Thought for today, March 17, 2009

Posted on March 17, 2009 by growintheword

Speak life into your situation
1 The LORD took hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the LORD to a valley filled with bones. 2 He led me around among the old, dry bones that covered the valley floor. They were scattered everywhere across the ground. 3 Then he asked me, “Son of man, can these bones become living people again?”
“O Sovereign LORD,” I replied, “you alone know the answer to that.” 4 Then he said to me, “Speak to these bones and say, `Dry bones, listen to the word of the LORD! 5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Look! I am going to breathe into you and make you live again! 6 I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’ ” Ezek 37:1-6 (NLT)

The old dry bones in the scripture represents this economy, your loss of job, or any bad situation that you find yourself in.

In verse 3, God wants to know if you think he can revive that bad situation in your life and make it live again? If you trust God, he will not only breathe life into you, but he will use you to breathe life into your situation and the environment around you.

God took Ezekiel in the spirit to a place where life was absent. Then he used him to bring life into that situation. Some situations that we find ourselves in is a result of God trying to use you. What you say in a negative situation can effect the whole environment around you. What are you speaking in your situation? Remember what you say can have an impact on your situation and the whole environment that God planted you in.

Speak life into your situation!

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Understanding who God is, Bible Study 3/10/09

Posted on March 13, 2009 by growintheword

Understanding who God is
Intimacy II
Bible Study 03/10/09
Delivered by Bishop Walker III
Many of us come to understand God, because our exposure is limited to what we heard of God through other people. Lots of times our theology (the study of God) is limited. Our theology is placed in context according to doctrine and denominationalism. Because you were born in a particular domination, you view everything through that lens. As time goes on, you understand your relationship with God has little to do with doctrine and denominationalism, because your theology has expanded. This becomes evident when you go back to places where you used to be comfortable and realize that they are not comfortable to you now.
3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. Psalms 145:3 (KJV) –God’s greatness is unsearchable. You will never master God. You are always learning and maturing in him. We have to see God as he sees himself. God simply “Is God”.
10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: Heb 8:10 (KJV) –God’s word is in our minds and in our hearts. When we are in relationship with God, his words are in our head and in our heart. When we talk about relationships today, we say we are sprung. It is the same when we are in relationship with God. God is the best thing that ever happened to us.
11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. Heb 8:11 (KJV) – nobody has to babysit you about God, because you know him for yourself.
We come to know God through a variety of ways:
One way is through the scriptures-This is one sure way we come to know him. 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 2 Tim 3:16 (KJV) -the scriptures are here to assist us in being what we are supposed be. There are some people that have issues with the bible. The issue is not with the bible itself. The issue is with hermeneutics interpretation. This is the study of the interpretation of written text. People that doubt the bible are saying word is in consistent with what God intended it to mean when it was inspired. When we understand the nature of God, we understand its intent more clearly. When you look at that attributes of God, you have to look at it by faith and not your intellect.

