David writes about with fervor and diligence. With regards to David’s faith, the LORD is translated as Jehovah – the self revealing one. In other words God revealed His character through the names of Jehovah. David, being a son of Jesse, was an Israelite man with great promise attached to his bloodline. The Davidic covenant directly lines up with the millennial Kingdom prophesied through the Old and New Testaments. A Earthly promise which has yet to be fulfilled. Therefore, Christians have a completely different faith experience regarding God. Christianity allows for a specific faith in CPR² that David did not have available to him.

Jesus Christ’s death, burial and resurrection changed the way in which mankind relates with God making Christianity totally different from religion.

We can identify with David’s experience “tasting and seeing that the LORD is good” but we have a more intimate connection to His goodness. Christian faith insures the Spirit of Christ in us adopting us into God the Son and making us joint heirs with Him eternally. THIS IS A HEAVENLY PROMISE THAT IS COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM THE EARTHLY PROMISES MADE TO ABRAHAM REGARDING THE CONSTRUCTION, DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF THE CHOSEN RACE ISRAEL.

Undoubtedly there are blessings directly related to trusting in God from an Old Testament perspective. But the book of Hebrews (New Testament) declares that “without faith it is impossible to please God…Hebrews 11:1” Faith has ALWAYS been a standard God has presented to mankind. But Christian faith and Jewish faith are not the same unless the common denominator is CPR².  The Heavenly promise allows for a man to have a hope David knew nothing about. Christian faith in CPR² provides us with blessings both earthly and Heavenly. Furthermore, as Joint Heirs with Jesus Christ we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us because of our Spiritual position IN Christ.

This blessed assurance provides us with a Spiritual sweetness words can’t describe and human senses can’t interpret. The faithful, merciful blessings of the LORD are still new morning by morning.  The current state of affairs in this world can weight us down humanly. But our position IN Christ maintains our Spiritual footing and we are equipped to stand against any adversity. If you have not tasted of our Savior’s Spiritual sweetness, please get to know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Every attribute of Jehovah in the Old Testament will become a rich part of your spiritual development as you walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh.  This is how we can soar through life living the Conqueror Lifestyle!

 

The Benefits of Hope

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Lamentations 3:24-26 KJV
24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
25 The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.

2017 is here and we are alive and well! Amidst all of the political uncertainty, social conflicts, national and international terrorism it is incumbent upon us to have hope. I do not suggest you place your hope in any government offices, political figures, public figures, corporations, social services divisions, church, preachers, deacons, evangelists, bishops,parents, grandparents or any other family member or friend. I hope that the foundation of your hope is rooted in your faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.

Jeremiah is the writer of the opening scriptures that have blessed me tremendously. I hope they do the same for you. For all my ConquerorShots followers I am aware that this month’s spiritual principle is honesty but allow me to use it in conjunction with hope. You see, according to Jeremiah you have to be honest about what God has brought you through to successfully maintain the hope he proclaims in verses 24-26.

In the scriptures before, the writer declares his hopelessness. Nebuchadnezzar, the King of the Babylonians, sieges the Southern Kingdom where Jerusalem and the temple were. Prior to this the Assyrians occupied the Northern Kingdom. Jeremiah was lamenting over the lose of all the land and blessings God gave to the Israelites. It is interesting to note that the suggested location of Jeremiah’s public laments was at Golgotha – the future location of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Jeremiah’s hopelessness waned heavily on him as he honestly remembered the blessings of God, the provisions of God and the POWER OF GOD.

His honesty about what God had done in the history of the Israelite’s existence gave him significant evidence about God’s POWER. Upon his honest reflection of the facts, Jeremiah’s hope was produced. LISTEN, people all around the world are desperate for hope to relieve them of their hopelessness. Their reflections are confused by all sorts of worldly, fleshly, anti-Christian rhetoric. It distracts, dissuades and denounces EVERYTHING true about the Sovereignty of God. We can’t arrive at the benefits of hope like Jeremiah if we fail to appreciate the salvation of the Lord today.

