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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

The Rise or Fall of America

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  This message is for The United States of America as a whole and should be applied in the wisdom of God to every home in order to maintain what we have been given. There is a historical cycle in life that proves this message without any room for debate in what takes place when we drift away from the obedience of God and begin to live with our own selfish ambitions.

 Due to the drift away from the wisdom of God in the Holy Bible and the instruction that the Lord gives each one of us to maintain our homes this has opened the door for the spiritual enemy to slowly weaken the foundation that is to be maintained by His people. The spiritual enemy works in many different ways to distract the people in the temptations of foods, material gains, lust of the flesh, positions of power and many other ways of distraction simply to cause a division. With divisions within the body of our core beliefs this only makes us vulnerable for the attack of our enemies in order to learn another lesson in how we can fall. Many people fail to see how the Lord allows oppression to fall upon His people in order to discipline us for our lack of obedience and to realign our focus from the world back to our Creator in Heaven above.

 America is at historical point of either a revival that is going raise up men and women of God that are willing stand for what is right in our homes and in our nation or at a point of further division that is going to eventually lead to the destruction of our country. Without men and women working together with the integrity of Christian values to address the over sized government, reckless spending, corporate greed, legalized murder through abortions, immigration and the addicted nation that we are in then we better prepare for what is sure to come. Based upon the will of God and the national stand of the people in how we open up our eyes to the Truth in the Word of God will determine the strength in our foundation from which we stand in the love of Jesus Christ that holds us all together. Many homes and historical empires lost sight of this principle that eventually led to their collapse.

 Like in the fall of the Roman Empire you will find that their quest for power led them into a socialist culture in trying to simply appease the people by being naive to the importance of a core religion which eventually led to their fall. Why did the Roman government make this decision in appeasing the people with their beliefs? Simply due to their desire of power, greed and then due their state of survival. The leadership in Rome during their deterioration never grasped the principle of how to maintain the integrity within their foundation in having core beliefs to maintain the order. The Romans thought they could hold things together through a larger government that eventually absorbed all the nutrients within their empire which led to their collapse.

 If you were to look at the direction of America today you would honestly find the same misdirected leadership in our country that is trying to appease the people to maintain their political positions and their false thinking that money is the answer to our internal problems. America like Rome and every other nation that tries to impose their way of life on others only opens the doors for spiritual friction that will eventually lead to war. As God teaches us in His wisdom we are to maintain our homes by learning to stand on the principles of God without becoming complacent in His Word. Our founding fathers of The United States of America knew this importance and they recognized the dangers of a nation that drifts away from their Christian faith.

      President Thomas Jefferson: “God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God?” 
     President Andrew Jackson called the Bible; “The Rock upon which our republic rests.” 
     President John Adams said; “We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion.” 
    Patrick Henry said, “It is when a people forget God, that tyrants forge their chains.” 
    George Washington said; “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.” 
    President Ronald Reagan once said,”If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under.”

 Now, here is the part of this message that I pray that America hears in order to maintain the foundation for our children’s future and for preparation of what is sure to come if we continue the national drift away from our Christian foundation. The United States of America as a whole is a home that is no different than my own on an individual level. Through my fore fathers it has been been built on specific principles that parallel Joshua 24:15 to maintain the strength within its’ foundation. I like the leaders in the Roman Empire and like many of our American leaders today once fell into the wrong thinking that I could fix my problems with money without truly addressing the roots of the  issue at hand.  My own ignorance to the Word of God and rebellion led me into a state of survival that eventually had to fall in order to stand again.

 This is where I praise God for giving me the chance to live again in His mercy and grace! I pray that every father and leader within this nation will begin to address the issues that they are trying to avoid to eliminate the depth of the fall. Too many times we think we can fix something when we are not the ones who can fix anything! 

 Regarding leadership in America I pray that God will raise up leaders that will stand in faith in serving Him instead of trying to appease the people. It is not our place as a true Christian to force our beliefs on another nation nor is right for anyone else to enter into our house of America and try to change our ways in return. The rise and fall of homes and nations is all determined on who we serve and how obedient we are to God’s Word. Have we gone too far? Is it too late for the point of return? Only God knows the answers to these two questions but according to His Word in which still stands today we are told in 2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

 As long as we have breath then there is hope and the outcome is determined by the hand of God in the decisions that we make! Are you willing to make a positive difference and learn to stand on the principles of God for our children’s future? Don’t ever be misled and think that we are not accountable for our actions! For God is real and in full control of everything from Heaven to Earth. We are here to serve Him and not ourselves! So, please recognize the positive difference that you can make at your own dinner table by learning to trust in God instead of relying upon our government or on another man…Amen

James A. Harrison

http://balancedlifeministry.org

http://specialdeliverybook.com

Are You Vulnerable For The Attack?

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 How deaf or naive must we become before we recognize the hand of God at work in allowing a lesson to take place in our life or in our nation due to our disobedience in the Word of God? Have we as a nation here in America reached the point of no return in the downward spiral of our moral decline and the lack of integrity being shown in man? 

