God spoke to me!

God spoke to me!  What is the thought that just ran through your mind?  We live in a culture around us and even in the church that is becoming increasingly cynical about the statement, “God spoke to me!”  There have been many people that have justified their actions, feelings, and attitudes to other people by using those indisputable words. When you use those words no one can argue with your decision or tell you that you are wrong because God spoke to you.  Now we see a tide of cynicism that has permeated the church that God really does speak to his people.  So I pose this question to you.  Do you believe that God speaks to His people, outside of the Word of God? Can you know God's voice, often not audible, and distinguish it from the thoughts in your brain?  This is the voice that comes from your Spirit man and not your carnal soul man. Friend, God does still speak to you and I every day if we are listening and are prepared to hear His voice.  God wants to talk to you so badly that He sent His son Jesus to bring you to a place of no sin so that you could rest perfect before Him and know His voice.  Sure there will always be those who will abuse this truth and trash its credibility. However, the fact still remains that God will speak to you through His Word, through a burning bush, or even through your thoughts. Now some may say that I am crazy if I am hearing voices in my head.  Well I am only crazy to those who are perishing, but to those who have the Spirit of God you know that God does speak to you and you can hear his voice with Spiritual ears.  1 Corinthians very clearly states, "The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned." When we open our spiritual ears and recognize that God does desire to speak to us, we will experience amazing confidence and security in making any decision because we will know we truly have heard from God.  It is also important to guard your hearts when someone mentions that they heard from God when you believe it is only to justify their actions.  For every time you become cynical about their decision it will often times cause you to become less receptive to listening for God's voice in your own life.

What If?

Exodus 4:1 "Moses answered, ‘What if they do not believe me or listen to me....’”  

What IF!  Two words that have been uttered many times throughout history.  Never have there been two words that can have such a range of affect on our attitudes instilling either faith or fear. They possess the power to keep people from stepping into their destiny and can also have power to cast vision when there is vast discouragement. What IF! As a tool of Satan it will cause you to question every promise of God while breeding fear.  "What if they don't believe me?" "What if God doesn't heal me?"  "What if God doesn't come through and it all falls apart?"  "What if I didn't hear from God and I lose everything?" Yet as Believers we can only Believe.  Our “What if's” look at difficult and even impossible situations but we proclaim Vision. "What if this is God's way of delivering his people?"  "What if God is trying to show you the wonders and blessings of His Will for you?"  "What if this experience is meant to help your marriage or save your kids?"  "What if this struggle is pregnant with God's Favor?"   

Take an account of your “What Ifs.”  Are you inspired by them? Or are they the prefix to an attack that Satan is assaulting you with?  Let me leave you with this thought. No matter how tough life may seem ask yourself these questions. "What if God showed up?"  "What if God is proud of me and desires to favor me?"  "What if all of God's promises were true and for me?"  "What if I Believed The Bible?"  

Friend , get ready and ONLY BELIEVE!

Family Matters

We need each other!  I know, you have heard it said many times.  However, it is true.  If you are going to have a successful walk with Christ you need a healthy peer group or community.  This is why a church body and small group is so important.  The Bible states that Believers should not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing.  The common comeback to this is, "Well I don't have to attend church or a small group to be a believer."  That is a true statement, however, once you pull away from other believers you become a sitting duck for the attack of the enemy.  This idea that I can make it on my own comes purely from “the pit.”  Relationships are necessary for a strong spiritual walk and experience on earth.  Have you ever wondered why it seems to always be a struggle to get to church or to your small group? Could it be that there is an all out assault to keep you from attending so that you will not be encouraged by being around other believers in Christ? How often does that thought come, "You don't really need to attend that group", "I don't get anything from it anyway", "Just relax today you desire a break", "You have too much to do today, you should just skip church."  These are all arguments that Satan will use to keep you from experiencing the pure joy of being around and worshipping with other Believers.  When we even use logic we will discover that yes it is true church attendance and small group participation does not save you, but it goes a long way in maturing you.  In fact, how many Strong Christians walking in Faith do you know that do not attend church or a small group?  If any, there are not many. Friend, that is not a coincidence.  The people around you are there to be strength to you and to be used by God as Corinthians would say, "For our common GOOD".  So make it a point to plan each week to be around other Believers on Sundays and in your small group.  I promise you will not regret it.