We, like Jeremiah, must be CERTAIN of our Spiritual portion or inheritance we are entitled to as children of God in 2017. This is a Christian blog and I exclusively write from a platform of Christianity. If you don NOT have faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ he has NOT become your Lord and Savior, UNFORTUNATELY these Heavenly benefits do not apply to you. The central point of the benefits of hope rely on this personal experience: No man can save you like Jesus Christ can and will if you believe that His death (shedding of His blood), burial and resurrection gives you access to the LORD God Almighty Himself.

Faith in Christ Jesus as a risen Savior, who now sits on the right hand of the Father making intercessions for us, establishes the following spiritual benefits of hope:

  • Freedom to live life as “more than conquerors through Him that loved us”
  • Truth that transforms us from death to life, darkness to light, hopelessness to hopefulness
  • Justification
  • Sanctification
  • Glorification
  • Power to stand in adversity, evil days, months, years, decades
  • Confidence in the forgiveness of sin
  • Confidence in the production of the fruit of the Spirit overriding the works of the flesh
  • Confidence in the peace with God and the peace of God
  • Victory over the Enemy in life and throughout Eternity
  • Heavenly blessings including crowns, homes and riches untold
  • The Promise that wherever Jesus Christ is eternally I will forever be with Him
  • NO MORE UNCERTAINTY, POLITICAL CONCERNS AND CONFUSIONS, HUMAN TERRORISM AND SOCIAL INJUSTICES

It is good to have the willingness to “wait on the Lord and be of good courage.” God’s goodness gets sweeter and sweeter as you learn to trust in Him who will NEVER leave you or forsake you. Therefore, like Jeremiah said, EVERY man “should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.”  Our hope keeps us connected to the benefits of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Live the #ConquerorLifestyle in 2017!

 

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!

Cain & Abel: Family Matters of the Heart

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Here is another video lesson from our series “Men of Old Testament:Timeless Lessons” which I am announcing here for the 1st time.  I hope that you will indulge yourself and the series with your time and listen to them in their entirety.

This lesson will exegete the story of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4:1-10 and surprise you with a Heavenly perspective of how their story helps us today with “Family Matters of the Heart.”  You will be empowered to experience these results in your life, like mine, when family members expose their anger towards you or for you as you walk by faith and not by sight. For more information on these weekly video lessons here is the link to our current online campaign:

Surfer Bible Study Campaign

Thank you for your support and prayers.

Stay in the race!

Darrin

Courage To Stand

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         Children of God, when trouble comes (and it always does) do not succumb to the trial and fail by employing your own strength. You can find the courage to stand up and not be overtaken when you know the Divine outcome of the Troublemaker. You can have peace in the midst of the storm through “the God of Peace.” Enjoy this “shot” by way of my mom – Sister Cheryl DeGroat-Payne.  
 Stay in the race!   Rev. D

       “And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly…” (Romans 16: 20).

Peace

The apostle Paul exhorts Christians in Rome to endure the hardships brought on by the wiles of the devil.  The Holy Spirit of God – through the believer’s faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ for remission of sins – inducts us into the army of God.  The resurrecting power of His shed blood within believers empowers us to resist the enemy-until His return. We have the blessed assurance as good soldiers of Jesus Christ to know we are predestined to victory – the source of the God of peace. His message still resonates Divine truth to us today.

The God of peace foreknew -from eternity past, into eternity present and further to eternity future – our status as a lost and trouble-ridden humanity.  He loves us so much that he planned to divest himself of His glory by stepping down out of infinity and descending into time. Lowering Himself to human form, He became as we are – human – so that we could become as He is – Spirit.

Jesus said, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (John 14:27).  Jesus knew humans are heavily reliant on their five senses. He also knew we would live our lives with limitations stemming from ignorance of the oppression of the spirit world system against us.

These spirits dwell in the heavens and stand in opposition to God and us. They have a steadfast allegiance with Satan, the archenemy of God, as their head. He governs this world’s system, known as the Kosmos (GR.). The Kosmos hated Christ and it hates us.  Jesus said, If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you (John 15:18).  He went on to say, These things have I spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace.  In the world, ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I had overcome the world (John 16:33).

