From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Friends with benefits (FWB) is an agreement between two people who are both friends and physically attracted to one another to have a sexual relationship. Neither party is considered committed to the other, and both can start dating someone else at any time with no prior warning. A friends with benefits arrangement is not considered dating, a relationship, or even casual dating by most people who use the term.
As Christians, we have a friend with benefits relationship. We are in agreement with this person and we are attracted to one another. But unlike the world’s definition, we have both an emotional and relational permanence in this relationship that is eternal.
Psalm 103 says we are not to forget the benefits of our friend:
He forgives all our sins (vs 3), He heals all our diseases, He redeems us from the pit (vs 4), He crowns us with faithful love and compassion, He satisfies us with goodness (vs 5), He executes righteousness and justice for all the oppressed (vs 6), He is slow to anger and full of faithful love (vs 8). But from eternity to eternity His faithful love is toward those who fear Him (vs17)
Who is this Friend with Benefits? God is. He calls us friend (John 15:14). We are the apple of His eye (Zechariah 2:8). He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 15:5b). He loves us with an eternal love (Psalm 103:17). You know what; I’ll take this friend with benefits, how about you?
That’s It Right There!!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Do You Have Your Praise Ready? Joy Comes in the Morning
Excerpts from Scott Hicks-The Prophetic Ministry of Scott Hicks-Email: mailto:info@scotthicks.org?subject=Inquiry%20from%20ElijahList%20Subscriber
Psalm 30:5 says, "For His anger endureth but a moment; in His favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."
Yes, it's dark now when you lift your head long enough to look at your surroundings. Have you taken the time to notice that things look just the same at 11:59 PM as they do at 12:00 AM? Joy comes in the morning! Many things instantly happen in a split second (a twinkling of an eye) during the midnight hour. An old day dies and a new day is birthed. Yesterday is gone and tomorrow has arrived. The date changes from past to present.
Acts 16:25-26 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed.
Scripture tells us at midnight they began praising...but we know at 11:59 PM they were figuring out which song they were going to sing once tomorrow came! Do you have your praise ready? In a few seconds midnight will be here and it will be a new day! It will still be dark outside and you may still be wearing some old chains, but Joy comes in the morning.
It is interesting enough that in Genesis, the creation account says over and over "...and the evening and the morning were the first day...and the evening and the morning were the second day...and the evening and the morning were the third day...and the evening and the morning were the fourth day...and the evening and the morning were the fifth day...and the evening and the morning were the sixth day...and on the seventh day He rested..."It never says from sun up to sun up was the day...from evening when it's dark until morning is the day!
It may be dark outside my friends, but Joy comes in the morning! He's calling us to come in and shut the door. Still Worshipping,
THATS IT RIGHT THERE!!!!
Psalm 30:5 says, "For His anger endureth but a moment; in His favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."
Yes, it's dark now when you lift your head long enough to look at your surroundings. Have you taken the time to notice that things look just the same at 11:59 PM as they do at 12:00 AM? Joy comes in the morning! Many things instantly happen in a split second (a twinkling of an eye) during the midnight hour. An old day dies and a new day is birthed. Yesterday is gone and tomorrow has arrived. The date changes from past to present.
Acts 16:25-26 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed.
Scripture tells us at midnight they began praising...but we know at 11:59 PM they were figuring out which song they were going to sing once tomorrow came! Do you have your praise ready? In a few seconds midnight will be here and it will be a new day! It will still be dark outside and you may still be wearing some old chains, but Joy comes in the morning.
It is interesting enough that in Genesis, the creation account says over and over "...and the evening and the morning were the first day...and the evening and the morning were the second day...and the evening and the morning were the third day...and the evening and the morning were the fourth day...and the evening and the morning were the fifth day...and the evening and the morning were the sixth day...and on the seventh day He rested..."It never says from sun up to sun up was the day...from evening when it's dark until morning is the day!
It may be dark outside my friends, but Joy comes in the morning! He's calling us to come in and shut the door. Still Worshipping,
THATS IT RIGHT THERE!!!!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Are You Ready for Meat?
