Keep God First

Keep God's Temple in Good Shape

- by Joyce Meyer

Until I turned sixty-four, I’d never exercised consistently or took it seriously. I had walked and done a few things to stay in decent shape, but I was not dedicated to exercise. I had reached into my excuse bag many times over the years and come up with all kinds of “reasons” I could not exercise. But the Lord spoke to my heart, encouraging me to begin a serious workout program so I could be strong for the last third of my journey through life.

I already had good eating habits, and when I obeyed the Lord and started going to the gym several times a week, I stepped into a new season of life. I looked better, felt better, and most importantly, I was honoring God by taking good care of the body He gave me.

If you have room for improvement in this area, pray and ask God what you should do to start living a healthier lifestyle. The Word says that our bodies are temples of God. And I want to make sure that God likes His temple! Today, make the choice to keep your temple in excellent shape for God.

Jesse Duplantis All You've Got To Do Is Ask ( NEW MESSAGE )

What We Believe

The Scriptures

The Bible is the inspired Word of God, the product of holy men of old who spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. The new Covenant, as recorded in the New Testament, we accept as our infallible guide in matters pertaining to conduct and doctrine (2Tim. 3:16; 1Thess. 2:13; 2Peter 1:21).

The Godhead

Our God is one, but manifested in three persons—the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, being co-equal (Phil. 2:6). God the Father is greater than all; the Source of the Word (Logos) and the Begetter (John 14:28; John 16:28; John 1:14). The Son is the Word flesh-covered, the One Begotten, and has existed with the Father from the beginning (John 1:1; John 1:14; John 1:18). The Holy Spirit proceeds forth from both the Father and the Son and is eternal (John 15:26).

Man, His Fall, and Redemption

Man is a created being made in the likeness and the image of God, but through Adam’s transgression and fall, sin came into the world. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God…” (Rom. 3:23) and “As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one…” (Rom. 3:10). Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was manifested to undo the work of the devil and He gave His life and shed His blood to restore man back to God (Rom. 3:23; 1John 3:8). Salvation is the gift of God to man, separate from works and the law, and is made operative by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, producing works acceptable to God (Eph. 2:8).

Eternal Life and New Birth

Man’s first step toward salvation is godly sorrow that produces repentance. The new birth is necessary to all men, and when fulfilled, produces eternal life (2Cor. 7:10; 1John 5:12; John 3:3-5).

Water Baptism

Baptism in water by immersion, is a direct commandment of our Lord, and is for believers only. The ordinance is a symbol of the Christian’s identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection (Matt. 28:19; Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12; Acts 8:36-39).

Baptism In The Holy Ghost

The Baptism in the Holy Ghost and fire is a gift from God as promised by the Lord Jesus Christ to all believers in this dispensation and is received subsequent to the new birth. This experience is accompanied by the initial evidence of the speaking in other tongues as the Holy Spirit Himself gives utterance (Matt. 3:11; John 14:16,17; Acts 1:8; Act 19:1-7; Acts 2:4).

Sanctification

The Bible teaches that without holiness, no man can see the Lord. We believe in the Doctrine of Sanctification as a definite, yet progressive work of grace, commencing at the time of regeneration and continuing until the consummation of salvation (Heb. 12:14; 1Thess. 5:23; 2Peter 3:18; 2Cor. 3:18; Phil. 3:12-14; 1Cor. 1:30).

Divine Healing

Healing is for the physical ills of the human body and is wrought by the power of God through the prayer of faith, and by the laying on of hands. It is provided for in the atonement of Christ, and is the privilege of every member of the Church today (Mark 16:18; James 5:14-16; 1Peter 2:24; Matt. 8:17; Isa. 53:4-5).

Resurrection of the Just and the Return of Our Lord

The angels said, “…this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11). His coming is imminent. When He comes, “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: 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.” (1Thess. 4:16,17). Following the tribulation, He shall  return to earth as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords and together with His saints, who shall be kings and priests, He shall reign a thousand years  (Rev. 20:6).

Hell and Eternal Retribution

The one who physically dies in his sin without Christ is hopelessly and eternally lost in the Lake of Fire, and therefore, has no further opportunity of hearing the Gospel or repenting. The Lake of Fire is literal. The terms “eternal” and “everlasting” used in describing the duration of the punishment of the damned in the Lake of Fire, carry the same thought and meaning of endless existence as used in denoting the duration of joy and ecstasy of saints in the presence of God (Heb. 9:27; Rev. 19:20).

