Well, there are only 48 days left until my trip to Ghana. It is very exciting times for my family and I. We are seeing the Lord work in both my wife and I as He prepares us for the work He has for us. Two weeks ago I prayed at the alter during our worship service the God would show His love to me in a way I have never known before. Frustrated with my own foolishness and the consequences of not surrendering fully to Him I broke down before Him. I am sick and tired of trying to do this on my own and I want to surrender and give it all to Him. In this, I wanted Him to put His love in me. I have learned over the past few weeks that it is love that will change me. His love in me is what I need as my motivation for change. I cannot defeat pride in my life. I cannot be humble and contrite before God on my own. Otherwise, it would be my own achievement therefore negating the supposed humility. For me to say, “I have defeated my pride” would in itself be a prideful statement. Instead, it must be His love that brings me to my knees in broken humility. The Lord was about to show me what His love looks like. At Monday night prayer my wife prayed a simple prayer of thanksgiving. She thanked the Lord for all the blessing that we often overlook when finances are tight. When we arrived home that evening on our porch was a small box filled with various food items. The Lord showed me several things that night. The first was how foolish I had been. All the fretting over how to feed my family. All the hours spent that week fishing hoping that I might stretch what food we had left with some fish. In other words, I was doing things my way, as best as “I” could figure. The Lord does not often do things our way but instead does things His way. His way is always better! Secondly, God showed me that He will provide. I had heard of this happening before, but now it had happened to me. In addition, He showed me love. I could go on and on as to how and why according to the scriptures but never do it justice. That box of food represented the love of God to me. I did nothing to deserve it. In fact had I been obedient to the Lord with my finances I would not have even needed the food. Yet there it was. Confronting my pride, my ego, and my vanity. On Tuesday, the Lord showed me even more. When I returned home from work, another surprise awaited me. A woman from church took my wife grocery shopping during the day. She filled our cabinets and refrigerator. You see the Lord does not just intend to give us a taste of His love. He wants to fill the stores of our heart to running over. He has not just given us life but He gave us abundant life! He fills us with His love and Spirit so that they pour out of us. This is where true ministry lies. Oh how I desire to minister for the Lord. Yet I cannot. It’s His love pouring out of me that does the work. In this, I know that I must be filled with His love. This is the prayer of my heart. Fill me Lord with your love I pray.
The coming of the [lawless one] is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved” (2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10 NKJV).
On the last day, that great [day] of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet [given], because Jesus was not yet glorified. (John 7:37-39 NKJV)
Filed under: Ghana Trip |
Daniel Stopyro 
This is a true message of Gods wonderful Grace!! God’s Love… Perfect!!! Gods love is unconditional, meaning there are no conditions to his love for you, as with Gods grace, once you recieve his grace by faith– there are no conditions- you are set free from the bondage of the law of sin & death. His grace is the main manifestation of his great love for you, for us all! We need to accept his grace as a first priority, if we are to ever expirience Gods power in true form in our own lifes and beyond.
You told me earlier that when you were at the altar, God first exposed your own sinfullness to you. As with the law which was givien by Moses, our sinfullness frames the picture of Gods grace. We must be able to reconize our great inability be righteous own our own before we can ever understand what the depths of grace truly are. Even those who are well accomplished in living a more righteous life then others, are still filthy and full of sin… Why? So that once they receive the grace of God by faith, they can come to the knowledge of his great love!!! As with you when you asked God to express his love, he first let you expirience your own sinfullness, so he could say to you, despite your sinfullness, your lack of obedience, etc… I still love you and provide for you, not just some provision but an extra portion of provision. Exceeding abundantly above!!! Romans 5:20… where sin abounded, grace abounded much more. 21- as sin reigns unto death, even so grace might reign unto righteousness….! which produces eternal life the Jesus…. Sin is made alive by law… which causes death. Grace produce eternal life and righteousness!!! Righteous living is the product of Gods grace. His Grace, by faith always produces righteous living and makes us holy in our fathers eyes.
It is such a blessing to hear such an intimate message of grace, truly the holy spirit has shown this to you, now accept it & walk it by faith. You are rightousenss in Christ, by his grace not your works. Without grace we cannot succeed, no exceptions at all. This is why we see so many people reach for God, truly want him but then walk away becuase they try so hard to work it all out on their own and still fall into sin, guilty & condemed — they give up and walk away — Satans lie– they just do not grasp the grace by faith not works…
Jesus has truly conquered sin and there is nothing anyone can do to change it!! Only believe..