CHRIST ALWAYS LEADS US IN TRIUMPH - We delight ourselves in the Lord and serve Him with gladness, not sadness - His yoke is easy and His burden is light; it is not difficult or agonizing to serve the Lord - the path of the righteous keeps growing brighter and brighter - the plans of the Lord include joy, peace, grace, and victory - Without a battle, there is no triumph. Without a fight, there is no victory. The fight of the Christian is a fight of faith. Fight the good fight of faith! Abide and reside in God's presence. Be a hearer and a doer of His Word. We must stand on God's Word and have ears to hear and a heart to receive what the Spirit of God is saying. God's plans are not dreary and mundane. His purposes do not cause us to moan and groan in despair. We delight ourselves in the Lord and serve Him with gladness, not sadness. His yoke is easy and His burden is light; it is not difficult or agonizing to serve the Lord. The path of the righteous keeps growing brighter and brighter. Religion and tradition are heavy burdens and miserable paths to take. That which is contrary to the Word and to the Spirit of God, brings a heavy burden; however, where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom and liberty! The plans of the Lord include joy, peace, grace, and victory! His plans always include reaching souls — saving souls — setting the captives free. Jesus went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil for God was with Him.

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Christ Always Leads Us in Triumph
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We delight ourselves in the Lord and serve Him with gladness, not sadness - His yoke is easy and His burden is light; it is not difficult or agonizing to serve the Lord - the path of the righteous keeps growing brighter and brighter - the plans of the Lord include joy, peace, grace, and victory

Written by Rodney Howard-Browne

” ¹⁴ But thanks be to God! For through what Christ has done, he has triumphed over us so that now wherever we go he uses us to tell others about the Lord and to spread the Gospel like a sweet perfume.” - 2 Corinthians 2:14 Living Bible (TLB)

Without a battle, there is no triumph. Without a fight, there is no victory.

The fight of the Christian is a fight of faith. Fight the good fight of faith!

Abide and reside in God's presence. Be a hearer and a doer of His Word.

We must stand on God's Word and have ears to hear and a heart to receive what the Spirit of God is saying.

God's plans are not dreary and mundane. His purposes do not cause us to moan and groan in despair.

We delight ourselves in the Lord and serve Him with gladness, not sadness.

His yoke is easy and His burden is light; it is not difficult or agonizing to serve the Lord.

The path of the righteous keeps growing brighter and brighter.

Religion and tradition are heavy burdens and miserable paths to take.

That which is contrary to the Word and to the Spirit of God, brings a heavy burden; however, where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom and liberty!

The plans of the Lord include joy, peace, grace, and victory!

His plans always include reaching souls — saving souls — setting the captives free.

Through God's Word from Genesis to Revelation, this is plain to see: Glad tidings — great joy — good news — good things!

Jesus went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil for God was with Him.

In John 6:35 Jesus said, "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”

You are a carrier of this living water; you are a carrier of the bread of life.

You have exactly what the lost need, what your city needs, what your nation needs. You carry the solution to humanity's ills, sorrows, and problems.

His name is Jesus — the Savior of the World.

For God so loved the world that He gave His absolute best.

Preach the Gospel with the power of God. Reach the lost.

See with the eye of the Spirit; have the mind of the Spirit and the heart of the Spirit.

Flow with the Holy Spirit; live a life that is wholly yielded unto Him.

Be led by the Holy Spirit and He'll show you which way to go.

He'll give you the blueprint to reach the lost.

As you flow with the Holy Spirit and keep souls a priority, you will astound many, including yourself.

To God be the glory! It's time to bring in the harvest.