When I was little, my family, like many then and much more now, had little money and resources to provide a full meal everyday for dinner. Mom, being the ingenious budget manager and food stretcher, would devise ways of making the meals stretch. One day in a moment of revelation, mom had us eat our food in stages. The first would be a little salad with homemade dressing (a little ketchup and mayonnaise mixed up), a little starch (rice or beans or both) to make you feel full and then whatever small amount of meat she could muster up from the pennies she had left.
As always, her three children would clamor for the meat portion of the dinner before eating the first three stages and mom would say, are you ready for the meat? She knew it was best for us to go through the first stages of the meal in order to be completely satisfied at the end of the meal with the portion of meat we were served.
With the many requests/petitions we make before the Lord in prayer, we clamor for our hearts desires (the meat) and many times God has to ask us, “are you ready for the meat?” We haven’t even partaken of the first stages of life in Christ before we want more. Have we hungered after the sincere milk of the Word (1 Peter 2:2), have we been ravenous for wisdom so we speak the truth to others. (James 1:5).
When we move from being a babe only needing milk (Hebrews 5:12-13) then and only then can God trust that we are mature (full enough) to receive the meat (Hebrews 5:14) and be satisfied enough to offering a meat offering (Leviticus 2:7-9) of a life pleasing to Him.
That’s It Right There!!
As always, her three children would clamor for the meat portion of the dinner before eating the first three stages and mom would say, are you ready for the meat? She knew it was best for us to go through the first stages of the meal in order to be completely satisfied at the end of the meal with the portion of meat we were served.
With the many requests/petitions we make before the Lord in prayer, we clamor for our hearts desires (the meat) and many times God has to ask us, “are you ready for the meat?” We haven’t even partaken of the first stages of life in Christ before we want more. Have we hungered after the sincere milk of the Word (1 Peter 2:2), have we been ravenous for wisdom so we speak the truth to others. (James 1:5).
When we move from being a babe only needing milk (Hebrews 5:12-13) then and only then can God trust that we are mature (full enough) to receive the meat (Hebrews 5:14) and be satisfied enough to offering a meat offering (Leviticus 2:7-9) of a life pleasing to Him.
That’s It Right There!!
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Praying with Authority
This was such a power practical piece I thought it would be worth sharing in its entirety by Charles F. Stanley.
Think about all the scriptural promises God has given about answered prayer. How many do we claim on a daily basis? Too often, we choose instead to complain about our needs and problems. We tiptoe around the throne room of God, afraid to ask what we really want.
God doesn’t want us going through life with attitudes of fear and doubt, wondering if He will do anything about our requests. He has given us a spirit of power, not one of timidity (2 Tim. 1:7). Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Because of our position in Christ, we can pray with authority, believing that the Father will answer our prayers. We will never accomplish what God wants us to do––such as live holy lives or take the gospel to the unsaved––until we learn to go to Him, claiming the power He has granted us.
However, this authority does not give us license to make demands of the Lord. We are to approach the throne of grace boldly, but with a deep sense of humility. A humble person knows that he or she cannot tell God what to do. In actuality, we are crying out in desperation for Him to intervene in our circumstances.
Praying with authority is essential if we are to participate with God in accomplishing His purposes here on earth. There are five prerequisites for going to God with a sense of authority:
1) Salvation. We must have a genuine personal relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ. Since our authority is based on our position in Christ, we must be in Him to receive it.
2) God’s thoughts (1 Cor. 2:11-12). The Bible shows us God’s thoughts expressed in human vocabulary. The more we saturate our minds with Scripture, the more His thoughts and attitudes will become ours. In the Word, we can find basic principles for handling any circumstance we face.
As a result, it becomes easier for us to know His will and have confidence that He is on our side. If we are praying in agreement with God about something, we also know it is just a matter of time until He answers.
It’s also a good idea to look for a prayer recorded in Scripture that goes along with your particular problem or need. Put it in your own words. Then see how God answered that prayer in the life of the one who prayed it. Remember that the same God who met the needs of those people is able to meet your needs too.
3) Pure hearts. This means we must confess and repent of any known sin. God will not trust His power to anyone who isn’t submitted to His purpose—sin will render our prayers ineffective.
Often, Satan will try to use sin against us when we pray. He wants us to feel guilty and unworthy. But it is the righteousness of Christ that allows us access to the Father. It is a righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith (Phil. 3:9). So once sin has been properly dealt with, we should forget it.
