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Spiritual Warfare…

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The devil works in many ways to break the relationships of God because he knows there is a mighty power as we come together in the body of Christ. For example: The first stage of spiritual warfare is to do everything possible to prevent something of God from joining together as one. This occurs through distractions and distrust in order to wear down the opponent. The second stage after the formation is to pick apart the opposition in order to weaken the unity within the body. The third stage of spiritual warfare occurs by picking apart the team leaders in order to cause loss of direction in the mission and to disperse a spirit of doubt or disbelief within the body.

This principle of spiritual warfare occurs in our homes, our churches, our businesses and our nation. For our homes are only as strong as our relationships and without a relationship we have no home. For our refuge is in the Lord and everything can be worked out at the foot of the cross with those that seek the will of our Father instead of the will of man…

May I challenge you today to strengthen your relationships through communication and to cast out anything of the devil that may be hindering you from experiencing the true love of Jesus within the family of God…

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12

James A. Harrison

http://balancedlifeministry.org

http://specialdeliverybook.com

Move Forward America!!!

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Many Americans and even Christians have come to a point in their life that they have lost sight in what the Word of God teaches.  They speak of God but have forgotten how to truly trust Him verses trusting in what they see. Many Americans have fallen to a point of  survival instead of seeking God for our direction and trusting in Him to show us the way. Satan in our minds wants us to grab hold of anything that comes our way because he knows that after repeated struggles we become weak in just accepting whatever it takes to survive. This is where we must stand on our foundation of God to analyze our decisions and to insure not only the immediate results but most importantly the future consequences to protect our children’s future.

The United States of America was built on the core principals that was given by God in the Holy Bible that once kept our homes, our schools, our work place, our country and even our churches intact. Well, I believe it is obvious to see what has taken place since we have become tolerant to sin while other’s have been steadily removing God from our foundation from which we stand.

James Madison, the primary author of the Constitution of The United States once said this,” We have staked the whole future of our new nation, not upon the power of government; far from it. We have staked the future of all our political constitutions upon the capacity of each of ourselves according to the moral principles of the Ten Commandments.”

In brief let me possibly open your eyes to the principles in the Word of God in a simple way to understand why our founding fathers stressed the importance of the Word of God within the freedom of this country;

Imagine a large playground and just before the children are released to go play the teacher must set some ground rules in order to maintain the order within their freedom which they are about to receive. Can you see the purpose of these guidelines in order to maintain the discipline, the security, the order, and how to stand in love with each other as a group that respects what they have been given in their freedom? Does this mean once on the playground they can’t enjoy themselves? Absolutely not! But we learn in this message that there is time to work, a time to play, and a time to rest in order to do our very best.

There is so much wisdom in the Word of God and I never understood before and let me tell you,”It is REAL and there is a reason for rules and commandments to follow.”  Because without the teacher giving us the instruction and correcting us when we get out of line then how do you honestly see the children acting in the playground with others? Do you see some hording a certain swing? Do you see some trying to take something from others? Do you see some even abusing other children at a distance? Do you see some sitting all alone under a tree while others call them names in being free? What about the teacher or the person in charge, do you see them having a responsibility and job to do?  What happens if they only cater to some and neglect others? Or better yet, what if they simply don’t care and turn the children out to play so they can just go on with their selfish ways?

The Lord has mercy in His grace through the love of Jesus Christ and God has proven throughout history that when His people return to Him that He will carry His body through their trials to one day stand again. Our country is setting ourselves up for a hard lesson to come economically, agriculturally and even in our way of life! It is only a matter of time before this takes place and the only thing we can do is to return to God and pray to be restored within the body of Christ. The signs are every where in human behavior, in natural disasters, and within the control of governments removing the freedom from which we stand. If we as a whole do not return to one nation under God then prepare for the wrath to only get worse! By returning we will find new strength to rebuild what has been lost in our families, in our homes, in our economy, in our nation, and even in our churches!