Attributes of God
I. God is self existent. His life is in himself.
1. God is just God. No one created him. He is the giver of life. We live because God is. The Psalmist said the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He simply meant that everything he needed was found in God.
2. God was here before anything existed.1 Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. 2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. Psalms 90:1-2 (KJV).
3. Because of God, we have life. 9 For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light. Psalms 36:9 (KJV). Understanding who God is gives us a better picture of what we should be.
4. God made Adam. God gave Adam life. Life came from God. Adam had no life apart from God. Adam was a hollow shell until God breathed life into him. Therefore, no one can take God’s life, because God gave his life.
a. Remember when Pilate came to Jesus and said he had the power to take his life? Jesus told Pilate that he wouldn’t have that power unless God (Jesus’ father) gave it to him.
b. During Jesus’ crucifixion, Jesus said,” it is finished “and then he gave up the ghost. It is evident that when God gave up the Holy Ghost, he gave up his life. It wasn’t taken.
c. God is a taker and giver of life. Job says the Lord gives and takes away. God is sovereign and sometimes we don’t’ understand what God is up to. Ex-Two people are involved in an accident and only one makes it out alive. One might say well it was simply that persons time to go, but was it? We simply don’t know, but we do know that our life is in God’s hands and what God decides to do is up to him. We trust God’s sovereignty.
II. God is spirit.
1. This means God is invisible to the human eyes. If we are in the image of God, then we are a spirit. We are invisible to human eye. We really don’t see each other. We are a spirit inside a shell. When Adam was just a shell, God blew his breath and Adam came alive. Adam became a spirit cause God blew his spirit into him. 20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. 21 And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: 22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: 23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen. Ex 33:20-23 (KJV)-when you see God, you will know you have left the planet. Either they have had your funeral or they are planning it. No one has ever looked on Gods face and lived. We are not able to comprehend all his glory and live.
2. Because God is a spirit, we have to worship him in the spirit. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. John 4:24 (KJV)-the essence of worship is a spiritual matter. Flesh can’t get into God’s presence. The only intimacy that can take place is spirit to spirit. Worship is about a relationship.
3. The essence of God is his spirit. 17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Tim 1:17 (KJV). God is not, shaped like we are. God sent his son to earth, because Jesus was the amount of God that we could handle. We couldn’t handle God’s totality. God wrapped himself in flesh so we could behold him. We could not behold all of God’s glory. When we die, our spirit still lives somewhere
5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. 6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 2 Cor 5:4-8 (KJV). We die so that we my live.
III. God is one, yet three (the father, the son, and the Holy Ghost)
1. Being a spirit, we have 3 properties too. Those properties are the mind, the body, and the soul. Note that the word “trinity” is not in the bible. The concept however is. The God head works in complete harmony, never working against himself. 4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: Deut 6:4 (KJV)
2. Why would God tell Israel he is one Lord? There were two understandings of worshipping God. They were polytheism & monotheism. Polytheism is the worship of many gods. Monotheism is the worship one god. The Hebrew people worshiped one God. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were not the real names of Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. These were Babylonian names given to them by the chief official. These Hebrew boys practiced Monotheism and only worshipped the one true and living God. This is why they refused to bow down to the idol God’s when the trumpet blew.
3. The Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, work together. 7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 1 John 5:7 (KJV)-the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, work together. They were all there (together) in the beginning during the earth’s creation. 1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. Gen 1:1-2 (KJV). They still work together in our life today. Ex- We hear a word, the Holy Spirit urges us to come to church. Once we are at church we are pointed towards God. The Holy Ghost is God working within us urging us to go to God. Jesus is sitting on the right hand of God urging him to hear our prayers.
4. The trinity never works against one another Ex-The Holy Spirit would not urge you to holler out and distract someone from the man of God teaching, because you would be missing the word God has for you. This is not to be mistaken when we all celebrate and praise the together.
5. God is one with 3 manifestations, much like H20. Ex- Water has 3 properties. They are water, steam, and ice. God is self existence, because he has life in himself. He is spirit and because he is a spirit, we are a spirit (because we are created in his image). God is one yet three.
IV. God is eternal. He is unlimited by time.
1. We cannot limit God. 15 The high and lofty one who inhabits eternity, the Holy One, says this: “I live in that high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I refresh the humble and give new courage to those with repentant hearts. Isaiah 57:15 (NLT)
