The Teacher (2)

'...The Spirit will...make it known to you.' John 16:15 NIV

The Holy Spirit, Who is your Teacher: 

(1) Wants you to search God's Word for answers and direction.  

He doesn't want you to be passive and simply accept whatever comes into your life. He wants you to turn to His Word for insight; to find divine solutions to the human problems confronting you day in and day out. He wants you to stand on His Word instead of lying down and saying, 'I guess this is just the way it's got to be'. 

Your Bible is a road map that will never steer you the wrong way. It's a sword you can fight with, and win every time.

'...Meditate in it day and night...do according to all that is written in it. For then you will... have good success' (Joshua 1:8 NKJV).

(2) Wants you to grow by following in the footsteps of Jesus. 

The word 'disciple' is our translation of the Greek word mathetes, which means 'a learner or student'. In Jesus' day, disciples not only learned from the teacher's lectures, but also by observing and experiencing every aspect of the teacher's life. That's how Jesus trained His twelve disciples. And finally the time came when

He could say to them,'The works that I do shall [you] do also' (John 14:12 KJV). 

Peter, James and John, 'the inner circle', had a more intimate relationship with Christ. That was not because He loved them more, but that He had a particular plan in mind for them. 

What's God's plan for you? 

That's what the battle in your life is about. Satan will do all he can to put distance between you and God. Don't let him!

Soul Food: Acts 22-23, Mark 2:13-22, Ps 144:9-15, Pro 11:12-13

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Monday, 28 April 2014

The Teacher (1)

'...The Holy Spirit...will teach you all things...' John 14:26 NKJV

Jesus said the Holy Spirit is the greatest Teacher of all. 

Here's why: 

(1) Because He will interact with you. When you are interested enough to ask questions, the learning process has really begun. Your questions don't bother God if they come from a hungry heart. 

Jesus said,
'Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find...' (Matthew 7:7 NKJV). 

It's okay to be inquisitive. God doesn't want you to be passive and just accept everything that comes into your life. He wants you to question Him so that you can find clarity and direction.  

(2) Because He wants to teach you how to live. 

That means showing up every day for class, and not just every once in a while. It means listening intently, taking notes, and doing the reading assignments you're given. It means trusting that the Teacher knows what He's talking about, and that the knowledge you're receiving will equip you to go out and succeed in life.

You may not see much value in what a teacher is telling you right now, or think it relates to you personally. Perhaps you're only interested in passing the test, graduating, and getting out of school. No, passing tests only proves you've a good memory, not that you've really learned!

A good teacher's goal is to create in you:

(a) a hunger for knowledge;
(b) an ability to seek out and understand things when he or she is no longer around;
(c) a willingness to put what you've learned into practice.

You say, 'How can I know I'm truly learning?' John answers,
'...Continue to live in Christ, as [He] taught you' (1 John 2:27 NCV).

Soul Food: Gal 5:22, Luke 10:25-37, Eph 4:31-32, Gen 50:15-21 (Fruit of the Spirit: Kindness)

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Sunday, 27 April 2014

Let God Show You Where to Go

'...Go from your country...go to the land I will show you.' Genesis 12:1 NIV

Where you are matters. 

You can't grow bananas in Invercargill, but you can grow them in Northland.

What's the point? Simply this:
sometimes you need to change your location in order to succeed in what God's called you to do. 

Look at the life of Elijah. 'The word of the Lord came to him, saying,

"Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there"' (1 Kings 17:2-4 NKJV). 

Ravens normally don't deliver food, they eat it. But when you do what God tells you and go where He sends you, you move from the natural realm to the supernatural one.

God not only has a plan for your life, He has a place for it. 

Yes, you must have the right strategy, but you must also be in the right spot.

'...I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go' (Isaiah 48:17 NIV). 

If your heart's desire is to honour God in all things, He will show you the best location to succeed in. Indeed, He will go ahead of you and rearrange circumstances to your advantage.

He did it for Abraham. 

'By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going' (Hebrews 11:8 NIV).

Ask God, and He will show you where to go.

