BVOV Magazine 2013 - present

The atmosphere of mistrust I created drove a wedge between my daddy and me. Did his love for me change? No. Did my actions make him less willing to do everything he could to help me? Not at all. The choices I made hurt him because, eventually he could no longer reach me, and I couldn’t reach out to him. None of it was his fault—it was mine. It’s the same way in our relationship with God. His love and commitment to bless us never change. We shut the door to that blessing when we refuse to honor what He says. What would you think of a son who told his father: “Dad, I really love you, but I don’t believe a word you say”? A child’s declaration of love is meaningless if he will not take action on the promises, or counsel of his parents. His statement is an insult. This is the same problem many believers face because, as the last half of Hebrews 11:6 tells us, when we come to God we must “believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” You can tell many believers aren’t doing this by the way they treat His promises, like 1 Peter 2:24: “By [His] stripes ye were healed.” “Well, yes, I know it says that, Brother Copeland. I know God can heal, but I just don’t know whether He would or not. You see, I believe that God doesn’t heal everyone. He just heals one here and one there. I don’t believe I’m one that He does. My religion doesn’t believe it. I just don’t think it could happen.” What an insult to a loving Father! You might as well call God a liar to His face. It’s absolutely awful to blame God when all the time we are the ones who are not receiving. Don’t Draw Back The person who approaches God and His promises that way is described in Hebrews 10:38: “If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” In other words, the person who draws back from trusting what God says He will do, robs God of the pleasure of blessing him. Pleasing God requires that we trust His WORD as we would the word of an honorable man. It demands that we let Him pour out His blessings on us as vessels of His glory in the earth. Faith pleases God because it gives Him access into your life. Psalm 35:27 says: “Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.” Your faith gives God an opening to come into your life. He needs access in order to remove burdens, destroy yokes and make you a living demonstration of His desire to bless men. But He has that access only when you “believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Acting on His WORD gives Him opportunity to heal your body, to prosper you, to save your children, to deliver your children from drugs—whatever it is you desire and need. Faith gives Him access into your life, and gives you access into the grace of God—His divine favor and blessings. Do you need further proof that God’s desire is to bless you, and not to teach you a lesson? Read 3 John 2, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” Look at what His prosperity includes. To prosper, by the dictionary definition means “to excel in something desirable, to go forward.” You desire to be well. You desire to be born again. You desire to go to heaven. You desire to please your heavenly Father. You desire to feed your family. That’s prospering. God desires for you to excel in the entire realm of human existence: spirit, soul and body. He also desires for you to excel financially and socially. God desires you to be born again, baptized in the Holy Ghost, learning about faith and walking by faith. He desires your mind be renewed to His WORD and walking in His wisdom—the God-given ability to use knowledge. His desire is that you know His healing power and walk in divine health. God delights when you have your financial needs met and are able to give to every good work. In every relationship, He desires you to be a strong witness and lighthouse of His love, His way, His will and His power, to help others to prosper and know The WORD of God. * * * * continues on p. 8 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SALVATION PRAYER If you do not know Jesus as your Savior and Lord, simply pray the following prayer in faith, and Jesus will be your Lord! Heavenly Father, I come to You in the Name of Jesus. Your Word says, “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” and “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Acts 2:21; Romans 10:9). You said my salvation would be the result of Your Holy Spirit giving me new birth by coming to live in me (John 3:5-6, 15-16; Romans 8:9-11) and that if I would ask, You would fill me with Your Spirit and give me the ability to speak with other tongues (Luke 11:13; Acts 2:4). I take You at Your Word. I confess that Jesus is Lord. And I believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead. Thank You for coming into my heart, for giving me Your Holy Spirit as You have promised, and for being Lord over my life. Amen. CONNECT WITH US If you have just prayed this prayer, please let us know of your decision. We have a Free Gift to help you begin your new life in Jesus! kcm.org/salvation PRAYER IS OUR PRIORITY. +1-817-852-6000 7 days a week es Hablamos Español Nohemi R., prayer minister BVOV : 7

• Cover