2. 1 Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. 2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. Psalms 90:1-2 (KJV)-In other words, we cannot limit God. God says he wants us to understand that when we were first made, we were immortal. When Adam and Eve were first created, they were supposed to live forever. The devil made Eve break the law. That introduced us to sin. As promised Adam and Eve died. They didn’t die right away, but they did later. They began to age.
God sends his son in. 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10 (KJV); 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (KJV)-Jesus came to promise us that we would go back to our original intent. For us to die is to gain. We die to live. When we die, our spirit goes back to God.
3. To live with Christ is to be immortal. 13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Thess 4:13-17 (KJV); 51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 1 Cor 15:51-55 (KJV). As a result this is what was meant by the phrase “Sabbath will have no end”. To live with Christ is to be immortal. This is what gave the early church mortars that died so much honor. They felt that dying gave them the honor of living with God.
V. He is immutable. Unchangeable in nature.
1. Immutable means unchanging. God is unchanging in his nature. How can God tell you this is where he wants you to be, and three months later, change his mind? We are guilty of bringing God into our stuff. Ex-If we don’t get the solo, instead saying we want to quit the choir, we say God is bringing us into another season. 5 And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts. 6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. Mal 3:5-6 (KJV), 11 The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. Psalms 33:11 (KJV), 34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips; Psalms 89:34 (KJV)-God does not alter anything that comes out of his lips. If God spoke a thing, it will come to pass. It accomplishes what it is sent out to do.
2. 13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, 14 Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. 15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. 16 For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. 17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: 18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Heb 6:13-18 (KJV), God doesn’t change, if he said it you can believe it.
VI. God is all omniscient. He is all knowing.
1. All things are open and naked to God 13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Heb 4:13 (KJV). We were designed to be transparent and intimate. In the beginning Adam and Eve were naked and not ashamed (they were transparent.), then sin was introduced when they ate of the fruit and they became ashamed of their nakedness and began hiding. Sin is the cause of us not wanting to be transparent today. We don’t want people to know when we are going through something out of fear of exposing other things about ourselves. God knows all. Even the stuff you try to cover up, God knows about it.
2. God knows the past, the present, and the future.5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. Jer 1:5 (KJV). Think about a picture of you made about 10 yrs ago. That would have been 1999. Think about your spiritual state at that time. Now imagine if you could have seen your life from God’s perspective. God knew everything that was going to happen to you and he knew that you would end up where you are today. God knew he had worked out but you had to go through all those different scenarios to end up where you are today. Imagine all those times you were praying and complaining and God knew what the end was going to be, but he couldn’t get you to understand. There were probably times where God said, “I got it if you would just trust me!” Here you are in 2009 and you are praying and whining and God has already worked it out on up to 2029. Just like before, he is trying to tell you to hang in there and trust him. God knows where you are supposed to end up. If could see your life from God’s perspective, then you would be thanking him for what you are going through. What you are going through is not in vain.
VII. God is omnipresent. Unlimited by space.
1. God is everywhere. 7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. Psalms 139:7-10 (KJV). Deacons used to pray this word in their prayers all the time back in the day. They knew God was everywhere.
2. God is always there. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Psalms 23:4 (KJV)-God is always there. Ex-Bishop explains he wishes how he could be at all the bible studies at the same time or even at everybody’s bedside all at the same time. Bishop explains that he can’t, because he is only one person. Unlike Bishop, God can be everywhere at once. This is why when you are in relationship with God; you know the difference in being alone and being lonely.
VIII. God is omnipotent. All powerful.
1. God is incomprehensible. We don’t know anything powerful as God. God never runs out of being powerful. 6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Rev 19:6 (KJV)
2. God made a powerful promise to Abraham. Abraham and his wife were old at the time of this promise. I think his wife was in her nineties. When you got vision, you don’t need Viagra. 14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. Gen 18:14 (KJV) -is there anything too hard for God. According to time of life, God said Sarah would have a son. God said he would change the nature on Sarah’s behalf. God is so powerful; he can create jobs during a recession. God is motivated by the power of your prayers.
3. There is omnipotence inside of us. When Jesus died, all power in heaven and earth was in Jesus hands. Jesus then deposited that power inside of us. Authority and power is inside of you manifested as the Holy Spirit. If you tap into it you will be powerful. This power will make your enemies tremble.