Rodney Howard-Browne

Web site: Revival Ministries International

Rodney and Adonica Howard-Browne, married since October 1981, spent the early part of their ministry traveling across southern Africa.
After pioneering and pastoring a church for two years, they joined a large independent church in Johannesburg, South Africa, where Rodney served as associate pastor and Bible school lecturer. They answered God\'s call to come to the United States in December 1987 and arrived with their three children, Kirsten, Kelly and Kenneth.
In 1989 revival started during a weeklong meeting in Clifton Park, N.Y. This revival has continued and has covered the globe with signs and wonders. Local churches have been set ablaze with the glory of God.
Rodney and Adonica have crisscrossed America and many other nations traveling to as many as 46 places each year. Revival Ministries International, founded by Rodney and Adonica, is an association of churches and an international ministry organization with offices in Manila, Philippines; Melbourne, Australia; London, England; Johannesburg, South Africa; and Vancouver, B.C. Canada.
RMI, headquartered in Tampa, crosses denominational lines, carrying the fire of revival. In December 1996, Rodney and Adonica founded The River at Tampa Bay church, which has an attendance of nearly 1,000 on Sundays. They also established the River Bible Institute, training revivalists for the 21st century.

The online ministry of cfaith has been helping people discover faith, friends and freedom in the Word since 2000. Cfaith provides a unique and comprehensive collection of faith-building resources for the worldwide faith community.

At cfaith, you can strengthen your faith and deepen your understanding of the Word of God by digging into the vast collection of teaching articles, streaming audio and video messages, and daily devotionals. No other website offers such a unique and extensive collection of spiritual-growth resources aimed at helping you grow in your knowledge of the ord.

https://www.cfaith.com/index.php/article-display/27-articles/your-destiny/22355-christ-always-leads-us-in-triumph

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https://puricarechronicles.blogspot.com/2018/07/i-will-serve-you-maranatha-i-will-serve.html

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FAVOR… WHEN YOU NEED IT MOST - in order for your breakthrough of supernatural favor to come, a step of faith is required: what you have in your hand must be transferred into God’s hand - no matter what may be happening in the world’s economy, there’s never any lack in God’s economy - She was at the end of her rope, desperate for a miracle. With only a handful of food left, this widow was planning to make one final meal for herself and her son – and then she was planning to die. Right when all hope seemed lost, God sent this distraught woman a prophet. Perhaps that sounds like a positive development, the woman thought so at the time. Just like the widow, this prophet of the Lord had no food or money with him. What good could he possibly do? This prophet (Elijah the Tishbite) had seen God’s miraculous provision in his own life for the past three years. He had followed the Lord’s unusual instruction to camp out at the Brook Cherith, where he could drink the water and be fed by ravens that brought him food. While Elijah and the widow both seemed to have nothing when they first met, there was one important difference: Elijah knew how to hear God’s instructions and receive His supernatural favor. Although she had no way of knowing it, the widow was about to enter into God’s miraculous favor as well. Yet the key to her breakthrough required a faith-filled response to Elijah’s audacious request.

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Favor… When You Need it Most

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in order for your breakthrough of supernatural favor to come, a step of faith is usually required: what you have in your hand must be transferred into God’s hand - no matter what may be happening in the world’s economy, there’s never any lack in God’s economy

by David Cerullo

She was at the end of her rope, desperate for a miracle.

With only a handful of food left, this widow was planning to make one final meal for herself and her son – and then she was planning to die.

Right when all hope seemed lost, God sent this distraught woman a prophet.

Perhaps that sounds like a positive development, but I’m not sure the woman thought so at the time.

Just like the widow, this prophet of the Lord had no food or money with him when he arrived. What good could he possibly do?

However, this prophet (Elijah the Tishbite) had seen God’s miraculous provision in his own life for the past three years.

He had followed the Lord’s unusual instruction to camp out at the Brook Cherith, where he could drink the water and be fed by ravens that brought him food.

While Elijah and the widow both seemed to have nothing when they first met, there was one important difference: Elijah knew how to hear God’s instructions and receive His supernatural favor.

Although she had no way of knowing it, the widow was about to enter into God’s miraculous favor as well.

Yet the key to her breakthrough required a faith-filled response to Elijah’s audacious request:

“Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand” (1 Kings 17:11).

If I were this widow, I would have been outraged. “The nerve of this guy!”

I would have said to myself. “Here I am with only enough food for my last meal, and he wants me to feed him FIRST!”

But as impudent as Elijah’s demand must have seemed, it was a beautiful foreshadowing of Jesus’ later promise: If we truly put God’s Kingdom FIRST, He will provide us with every material thing we’ll ever need (Mathew 6:33).

