Spirit Food - July 2017

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’s focus on looking unto Jesus!

Hebrews 12:2 – “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; …”

What does it mean to look unto Jesus (you may ask)? Allow me to share a couple of analogies with you. If you are drowning and somebody walks past you, you do not look at the person … you look unto that person to provide assistance – expecting them to rescue you. Or, if you are on the side of the road with a vehicle having an issue and you call for roadside assistance, your expectations are that when they arrive, they’re either going to resolve the issue or at least get you and the vehicle to a more comfortable environment.

In the same manner, you should look unto Jesus expecting Him to save, heal and protect you. As you build your relationship with Him (through the reading of His word, hearing grace based messages, and following the leading of the Holy Spirit), you will come to know His mighty power and sacrificial love for you; and start to receive His blessings in your life on a regulator basis. This is how Our Heavenly Father desires us to live!

Okay, so how does a Christian apply this in everyday life (you may ask)? Well, if you have a health issue, keep looking unto Jesus and visualize Him taking that health issue upon His body while He was hanging on the cross and say: “Lord, I thank You that by Your strips I am healed. (Isaiah 53:5) As you keep looking unto Jesus, Your Healer, that health issue will have to bow its knee to the finished work of Jesus on the cross!

In the Old Testament, the children of Israel could know God as Jehovah Rophie’ – Exodus 15:26, our healer. As you can read in the verse, it was conditional. Mankind had a part to play. God had given the law through Moses for the people to follow (via the ten commandants), and if they broke one, they were guilty. Under the Old Testament, the children of Israel could know God as Jehovah Jireh – Genesis 22:18-24, our provider. Both of these are names of God along with many others in the Old Testament; but the name Jesus came to share and desire mankind to come to know: is Abba (meaning Daddy) Father (Romans 8:15).

Under the New Testament (testament means covenant), Grace for mankind came by Jesus Christ (our redeemer), and His finished work at the cross. Jesus paid the price for all of mankinds sin, past, present and future; and when you accepted what Jesus did on the cross (taking your place … paying your debt for sin). When you accepted Jesus as the Lord of your life, you came under the New Covenant. The New Covenant is between Our Heavenly Father and Jesus … mankinds only part is to accept the gift of righteousness (right standing with Our Heavenly Father) and believe in Jesus who has provided for the grace towards us.

Our Heavenly Father is constantly seeking to have a closer relationship with you! He sent Jesus to redeem mankind because He loved mankind so much. Those who accept Him and build the relationship, are more aware of His plan for their life and having days of heaven on this earth; and isn’t that a desire you have?

If you have a financial lack in your life, just keep looking unto Jesus with the confident expectation that He will provide for you and deliver you from your lack. Under the Old Testament, the children of Israel could know God as Jehovah Jireh – Genesis 22:18-24, our provider. Under the New Covenant, Philippians 4:19 says “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” However, if a Christian doesn’t know his “rights and privileges” according to the Bible (Our Heavenly Father’s love letters to us), then how can a person have a confident expectation of these promises.

It is that simple. The issue/problem with mankind is … is that we tend to look unto ourselves on how we are going to resolve issues in life. Mankind has developed such a “works mentality”. It is self-centered. Instead, we should be looking unto Jesus. When we don’t keep our focus on Jesus, we can miss out on His blessings, His grace, His mercy and the favor He has available to us as believers.

Even the apostle Paul struggled when he depended on his self-effort. Read about it in Romans. Romans 7:19 says: For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.

It is only when Paul looked away from himself and unto Jesus that he received his deliverance. Romans 7:24-25: Oh wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me out of this body of death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then, with the mind, I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

What Paul is indicating here is, when he was not focused on Jesus, he was focused on his environment, and acting on thoughts according to things outside of his relationship with Jesus, e.g. His grace, mercy and favor. Mankind is subject to temptation. Believers have a choice whether or not to act on a temptation. Believers whom are developing a relationship with Jesus, who are in His Word daily to find out what He has to say about the issues in this life, are more prepared to deal with the temptations when temptations come. They have a Word answer for it, or are more likely to look unto Jesus and receive His guidance via the Holy Spirit (which dwells within).

Remember after Jesus was baptized, how the heavens opened and God said “This is my beloved Son, In Whom I am well pleased.” … and then Jesus went into solitude and was tested? Jesus answered satan with: It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. (Luke 4:4).

Before a person takes an action (outside of actions automatic for basic life sustainability); they have to act on a thought. Some are as simple as I’m thirsty, so they drink some water. There can be many thoughts and actions however, to make that happen, depending where a person is and what is available. Other thoughts however, can be outside of the realm of what is pleasing to Our Heavenly Father. These thoughts can still come, and a choice has to be made on whether or not the thought is entertained. When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He knew to respond with “It is written…”.

When the children of Israel were slaves in Egypt, they lived in poverty and faced daily hardships from their cruel taskmasters. Scars and fresh lashes from their masters’ whips covered their bodies. The blistering heat of Egypt caused excruciating sores to fester. Many of them were bent over because of the long hours spent carrying tons of bricks and mortar. Slaving away for long hours under harsh conditions added years to them. And with no proper nourishment, many of them were feeble and emaciated.

Something happened to them on the night of the Passover. (Exodus 12) With the blood of the lamb applied on their doorposts, they came under God’s protection. And inside their homes, as instructed by God, they ate the lamb roasted in fire.

Perhaps, during that meal, those who were blind ate the eyes of the lamb, believing that the perfect eyes of the lamb would give them perfect vision. If they had heart conditions, they ate the heart of the lamb, believing that their hearts would beat strong again. And if they were lame, they ate the legs of the lamb, believing that they would be frisking like lambs.

Regardless, when morning came, something new and miraculous happened to them. They went forth with God no longer as slaves but free people. They were no longer poor and needy, but possessed silver and gold given to them by the Egyptians. And none of them—there were about 2.5 million of them—were feeble or sickly!

If this was what the children of Israel experienced after partaking of the Passover lamb, which was only a shadow or type of Christ, how much more will we who have come under the covering of the Holy Blood of Jesus, the true Lamb of God (through Holy Communion) experience such blessings?

When you put your trust in the Lamb of God (Jesus), who was burnt by God’s fiery judgment (on the cross, as the price for mankinds sin had to be paid) meant for us, you will go forth daily, neither poor nor feeble, but abundantly supplied and divinely strengthened in Christ!

If you have been looking unto yourself, it is time to start looking unto Jesus. Look unto Him, the author and finisher of faith … and soon, you’ll be looking at your healing and provision, and begin to reign in this life!

If you’re reading this, but you have not made Jesus the Lord of your life, and would like to, pray this prayer out loud in an audible voice:

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