Join Us for a 30-Day Turnaround Devotional Journey, October 1-30!
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You Have Inheritance Now!
In Christ, you are a son or daughter of God! You are part of the largest, most loving, most stable family that has ever existed! God wants to relate to you as a life-giving, loving Father.
In our broken world, families can become broken. People who love you can't always do for you what they want. God's family cannot be broken. In God's family, you are an heir and you gain an inheritance that includes blessings today and eternal life forever.
Nine Blessings from Jesus, Your "Turnaround Specialist"
Luke 4:16 So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” 20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
At his "home church" in Nazareth, Jesus did something that he and other young men had done countless numbers of times: He stood to read from the Holy Scriptures. They gave him the scroll (or book) of Isaiah the prophet. On that day, knowing his purpose and under the inspiration of God, "He found the place," Isaiah 61, and read the words shown above.
In your life, there comes a time when routine is replaced by clear purpose. There comes a time when all the training and good habits turn your life around and point you towards your destiny.
Jesus fulfilled destiny and became the "Turnaround Specialist" on that day when he said, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Isaiah's prophecy and the fulfilling of that prophecy by Jesus' life, death, and resurrection activated major blessings:
"Good news to the poor" - You don't have to stay poor.
"Heal the brokenhearted" - Replace disappointment with hope and full joy
"Liberty to the captives" - No more being "stuck" in negative conditions.
"Recovery of sight to the blind" - Clear vision so you can move forward
"Set at liberty those who are oppressed" - Lift and break all cruel forces
"Proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord" - Bring the "Jubilee" everyday, which was an unconditional release from all debts and restoration of things lost.
Isaiah 61:2-3 adds the following blessings:
"Beauty for ashes" - Make something good come out of the worse situations.
"Oil of joy for mourning" - Replace your sorrow over loss with joy that flows.
"Garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness" - Clothe you with the power of praise.
Look at all your Turnaround Specialist has provided! Receive it, turnaround, and share it!
__________
Listen to message: "Jesus the Turnaround Specialist"
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Your Constant Companion
I am easily managed, you must merely be firm with me. Show me exactly how you want something done. After a few lessons I will do it automatically. I am the servant of all great people, and alas, of all failures as well. Those who are great, I have made great. And those who are failures, I have made failures.
I am not a machine but I work with all the precision of a machine plus the intelligence of a person. You may run me for profit or run me for ruin, it makes no difference to me. Take me, train me, be firm with me and I will lay the work at your feet. Be easy with me and I will destroy you.
Who am I? I am called habit. Habit is my name.
(Author unknown)
Are We Helping others or Helping Ourselves?
Are we helping others and edifying Christ's church or only "helping ourselves" at the expense of others and Christ's church?
Remember the words of our Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 16:18-19, "And I also say to you that you are Peter [whose name meant "small pebble"], and on this rock [large stone] I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
True authority comes from building on rock of Christ, and operating under spiritual authority. Jesus is building His church, not your individual ministry. Everything else is just "selfish ambition or conceit," regardless of the good intentions.
Grace In, Grace Out
1 Corinthians 15:10, But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
There is a saying among computer programmers that describes the quality of a program: "Garbage in, garbage out." The computer program, or the output it produces, is only as good as the code and input provided.
The little experience I've had doing computer programming surely confirmed that reality! My experience also makes me appreciate the seemingly superhuman effort that goes into writing extraordinarily complex and useful programs like Adobe Photoshop or Final Cut Pro.
Most of all, I appreciate the supernatural and empowering qualities of the grace of God! Grace is more than favor and lovingkindness. God's grace is "operational power." Grace is everything God has and He makes available to you, from salvation to your special gifts and talents.
The only question is this: What are doing with the grace of God on your life? Paul clearly stated that God did not wastes any grace on him. He credited the grace of God for empowering him effectively serve Christ.
Do this today and everyday: Receive 100% of God's grace and give 100% of your grace-empowered life back to Him.
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