The Widow’s Reply

At this point in the story, there’s some fascinating interaction between the widow and the prophet as she tries to explain to him why his request was unreasonable:

“I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die” (verse 12).

While this woman had a plan for her future, it was a plan to give up and DIE. Surely Elijah would back down when he realized how dire her situation was.

But instead of backing down, Elijah told her that her plan was a good one!

“Do not fear,” he encouraged her, “go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it FIRST” (verse 13).

Do you see how strange this must have sounded? She had told him her plan to eat her last meal and then die.

Rather than giving her any assurance that her breakthrough was coming, Elijah replied that she should do as she said!

How ironic that right when she was preparing to give up and die, God sent her a prophet to prepare her for her breakthrough.

I don’t know about you, but there have been times when I wanted to give up on my miracle.

The circumstances were overwhelming, and I was making plans that didn’t account for the Lord’s supernatural intervention.

But as this woman was about to discover, everything changes when we put God first and listen for His instructions.

Only A ‘Handful’

This widow had almost nothing left… only a “handful” of flour and a little bit of oil.

But you see, this “HANDFUL” turned out to be the key to her miracle!

As long as the woman held on to her meager supply of food, that’s all she had.

Yet when she obeyed Elijah’s instructions and released what was in her hand, God intervened in her circumstances and released the supernatural abundance that was in HIS hand!

Although the instructions God gave this poor widow must have seemed totally unreasonable, His purpose was not her demise but her BLESSING!

Elijah assured her that if she would obey, “The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth” (verse 14).

When she chose to obey the prophet of the Lord, the result was MIRACULOUS provision:

She and he and her household ate for many days.

The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke by Elijah (verses 15-16).

What an amazing miracle! In a time of drought and famine, this desperate woman went from having “not enough” to having “more than enough.”

From the brink of starvation and death, she experienced a new lease on life and overflowing abundance – all because she chose to obey the Lord’s word to trust Him with her “handful.”

What’s In Your Hand?

Too often, people look for their breakthrough in all the wrong places.

They dream of winning millions via a lottery ticket or a lucky bet at the racetrack.

However, the key to your breakthrough is not a matter of luck or happenstance.

As we see in the story of the widow, the key is right there in your hand!

However, in order for your breakthrough of supernatural favor to come, a step of faith is usually required:

What you have in your hand must be transferred into God’s hand!

This isn’t some novel theory, but an established principle found throughout the pages of Scripture.

Whenever His people had their backs against a wall, God provided a word of instruction to release an outbreak of His favor.

Consider this…

How much food would it take you to feed more than 5,000 hungry people? Without the Lord’s supernatural blessing, you would need several huge truckloads!

However, when just five loaves of bread and two fish were transferred into Jesus’ hands and blessed by Him, the result was an abundant overflow – 12 baskets of leftovers (Matthew 14:14-21).

Without Jesus’ blessing on these loaves and fish, it’s likely that only five or ten people could have eaten a full meal.

But everything changed when Jesus provided the needed INCREASE!

Friend, I believe your miracle from God is at hand – in fact, it’s literally in your hand!

Whatever breakthrough you need from Him – whether in your finances, marriage, job, health, or children – the key is surrendering all of your resources into the hands of your Almighty Covenant Partner.

Remember: No matter what may be happening in the world’s economy, there’s never any lack in God’s economy.

He says of His people, “In the days of famine they will have abundance” (Psalm 37:19 NASB).

I’m praying for you today, that you will learn the secret to unlocking God’s favor and “prosper in all that you do” (Deuteronomy 29:9).