C.I.  Scofield wrote of the kosmos saying:

“In this sense of the present world-system, the ethically bad sense of the word, refers to the ‘order,’ ‘arrangement,’ under which Satan has organized the world of unbelieving mankind upon his cosmic principle of force, greed, selfishness, ambition, and pleasure (Mt 4:8,9; Jn 12:31; 14:30; 18:36; Eph 2:2; 6:12; and 1 Jn.  2: 15-17).  This world-system is imposing and powerful with armies and fleets; is often outwardly religious, scientific, cultured, and elegant; but, seething with national and commercial rivalries and ambitions, is upheld in any real crisis only by armed force, and is dominated by Satanic principles.” (Scofield Reference Bible footnote Revelation 13:8).

A “Hope” Shot

   “The God of Peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly…”  The Word of God urges and encourages us to persevere in resisting the wiles of the devil with great confidence in Him and courage to trust Him. It promises we will find ourselves fully discharged from this ongoing spiritual battle. Our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ is the foundation of the expectation of this promise being fulfilled.  In the meantime, encourage yourself in the faith (become more and more inclined to trust in the LORD) and await the thrill of having the neck of our enemy – Satan the devil – under our feet while witnessing the abject humiliation of our conquered foe.  Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet (Psalm 91:13) .

         The exclusive purpose in the manifestation of the Son Of God taking up human flesh is to destroy the works of the devil in and through the Body of Christ, which is called the Church (earlier referred to as the Army of God).  It is an organism comprised of believers. These are they that have surrendered their lives to the Lordship of Christ – as their Head. This is the mystery hidden in God throughout the ages. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself. He did this by defeating the power of sin and death through His triumphant resurrection. 

Hebrews 2:14-18  (PHILLIPS) Since, then, “the children” have a common physical nature as human beings, He also became a human being, so that by going through death as a man He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil; and might also set free those who lived their whole lives a prey to the fear of death. It is plain that for this purpose he did not become an angel; he became a man, in actual fact a descendant of Abraham. It was imperative that He should be made like his brothers in nature, if He were to become a High Priest both compassionate and faithful in the things of God, and at the same time able to make atonement for the sins of the people. For by virtue of his own suffering under temptation He is able to help those who are exposed to temptation.[i] 

He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8) 

May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace in your faith, that by the power of the Holy Spirit, your whole life and outlook may be radiant with hope.(Romans 15:13) 

The God of peace be with you all, amen. (Romans 15:33)
Cheryl DeGroat-Payne

[i] J. B. Phillips, “The New Testament in Modern English“, 1962 edition by HarperCollins

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Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

 

Do you ever get overwhelmed during the course of your day?  Does caos push you towards your Savior or away from your Him?  When you are consumed with the failures of your life and your can’t feel good about yourself in the moment, how do you become fit for service? Physical fitness is a great metaphor for spiritual fitness. They both require a consistent daily commitment to working out.  You get fit for Service when you “work out your own salvation” with a daily commitment to stay yoked up with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. His yoke is easy and his burdens are light. We realize just how sufficient His grace and mercy is to us when we are willing to stay fit spiritually to serve Him.

Yoke
Yoke (Photo credit: Ludie Cochrane)

The answer to these questions is found in Jesus’ directive to the Hebrews in the text above.  It is helpful to know that Jesus was giving them an alternative to the traditionalism and ceremonialism associated with the legalistic platforms of the Hebrew elders at the time of His earthly ministry. The rites associated with legalism among them were burdening them to the point where they were in yokes of bondage that were detrimental to their service to Him. The bondage of legalism – a human response to sin sickness – categorized them as sinners in need of becoming fit for service. The Hebrews did not have the gift of God living in their individual spirits at the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry like we do today.

 

They were  “overwhelmed” with the consciousness of their transgressions, the constant external and internal berating over their sinful past and their unrealized spiritual condition being dead in their tresspasses and sins. At the point in the text they were trembling at the peril of the  dangers of sin, and seeking deliverance. Why? The death of John the Baptist signified the rejection of the preaching of the Kingdom to the Jews and was forecasting  the rejection of the Son of man which would result in His crucifixion.  The killing of John the Baptist was a demonstration of Israel once again being fit with the yoke of bondage described in Lev. 28:13 where they were under the lash of bondage and servitude to the evil associated with the Egyptians. You can be fit for service to render evil if you are not fit for Godly service. Human beings are predisposed to serve the sinful conditions of their hearts. This is why Jesus is opening the window of opportunity for them to come to Him and become fit for His service by taking on his yoke.  Today, when His yoke is secured over your life, you too can walk upright and experience the Conqueror lifestyle.

