A message that blesses and brings healing to my soul.
This devotion and similar teachings have brought so much healing to my heart. I'm so glad I was introduced to Andrew Wommack;s ministry, and that lead me to Barry Bennett. I have learned so much from both of them, and I'm getting my life back. I hope this post blesses anyone reading it as much as it does me.
Don’t be hard headed!
The thief does not come, except to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)
How often I hear Christians attribute sickness, loss and tragedy to God? Jesus came to give abundant life, but many of His people refuse the gift. They prefer to see themselves as being tested by sickness and loss. They believe their failures deserve divine punishment. They have not understood the cross or the new birth
Sickness comes to steal, kill and destroy. Tragedy comes to steal, kill and destroy. Poverty comes to steal, kill and destroy. Divorce, disease, worry, depression, failure, fear and famine all come to steal kill and destroy. These do not represent the nature of God or the methods He uses in our lives. HE IS NOT THE THIEF!
Every good gift comes from God (James 1:17).
Ask yourself, why would God need to make you sick? What could He possibly want to teach you? Some might say, “He wanted me to learn patience.” Well, patience is a fruit of the Spirit. Sickness can’t replace the work of the Spirit! Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance are all in us by the Spirit of God. Sickness can’t do for you what God has already freely given you.
Why would God want to test you? Didn’t Jesus take your place in every divine test and defeat sin, hell and death for you? Do you also have to go to the cross to redeem yourself?
When will we understand the gift of righteousness? (Rom. 5:17) When will we understand that the Father, Son and Spirit have made their home in us? When will we accept that He wants to freely give us all things? (Rom. 8:32) When will we cease to strive against the gift of abundant life?
Don’t be hard headed and hard hearted. He is for you, not against you. (Rom. 8:31)
(By Barry Bennett)
Anyone that wants to hear a more in depth teaching on "Your perception of God", that kind of goes along with this post, copy and paste the following link into your browser to hear Barry teach:
https://www.facebook.com/CharisBibleCollege/videos/3461675257201992
Replies
I can be a bit hard headed but I don't understand why you jumped ahead expecting us to be hard headed?
We all have issues with religion. Are we going to talk about Jesus or your perception of God?
Sorry, I am not in the mood to have anyone preach to me. I will go to Mass.
I didn't write the devotional Carly, I just reposted it. "Are you Hard Headed" was what the writer titled it, not me, but I think you may have misunderstood what was being said. Personally, I loved his message, and It went along with my previous journal about religion misrepresenting who God is, and the struggles I had for years because of it. I felt oppressed by religion, and I thought God was mean.
The point of this post is that God is good, and He isn't the one hurting us like most religion preaches. The Bible clearly says that Satan is the thief that came to steal, kill, and destroy our lives, and that Jesus came to give us a more abundant life. I think that IS talking about Jesus. The Bible also says that if you have seen Jesus, then you have seen the Father, and that Jesus and the Father are one. In other words, Jesus acts exactly like God would act, and Jesus went about HEALING everyone, not making them sick, or hurting them. Jesus was doing exactly what His Father (God) would do, and we can know who God is by what Jesus did. Jesus only did good, but religion says that God is the one behind our pain. I disagree with that. My journals are intended to be helpful to people, and help them see God's goodness. But if my journals are not your cup of tea, you are welcome not to read them. Blessings to you!