4) Pure motives. We must know in our hearts that we are praying according to God’s will, not according to our own selfish desires and justified by an inappropriate use of Scripture.
However, not every personal request is selfish. The key is to have committed our lives to God before we start praying. When the Father knows we want His purpose accomplished more than what we are requesting, He can trust us with His power.
5) Persistent confidence. Many times we pray fervently for a while, but then we lose interest and say, “Well, I guess it wasn’t God’s will.” If we really believe we are interceding in alignment with the Lord’s heart, then why should we give up before we see an answer? If we are to petition the Father with authority, we must lay aside excuses and continue until we see victory.
Praying with confidence is a matter of claiming that which has already been bought and paid for by Christ at Calvary. When we intercede with the authority God gave us, we will see our prayers become the powerful tools they were meant to be. Our lives and the lives of those around us will be changed. His authority has been promised. Now we must decide whether or not to pay the price necessary to make it a part of our lives.
Adapted from “Handle with Prayer” (1992).
Thats it Right There!!!
Think about all the scriptural promises God has given about answered prayer. How many do we claim on a daily basis? Too often, we choose instead to complain about our needs and problems. We tiptoe around the throne room of God, afraid to ask what we really want.
God doesn’t want us going through life with attitudes of fear and doubt, wondering if He will do anything about our requests. He has given us a spirit of power, not one of timidity (2 Tim. 1:7). Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Because of our position in Christ, we can pray with authority, believing that the Father will answer our prayers. We will never accomplish what God wants us to do––such as live holy lives or take the gospel to the unsaved––until we learn to go to Him, claiming the power He has granted us.
However, this authority does not give us license to make demands of the Lord. We are to approach the throne of grace boldly, but with a deep sense of humility. A humble person knows that he or she cannot tell God what to do. In actuality, we are crying out in desperation for Him to intervene in our circumstances.
Praying with authority is essential if we are to participate with God in accomplishing His purposes here on earth. There are five prerequisites for going to God with a sense of authority:
1) Salvation. We must have a genuine personal relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ. Since our authority is based on our position in Christ, we must be in Him to receive it.
2) God’s thoughts (1 Cor. 2:11-12). The Bible shows us God’s thoughts expressed in human vocabulary. The more we saturate our minds with Scripture, the more His thoughts and attitudes will become ours. In the Word, we can find basic principles for handling any circumstance we face.
As a result, it becomes easier for us to know His will and have confidence that He is on our side. If we are praying in agreement with God about something, we also know it is just a matter of time until He answers.
It’s also a good idea to look for a prayer recorded in Scripture that goes along with your particular problem or need. Put it in your own words. Then see how God answered that prayer in the life of the one who prayed it. Remember that the same God who met the needs of those people is able to meet your needs too.
3) Pure hearts. This means we must confess and repent of any known sin. God will not trust His power to anyone who isn’t submitted to His purpose—sin will render our prayers ineffective.
Often, Satan will try to use sin against us when we pray. He wants us to feel guilty and unworthy. But it is the righteousness of Christ that allows us access to the Father. It is a righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith (Phil. 3:9). So once sin has been properly dealt with, we should forget it.
4) Pure motives. We must know in our hearts that we are praying according to God’s will, not according to our own selfish desires and justified by an inappropriate use of Scripture.
However, not every personal request is selfish. The key is to have committed our lives to God before we start praying. When the Father knows we want His purpose accomplished more than what we are requesting, He can trust us with His power.
5) Persistent confidence. Many times we pray fervently for a while, but then we lose interest and say, “Well, I guess it wasn’t God’s will.” If we really believe we are interceding in alignment with the Lord’s heart, then why should we give up before we see an answer? If we are to petition the Father with authority, we must lay aside excuses and continue until we see victory.
Praying with confidence is a matter of claiming that which has already been bought and paid for by Christ at Calvary. When we intercede with the authority God gave us, we will see our prayers become the powerful tools they were meant to be. Our lives and the lives of those around us will be changed. His authority has been promised. Now we must decide whether or not to pay the price necessary to make it a part of our lives.
Adapted from “Handle with Prayer” (1992).
Thats it Right There!!!