Kenneth Copeland Ministries Featuring: Miracles on the Mountain and Just Do It

If you need a healing touch from God, you won’t want to miss this opportunity to gather in an atmosphere of faith, signs and wonders! Receive your healing at Miracles on the Mountain, February 16-17, 2018 at Eagle Mountain International Church. Admission is FREE. Register Now at http://www.kcm.org/miracles18

Just Do It

Kenneth Copeland

And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.

Luke 13:14

Religion is dangerous. Religion would rather debate about healing than see somebody healed. Religion would rather argue about deliverance than see someone set free.

You can see an example of that in Luke 13. Jesus healed a woman who had been bowed over for 18 years. Think of it, a dear old woman—a daughter of Abraham Jesus called her—set free after being bound by the devil for nearly two decades. You'd think the temple rulers would have been rejoicing at what Jesus had done. But, no! They were angry because He'd done it on the wrong day.

Do you know what's worse? Those very same religious leaders who criticized Jesus for healing on the Sabbath could have ministered healing to that woman themselves on any of the other six days of the week if they'd cared enough to do it.

That's why Jesus was so indignant with them. They had the same covenant of Abraham that Jesus was ministering on. But their religion had kept that woman bound instead of setting her free. It always does.

Remember that next time someone tries to get you sidetracked into a religious debate about healing or deliverance. If someone needs to be delivered from a demon, just do it! Don't get all hung up on theological questions about where the demon is.

"Is it in his body? Or his brain? Or his spirit? Or his pocket?" While you're arguing about questions like that, the demon will be driving the poor guy up the wall.

The question isn't, "Where is the demon?" The question is, "Why haven't we gotten this man delivered? He's our blood brother in the Name of Jesus and he ought to be free!"

Once you start asking that question, you won't care whether that demon is inside or outside, hovering over or sitting under. All you'll care about is getting that person free!

That's the difference between religion and the love of God. Religion argues. Love acts. Choose love today.

Scripture Reading:

Luke 13:11-17

Joseph Prince Featuring: God goes before you, and He's got your back too. And Why we can worship even when life’s not great

Feel like you're living in a cold world where every man's for himself? Watch to see how you don't have to fend for yourself, or feel unprotected, vulnerable and alone. See how you've a God Who's gone before you into each day, and who watches your back too. Always. Decibel.one: A digital magazine and online channel by Joseph Prince Ministries. Check us out at www.decibel.one for more grace-centered content.

From Decibel.one....

Why we can worship even when life’s not greatComments

Have you ever stood in a worship session at church, your lips mouthing the words to the songs, but your mind distracted by a gazillion problems you’re facing?

Maybe it went something like this: “I’ve had such an awful week. I’m really tired and I just can’t sing.” Or, when you’re really in the pits: “My life is falling apart. My marriage is just beyond saving. It’s been six months and I’m still unemployed. I need help…”

But here’s why we can worship the Lord even when life’s not great: We can trust that His lovingkindness will prevail, and we will triumph and overcome through Him (His Word says so—check out Psalm 117, AMP).

This really happened to David, the beloved psalmist of Israel who was best known for his sweet times of worship. Whether in times of great fear, utter dejection, or deep heartbreak—as David worshipped the Lord, He healed his heart and turned his situations around.

At one of the lowest points of David’s life, when he was hiding in a cave after feigning madness in front of an enemy king to save his own skin, he sang: “I sought the Lord, and He heard me and delivered me from all my fears.” (Psalm 34:4) By the end of Psalm 34, David is so convinced of the Lord’s goodness: “The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles.” (Ps. 34:17, NLT)

In fact, about four hundred men in distress, discontent, and debt had gathered to him in that cave. As they saw David visibly restored with hope, they were restored too. They eventually became his mighty men, who did great exploits!

And in David’s old age, when his own son Absalom tried to usurp his throne, he sang these words, likely in tears—“But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head.” (Psalm 3:3–4) He didn’t have the heart to send his troops against his son. But God fought on his behalf—He allowed someone in Absalom’s camp to give him unsound advice, thereby foiling his coup.