With God He gives us direction, purpose and protection while learning to balance our lives through peace and understanding. There is nothing better in life than having genuine love of God within the family and spending quality time with one another. Everything starts first within ourselves and then spreads from there. Impacting our homes, our communities, our schools, and our nation. Start the positive growth now and return to God with Jesus guiding your path of restoration for the sake of our children’s future. For I believe that with the POWER of GOD in the WORD, the Guidance of the HOLY SPIRIT and the LOVE of JESUS that all things are possible through Christ that strengthens us. Since when are we as Christians to go back when GOD has brought us forward??? May this song by Johnny Cash recall something in your spirit…I Won’t Back Down

James A. Harrison 

http://balancedlifeministry.org

http://specialdeliverybook.com

Affective Prayer…

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There are several ingredients that make up affective prayer.  Think about it! Have you ever tried to bake a cake without mixing the batter? Have you ever tried to substitute something artificial in place of something real? Or, have you ever left something out due to thinking it was not needed? In order for our prayers to be affective it is wise to examine the sincerity of our hearts along with understanding of our motives. Sometimes we ask God to do things when He is simply waiting on us to take that step in faith.

Faith can not be activated without a step as we learn this very lesson with the servant of Abraham as he prayed to the Lord of his master prior to meeting the wife of Isaac. After he prayed he then got up and went to her which then activated the outcome of his prayer. He knew what he had prayed and did not go to her while flaunting this in her face but he allowed God to guide the steps as he displayed obedience to the Lord of his master.

There are times when we are to simply pray for those that we can not reach but when God has us in a place that we can be affective in our obedience then we are to take those directed steps in faith. The object is to recognize the balanced skills required of when to step and when not to step. This is how we recognize the doors that open and the doors that shut. For why would we ever expect to receive if we are not willing to knock?

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” Matthew 7:7

James A. Harrison

http://balancedlifeministry.org

http://specialdeliverybook.com

 

Let Freedom Ring…

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This morning as I walked out on our screened porch for morning prayer I noticed a sparrow that had slipped in through one little hole within the screen. This happens from time to time due to not addressing the hole within the screen. In order to repair the hole correctly it is going to involve the alot of work that requires time and if we were to patch the screen this would only bring further work due to not being done correctly.

As far as the little sparrow he was not flying wildly within the porch but would just hop from place to place along the floor. The sparrow did not see the door when it was opened due to the screen blending in with nature. So I did what I have done in the past by propping the door open and then walking in behind the bird for him to move on his own toward the freedom from the screened in porch. In the past I have done this and rather enjoyed watching the birds (which I now recall have always been sparrows) being set free to observe their next actions in flight. Some fly out and simply sit on the outside rail. Some fly just a little ways and perch on the branch of a tree but this morning there was something different about this little sparrow.

He paused for a moment once he found the door but then he took off flying through the woods and into the valley behind our home. I could here him chirping and and calling out to other birds in his excitement of being set free. The chirps echoed through the valley as he flew through the trees. As I listened to the call of the sparrow that had been set free I then heard this message that relates to you and me.

Recognize the significance of not addressing  the hole and what happens when we try to patch our problems. Another point the Lord was teaching me was how the screen blended in with the world. This is a very important point to recognize. The screen was almost invisible and made by man but was there holding back the bird from flight and it took the help of another to step behind rather than in front to assist the sparrow along the Way.

The part that touched me the most was the chirping of the sparrow that had been set free. As I stood there on the porch listening to the bird that had been released from the bondage of something made by man it was then that God gave me this spiritual message that relates to His overall plan. The Lord then opened my eyes of futher freedom that can related to the formation of America in which we stand. For in our freedom it should ring from the hill tops and echo through the valleys for all to hear. Because there is nothing like the freedom in knowing that God is near.

Enjoy this song Let Freedom Ring as I pray that you will stand with me in the freedom that God has given us through His only Son that got behind each of us for our freedom today. The spiritual door is open and all we have to do is walk on through as Jesus has taught us the Way. I pray that we can learn from our past in order to stand in the love of Jesus for our future…Amen 

James A. Harrison

http://balancedlifeministry.org

http://specialdeliverybook.com

New Year New Birth

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Throughout our journey in life with God He often sends other individuals across our path in order to warn, encourage, assist, and give or to simply serve. Sometimes there are periods of life that can be compared to a desert where the Lord is waiting upon His children to return for a drink. As we learn to follow the direction of God it is not our place to challenge or take over something given by the Lord but to assist as a midwife in the birth and then to wait upon the Lord in His peace and understanding while trusting in Him for our future.