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Chasing After God, Bible Study 03/04/09

Posted on March 5, 2009 by growintheword

Chasing after God
Bible Study 03/04/09
Delivered by Bishop Walker III
Today people are only concerned about their horizontal relationships. These are relationships that we have here on earth. We find that people don’t get excited about their vertical relationship. This is their relationship with God. This is where your power really is. We have to make sure we have a proper relationship with God. 12Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you. Hosea 10:12 KJV In this scripture, the writer is saying you want to have the blessings of Lord, but you don’t want to be in a position to receive the blessings. Proper relationship with God holds us accountable.
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. Psalm 42:1. In this scripture, panting means that you are at the point of exhaustion. The deer mentioned in the text has been preyed upon by predators and is now at the point of exhaustion. The deer has to get water at this point in order to survive. The deer has the wisdom to get to a source of something that will re-energize him, because he is panting and exhausted. The enemy wants us to run to other sources when we get to a point of exhaustion. The author is trying to teach us to chase after God when we get to this point. When we receive help from others, we are not receiving the things from God that we need. 7Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. Psalm 42:7-This scripture explains that while we are going through what we are going through, we know God is more sensitive of where we are than anything else. Anything else we use is only a temporary fix. We need to be sustained.
I. Each of us ought to long for fellowship with God.
1. There is something we gain in relationship and fellowship with God.9With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. Isaiah 26:9–
2. We do not put our faith in the flesh. We recognize we need something greater.3For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Philippians 3:3- Relationship and fellowship with God is what we are after. Remember it is possible to have a relationship and not be in fellowship with somebody.
3. There are still people that think we can only experience God inside the church. 26And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 27That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: 28For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Acts 17:26-28-Paul was debating with philosophers during this time. God made all of us the same, all of us are individuals and God knows where we are. Paul tried to explain this for people that thought that God had to be worshiped with the aid of religious apparatus. Paul tried to remind the people that if they knew how close God was, they would seek after him and not religious rituals. Religion is the very thing that turns people off to the notion of getting closer to God. Because we have people with these old beliefs, it is important for us to remember that when someone in church hurts our feelings, we shouldn’t let this keep us away from a personal relationship with God. Wherever we are in this spiritual journey, we know our relationship with God is not tied to the four walls of the church building. Our relationship with God lets us know that we can create a sanctuary wherever we are. There are still people that think we can only experience God inside the church.
II. Failure to seek after God results in spiritual lack of knowledge
1. When you lack knowledge; sometimes it is a result of you rejecting it.6My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. Hosea 4:6-When you lack knowledge; sometimes it is a result of you rejecting it. In other words, you hear what God wants for you, but refuse to adhere to it. God said if you reject his word, he will reject not only you, but your offspring.
2. No wants to reject God’s word when the word is talking about blessings, we only want to reject words of direction or discipline. No one wants to hear the word that says get your life in order. No one wants to hear the word that says the Lord takes away. We have to be willing to accept all of God’s word. Job says the Lord gives and takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
3. There are promises made to those that diligently seek to find him. 29But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. 30When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; 31(For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them. Deuteronomy 4:29 Sometimes God will create situations that will cause you to find him. God is always speaking. God’s voice comes through a variety of ways. It can even be that quit voice in your spirit. The Holy Ghost speaking to you is another way that God speaks to you. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding and in all your ways, acknowledge him. This will cause him to direct your path.
III. When you seek God he will reward you
1. God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him 6But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Hebrews 11:6-. Without knowledge of God, it is impossible to please him. Faith comes by hearing and hearing comes from the word of God. Those who come to God must believe that God is and is a rewarded of those who diligently seek him. Normally we go looking for someone in hopes that they will be there. When you look for God, you know that he is there and has what you need.
2. 7 things you get when you seek God
