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I hope to see you there!
Rev. D
Do you struggle giving your first to the Lord? Do you struggle with giving your last to the Lord? Are you a tither? Do you give church offerings sparingly or bountifully? Most of all, why do you give your offerings? If you do not practice this NECESSARY sacrifice, what prevents you from it?
The answers will undoubtedly cover a wide spectrum of opinionated responses that lack sound Biblical teaching. While Israel’s experiences provide a dominant viewpoint that is upheld throughout Christendom, I want to emphasize that long before God called out the Nation of Israel from the world through Abraham and his promised son Isaac, God has ALWAYS required a sacrificial offering from mankind. More specifically, whenever we are blessed by God OUR THANKSGIVING IS BEST ACKNOWLEDGED THROUGH OUR SACRIFICIAL GIVING.
Abel’s offering to God in Genesis 4 is the first example of sacrificial giving. His brother Cain’s response to God’s acceptance of Abel’s offering is still GREATLY felt throughout the USA. Men and women are still trying to defy God’s requirements for sacrificial giving by rationalizing their human works as a means to get God’s approval. Case and point: a professional legal secretary will bring his/her skills into the church and work on various auxiliaries where the skills are needed. They will give from a place of authority and certainty which is coupled with human merits. In doing so, they will naturally assume that God is pleased with their efforts. They give to the church body with their professional skills. But when the church offering is administered they will struggle with monetary giving because they rendered professional services that were NOT compensated.
God requires sacrificial giving! It literally means GIVING UP SOMETHING GOOD. Noah is the example that represents this best! In Genesis 7:2-3 God tells Noah to gather up every clean beast on the earth by 7’s, both male and female. For example, Noah was responsible for loading 7 male sheep and 7 female sheep. The Godly instruction gives rise to the DIVINE EXPECTATION FOR THE SACRIFICE. The breeding would be maintained by the 6 and the SACRIFICE IS THE 7TH! It is also a revealing appreciation for the PROVIDENTIAL WILL OF GOD CONCERNING MANKIND!
God gave Noah the instruction as He welcomed Noah and his family into the ARK. The UNIVERSAL DEATH OF THE EARTH AND ITS INHABITANTS ENSUED. In Genesis 8 the rain ceases and God gives the instruction to exit the ARK:
Genesis 8:15-21 KJV
15 And God spake unto Noah, saying,
16 Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons’ wives with thee.
17 Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee, of all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth.
18 And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him:
19 Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark.
20 And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.
Noah did not build a house for his wife and family FIRST! HE BUILT AN ALTAR! His gratitude for SALVATION FROM THE UNIVERSAL DEATH compelled him to sacrifice one of every clean animal to God on the ALTAR. The altar of sacrifice has ALWAYS been a representation for the COMING OF JESUS CHRIST, HIS DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION. Genesis 8:21 once again infers God’s understanding of THE PLAN of REDEMPTION Christ would fulfill. Today God no longer requires blood sacrifice from animals BECAUSE OF OUR ONGOING FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST’S FINISHED WORK!
If you KNOW YOU ARE SAVED BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS, like Noah we are REQUIRED to give – “not grudgingly, not out of necessity. God loves a cheerful giver…”(2 Corinthians 9:7) Our cheer, willingness and sacrificial giving of our finances is an outward expression of the THANKSGIVING in our hearts and minds for SALVATION. Under the auspices of God’s grace PROVIDING the FREE GIFT OF SALVATION AND ETERNAL LIFE, we can NEVER give too much. At this stage of Christian development, financial giving, church service through ministry and talents and any other form of “giving” is acceptable and pleasing in His sight.
God is faithful no matter what! Rev. D shares this short message on how you, like him, can live on purpose declaring “I WIN!” Spiritually daily.
Join my free online Bible study lessons on “rightly-dividing the Word” coming soon! We will learn “Who Is God” “Why Jesus is So Important” and how “Bible Study Improves Our Lives” from week to week. Sign up today!
Stay in the race!
Rev. D
Source: The Conquerorshot Maker
ConquerorShots are the best source of Biblical “Shots” to fuel the soul.
“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.
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 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!
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.”
Included in Paul’s ministry is our final point concerning the title “Jesus is Lord and Savior; NOT a good luck charm.”
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.”
Human beings love in various ways. The variants stem from the origins of physical and emotional love which spring up in the flesh. In addition, spiritual love shows up in multiple manifestations as it is produced exclusively in a regenerated spirit. Therefore, when we hear someone say “I love you” it is necessary to discern whether their love originates in the flesh, spirit
or both.
Love is a powerful emotion stimulating our beings from the annals of our soul and spirit. Physical manifestations, whether overt or covert, can cause a man or woman to act out their character to the point where their behavior is almost animal like. This is extreme but true. The same scenario applies when emotional love creates all kinds of unwarranted, unrealistic expectations and demands on “loved-ones” absent of any rationality. This example is best realized when we love someone emotionally to the degree that “I don’t want them to be in pain – physical, mental, emotional – and suffer” is a driving expectation absent of any acceptance of God’s Sovereignty. Physical and emotional love originate in our souls where the seat of our intellect and emotions are.