Soul Food: Acts 18-19, Mark 1:35-45, Ps 7:10-17, Pro 11:7-9

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Friday, 25 April 2014

Waiting for Things to Change (2)

'...I will wait, 'til my change comes.' Job 14:14 NKJV

Before you quit and give up in discouragement, consider the long and difficult process by which a butterfly emerges from its cocoon. If you try to rush God's purpose and process in your life, you'll produce something deformed, something that can't get off the ground and fly. 

Perhaps you're thinking, 

'I can't wait for this to be over.' That's understandable. 

Job couldn't either. He said, 'All the days of my hard service I will wait, 'til my change comes.' But by God's grace he survived, and ended up with twice as much as he lost.

So hold on, your change is coming! 

God won't give up on you, so don't give up on Him! There's a work going on in you right now. Something is dying that has to die, so that something better can be brought to life.
Let it happen. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego told a king,

'We will not bow down to your gods' (Daniel 3:18). 

Don't bow to temptation, or to manipulation, or to ungodly persuasion.

Don't try to keep up with the Joneses, or surrender to selfish ambition and self-promotion.

Don't bow to the spirit of anxiousness and impatience. 

Continue to walk by faith and not by sight, knowing that 

'...[God] is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we are able to ask or think...' (Ephesians 3:20 KJV).

They say, 

'Good things come to those who wait.' 

The determining factor is Who you are waiting for. God says there's a purpose for all these things (Ecclesiastes 3:1). 

Wait, God will make the pieces fit together. He won't disappoint you.

Soul Food: Acts 16-17, Mark 1:23-34, Ps 7:1-9, Pro 11:3-6

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Thursday, 24 April 2014

An Encounter with God

'...I saw the Lord sitting on a throne...' Isaiah 6:1 NKJV

Isaiah describes a life-changing encounter he had with God at the start of his ministry:

'...I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up...Above it stood seraphim...And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!" And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of Him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. So I said: "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King"...Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal...from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged." Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I. Send me!" And He said, "Go, and tell this people"...' (Isaiah 6:1-9 NKJV).

An encounter with God always brings three things:

(1) A sense of His holiness and our lowliness.
(2) An acknowledgment of our inadequacy.
(3) Humility, and a hunger for more of Him.

The wear and tear of daily life dulls the sharp edge of our spiritual sensibilities. And measuring our holiness by those around us just lulls us into thinking we're living a committed life when we're not. So God calls us to an encounter with Him to cleanse us, empower us, and send us out to fulfil His purposes.

Soul Food: Acts 12-13, Mark 1:1-13, Ps 103:13-22, Pro 10:30-32

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Tuesday, 22 April 2014

Waiting for Things to Change (1)

'How long, Lord, must I call for help?...' Habakkuk 1:2 NIV

Are you waiting for your vision to start coming to pass, or to find a solution to a problem you're facing, or for the first signs of fulfilment to a promise God has made you?

You're not the first person to struggle with the idea of waiting, and you won't be the last. Furthermore, when you get what you're waiting for now, you'll begin waiting for something else.

If there's one word that defines Christian living, it's - waiting. God said to the prophet Habakkuk,

'The revelation awaits an appointed time...and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay' (Habakkuk 2:3 NIV). 

Why did God say that? 

Because He was answering the prophet's question, 'How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but You do not listen?'

Look at the patriarch Job. Covered in boils and totally bankrupt, he says,

'If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, 'till my change comes' (Job 14:14 NKJV). 

Waiting for things to change is not easy.

So what should you do while you're waiting? 

Pour yourself into the job at hand; otherwise you'll shortchange your own future.

James writes, 

'Be patient...See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm...' (James 5:7-8 NIV).

What God has in store for you is worth any price you have to pay and any season of waiting you have to go through.

Soul Food: Acts 14-15, Mark 1:14-22, Ps 16, Pro 11:1-2

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Wednesday, 23 April 2014

Instrument Rated (11)

'The blessing of the Lord makes one rich...' Proverbs 10:22 NKJV

Instrument rated for finances. 

Just when you get ahead a little bit, your car breaks down, your house needs a new roof, and your boiler gives up the ghost. 

We all experience it. 