God bless you,

David Cerullo is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Inspiration Ministries, located in Indian Land, South Carolina ­– a ministry dedicated to impacting people for Christ worldwide through media. The son of international evangelist Morris Cerullo, David took a less traditional approach to ministry, graduating from Oral Roberts University with a degree in business administration and management. He has authored over 20 books, and operates a global media ministry that powerfully impacts the world for Christ. More from David on Inspiration.org. 

https://inspiration.org/david-cerullo/strengthen-your-walk/favor-when-you-need-it-most/

PURGATORY AND THE BIBLE - Jesus mentioned nothing about the existence of purgatory - He spoke more about the realities of hell than the doctrine of purgatory - Jesus spoke of what would come at the end of the Church Age – that angels would separate an evil humanity from a righteous one - the wicked would be thrown into a fiery furnace where weeping and gnashing of teeth would occur - Purgatory is integral to the Roman Catholic faith. It is a condition or place in which the souls of those dying...are purified...from sins. Purgatory is part of the Catholic doctrine where a “final purification” occurs in order to “achieve the holiness necessary to enter... heaven. Augustine – considered a founding father of Christianity – advocated praying for the dead. He felt prayer removed the final traces of sin after a human passed away. St. Augustine lead a life of drinking and sexual immorality. Jesus mentioned nothing about purgatory. Jesus spoke more about the realities of hell than the doctrine of purgatory. During his crucifixion, Jesus answered dying thief. “Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.’” Jesus’s words are true. If He said, “today,” than he meant it. Every waking day of a Christ-follower’s life is a day for Christ to spiritually refine us. Spiritual refinement is a lifelong process which occurs while we live and breathe on earth.

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Purgatory

What Is 

Purgatory and Is it in the Bible?

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Jesus mentioned nothing about the existence of purgatory - He spoke more about the realities of hell than the doctrine of purgatory - Jesus spoke of what would come at the end of the Church Age – that angels would separate an evil humanity from a righteous one - the wicked would be thrown into a fiery furnace where weeping and gnashing of teeth would occur

Jessica Galán

Upon dying, does the human soul really travel to a temporary place to purify itself?

Can the soul “cleanse” itself before entering the fullness of Heaven?

Whether you believe in purgatory or not, this historical doctrine regarding its existence is intriguing.

Purgatory is integral to the Roman Catholic faith, but what does the Bible say about it?

And how can Protestant Christians lovingly engage with Catholics beyond just an intellectual understanding of the doctrine?

Let’s explore this how this idea is understood today as well as what famous theologians like Augustine and Martin Luther thought about it.

Purgatory: What is it?

According to Dictionary.com, purgatory is “a condition or place in which the souls of those dying...are purified...from sins.”

Essentially, purgatory is part of the Catholic doctrine of faith where a “final purification” occurs in order to “achieve the holiness necessary to enter... heaven,” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, CCC 1030-31).

The famous theologian Augustine – considered a founding father of Christianity – advocated praying for the dead. He felt prayer removed the final traces of sin after a human passed away.

According to Catholic Online, St. Augustine lead a life of drinking and sexual immorality.

Could Augustine’s inner-guilt from his personal experiences with sin lead him to embrace the idea of purgatory? Perhaps so.

The Council of Trent

In 1545, in response to Martin Luther and his Protestant Reformation, the Catholic Church established a commission to assess the deep levels of corruptions including the selling of indulgences and bribery.

During this time, the Council of Trent reaffirmed the doctrine of purgatory.

The Gospel Coalition reported on 450^th anniversary of the Council of Trent in their article, “9 Things You Should Know About the Council of Trent.”

“Under Catholic teaching, every sin must be purified either here on earth or after death in a state called purgatory... The council affirmed the doctrine of purgatory and damned anyone who claimed, ‘that after the grace of justification has been received the guilt is so remitted and the debt of eternal punishment so blotted out for any repentant sinner, that no debt of temporal punishment remains to be paid,’” The Gospel Coalition reported.

Does Scripture Support Purgatory?

The very popular Pope John Paul II, with the support of the Italian Vatican, published a second edition of the Catechism of the Catholic Church in 1997.

It states, praying for the dead was necessary: All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven. (CCC 1030).

Devout Catholics also look to the book of 1 Corinthians to support their beliefs about purgatory.

“If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire,” (1 Corinthians 3:15).

What Did Jesus Say About Purgatory?

Jesus mentioned nothing about the existence of purgatory. If anything, Jesus spoke more about the realities of hell than the doctrine of purgatory.