The soul is the part of a human being that God gave life to when He “breathed the breath of life into him and man became a living soul.”
Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Every human being’s flesh is controlled by the soul. The soul is realized in our thoughts, desires and feelings. It is a spiritual mistake to connect soulish tendencies with spirituality. Every human being is capable of love whether they are saved by grace or not. What is most important to understand is the soul is where sin originates in us all. It is Satan who uses our souls to manifest sin in us. He uses our thoughts, desires and feelings to draw us away from God. Our mistake is when we trust our thoughts, desires and feelings to be Godly leadership when it is actually Satanic. See what James says:
James 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away (from God) of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.
Physical love and emotional love aka eros and phileo respectively, are natural tendencies. Unregenerate souls produce them. But when a human being hears the gospel of Jesus Christ -He came to save sinners from the penalty of sin which is eternal spiritual death by shedding his blood and being crucified, dying and resurrecting from the grave – and faith in the gospel originates, his/her spirit awakens from a deadened state because of the sin of our flesh.
Ephesians 2:1-10 confirms this:And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the]mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and]that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
We all need a daily infusion of the LOVE of Jesus Christ in our spirits. His blood that was shed has the POWER to cleanse us, save us and renew the spirit within us. Adam had this spiritual connection with God before the human race was infected with sin. From then to now man’s spirit is dead and in need of revival. Man’s spiritual renewal is through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit – the Spirit of Christ which raised Him from the grave – in our revived spirits making it alive and occupied with God’s Sovereignty that produces an unlimited supply of AGAPE LOVE. The epitome of Godly spirituality is the regular experience of agape love.
Agape love is spiritual love as it can only come from God – man can NOT manufacture AGAPE love without a revived spirit. A revived spirit, makes the mind renewed (i.e. the soul is now under the control of the spirit now indwelt by the Spirit. A renewed mind manifests new life that is lived in our human bodies as a result of new spiritual life being infused in us daily. Ultimately, we can know, feel, receive and give spiritual love that overrides human love. Spiritual love never fails. WE ALL NEED HIS LOVE!
After a busy month of birthday celebration, Father’s day, two speaking engagements and a monumental 4th of July weekend, I am very thankful to be back in the office producing the Surfer Bible Study videos. The blessings of the LORD continue to overwhelm me. Thank you for sharing with me in this time of certainty concerning the movement of Conqueror Ministries. This site will forever be a blessing.
This lesson demonstrates a fundamental approach to faith as a result of hearing the Word of God. In 2015 we still must hear from God via the preaching, teaching and reading of the Bible for our personal faith in God, through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, to manifest and mature. Allow me to share with you how Abram teaches us how to “walk by faith, not by sight.”
Thank you for your support and purchasing my books.
Darrin a.k.a. Rev. D
We are blessed to have Sister Cheryl DeGroat, my mom, provide us with another potent “shot” to fuel your soul. We all must develop a courageous willingness to trust in what God just does. There is much Biblical evidence to support this Divine characteristic of the Godhead. Mom is invested in exposing real truth by expressing God’s Word to expel any error that may cause you to miss out on what being a child of God is all about. Be empowered living the Conqueror Lifestyle. Enjoy and stay in the race!
Darrin
The Doctrine of ProvidenceProvidence is different from preservation. The doctrine of Preservation is God’s work in upholding and supplying the needs of that which He has created i.e. sustainment. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ The doctrine of Providence is God’s continuous control over the entire physical and moral universe to fulfill His original intended purpose.His providence is:1. Universal (because He is omnipresent) 2. Powerful (because He is omnipotent) 3. Wise (because He is omniscient) 4. Holy (because He is Righteousness, Goodness, and Truth) Prayer and Providence go hand in hand. The prayer of faith petitions God’s care and control over any issue at hand. God provides for us in overwhelmingly, gracious developments which only He can manifest. Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God and there is none like me. Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying my counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure. Isaiah 46:9-10 KJV Always remember this – God’s Providence is already in place every time you pray. Have the courage to trust in the fact that He already knows the plans He has for you. Your prayers will expose your faith in Him. You don’t have to know His plan for you to trust in Him. You have to know Him to trust in Him. Reading His Word regularly helps you get acquainted with who He is. The more you know Him the more you will possess the courage to trust in His providence. By faith in Him, the Holy Spirit will open your eyes of understanding to see Him through His Word. Trust Him when you pray and stay in fellowship with Him through His Word. Consequently, you too will know the plan as your walk, talk and lifestyle reveals His will for you. This is the Conqueror Lifestyle in action. Prayer changes things! The next “shot” will focus on your courage as it is revealed through your faith. Faith is both objective and subjective. Related articles |
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).
“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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