 As any father that loves his children we allow lessons to come upon them when they simply won’t listen and this same principle is applied today with our Father in Heaven within His creation. Throughout history there are many valuable lessons of Truth that can be recognized in the Holy Bible and applied in our obedience and disobedience in the Word of God. It first starts on an individual level and then spreads to our homes, then to our communities and then to our nation. There is evidence all around the world today of what is to come when we drift away from teaching and holding ourselves accountable under God for the actions that we take. Look at Egypt this week and what is taking place as just one example of many in what happens in the lack of godly leadership leading the people and teaching the importance of trusting God instead of taking matters into their own hands.

 With godly men and women in leadership positions that are willing to serve the will of God instead of something for themselves this opens the doors for the blessings of God to fall back upon our homes and our nation. This has been understood before in leadership and can easily be reflected in Genesis 45 with Pharaoh in Egypt in his recognition of the spirit of God working through the life of Joseph. During this term with Pharaoh and Joseph there are many valuable lessons that can be applied today in order to help prepare us for tomorrow.

 Ronald Reagan once said, “Within the covers of the Bible are all the answers for all the problems men face.” And he later said, “We are never defeated unless we give up on God.” 

 Throughout the Word of God we can witness this lesson of the rise and fall of nations when they turn their backs on God or when they begin to prostitute the Lord as Israel was doing in the time period with Eli that had fallen to complacency and obesity. Look at today’s time period with Europe and how many of their churches are empty with no direction for their future. How about America in the economic debt, moral decline and obesity within the nation that is taking place due to the disobedience in following the Word of God?

 How many times does history have to repeat itself before we simply see where we have gone wrong? Does the fall of the Roman Empire have to take place again here in America today due to the over sized government and the burdens that are being placed upon the people? How long do we have to live in a moral and economic decline before our leadership Wakes Up to this Truth in order for our nation to be here for our children’s future?

 When we stay close to God He not only protects us but He gives us the wisdom to recognize the seasons that we are in to prepare for what is to come. In spiritual warfare that we often forget when we get wrapped up in the world, the enemy works to distract us in foreign areas or affairs in order to make us vulnerable for the attack that is sure to come within our home. This warfare principle works on an individual level to a national level with the same principle that can be applied when we lose our balance in where we stand. 

 No matter where we are or the position that we have been given by God as a mother, father, teacher, business owner, pastor or a government leader don’t allow the spiritual enemy of Satan to distract you in areas where you become weak and vulnerable to the world. As a child of God, we have a responsibility to stay alert and to keep our relationships alive for the security of our children’s future and to maintain the integrity within our homes. This is much bigger than what we think and we can not live this temporary life without the Lord guiding us in our homes and in our nation. How long must we lose our hearing before we return to God to help us clean out the wax of the world that is causing us to be vulnerable to the enemy and lose our standing within our own homes?

When we learn from our past is when we can make something stronger for our future….

James A. Harrison

http://balancedlifeministry.org

http://specialdeliverybook.com

Do you Seek Peace Or War?

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 Have you ever been around someone that was always complaining or someone who seemed to always stir the pot without trying to correct the issue? Have you ever lived in a home or worked in an environment where there was constant war with very little peace? There is nothing worse than to be in an atmosphere of evil spirits that create an environment of distrust and anguish. The only way to combat these evil spirits that we face on a daily basis is with the Word of God that protects us from being robbed of the joy that we carry on the inside.

 As Soloman teaches us about kind words and as Jesus teaches us to love thy enemy it is our place as a child of God to counter something that is wrong in love for something that is right by God. For when we have disunity there is no harmony in the body and as Paul teaches us in 2 Corinthians 13 God will not be with us if we are not seeking peace. Without God there is no direction and without the love of Jesus there is no harmony due to the disunity.

 There is music that can be heard and felt in the Spirit of God when we have unity within the body. This music is called love and it gives us an environment with strength and security for our children’s future. If you look for peace you can find peace and if you look for war you can find war. I challenge you today to look for peace in everything you do with the drive of God getting you through…Amen

 We often find what we seek and this can be done in every person that we meet… 

James A. Harrison

http://balancedlifeministry.org

http://specialdeliverybook.com

The Internal War Within The Church

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 There was an article recently published in The Baptist Reflector that was written by Evangelist Justin Peters that claimed that the Word of Faith movement was heresy and that it wrecked lives. This article named several different teachers from Ken and Gloria Copeland, Joyce Meyer, T.D. Jakes,  Joel Osteen and Benny Hinn. According to Mr. Peters he claims that this Word of Faith movement dresses its doctrine in Christian apparel and that it does not find its roots in orthodox Christianity.