 

Leviticus 26:13 I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright.

 

Thanks be to our God now that we all have the opportunity to come boldly before Him in our prayer lives and committed time in His Word. We can experience spiritual fitness for His service because of the finished work at the cross and His powerful resurrection which validates His worthiness to come to Him just as you are with a heart that is willing to trust in Him for all your spiritual needs. Jesus told the Jews – as an alternative to the elders religiosity and the Pagan rituals – to take His yoke upon one’s self and carry what has been raised up.  He was laying the foundation for the culmination of His death, burial and resurrection being available to them and us all. The yoke symbolizes being brought together with Him and under the authority of God’s Mighty Hand on a daily basis. Ultimately, His yoke – being a bond servant to him and carrying the message of salvation- is easier and the burdens are far better in Him.

 

Hebrews 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

 

 

 

 

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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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Willingness To Wait

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wait
wait (Photo credit: CmdrFire) It’s Not As Difficult As You Might Think

When one is willing he/she is practicing the act of making a choice. Decision making is a process we are introduced to as early as our toddler years. Remember when you or your child was learning to walk. The toddler develops a comfortable stride and encounters the opportunity to demonstrate willingness. Will he walk up the stairs, down the stairs, out the door, outside the fenced area, etc. His willing heart will try to venture about with his new found gift – the ability to walk.

A Willingness to wait on the LORD requires faith. Faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ Jesus establishes the relationship between you and the LORD. The onset of the relationship is when you become willing to trust that He died, was buried and arose from the dead to save you from your sins and the judgement of eternal separation from God. Faith produces a willingness to believe that all things are working together for your good and the difficulties have intentional results DIRECTLY associated with His will JUST FOR YOU. REMEMBER He died so that you can live. Your life’s spiritual awakening, development and maturity is the relationship. During the maturity of the relationship, He uses the “waiting” to mature your faith through His Word. The Christian faith establishes the power of God in us through the resurrection of Christ Jesus. By this we are equipped to walk by faith; not by sight.

Christians are often referred to as “children of God” mainly because of the spiritual adoption principle found in Romans 8:14-15. We are His children always. When we are in receipt of the “gift of God, eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” we are forever classified as children of God which makes up the family of God here on Earth.

In today’s world we live in everybody wants everything NOW. NO ONE LIKES TO WAIT FOR ANYTHING – phone assistance, public transportation, traffic jams, DMV lines, restaurant seating, the cable man etc., etc., etc…  The wait produces the need to focus on God’s presence during the wait!
“God is our refuge and strength – a very present help in trouble.”

He maintains this description to ALL of His children no matter what level of spiritual maturity we are working with.Try as hard as you can to disprove this Heavenly attribute while you engage life matters from day to day. You will find that He Is ALWAYS present and He NEVER COMES UP SHORT. But you do all the time, and you will even try to blame others, including our Heavenly Father, for your own shortcomings. Ultimately you will find a need to wait on Him and encounter your own willingness to wait. In times of waiting, the trials will mature you and you will be better because of your willingness to wait.

Psalm 27:14  Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
Psalm 130:5  I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.
Proverbs 20:22  Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.
Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Lamentations 3:25-26 The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.

The fact is that a willingness to wait on the Lord is a practice that yields an experience similar to how a toddler practices his decision making skills when learning all the opportunity “at his feet.” My hope is that you will benefit from the use of the Conqueror Lifestyle to willingly wait on the LORD and grow in the process. It will help you soar to new heights In Christ that you could never experience outside of Christ. All of the possibilities are manifested in your willingness to wait. Waiting develops patience. Patience develops perseverance. Perseverance develops hope. Hope propels a Christian to maintain his/her position in Christ because He NEVER fails. Surrender to win and be a witness to the power of living victoriously day after day. 

 “Qualities of A Conqueror Volume 1” – a textbook/workbook compilation available now to help you develop and maintain The Conqueror Lifestyle.

Stay in the race!

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