a. We get joy. 4Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified. Psalm 70:4-When we seek God, we seek him with joy. You got to understand joy is so unlike happiness. The joy of the Lord is your strength. If you don’t know what this means, you will miss the revelation in this. Many of us don’t have the same enthusiasm when seeking after God as we do seeking things of the world. This is until we get into trouble. Those of us that have found this joy know that you can’t get this kind of joy at the liquor store. James says count it all joy. Our context doesn’t define our joy, we do.
b. We get peace and rest- 7Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us; because we have sought the LORD our God, we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.2 Chronicles 14:7-Some folk don’t have joy. Judah sought God and God gave them rest and peace. If you keep running from one thing to the next (i.e. tarot cards, clairvoyants, and etc…), in the end, you will still end up needing rest.
c. God gives us revelation- 3Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. Jeremiah 33:3 -God says he will reveal things to you that you don’t know. You don’t know it all. When you read the word of God, you get information. Preaching is the proclamation. Proclamation is impartation that brings revelation. Revelation will give you illumination to show you where to go. If you never read the word yourself, you can’t get revelation. When you read the word, then you come to church, then you receive a word that brings forth revelation. We thank God for information, but we need revelation.
d. We receive understanding of his ways. 5Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things. Proverbs 28:5-Evil men don’t understand what is going on. When you stay with God, he will make you understand his ways. We have the word; God will make things make sense to you. If you don’t have God’s word you can’t understand that all things work together for your good. When you have God, you realize that God trusted you to go through whatever you are going through.
e. God gives us strength. 31But 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. Isaiah 40:31-You run out of drive and as a result you need renewal. If we will depend on God to work out our problems, we will be like a car that needs service. We will realize we can’t get service unless we are jacked up. You can’t be serviced while you are driving. Those people that have chosen to park and let God work on them will be made right again. They will be made stronger. They will mount up with wings like eagles. The strength of an eagle is in their wings. Eagles fly alone. Other birds fly to together. When other birds see a storm they run, but eagles run right into the storm to increase their strength.
f. Prosperity and provision. Prosperity is not tangible items. Prosperity is being in your assignment. 33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33-God will give you the things that you desire if you come after him first. 5And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.2 Chronicles 26:5 -As long as Uzziah sought God, God took care of him. We don’t understand why God allows things to happen, but we do know God is present when things don’t seem to go our way. We believe God is involved somewhere in this recession that we are going through today. Before we had gotten where we took God for granted. Now everyone is calling on God. As the prophet of God’s people, Bishop Walker says if we just back to him, he will give stuff back to us.
g. Security- 4One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. 5For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. Psalm 27:4-5-Dwell in the house of the Lord does not mean that we will be in a building. It means that we may be in the presence of God all the days of our life. In the time of trouble, God will hide us. God desires for us to seek him. He will seek those that will seek him. 23But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. John 4:23-When you worship God, it is more than going through the motions. Authentic worshippers are seeking God. Authentic worshippers want intimacy. Nobody has to force our hands up; they automatically go up, because we seek him. When we were kids, we knew how to call for our daddy. When we got tired of walking, we just reached for him. It was if we were saying, “Pick me up”! We were tired and couldn’t carry ourselves anymore. In the same manner, we have to reach for God, because we are weary and can’t carry ourselves. We are not concerned who is around us. We are saying we need him every hour.
3. When we seek the Lord:
a. Do it continually- 11Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.1 Chronicles 16:11-seek him continually, not just on Wednesdays or Sundays.
b. We seek God whole heartedly.-
c. We seek God diligently
Summing up Psalms 42:
Lord I am like the deer that pants for the water. My soul longs for you. I thirst for you Lord. When will you come for me I ask? My tears have been my food. I have all of these attacks and my enemies approach me and ask where you are. I have done all of this proclaiming for you and I can’t answer them while I am down myself. I look down at myself and I realize who I am and that you are the rock. What shall I do next? I gather myself and my countenance and realize that I refuse to look like my situation. I decide I want to look like what I am hoping God for. In my quiet place and with the solitude of my spirit, I stand and lift my hands and I decide that I will chase after you God. I lift my hands and I want everything I have to flow to you God. I am tired of people pulling from me and I declare that I need you to refill me. I surrender now and ask you to fill me. I have decided to chase after you God.