During his crucifixion, Jesus offered a profound answer to a dying thief.

“Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise,’” - Luke 23:42-43.

Jesus is Author and Finisher of our faith.

Jesus’s words are true. If He said, “today,” than he meant it.

In Matthew 13:49, Jesus spoke of what would come at the end of the Church Age – that angels would separate an evil humanity from a righteous one. 

Matthew 13:50 goes on to tell us the wicked would be thrown into a fiery furnace where weeping and gnashing of teeth would occur. This scripture does not support the doctrine of purgatory.

The Refiner’s Fire Occurs Here on Earth

Malachi 3:3 states, “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord.”

For contextual purposes, Bible readers must consider what is written in the prior verse, “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears?” - Malachi 3:2.

Every waking day of a Christ-follower’s life is a day for Christ to spiritually refine us. Spiritual refinement is a lifelong process which occurs while we live and breathe on earth.

Challenging circumstances refine and purify us.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything,” - James 1:2-4.

As the Holy Spirit prompts questions like these in your heart, think of them as refining trials, and “consider it pure joy.”

●  Could I have responded in a gentler manner?

●  Did I serve others without complaint?

●  Has bitterness caused me to harbor resentment towards others?

●  Am I judging the walk of a recent convert?

●  Do I show the love of Christ to others?

“Fires” will come to every believer because this life doesn’t absolve us of difficulties. Challenging circumstances refine and purify us.

How Should I Respond to Catholics?

Let’s review the scripture which Catholics use to support purgatory:

“If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved – even though only as one escaping through the flames,” - 1 Corinthians 3:15.

It is critical to look at this scripture in context. Apostle Paul, using an analogy, wrote that believers are “builders” whose foundation is Christ:

“Their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work,” - 1 Corinthians 3:13-14.

Upon death, one does not work. If purgatory does exist, what kind of “work” is done? 

We are living testimonies.

While we are alive, we are living testimonies. We are God’s workmanship.

Are we showing others the love of God?

Are we living in such a manner that compels others to ask, “Why are you so happy? Why are you so positive?”   

It is Christ in us which will convince the lost. This is how we “build” the Kingdom of God.

It probably isn't the best witness to yell or ridicule the beliefs of devout Catholics.

Instead, let’s focus on four things that Protestants and Catholics have in common:

1. We believe that Christ died for the sins of humanity.

2. We believe that grace alone saves us.

3. We believe he rose again.

4. We believe that he will one day return to reclaim us. 

Apostle Paul encouraged the Body of Christ with these words, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace,” - Ephesians 4:2-3.

Timothy Paul Jones on Purgatory:

Timothy Paul Jones, author and associate vice present at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, talks about purgatory in his Crosswalk.com video, “Does the Bible Support the Idea That Purgatory Exists?”

https://youtu.be/VtyM1aCbnls

"Really what we're dealing with in the question of purgatory is: How does a Christian enter God's presence – God’s holy presence – when there is still sin unconfessed in his or her life? That’s really what we’re asking.”

Jones discusses the theological idea from the perspective of Augustine in the 5^th century, Martin Luther in the 16^th century, and modern Roman Catholic thinking on the issue.   

“The same problem remains with purgatory. It’s requiring something other than – more than – the finished work of Jesus on the cross to make us right with God,” he said.

Jessica Galán encourages her readers to embrace malleability in the midst of life’s difficult moments. She spends her day teaching amazing students from diverse backgrounds in Fairfield County, Connecticut. She’s wife to a super-creative man and the proud mother of three resilient young women. She’s served as a writing facilitator for Lysa TerKeurst through COMPEL Training. She enjoys daily cups of steaming hot café con leche and breaks out in sporadic salsa dancing when no one’s looking. You’ll find her stories at jessicagalan.net. Connect with her here: Twitter || Instagram ||Facebook

For more insight on purgatory and other common misconceptions of what happens afer death, read, "Does the Bible Say What Happens After Death?"

https://www.ibelieve.com/faith/what-is-purgatory-and-is-it-in-the-bible.html