October 2016 Spirit Food

Once you are presented with what the Word of God has to say about an issue, you are responsible for receiving His love, grace, & favor; and the gift of His righteousness. Remember, you are greatly blessed, highly favored, and deeply loved by your Heavenly Father.

This month, let us focus on Our Heavenly Father’s love for us!

1 John 4:19 - We love Him because He first loved us.

Have you ever found yourself receiving such exceeding favor, and wondered why? The answer is because God is lavishing His grace—unearned, undeserved, unmerited favor—on you. And He does it because He loves you. He ensures (by the leading of His Spirit within you), that you are at the correct place, at the correct time, to receive His favor.

I enjoy reading the story of Ruth in the Old Testament: About a young Moabite widow … because it speaks of God’s amazing grace. The moment Ruth depended on God’s grace and favor, she had full access to His blessings. Of all the fields in Bethlehem, His grace led her to the field that belonged to Boaz, who was not only a wealthy bachelor, but also a relative of her father-in-law. (Ruth 2:3) Boaz was therefore her potential kinsman-redeemer—someone who could redeem her from her plight as a poor and childless widow.

Boaz favored Ruth from the moment he laid eyes on her. Ruth was not even a Jew, yet he cared for her safety by telling her not to glean in another field and to stay close to his young women. He even commanded the young men working for him not to touch her and to allow her to drink the water which they had drawn.

During mealtimes, he sat her beside the reapers although she was just a lowly gleaner who picked up what they had missed or dropped. On top of that, he gave her parched grain, making sure that she ate and was satisfied,

and that she had leftovers to bring back to her mother-in-law. (Ruth 2:1–18)

Ruth simply believed that she would find favor in the field and God placed her at the right place at the right time, so that He could open a big door of blessings to her.

Are you able to see that Boaz represents a beautiful likeness of the actions of our Lord Jesus? Yes, Boaz was an unredeemed man, however, he listened to God and acted in a way that was pleasing to God. The Bible says that “He (Jesus) first loved us”. Jesus saw you and loved you first, long before you knew of Him or loved Him. And He favors whom He loves.

Please realize, there is no need to fight or strive to qualify for God’s favor and blessings. His favor is all over you because He first loved you. Just trust in His love for you and you will see His favor bringing an abundance of blessings into your life!

1 Corinthians 1:30 - But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God…

It is believed and widely accepted in Christian circles that there has never been a wealthier king than King Solomon. God gave him wisdom that not only made him wise in matters of justice, but also brought him gold and silver. (1 Kings 3:12–13)

We could go on talking about the riches of King Solomon, but the Bible tells us there is one greater than Solomon. (Matthew 12:42) His name is Jesus, and He is the most prosperous Man who ever lived and who ever will live.

If there was a need to feed the hungry, He simply multiplied whatever food was placed in His hands. On one occasion, He multiplied five loaves and two fish to feed 5,000 men, not counting women and children. Amazingly, there were 12 baskets full of leftovers. (Matthew 14:15–21)

If any of His own disciples faced lack, it was not long before abundant provision flowed to them. Once, when His disciples caught nothing after a whole night of fishing, He merely spoke a word of command and schools of fish obeyed, swimming toward His disciples’ boat so that they received a net-breaking, boat-sinking load of fish. (Luke 5:1–7) In another incident, He provided the money for the temple tax, even if it took a fish to bring it to them! (Matthew 17:24–27)

Allow me to remind you, God is a trinity … consisting of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and mankind was created in His image; meaning each one of us is also a trinity, consisting of a body (our earth suit), a soul (our mind, will and emotions), and a spirit being.

This same Jesus (providing you have accepted Him as the Lord of your life), has become for you wisdom from God. When you accepted Jesus, your spirit was reborn and the Holy Spirit resides within you! He is attempting to lead and guide you in the affairs of life, to bring you to your healthy and prosperous place. If you are a businessman, with Christ in you, you have wisdom that is greater than the wisdom of all the world’s business gurus put together. If you are a student, Christ in you will manifest wisdom that is greater than all the wisdom of the brilliant minds in the academic world.

Believe that because Jesus, God’s wisdom, is in you, there is no reason you cannot prosper today, and astound the world in the same way Solomon did!

Hebrews 10:12, 14, KJV - But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God... For by one offering He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.

God sees you with no flaw, spot or imperfection, because of what Jesus did on the cross (accepting all of mankind’s sins, past, present, and future), so honor His Word and the finished work of His Son by saying, “Amen!” Don’t doubt your perfection in Christ.

To see yourself as far from being perfect is not modesty, but a failure to understand the perfect sacrifice that Jesus has made for you. Sure, sometimes we miss “the mark”, but Our Heavenly Father doesn’t count it against us … we rely on and receive His grace, and “press-on” with accomplishing what the Holy Spirit within us is leading us to do. Because of Jesus, we are, and remain, the righteousness of God in Christ!

The Bible tells us in this passage in Hebrews: “For by one offering He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified”. Please comprehend this! You have not only been sanctified, that is, made holy, but by the same offering of His body, you have been perfected. You are both holy and perfect in God’s eyes! Glory To God! That in itself is praiseworthy!

Your sins have been purged perfectly. Today, Jesus is seated at His Father’s right hand not because He is the Son of God (although that is true), but because His work of purging your sins is completely finished and perfect!

So instead of being conscious of your sins, which is to have an evil conscience (Hebrews 10:22), you can have a perfect conscience, a conscience that is free from the guilt and condemnation of sins.

When you find yourself conscious of your sin(s), just say, “Thank You, Lord Jesus, for Your wonderful work at the cross. As it was His perfect work that has removed all my sins completely.

“Holy Spirit, thank You for convicting me of righteousness; not my own, but God’s righteousness given to me as a gift. Keep on convicting me in the days to come, reminding me especially when I fail, that I am still the righteousness of God in Christ.”

God sees you perfect without any spot of sin. He sees you covered in the beautiful white robes of His own righteousness. He treats you like a righteous human man/woman because that is what He has made you. So expect good things to happen to you, because blessings are on the head of the righteous! (Proverbs 10:6)

Heavenly Father, your Word says in Romans 10:9-10- “that if I confess with my mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead, that I would be saved. For with the heart one believes unto salvation.” I believe your Word, Heavenly Father, and confess Jesus Christ (the anointed one and His anointing) as Lord of my life now. I believe that You raised Him from the dead. I confess that I was a sinner, but now I’ve been saved by Your grace, and in Your thoughts, I am now in right standing with You. I denounce Satan and all he stands for. Write my name in the Lamb’s book of Life. In Jesus Name. Amen (so be it).

Congratulations! If this is your first time praying this prayer, please write and let us know!

Should you decide to give and financially support this ministry with gifts given in faith, I join my faith with yours to see the devourer rebuked (Malachi 3:11) and for you to receive a harvest; pressed down, shaken together and running over (Luke 6:38). Please remember to name your seed!

Dr. Mark Krom, Ph.D., D.Psy

Minister/Clinical Pastoral Psychologist