If God gives a direct order then we are to follow and to deliver but if not then we are to recognize the needs within the mission and learn to serve those needs to the best of our God given abilities. You will find that when something is being led by the Lord it will be moving forward at a gradual rate based upon the maturity of the people. It is the individual’s responsibility with the vision to insure the first steps taken and to not allow the excitement or the emotions to push something before its time. Not only is it the leaders position to insure the first steps with the Lord but it is his or her place to delegate specific responsibilities to the individuals based upon their God given talents and understanding. This confirmation between individuals comes in the spirit as Jonathan confirmed with David. Jonathan had no doubts of the love of God that was in David and he knew whatever took place that it was in the Lord’s hands. Another important part to recognize is what happens when we challenge the positions that have been given by the Lord due to our own lack of understanding. Through Gods Word we gain liberty, achieve honor and maintain order as we learn the importance of obedience to our Creator through His mercy and unfailing grace.

We learn these leadership characteristics through the life of many individuals throughout history but most of all from Jesus Christ who taught us the art of being a living sacrifice. The life of Moses and Joshua teach us many lessons within leadership, the passing of the mantle and the proper function of the body. In the first attempt to reach their destination Moses could have attempted to rally the troops after they returned with doubts but he knew then it would have been short lived due to acting on emotions instead of being led within the confidence of God that we develop as our relationship builds as we spend time with Him. We also learn what happens when authority is challenged as the family and followers of Korah were consumed by the world when they came against the authorities established by God. One other valuable lesson is how the murmuring and disobedience of the body prolonged the blessings of the Lord simply due to the lack of trust and disobedience to His instruction.

Often you will find in the birth of something new many who will come and many that will go. The reason for this is often due to someone’s lack of understanding in the Word of God within the mission or in any new organization. Sometimes missions are on individual basis and sometimes they are on corporate levels. On corporate levels of success the one with the original vision must wait upon the Lord to bring the people together in order to move forward toward the Promises of God. How we confirm these individuals is by the parts of the overall vision that God gives them, their willingness to assist with understanding and through the confirmation of the spirit. There is an established order by God within any organization just as it is within our homes and if we neglect this order then this will eventually bring confusion and division within the body structure.

It is very wise for every individual to understand our service or submission is unto the Lord and not unto man. On corporate levels, as individuals it is very wise to stay in tune with the Lord to insure the inner drive is to serve the people and not upon the returns. Our returns are not earthly returns but are of the eternal Kingdom of God.

One of the hardest things to overcome in our human nature is looking beyond what we see to recall the instruction of the Lord and acting within His Word when we face confrontation or obstacles in this temporary life. We learn in 2 Chronicles 34 of a new king Josiah that was only 8 years old at the time he received kingship. With the elders that submitted under his authority this displays the Lords instruction and obedience within their own lives. They could have been bitter because of his age or rebellious due to coveting someone else’s position but instead they chose to serve as Gods Word instructs. On the other hand we learn another lesson in 1 Kings 12 with another youth that refused to listen for the Godly council of the elders and this brought oppression upon the people. Another lesson was the political marriage of Ahab and Jezebel. Ahab allowed the persuasion of the world to rob him and those that he served due to only thinking of the monetary returns. Without the discipline of God man cannot handle power and the only way is through the humble example of Jesus Christ.

Spiritually Satan uses many tactics to hinder or prevent something of God and sometimes when he misses one generation he strikes through the next. This lesson was taught through the lesson of the beheading of John the Baptist. The Kings wife carried a grudge and it was this generational grudge that was carried out through her daughter. Unlike Jonathan who recognized something wrong of God within his father Saul, the daughter carried out the sin instead of breaking the chain of evil. We learn of many things throughout the Word of God that teach us how to maintain our homes, our careers and our nation but if we can’t learn to keep God’s Word in front of all things and teach the Word to our children then it is only a matter of time before we stumble and fall. I praise God today for this drink in the desert and it is my prayer for God’s children to stand again united in One to drink from the well of God and help serve the people from the bread of life in Jesus Christ…amen

“But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves”…Luke 22

 

James A. Harrison

http://balancedlifeministry.org

http://specialdeliverybook.com

Spiritual Revelations

Don’t be like Eli in 1st Samuel and miss something that has been given by God. If you recall with Eli he did not listen because the Word of God was rare in those days and he did not recognize what was taking place until he saw the persistence of Samuel…

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