On my desk…
April 21st, 2010
Strip It Off
November 5th, 2009
Sin in your life will not only hinder your fellowship with God, it will dull your spirit and cause you to be less responsive to the Holy Spirit’s leading. Therefore, sin left unchecked will cause you to live only in the natural realm, and you’ll miss God’s best for your life. - Kenneth E. Hagin
…let us STRIP OFF ANYTHING that slows us down or holds us back, and especially those sins that wrap themselves so tightly around our feet and trip us up…
Where’s Your Love by Tammy Ford
May 20th, 2009
1 John 2
All we need is love-love-love is all we need….the Beatles may have had a hit with their song “All We Need Is Love” but God has been talking about love much longer. The truth is, we dont just need to love …everything.
The word of God tells us in 1 John 2:15-17, “Don’t love the world’s ways. Don’t love the world’s goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important—has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.” (Message)
What have you been saying you “love” lately? Think about it. We all fall into the trap of setting our “love” upon the things of the world and the worlds ways. The problem is, “the love of the world squeezes out the love for the Father.” Think that’s to extreme?
What you love, you’ll crave…want more of. I have been known to be passionate and have a love affair with chocolate. How do I know? Because when I can’t have it I think about it and want it. It doesn’t matter if it’s cheap chocolate or expensive chocolate, I just want it.
When I spend more time thinking about chocolate than the things of God, there’s a problem. I know that’s a very simple example, but people do it everyday. They don’t think they are in a love affair but they have allowed something, their pursuit of wealth, acceptance, knowledge, relaxation, etc., to become the thing they set their attention and efforts and passion on. They dream about it, do whatever is necessary to achieve it, make sacrifices for it. In doing all that, it’s so easy to forget about your relationship with God.
God’s not seeking attention, He just wants us to keep our focus on the everlasting, eternal things that will change our life for the better. There’s nothing like walking in a real, living relationship with the most high God. Hearing him speak to you on a daily basis and allowing Him to give you wisdom, peace, joy. It’s an amazing thing and the strength that comes from setting your affections on Him and His ways far surpasses any fleeting reward you may receive from the things of this world. So where’s your love? Don’t let anything squeeze out your love for the Father! Amen!
Need to pray? Father, I have been letting __________________get all my attention. I know I have allowed this to squeeze out my love for you. I do love you and want to strengthen my relationship with. As I take the steps to draw near to you, I know you will draw near to me. I am so excited about that and anticipate, with great joy, our time together. Thank you for loving me! In Jesus name, Amen
In Him, Tammy
If you enjoy this daily edevo, pass it on. Use it to tell others about what God is doing in your life.
If you would like to be removed from this list or know someone who would like to be added, email trford@mac.com
Living the Dream
March 25th, 2009
In the beginning…God dreamed. He dreamt of a family - a large family. A family comprised of people from every kindred, tribe, language, and nation. When a person is born again, they become a partial fulfillment of God’s dream. When Christians use their influence to bring others into a relationship with Jesus, they are participators in God’s dream. This gives life meaning and purpose.
How to live the dream:
1. Cultivate relationships with unbelievers. Jesus was a friend of sinners. We should also have friends that are unbelievers.
2. God sends first time guests to your church every week - many of whom are lost. Get on a ministry team and serve those guests. Use your ministry with the purpose of preparing that unbelieving one’s heart to receive Jesus.
Not too long ago, we had a stray, three-legged dog show up at church on a Sunday morning. You should have seen the attention given to that dog. The uniformed greeters were extra friendly and people who were not official greeters, greeted this dog anyway. Someone got the dog water. Someone else got the dog some sort of snack. He/she was petted, treated warmly - I mean this dog got the royal treatment. The next week our little three-legged dog was back - but not alone. He/she had brought a friend.
What would our churches be like if we treated our guests like a dog? Perhaps the love shown them would open their heart to a Savior that paid the ultimate price to be in relationship with them.
Live the dream!
Cultivating Hunger
February 19th, 2009
Here’s how to cultivate hunger for God, His word and His Presence:
- Acknowledge the hunger you already have. Many Christians are hungry for God and don’t realize it. Their hunger is revealed when they express concern for their lack of hunger. This actually reveals a degree of desire for God. Acknowledge any desire/hunger for God, His word or His presence, no matter how small it may seem.
- Yield to the desire. Immediately act on the desire by praying, feeding on the Word or worshipping God.
As you acknowledge and act on the smallest of desires they will begin to grow.
“The greatest words ever spoken…
February 5th, 2009
How could such a statement be made about any collection of statements? With all the life-changing words spoken by so many great men and women throughout history, how could the words of one person rise above all the others?