Friday, September 11, 2009
Pastor Lawrence Pointer on the Word for the Day
Family and Friends:
ANNOUNCING******Pastor Lawrence Pointer of New Jerusalem LIfe Covenant Church in Palos Heights, IL will be featured on Chicagoland's gospel radio station Inspiration 1390 during their daily segment: Word for the Day. Please listen on radio station 1390 am in Chicago at 9:15am and 6:15pm Central time Monday-Friday starting September 14, 2009. If you are unable to listen to it on the radio you can also access it on demand on the web at www.inspiration1390.com.
Please join the congregation of New Jerusalem Life Covenant Church in supporting this wonderful servant of God as he shares God's word through the radio and internet.
Also, if by chance you are in the Chicagoland area, please join us at our next Focus of the Family Wednesdays, September 23, 2009 at New Jerusalem Life Covenant Church (in the Chicago Christian High School), 12001 S. Oak Park Avenue, Palos Heights, IL 60463 from 7 to 8:30 a.m. We have something for the whole family. Its not about church membership its about coming together for a night of fun. The adults are reviewing the movie "300". Come find out how this is relevent to your everyday life. Our featured vocalist for the evening will be recording artist and Inspiration 1390 Peace Jam Contest Winner, Kevon Carter.
Thats it Right There!!!
ANNOUNCING******Pastor Lawrence Pointer of New Jerusalem LIfe Covenant Church in Palos Heights, IL will be featured on Chicagoland's gospel radio station Inspiration 1390 during their daily segment: Word for the Day. Please listen on radio station 1390 am in Chicago at 9:15am and 6:15pm Central time Monday-Friday starting September 14, 2009. If you are unable to listen to it on the radio you can also access it on demand on the web at www.inspiration1390.com.
Please join the congregation of New Jerusalem Life Covenant Church in supporting this wonderful servant of God as he shares God's word through the radio and internet.
Also, if by chance you are in the Chicagoland area, please join us at our next Focus of the Family Wednesdays, September 23, 2009 at New Jerusalem Life Covenant Church (in the Chicago Christian High School), 12001 S. Oak Park Avenue, Palos Heights, IL 60463 from 7 to 8:30 a.m. We have something for the whole family. Its not about church membership its about coming together for a night of fun. The adults are reviewing the movie "300". Come find out how this is relevent to your everyday life. Our featured vocalist for the evening will be recording artist and Inspiration 1390 Peace Jam Contest Winner, Kevon Carter.
Thats it Right There!!!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Wrestle with God
Pastor Lawrence Pointer said: Are you ready to receive your blessing? Seek God, live by faith only, and position yourself to receive it and in order to do this you have wrestle with God!
In Genesis 32:24-32, Jacob held on to the angel (God) until He blessed him even through a hip injury. So, wrestle with God until you receive your blessing. Don't give up. Be like Jacob, wrestle with God until you are blessed- Through pain, heartaches, through issues, circumstances, until what God told you manifests. Then receive it in praise!!!
Thats it right there!!!
In Genesis 32:24-32, Jacob held on to the angel (God) until He blessed him even through a hip injury. So, wrestle with God until you receive your blessing. Don't give up. Be like Jacob, wrestle with God until you are blessed- Through pain, heartaches, through issues, circumstances, until what God told you manifests. Then receive it in praise!!!
Thats it right there!!!
Friday, August 14, 2009
Pour the Oil
Pastor Smokie Norful said today on his radio show, shut the door to your haters-Those who cannot understand the vision. Everyone can be your partner or support but not everyone would partner or support you if they heard your vision. Sometimes the vision is to be revealed to you only.
God gave the vision/plan to you. Write your plan from God, work your plan "in faith only" (Pastor Lawrence Pointer quote), and don't give up even though you don't see it yourself at first.
As you stand in faith, position yourself to receive the abundance of God. Like the mother with the oil in 2 Kings 4:1-7, don’t grab little jars for yourself, get big jars to fill and in faith, pour the oil and watch the provision never run dry.
Thats it right there!!
God gave the vision/plan to you. Write your plan from God, work your plan "in faith only" (Pastor Lawrence Pointer quote), and don't give up even though you don't see it yourself at first.
As you stand in faith, position yourself to receive the abundance of God. Like the mother with the oil in 2 Kings 4:1-7, don’t grab little jars for yourself, get big jars to fill and in faith, pour the oil and watch the provision never run dry.
Thats it right there!!
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