BVOV Magazine 2013 - present

******ADVERTISEMENT******** 2014 Victory Campaign Branson February 27–March 1 Faith Life Church | Branson, Mo. Get away and seek God. Adjust your compass—find direction! Admission is Always FREE! Register today kcm.org/events 1-800-600-7395 (U.S. only) +1-817-852-6000 Schedule is subject to change without notice. Faith Life Church 3701 W. Highway 76 Branson, MO 65616 ******************************* Obedience Matters If anyone ever needed a refuge from violence, David did. He faced a lot of it in his lifetime. He had to fight the lion and the bear that attacked his father’s sheep. He had to single-handedly slay the murderous giant, Goliath. But he could do it all without fear because he had this revelation: “The Lord [is]...My lovingkindness and my fortress, My high tower and my deliverer, My shield and the One in whom I 'take refuge'” (Psalm 144:1-2, New King James Version). Look again at those last two words. I italicized them for emphasis because they’re especially important. They let us know that God’s sheltering power doesn’t just fall on us like an apple off a tree. We have to do something to appropriate it. We have to actively “take refuge” in God. How do we do that? By faith! Faith is a major key to receiving everything God offers. It’s how we receive the new birth. It’s how we receive healing and prosperity. And since faith comes by hearing God’s Word, to have faith in our refuge the first thing we do is find out what the Word says about it. We feed on God’s promises of protection until all fear has been eradicated from our hearts. Then, according to Romans 10:10, we say what we believe. We talk like David did and say things like, “I’m hidden in the secret place of the Most High! He saves me from violence. He’s my refuge, my defense and my very present help in time of trouble.” Ken and I preach frequently about faith and words, so if you’ve heard us very often you already know how important they are. But, they’re not the whole story. It’s not just what you believe and say that matters. Your actions are important too. If you want to stay safe in God’s refuge, you must obey Him. You must do what He tells you to do in His written Word and through the voice of the Holy Spirit inside you. Otherwise you’ll open the door to the devil; he’ll gain entrance into your life and threaten your security. It’s a sobering thought, I know, but it’s true nonetheless. Even though we’re believers—born again and washed in the blood of Jesus—if we want to live in God’s secret place of protection, we must be steadfast in our walk with Him. We can’t be on fire for Him one day and backsliding the next. We can’t be wishy-washy, acting like saints on Sunday and sinners on Monday. “For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord” (James 1:6-7). Living in Dangerous Territory This is one reason why, in my own life, I put such emphasis on spending time in God’s Word. The Word strengthens my faith and keeps me spiritually stable. It corrects me when I’m wrong and teaches me how to live in a way that pleases God. Fifty years ago I used to do and say things without any sense of conviction, that I would never do or say today, because I’ve spent time in God’s Word. I’ve gotten to know Him and His ways. I’ve learned more about what I should and shouldn’t do and say. Do you know what else I’ve learned from spending time in the Word? I’ve learned that God is altogether good, that He wants the best for me. But, if I choose to go opposite His direction, I’m taking my life in my own hands. I’m heading for trouble because just as following His commands leads to THE BLESSING, refusing to follow them leads to the curse. Disobedience to God’s Word is the doorway to everything bad! That’s why James 1:22 says, “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.” Christians who are hearers only live in dangerous territory. Doers live in security and safety. I want to be a doer, don’t you? I want to do everything I can to live in obedience to the Lord. I want to think like the Bible says to think. I want to talk like the Bible says to talk, and act like the Bible says to act. I want to abide in the secret place of the Most High so I can be secure and safe even in times of national turmoil and judgment. “Gloria, are you saying our nation is headed for judgment?” you might ask. 30 : BVOV : MAR '14

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