Rejection vs. Forgiveness

Have you ever felt rejected, unloved, or overlooked?  Can you relate with Leah in the Bible?  Here is a woman who was the eldest of two daughters to their father Laban. Your younger sister is very beautiful and you are not.  All the men bypass you and then look to your younger sister. Then on top of that, your own father manipulates an agreement with the groom of that younger sister to marry you.   He does this by putting you in the marriage bed with your sister’s fiancé.  (That is messed up) Then in the morning this groom realizes that you are not who he thought you were.  In anger he goes to your father and complains about how he had to take you as his wife.  This is probably not the kind of wedding night that you were dreaming of.  Can you imagine that kind of rejection and being unloved in that way?  In fact even after having four sons she hoped it would cause her unsuspecting husband to love her.  Every human person has to deal with rejection on some level.  For some it seems that at every turn of life they are constantly being rejected by somebody or something. It so important that we learn to deal with rejection. Remember, Jesus was rejected by everyone and even His Father God turned His head from him. He knew rejection like no one has ever known. Yet, he forgave his rejecters and loved them anyways.  Wow!  The power of forgiving those who reject us will allow us to draw from a power that flows from a source opened 2000 years ago on the Cross.  This is an active demonstration of the spirit's power in our life to do what we can't overcome by ourselves.  Now allow me to finish the rest of this story of these two sisters Rachel and Leah.  Rachel was loved by Jacob, while Leah was a tag along.  However, as life came to its finale Jacob buried Rachel in a grave along the way reserving the grave next to him for Leah. Through all that rejection Jacob and Leah actually became more “in love” then the love he had with Rachel.  It is amazing what God can do when you deal with your rejection, but it starts with you!

Birthright

In the Jonathan Biffert clan I am the proud possessor of the Biffert Birthright!  Now you may wonder why I am even wasting your time to brag about my position among my family.  Before you stop reading take a moment and consider your birthright if you have one, and think about how we really have no understanding of the importance of birthright in our culture.  In America all that our parents own is evenly dispersed among all of the children.  Often funerals can be a cat fight about who is going to get what.  However, in the ancient days, it was the first born that would inherit 'The Blessing' of the father.  The birthright was a very tangible mantle that was passed on through generations.  In the days of Abraham, Isaac, and Esau they understood the birthright.  Now your thinking wasn't it Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?  You are right, however, Jacob was not the firstborn.  In fact, Esau was the firstborn and entitled to his father’s birthright.  However, he lost sight of the importance of that mantle on his life.  Jacob was searching for a way to gain that favor and blessing.  One day the opportunity presented itself.  Esau famished from a long hunt in the wild happened upon Jacob making a pot of red stew (Wendy's chili).  It smelled so good and started peek the taste buds in Esau's mouth.  He begged Jacob for a bowl but he refused to give Esau anything until Esau surrendered his birthright.  In that moment Esau in total disregard for his destiny, The Blessing of his Grandfather, and the promises of his Birthright made the decision to change the course of history and sell his birthright (Salvation, destiny, favor and blessing) for a bowl of chili.  The cravings and appetites of his stomach beset Esau future.

Satan works in the same pattern against our lives.  Through Jesus Christ the believer possesses 'the birthright' of the Kingdom of God.  This ‘birthright’ is our mark of being a person of Christ, a possessor of His inheritance, and a channel of His Grace.  Satan’s whole existence is to create a stew that would be so tempting that it would cause you to sell your birthright for a temporary pleasure.  When you are in the valley, and your life seems famished and weary, beware of the man with a pot of chili.  Beware of the person, or philosophies, or even pleasures that try to get you to abandon your faith in the birthright for your life.  Never undervalue the importance of the birthright in your life. It is that birthright that will cause you to have True life on earth with a lasting legacy leading you to the eternal life in Heaven.  What is it that is trying to get you to sell out your birthright in order to possess a fleeting pleasure?

Unchanging

Life is always changing, and it is no surprise that there are times when we just want to take a break from all of the changes.  Yet, our hopeful wishes fall flat in the hands of a world that is kept moving by change.  So whether the word 'change' is a cuss word or a word to describe the vision of your life, we are all doing it everyday.  From changing our clothes, or changing our career path, we are constantly moving and changing to adapt to the surroundings we live in.  However, there is a place where nothing changes. It is the same yesterday, today and forever.  We can find it in the pages of the Bible, where we can discover a truth that brings light to all the changes around us.  Even though we have become used to the constant daily change we are faced with, we all need a place where we can go and find stability, consistency, promise, and faithfulness-a place that is never shaken or shifting.  That place is at the foot of our Father God.  If you are living in constant confusion, struggling to find security, or searching for something solid you will not find that any where in this world.  It can only be found when we stop and step into the throne room of God.  There you will find everything you need for Life.

Unwavering

God wants all of his people to be targets, to be lights, to be cities set on a hill which cannot be hid.  Where we, God's children, are so "In God"   that the World may know the difference from those who just say they are God's redemption and those who are the real deal.  Those who possess the Law of the Spirit. What will that Law do?  The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus will make you free from the law of sin and death.  (Romans 8:2)

Sin will have no dominion over you. You will have no desire to sin, and it will be as true in your case as it was in Jesus' case when he said, "Satan comes, but finds no thing in me."  Satan cannot condemn; he has no power. His power is destroyed, as we see in Romans 8:10. "If Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness."  To be filled with God means that you are free: full of joy, peace, blessing, strength of character, molded new in God.  To be transformed by his mighty power till you LIVE, because Jesus lives in you manifesting his power through you as Sons of God.

Mark 5:36 "Be not afraid, only believe". The people in whom God delights are the ones who rest upon His Word without wavering. God has nothing for the man who wavers. James 1:6 "Let him that wavers expect nothing from God."