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Relationship Ready Part II, Bible Study 02/11/09

Posted on February 13, 2009 by growintheword

Relationship Ready Part II
“Intimacy” The man that meets the standard
Synopsis of Bible Study 02/11/09
Delivered by Bishop Walker III
THE MAN THAT MEETS THE STANDARD
18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. Gen 2:18 (KJV) God said it is not good for man to be alone. What kind of man was God talking about? It is the man that God has prepared. God prepared Adam before he presented Eve to him. God is saying for this kind of man, it not good for him to be alone. Men that have not be prepared by God or that are not walking with God are not the kind of men that God is saying shouldn’t be alone. God’s original intent was to have man at such a level that when he finds a woman, she worries that she is not at the level she should be in order to be with him.
God gives us guidelines as it relates to our conduct. Men don’t give into commitment as quickly as women so. God had Adam working the garden before Eve come on the scene. This was part of Adams preparation process. The first words Eve heard was “you’re it! (Referring to Adam calling her woman).The first words Adam heard was “get to work”.
What does a man look like that meets God’s standard?
I. Role of husband
Nobody taught men how to be husbands. We kind of just get put in this position and are expected to be good at it. If you didn’t have a great role-model in your home, it kind of becomes on the job training.
What is the role of this type of husband?
1. He is to leave his father and mother. 5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. Matt 19:5-6 (KJV) -He must leave that relationship of favor to go to another relationship (his relationship). He comes from under the influence of his parents to become head another relationship. He can’t be a dependant on his parents and be dependable in another family all at the same time. He must leave his parents and provide for his family. Men, every day you wake up in your momma’s house as a grown man, you shouldn’t feel right. You can’t be a momma’s boy. You have to cleave to your wife which means to join.
2. He is to cleave or be joined to his wife. He can’t make his wife compete with his mother. That’s why they have Mother’s day and Valentine’s Day. One is for the mother and one is for the wife. Cleave means to be cemented, glued, or adhered to. 23 Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. Acts 11:23 (KJV)
3. When we are cemented to God, we have to let go of some stuff. The same thing must happen in your relationship. When you enter into a relationship, you are saying that you are prepared to let go of other relationships. A man of God sticks with his wife of in all things.
4. He is to be head of his wife. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Eph 5:23 (KJV). The husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. According to the bible, there is no such thing as women’s lib. A man that is in proper relationship with God should be the head of the relationship. Some women are struggling with that issue right now even as they read this. Any man that is following Christ and whose life is in order should be submitted to by the woman. This is the order of God. This man should be able to love you into submission. In other words, his being into a proper relationship with God should make the wife want to be submissive to him.
5. The type of man considers his wife’s needs before his. He takes his headship with a dose of humility. He welcomes his wife’s opinion. In other words, they huddle up together when a problem is on the table. Even though the man is the quarterback, they realize that they are on the same team. The wife doesn’t bump heads with the man. There can’t be two heads. Remember anything with two heads is a monster, but understand you are nothing without your neck.
6. He is to honor his wife. 7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. 1 Peter 3:7 (KJV) -there are many woman who are taken for granted. We have to stop taking women for granted. You have to literally honor your spouse. When you walk in, she ought to illuminate. Honor her not in just what you say, but in what you do. She is the weaker vessel. This means she should be honored as a piece of china instead of everyday stoneware. You got to know whether you have fine china or not. You should know the difference between fine china and Tupperware.
a. Remember that she is an heir to the grace of life. Whatever God is going to do through you will affect her too. She is an heir to your blessings. How can your wife not be included in your blessing, when you are supposed to be one flesh? God says if you don’t treat your wife right, he won’t listen to your prayers. Just think, of all the men your wife could have chosen and she chose to be with you.
7. He is to dwell with his wife with understanding. We should understand our woman, even though they don’t’ quite understand themselves sometimes. You will never totally understand a woman, but if you have comprehensive understanding of your relationship you can be understanding of your spouse. Ginosko is a Greek word that means to take knowledge of. We must understand that even if we disagree, we have an understanding of this thing.
8. He is to provide for her physical needs. 8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. 1 Tim 5:7-8 (KJV)