But the instrument-rated believer can fly through financial storms because he has absolute confidence in his gauges and radio. If he looks at them and doubts their accuracy, he's in serious difficulty. This must all be settled on the ground while he is going through the checklist. He must not take off into the storm if all is not in good order.

When it comes to money matters, check your craft.

Do you know what the Bible really says about your finances?  

To fly through or above a financial storm, you must practise Biblical stewardship, know what God has promised to you, and stand on it in faith.

'Give, and it will be given to you' (Luke 6:38 NKJV). 

Giving is an act of obedience. It honours God. But there are some things God will not do. He will not be generous with you if you have been stingy with Him or others.

The Bible says,
'The blessing of the Lord makes one rich.' 

You ask,

'How rich does God want me to be?' 

That depends on four things: your spiritual maturity, your God-given assignment in life, your willingness to put God in first place when it comes to finances, and exercising your faith.

Giving is like sowing (2 Corinthians 9:6).

When a seed is sown it produces a harvest. But the farmer has to go and get that harvest. Similarly, faith, plus obedience, draws the harvest of God's blessing into your life.

Soul Food: Acts 6-7, Matt 27:26-32, Ps 75, Pro 10:22-23

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Thursday, 17 April 2014

He Won! (1)

'...He made a public spectacle of them...' Colossians 2:15 NIV

The cross is universally recognised as symbolising the Christian faith. 

We've all seen sportsmen crossing themselves before going to bat...jewellery stores selling gold crosses...and bakers celebrating Easter with hot cross buns.

One author says:

'Christianity has become a religion of the cross - the gallows, the electric chair, the gas chamber, in modern terms. Normally we think of someone who dies a criminal's death as a failure. Yet Paul would later reflect that 

"Christ...forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the written code...that was against us...He took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross". 

On one level I think of individuals in our own time who disarmed the powers. 

Racist sheriffs who imprisoned Martin Luther King Jr....the Soviets who deported Solzhenitsyn...the authorities who imprisoned Nelson Mandela...all thought they were solving a problem. Instead they ended up unmasking their own violence and injustice...

When Jesus died, even a gruff Roman soldier was moved to exclaim, 

"...Surely He was the Son of God" (Matthew 27:54 NIV)...

He saw the contrast between his brutish colleagues and their victim Who forgave them in His dying gasp.  

The pale figure nailed to a crossbeam revealed the ruling powers as false gods who broke their own lofty promises of piety and justice. 

Religion, not irreligion, accused Jesus; the law, not lawlessness, had him executed. 

By their rigged trials...scourging...and violent opposition to Jesus, the political and religious authorities exposed themselves for what they were...Each assault...laid bare their illegitimacy, yet in the end 

" He won!' "

Soul Food: 1 Cor 15, Matt 28:1-10, Luke 24:1-12 (Easter Sunday)

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Sunday, 20 April 2014

Instrument Rated (1)

'...You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures...' Matthew 22:29 NIV

Did you know..

that most small-plane crashes are not caused by mechanical failure, but pilot error?

In most cases the pilot was not instrument rated, so he or she depended on two things which can fail you.


Let's look at each: 

(1) Sight.

As long as the pilots can see roads, bridges and landmarks, they can fly safely. But when the storm comes or the fog locks them in, they're in trouble. 

(2) Senses. 

In aviation terms the problem is called 'vertigo'. If you blindfold a person, sit them in a revolving chair, spin it around for several moments, then stop the chair and ask them in which direction they're spinning, they couldn't tell you with certainty. 

There's a sensitive device in our head that's like a carpenter's level. The force of the spinning sends the 'bubble' as far as it can go to one side. When it can go no further it begins to return - even though the person's still spinning in the same direction.So they have the sensation of stopping and beginning to spin in the opposite direction, but it's only a sensation. 

If they were not blindfolded and could see, they could ignore those sensations and would have no difficulty knowing in which direction they are going. It takes many hours of training in simulated storm conditions to develop the ability to confidently fly by the direction of your instruments and ignore your sensations of vertigo.

Understand this: 

as a child of God you must not be led by your sight or by your senses; you must be led only by the Scriptures.