It’s not that we worship the Lord to get something from Him—but rather, as we magnify His beauty, great power and compassion for us through anointed songs of worship—our problems can’t help but become smaller, and faith rises in our hearts to believe for our breakthroughs.

Today, we can worship the Lord with words like “What a beautiful Name it is / The name of Jesus” (What A Beautiful Name, Hillsong Worship). Words like, “Oh, my soul / You are not alone / There’s a place where fear has to face the God you know” (Oh My Soul, Casting Crowns) for the fearful times. And words like, “You took my sin / The just for the unjust / You made me yours / Through Your redeeming blood” (Finished, New Creation Worship), when you need to be reminded of the Lord’s finished work.

All these songs (and many more) can be found in Decibel’s very own playlists on Spotify! We hope they’ll encourage you no matter what your journey with the Lord currently looks like. We’ve got songs for the bad days, those that proclaim God’s grace, that speaks of His finished work, and that envelop you with your Abba Father’s love.

We pray that these tunes will help you usher in the sweet presence of the Lord, anytime, anywhere. Share them and this article with a friend! And let us know about your favorite worship song (and why) in the comments 

Sarah G

Sarah was headed for a career in the newsroom, before God opened the doors for her to be a writer at Joseph Prince Ministries. She now puts out the greatest news of all—the gospel of grace which has transformed countless lives, and continues to do so. She enjoys long walks in nature, and is interested in hearing your story.

Creflo Dollar Ministries Recent Services and Programs and Abundant Life to the Fullest

Abundant Life to the Fullest

by Creflo Dollar

We all have choices to make concerning our lifestyle, and there are plenty of influences around us that can affect our decisions. We may see others “living large,” and possibly feel a twinge of envy that they seem to have everything. However, not every lifestyle is beneficial, and bad decisions made in our present can negatively impact our future. In order to avoid regrets later, the wisest course of action is to pattern our lives according to biblical principles.
Not everything is what it seems; an extravagant or lascivious lifestyle we witness today could be totally swept away tomorrow. If we are to see things as they really are, we need godly wisdom to help us make the right choices. “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you” (James 1:5, NIV). When we make our decisions based on God’s advice instead of what we see around us, we avoid making painful mistakes.
Life is precious, and it has been given to us as a gift. As free moral agents, we can choose for ourselves how to live it, but having a right to do something doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the right thing to do. Keeping ourselves pure from evil influences isn’t always easy, but it benefits us in the long run. “How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word” (Psalm 119:9, NIV). Situations around us can change from good to bad in the blink of an eye, but relying on the Word of God keeps us safe.
Sometimes things that happen can make us feel discouraged, but there’s always something for which to be thankful and grateful. Even if maintaining a positive attitude generates criticism from others, there’s always a chance that our attitude can provide hope and encouragement for someone else. This is one way God can use us to reach people who may be hurting and needing help. “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:11, NIV). Our speech is powerful, and it can affect others as well as ourselves for either good or bad.
Displaying godly behavior is impossible without first getting our minds right. Allowing the wrong thoughts to enter into our minds, and dwelling on those thoughts, causes us to think wrong. The apostle Paul advised the church at Philippi on which thoughts to reject and which ones to embrace, and we can benefit from that same advice. “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you” (Philippians 4:8, 9). Right-thinking is accompanied by peace of mind.
Conducting ourselves according to what we see others do may be fun for a while but, ultimately, it drains the joy out of life for us. God doesn’t want us to struggle; His will for us is exceedingly good. “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10, NLT). We succeed when we trust God fully.

Joel Osteen Recent Messages Featuring: It's Already Set Up - Joel Osteen

When God laid out the plan for your life, He lined up everything you need to fulfill your destiny—every good break, person, solution and healing. God is not only strategically directing your steps, He’s orchestrating everything around you and has everything lined up. This message will help you stay in peace knowing you don’t have to force the doors in your life to open. You don’t have to make certain people like you. God will place the right people in your life who are supposed to be there. If you’ll stay in faith and not let negative voices and situations talk you out of it, you’re going to come in to what God has already set up. You won’t have to go after it, it will come after you. This is message #751, "It's Already Set Up" by Joel Osteen. For more inspirational messages, visit https://www.JoelOsteen.com/Messages.