9. A man is wired to take of his woman or his wife. God gave this to Adam in the garden. Afterwards he gave Adam a wife. We are naturally wired to provide. Even if you think they are not providing, because they owe you child support, they are providing. It might be their house and not yours, but they do provide. We are trained to survive. That is who we are as men. We are wired to take care of things. A godly man takes care of things in his household. Ex- Remember in college or school, it would always be some guy saying, “Can I buy you lunch or can I get that for you?”A godly man is thinking that one day you want have to work unless you just want to work. This is what a godly man desires.
10. Provides for her sexual needs- 1 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. 3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. 4 The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. 1 Cor 7:1-4 (KJV)-(NIW) We have to be willing to give our benevolence. Men, it is your duty to have to meet your wife’s sexual needs. You think that the simple act of intercourse is meeting her needs totally, but this is not. You have to meet her needs in the following other ways to:
a. Emotional needs-Men can be involved with a sexual act and cut off our emotions after the conclusions. We are not wired with emotions. To minster to your wife it is important to communicate with her too. Men just want to go straight to the Promised Land and not journey through the wilderness. You got to go through the wilderness. Women want to talk before sex. Men want to talk during the sex! This is how men are wired. For men it’s about ego (tell me I am the greatest). A Woman wants you to hold them after sex. Ex-If you get Tupperware you can get a napkin and a plastic fork and eat just about anywhere, but when you have fine china you got to set the table.
b. Intellectual needs. Men must meet the woman’s intellectual needs as well. We must be able to talk about the economy, or the stimulus package, etc… The biggest window of the enemy is the lack of intellectual conversation. In the garden, Adam wasn’t talking to Eve and as a result a snake came around and starting talking. Bad things can’t happen when the husband does not communicate with the wife.
c. Spiritual needs-we (the woman and the man) are joint heirs in the grace of life. The woman needs a man than can bring the family to church and lead the household in prayer. Men, you have got to be the pastor of your house. (i.e. Many men have problems because their wife is always coming home and saying, Bishop Walker said this or that… The truth is, Bishop Walker or any Pastor’s name should not be mentioned more in the household than the man of the house. If the man is the Pastor of the house, it won’t be).
11. He is to truly love his wife 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. Eph 5:25-33 (KJV)
12. Must play the role of the father. Every man needs to know how to be a father. But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. 9 Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man, 1 Tim 5:8-9 (KJV)-he has to provide, teach the kids, and etc…
4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Eph 6:3-4 (KJV);
8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. 9 Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man, 1 Tim 5:8-9 (KJV);
a. A father shouldn’t be shame of punishing the kids. 5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. Heb 12:4-6 (KJV) God loves you so much he wipes your tears and chastens you. Therefore, a good man will chasten his children, because he loves them.24 He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes Prov 13:24 (KJV); 24 He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes Prov 13:24 (KJV); 18 Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying. Prov 19:18 (KJV). There is something about a man’s voice in the house that will alter the way a child acts.
b. The man is supposed to be the spiritual leader in the home.
10 things that indicate a good man
1. Needs to know how to be friends. You can take a look a guy’s friends and find out about his character.
2. Must have faith. A good man is one that is full of the word.
3. Must be faithful. A man that is full of God will be faithful.
4. Must believe in fidelity. If a man has faith he will believe in fidelity. Most women think all men cheat and spend a majority of their time trying to keep their mate from cheating.
5. Must be focused. A good man is aimed at something. He has a job that has an address, he is going to school, is gainfully employed, and etc…
6. Must like to have fun. Even though a man is driven, he likes to have fun. This is important in a relationship. Can’t be serious all the time.
7. Must know how to handle his finances. A woman ought to observe how her man handles the money he makes. How can a woman feel secure, when she is worrying if the bills will be paid or not.
8. Must value fitness. A good man tries to eat right and he is assisted because his wife cooks and he doesn’t have to go out and eat. He tries to exercise or go to the gym.
9. He believes in family. He values being in a family. A woman ought to watch how her mate treats his mom. This will give a hint on how he might treat you.
10. He has a future. He has things lined up. You can look at his life and tell he has a future.

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