 These claims come from a man that is suffering from cerebral palsy and a man that is representing a denomination that has been unfortunatley declining over the years due to their own lack of understanding in how to add new wine into an old wine skin. With these ingredients of cerebral palsy and a declining denomination it can be easy to lean our beliefs in a particular direction if we are not careful. This is not to say that Mr. Peters has formed his opinion without consideration of these facts but they are to insure the awareness of each teaching being fairly evaluated without someone leaning more in one direction due to their own personal objectives.  It is very important that when we make accusations against another teaching that we look at both sides of the picture in depth to better understand what is actually taking place. Because when we really investigate both sides of the teachings it is easy to find that both have their own positives as well as they both tend to leave out areas of the Full Gospel. This is where Balance is required due to the purpose of order, respecting authority and having the freedom to worship God through the love of Jesus Christ who makes all things possible to those who believe.

 For years people have picked specific areas of the Holy Bible to follow while leaving out another area. Either because of their own lack of understanding, maybe because their own fears while some are simply seeking selfish desires. It is vital that we teach the full gospel without leaving out specific parts to maintain the integrity within the body. If you were to ask any of these names mentioned from Justin Peters to the ones mentioned in his article we will find that they all claim that Jesus Christ is the key to our eternal salvation. God’s Word teaches us in 1 John 2, “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is Antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either;he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.” 

 Rather than us striking at one another in a way that can cause confusion or in a way that can end up in a division lets learn how to address each other in love and humility so that God may open up our minds to receive the Truth. When we really study both sides of this article from Justin Peters to the Word of Faith movement in the teachers that he mentioned we can find a similar parallel that took place in Acts 19 in the riot of Ephesus. The people of Ephesus set out to kill the movement due to the financial impact and for placing their trust in what they see rather than they don’t see.    

  Based on Mr. Peters testimony of his cerebral palsy it appears that he has received the peace of God in this circumstance but nowhere in the Holy Bible does God ever teach us to lose Hope in the healing powers of Jesus Christ. When we accept something with no hopes of being healed in the will of God it is like taking in a negative seed and planting something that is not true according to God’s Word. The man at the well never gave up nor did the brothers that lowered their friend through the roof to be healed. Praise God for those brothers that did not leave someone else behind! The important part about our temporary life is learning how to have peace where we are while knowing that God’s Will will be done. God’s Word teaches us to never lose Hope no matter our circumstance and as He teaches us through the life of Joseph we are to learn how to make a positive difference wherever we are or whatever we have to go through.

 God’s Word teaches us that when we encounter different trials that they are there to help shape us into who He wants us be and not for something that we may want for ourselves. These type of test help us to develop a deeper love for our Father in Heaven and they help us to teach others how to have faith no matter what trials we face. There are very few people that have not encountered some sort of illness or some type of loss that would not have chosen to be healed if they were completely honest within themselves. God’s Word tells us that even greater miracles are possible when we believe and this is so true.

 The segment in Mr. Peter’s article that claims this movement is wrecking lives can be justified if we are not teaching the importance of building on a solid foundation without the cracks of sin that can cause us to fall. God teaches us to build one brick at a time without jumping ahead and to be happy where we are while always being ready to move how He directs. So many times in our youth we miss this understanding because in our flesh we tend to want the ship before we know how to set sail. It is imperative for God’s children to know the purpose of time and to understand the difference between the power boat and the sail boat. There are days for high octane and days to relax in the gentle spirit of God that carries forward. For if we don’t know how to Balance between the two then we can either blow the engine or fowl the plug. The object is for the engine to run lean and efficient of knowing when to call on the power and when not.    

 The gospel is not about external prosperity but about an internal richness that is gained through the love of Jesus Christ in respecting the time that we are given with our family and friends. Every single soul has a responsibility to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ and to teach the importance of being obedient to God’s Word to maintain our homes and our nation. If we are failing to speak the Truth and the restoration that comes from sincere repentance through the love of Jesus Christ then spiritually Satan can take us off course.     

  Where many followers of this Word of Faith movement are suffering comes from their lack of commitment in seeking God for their understanding verses leaning on someone else besides Jesus to get them through. When we attend a rally where there is music and worship but fail to prepare the new converts of what they are going to face after receiving Christ then we are only setting them up to be conquered by Satan once again. Jesus teaches us that when demons are cast out in the desert that they will return to their original home if the home stays vacant and be even stronger than before. This  is the part which I believe Mr. Peters is speaking against in the lack of disciplining that is taking place in the overall church body today. When we enter into a setting where the presence of the Holy Spirit is so strong that the demons can’t stay around it is easy for them to be cast out but don’t think that they are not hanging out in the parking lot waiting for our return. This is where so many lives are being wrecked because many of the new converts are not being discipled nor grasping the importance of digging into God’s Word to develop their sense of discernment between good and evil.

 The Word of God plainly teaches us not to fall into useless debates in the book of 2 Timothy 2 and God’s Word plainly tells us to address other believers in humility so that God may open their minds to receive the Truth. It is our sincere prayer at Balanced Life  that we quit splintering the body and learn to work together in parties roll in the body of Christ to move forward once again. There should be no battle between true believers for the battle is in the field where the harvest is plenty. Please God help us to work together for your gloryt and not our own…Amen

May God unite us for His candle power to shine in the love of Jesus Christ…

James A. Harrison / Balanced Life Ministry

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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