Can you loose deliverence?

March 13, 2009

The life of Jesus. Read Today: The sign of Jonah; Matthew 12:38-45

Matthew 12:43-45 ESV
43 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none.
44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order.
45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.”

Years ago I knew someone who had been delivered of some serious illness. He became quite healthy and normal. As time went on though, he chose to return to the problems that had brought the illness on him in the first place. In the end, the illness came back on him not like it was before but much worse.

I asked him why he was in the state that he was in after it all happened. He told me that even though the deliverance had come to him, it was so easy to walk in the lifestyle that he had. It took work to keep his healing and he did not want to do it. Jesus points that out to us here. The spirit returns to his home and finds it empty. It should be filled with the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, but it is not. So he gets other demons to come back with him and the state of the person in the end is worse.

When God delivers you, take some time to clean your house and invite the Holy Spirit in to help you keep it clean.


Read for tomorrow: Family seeks Jesus; Matthew 12:46-50; Mark 3:31-35; Luke 8:19-21

Unforgiven Sin

March 12, 2009

The life of Jesus. Read Today: Pharisees rebuked; Matthew 12:24-37; Mark 3:22-30

Mark 3:29-30 GodsWord
29 But whoever curses the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. He is guilty of an everlasting sin."
30 Jesus said this because the scribes had said that he had an evil spirit.


The unforgivable sin. How many times have I heard that preached. I can not count them all. And always it is said it is someone who kills themselves, or who speaks badly about Jesus. Jesus makes it quite clear in these verses though. He says that because what the scribes were saying about Him.

You see, you can say anything about Jesus. But speaking against Him, and dieing that way, that can never be forgiven. While you still have a breath of life in you you can accept Jesus as your savior. When you do you become a new man and all sins you have done are gone. But if you die in that state, still saying Jesus is not Lord, then there is no way you can get forgiveness.



Read for tomorrow: The sign of Jonah; Matthew 12:38-45

Out of mind

March 11, 2009

The life of Jesus. Read Today: Jesus heals a demon-possessed man; Matthew 12:22-23; Mark 3:20-22

Mark 3:21 GodsWord
21 When his family heard about it, they went to get him. They said, "He's out of his mind!"

When I first became a Christian, God uprooted me and moved me to Tulsa, Oklahoma. I had little contact with anyone outside my brother's and mother. One time when I got to go back to Massachusetts I got to visit with them as well as my grandmother from my dads side of the family. For some reason, my faith became a topic. My brothers and my mom had thought I had lost it. I was a devote Catholic growing up and they could not understand why I had 'left the faith'. Grandma, staunch Irish Catholic that she was seemed to be proud that I had found God in my own way.

Some family will always make fun of you for what you do when you accept Jesus. Do not worry about them. Find the ones that will accept you for what you are.


Read for tomorrow: Pharisees rebuked; Matthew 12:24-37; Mark 3:22-30

Woman in the church

March 10, 2009

The life of Jesus. Read Today: Generous women; Luke 8:1-3

Luke 8:1-3 ESV
1 Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him,
2 and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
3 and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means.


It has been said that woman cannot be people used to spread the Gospel. While it says that they provided with their means you have to ask a few questions here.

1. How did they get the money in the first place. They must have been successful in something.
2. While it says they provided for them, it does not say that they did not minister. You cannot eliminate something that has not been eliminated by the text.

Anyone who says woman should not teach has obviously not been in a children's ministry in a local church. Let us give the woman their due.

Read for tomorrow: Jesus heals a demon-possessed man; Matthew 12:22-23; Mark 3:20-22

If he were a prophet...

March 9, 2009

The life of Jesus. Read Today: Jesus dines with Simon the Pharisee; Luke 7:36-50

Luke 7:39 ESV
39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.”


Why did this man invite Jesus in the first place. Was it for entertainment? Was it he could say that a great person had dined with him? May he invited Jesus so that he could learn about Him? It is obvious that he did not believe, at least at this time, that Jesus was the Son of God, or even a prophet.

And then comes in someone who does the work of worshiping Him. And what does the man do, he talks about Jesus saying 'if He were a prophet...'

When we are doing true worship of God, there are many around us who will accuse us of playing church or maybe that we are getting all tied up in emotion. Notice however that in the end, the woman had her sins forgiven. Those who accuse us playing church will not be able to hear that from Jesus when there end time comes.

Read for tomorrow: Generous women; Luke 8:1-3

The Burden

I realize that I have been absent for a while from these devotionals. I have been fighting a severe depression with along with working 3 jobs has just zapped any desire I have had to do much of anything. I will pick back up where I left off and try to do 2 or 3 a day to get back current. Please keep me in your prayers, thanks.

March 8, 2009

The life of Jesus. Read Today: Jesus Rebukes 3 cities; Matthew 11:20-30;

Matthew 11:29-30 Common
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Jesus tells us quite clearly that the burdens that we feel on our selves from day to day are not what we should be focusing on. Though the loom large to us, the real thing to be concerned about is the burden of the Gospel. This includes telling others and praying with and ministering to others in need.

I know personally that it is very easy to get wrapped up in yourself. Your problems can seem to be so large. Jesus wants to take that burden for you. You should not ignore it, not paying a bill can cause problems in real life. On the other hand, turn to Jesus in prayer and let Him help you with that burden and give you guidance in how to solve it.


Read for tomorrow:Jesus dines with Simon the Pharisee; Luke 7:36-50