Soul Food: Jer 36:27 - 40:16, Matt 26:14-25, Ps 25:1-7, Pro 9:17-18

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Monday, 7 April 2014

Instrument Rated (2)

'The precepts of the Lord are right...giving light to the eyes.' Psalm 19:8 NIV

In their effort to steer around one storm, many pilots end up in another that's even worse. 

But the instrument-rated pilot can fly directly into it. He can be totally 'fogged in', yet watch his instruments and fly without fear. 

But in order to do this he must have many hours of training in simulated storm conditions. Trouble, to him, is normal.

He has gone through it many times and knows what to do in an emergency.  

He knows how to use his radio and receive help from the radar centres.  

He knows how to stay on the radio beams that are criss-crossing the skies for his safety. 

The mountain that suddenly looms before him first shows up on the controller's radar scope, so the controller can guide the straying plane around it.

Actually, if a pilot is not instrument rated, it's illegal for him to be in a storm. 

Why? Because if he hasn't taken the time, or felt it important to do his homework and be prepared, the millions of dollars' worth of equipment is no use to him.

How do you prepare for the storms of life? 

By spending time in God's Word. In-depth knowledge of your Bible is necessary if you're to be 'certified' to navigate life's storms.  

If you wait until trouble comes to find a Scripture to help you, you have waited too long. One Bible teacher says,

'If your mouth will feed your heart faith when you don't need it, your heart will feed your mouth faith when you do.'

Soul Food: Jer 41-44, Matt 26:26-46, Ps 25:8-15, Pro 10:1-3

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Tuesday, 8 April 2014

Instrument Rated (3)

'The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.' Psalm 119:130 NKJV

In order for you to be instrument rated, an instructor will accompany you on your training missions. The instructor will place a long-billed cap on your head, so that all you can see is the instrument panel in front of you. That's because this is all you'll be able to see when you're flying in storm conditions. 

You must learn to work your instruments and radio, doing many turns and being able to bring the plane down within a few feet of the landing strip.

And you must do all this without ever looking to see where you are, without the confirmation of your senses. 

This simulated blindness, causing confusion to the average person, is soon overcome by disciplined training. 

The flights 'under the hood', as the procedure's called, become merely routine flights.

What happens when unprepared Christians are plunged into darkness by the trials of life? 

They begin to question what's happening. 

Everything was going well; all they could see ahead was fair weather.  

But now they've lost their sense of direction because they have not spent time in God's Word. They have not been taught to trust God regardless of what they see or feel, so they get discouraged, sometimes backslide, and sometimes even blame God and get swallowed up in bitterness.

Paul writes to Timothy, 

'Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analysing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth' (2 Timothy 2:15 AMP).

Soul Food: Jer 45-48, Matt 26:47-56, Ps 25:16-22, Pro 10:4-7

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Wednesday, 9 April 2014

Instrument Rated (4)

'...In this world you will have trouble...' John 16:33 NIV

Instrument rated for trouble. 

Pastors and counselors constantly 'pick up the pieces' of the broken lives of those who thought trouble would never come their way, so they didn't prepare for it.  

Paul wrote, 

'We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed...' (2 Corinthians 4:8 KJV). 

Believers live in the same world as non-believers, but they handle it differently. That's because they have a different source, a different strategy, and a different spirit.  

God's promise is: 

'He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him' (Psalm 91:15 KJV).

Some people dwell only on troubles. Others dwell only on deliverance. 

The secret of victory is in accepting that trouble will come, but knowing you're instrument rated to get through it because you've taken the time and training required to handle it scripturally. 

People say, 

'If only I'd known this was going to happen I'd have been ready for it.' 

It's foolish to go looking for trouble, but it's even more foolish not to be prepared for it. 

A wife hears her husband say, 'I'm in love with someone else'.  

A call comes from the police telling you that your son has been caught in a drugs bust.  

Your tearful teenage daughter tells you she's pregnant.

Get ready for trouble, because trouble is getting ready for you! In such times the instrument-rated believer turns to their unfailing source:  

God's Word. 