To qualify as the greatest words ever spoken, they would have to reveal incredible truths that would otherwise go undiscovered. They would have to bring extraordinary, perhaps even near-miraculous benefit to the hearts, minds, and lives of those who read them. Certainly, to qualify as the greatest words ever spoken, they would have to produce life-altering changes not just for a few people but for millions. They would have to impart hope to those in despair, joy to those whose hearts are broken, and peace that subdues even the most paralyzing fears.
To earn the ranking of the greatest words ever spoken, the words would have to exert enough power to transform a hateful heart into a loving one, a mind driven by greed into one overflowing with generosity, a life ruled by arrogance into one that is driven by the desire to serve others. And if they were truly the greatest words ever spoken, they would have power to give sight to the blind, deliverence to the captive, forgiveness to the wrongdoer, and life to the dead. If anyone’s words could accomplish these things, they would certainly rise above all other words in history. They would deserve to be called the greatest words ever spoken.
These words exist; they have been spoken and recorded. And, yes, they have accomplished remarkable, miraculous results. The greatest words ever spoken are the words of Jesus of Nazareth…”
These are the opening paragraphs of Steven John Scott’s new book: The Greatest Words Ever Spoken: Everything Jesus said about you, your life, and everything else. John takes over 1900 statements Jesus made and breaks them down into more than 200 topics. This is a great resource for anyone who cares to discover an accurate view on Jesus’ thoughts on nearly everything relating to life.
Receiving the WORD in Trouble
January 26th, 2009
You’re gonna have trouble. Jesus said in this world you would have trouble: but be of good cheer…(John 16:33). In Acts 14:22, Paul said, “through much trouble we would enter into the kingdom of God.
There’s all kinds of trouble: flesh trouble, devil trouble, money trouble, relationship trouble, health trouble, etc..
But, we aren’t to lament trouble — we are to face it in faith. Faith comes by hearing — meditate on these words…
- The Lord will be a refuge in times of trouble (Psalm 9:9).
- For in the time of trouble he will hide me in his pavilion (Psalm 27:5).
- This poor man cried, and the Lord saved him out of all his troubles (Psalm 34:6).
- God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1).
- I (God) will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him (Psalm 91:15).
Be encouraged. God desires to be a very present help in your time of trouble — to deliver you!
Check back soon to find out HOW God brings deliverance.
In the Spirit or in the flesh?
January 22nd, 2009
I pulled the following statement from Steven Furtick’s blog this morning. You can check out his thoughts on it @ stevenfurtick.com.
“There is very little we do in the Spirit that we cannot fake in the flesh.”
It’s only the Spirit that brings life and lasting change. The flesh profits nothing…ever.
As representatives of Christ we must wait in the Presence of God long enough to experience a fresh anointing of God’s power. If not, we will be laboring in our own strength; and though the outward methods appear to be the same, the power to bring about transformation in people’s lives will be absent.
Significance
January 21st, 2009
Have you ever had opportunities to feel insignificant? Usually this sense of insignificance occurs when we began to compare ourselves with others.
We’ve all done this; measured ourselves with others and what they were doing; hoping to find someone we were beating, thinking this would give us a sense of self-accomplishment. The trouble with this is that you will always be able to find those, who in your opinion you are beating and those to whom you are losing.
I had one of these moments just the other day; not that I was looking for it though; I just happened to stumble upon it.
I touched base with a friend I had not spoken to in many years. This friend was leading a student ministry with over 1600 students, writing books and ministering to other leaders in national conferences. He even had more friends on Facebook too…a lot more. What made it worse was that I was at one time sort of mentor to this young man. I prayed with him to receive the Holy Spirit and was with him when he answered the call of God to ministry. I was definetely losing…or was I?
The Bible says we are unwise to measure ourselves against others. Our value and significance is not realized through comparison with others and what they are doing.
1 Corinthians 12:19-24 (The Message)
19-24 …You are significant…because of what you are a part of.
This is where we get our true sense of significance. It comes when we realize what we are a part of something that is bigger than just our individual contribution.
If you are a Christian, you are a member (part) of the body of Christ universally. You are in and part of a kingdom that will never pass away.
As a Christian you should be part of a local church. The local church is a local expression of the universal body of Christ. When you identify with a local group of believers you will gain a greater sense of significance.
As a Christian you should serve in ministry through your local church. Working on a ministry team will give you a greater sense of self-accomplishment.
You and I as individuals are only a small part of a greater whole. It’s the greater whole that gives us our significance.