'He shall deliver you in six troubles: yes, in seven no evil shall touch you. In famine (recession) He shall (deliver) you... You shall laugh at destruction...' (Job 5:19-22 NKJV).

Soul Food: Jer 49-50, Matt 26:57-68, Ps 50:1-15, Pro 10:8-10

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Thursday, 10 April 2014

Instrument Rated (8)

'Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love...' Ecclesiastes 9:9 NIV

Instrument rated for marriage. 

Today Christian marriages are falling apart at the same rate as non-Christian marriages. And those who go through it need our love, not our condemnation. But clearly, something's wrong that needs to be put right! 

Two of the leading causes of divorce are financial stress and pornography. 

When you become overextended by purchasing things you can't afford and don't need, you're heading into trouble. And when you open your mind to sexual fantasy, you entertain images your mate can't live up to, and your relationship begins to deteriorate.

Solomon writes, 

'Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines, for our vines have tender grapes' (Song of Solomon 2:15 NKJV). 

Notice the word 'tender'. When we fail to treat one another tenderly, graciously, lovingly, considerately, and with respect, the plane we're flying in together takes a nosedive. 

A neglected partner is vulnerable to anyone who comes along. Resentment wells up and takes over. If God's Word doesn't work in your home and in your marriage, then it won't work anywhere else! 

An instrument-rated Christian 

understands that the secret of having a good marriage is not just in finding the right person, but in becoming the right person. And that can only happen when you make a daily commitment to living by the principles of God's Word and demonstrating the fruits of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22).

The story is told of one spouse who said to the other,

'I never knew what real happiness was until I married you - now it's too late.' 

Unless you want that to be your story, start tending the home fires.

Soul Food: Acts 1:1 - 3:10, Matt 27:11-18, Ps 43, Pro 10:17-18

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Monday, 14 April 2014

Instrument Rated (7)

'Lead me, O Lord...make straight Your way before me.' Psalm 5:8 NIV

Instrument rated for direction. 

The compass has always been the pilot's best friend. Most planes are equipped with two.

How can you know the will of God?

'...A man named Agabus, who also had the gift of prophecy, arrived from Judea. He came over, took Paul's belt, and bound his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, "The Holy Spirit declares, 'So shall the owner of this belt be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Gentiles.'" When we heard this, we and the local believers all begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. But he said, "Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus." When it was clear that we couldn't persuade him, we gave up and said, "The Lord's will be done"' (Acts 21:10-14 NLT). 

Notice, the confusion here was not over God's will; that was clear. It was over fear concerning Paul's life. Here we have a perfect example of letting our emotions get in the way of our spirit. It is by our spirit, not our mind, and certainly not our emotions, that we understand the ways and directions of the Lord. 

'For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God' (Romans 8:14 KJV).

You must not be led by 

'voices, dreams, and "fleeces"' (see Judges 6:37-40). Sometimes these things support and confirm what you sense in your spirit to be God's will, but they are never to be the sole deciding factor. 

Your compass is God's Word!

Soul Food: Matt 21:1-16, Ps 118:19-29 (Palm Sunday)

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Sunday, 13 April 2014

Instrument Rated (6)

'...The Father is seeking such to worship Him.' John 4:23 NKJV

Instrument rated for discouragement. 

God has promised to give you

'...beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness...' (Isaiah 61:3 KJV). 

Satan can't stand it when someone other than himself is receiving praise and honour, so the spirit of heaviness will lift when you begin to praise your God. It will fall off you like a garment. The weight will be gone. Your pity party will turn to a scene of gladness.

Here's something remarkable: 

Jesus said, '...The Father is seeking such to worship Him...in spirit and truth' (John 4:23-24 NKJV).

When you begin to worship God - instead of you seeking Him, He starts seeking you! And since He knows where to find you at all times, He blesses you, strengthens you and causes you to rise above your discouragement. 

You can literally praise your way through the storm! 

When an instructor is teaching a new student to fly, he constantly reminds the student to keep the nose of the plane up. New students are likely to keep the nose of the plane down so they can better see where they are going. Also, the plane has a natural tendency to fall - if you let it.  

When you keep your head up and your eyes on Jesus, your heart begins to rejoice even in the toughest test. It takes effort, but it's worth it.

Remember,

you don't always win every fight in the first round. But if you hang in there and keep answering the bell with praise, you will be victorious. 

Why? 

Because the fight was fixed by Jesus a long time ago.

Soul Food: Joel 1-3, Matt 27:1-10, Ps 56, Pro 10:14-16

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Saturday, 12 April 2014

Instrument Rated (9)

'...Bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.' Ephesians 6:4 NIV

Instrument rated for parenthood. 
Parents today face unique problems that no other generation has.




But God's Word is timeless, so: 

(1) Enforce discipline. 

'Whom the Lord loves He corrects...' (Proverbs 3:12 NKJV). 

Teach your child that every decision has consequences. And don't rescue them from their consequences, for life won't let them off the hook when they do wrong. 

(2) Teach them God's ways. 

'Train up a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it' (Proverbs 22:6 NKJV). 

Give your child a taste of the things of God when they are young, and when they're older the world won't be able to satisfy their taste. 

(3) Commit them to the Lord. 

This isn't easy; it's like allowing them to take the family car out for the first time. But there comes a point where God, not you, must speak to them and guide them.

They'll either learn the easy way or the hard way. And even if they do go astray, God promises that they'll come back again (Jeremiah 31:16-17).

So pray, 

'Lord, they're Yours now. I've taught them and set an example, now I give them to You. Deal with them according to Your perfect will'.

Does that mean everything will be OK from that point on?  

Maybe, and maybe not.  

But like a pilot who flies according to his instruments, you must stand on the Word of God for your children.

Soul Food: Exo 12:1-14, 1 Cor 11:23-29, Ps 69:7-21, Deut 21:22-23 (Passover)

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Tuesday, 15 April 2014

Instrument Rated (10)

'...I am the Lord who heals you.' Exodus 15:26 NKJV

Instrument rated for sickness. 

Many a healthy person has been cut down in the prime of life by cancer, heart attack, stroke, or some other debilitating disease.  

But there's a way to be ready for this storm, a way not paved with fear, a way that has so prepared you that you can hear the diagnosis of your doctor and still have a sense of God's peace in your heart. 

You know what your instrument panel, the Bible, says about it. You know what to do, how to act, and what to say. You've been prepared for this moment.

Now, if a pilot hasn't faithfully maintained his aircraft, then it will go down in the storm no matter what his instrument panel tells him. So if you have taken good care of your body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit, then you can go to God with confidence, standing on His Word and asking Him to heal you. 

Eventually we will all die of something, but you don't have to die before your time.  

God has promised us 'long life' (Psalm 91:16).  

The Bible says, 

'He... healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: "...He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses"' (Matthew 8:16-17 NKJV).

You say, 'I know some good Christians who prayed for healing, and didn't get it.'  

That's true. And the most spiritually mature among us can't explain why.  

God stamps some things: 'Will explain later!'  

But as long as you're living, you must stand on the Word of God, which says,

'I am the Lord who heals you'.

Soul Food: Acts 3:11 - 5:42, Matt 27:19-25, Ps 127, Pro 10:19-21

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Wednesday, 16 April 2014

Instrument Rated (5)

'...Do not be dismayed, for I am your God...' Isaiah 41:10 NIV

* Instrument rated for depression. 

Depression, if left unchecked, can cause you to do crazy things, like walk away from a good job or a healthy marriage, or turn to alcohol and drugs.  

The dictionary defines depression as 'to be flattened vertically or dispirited'.  

 Now you know why sometimes you don't want to get out of bed in the morning.

The word 'depression' is not mentioned in Scripture.

The closest definition to it is 'heavy weight'. 

'Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad...' (Proverbs 12:25 ESV).

* The toughest battles you will ever fight will be those with your own mind. 

What's the answer?  

Start speaking God's Word - out loud! 

'For He Himself has said, 

"I will never leave you nor forsake you". 

So we may boldly say: 

"...The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me"' (Hebrews 13:5-6 NKJV)? 

Pastor Sarah Utterbach points out: 

'People say, "The Lord has promised never to leave me nor forsake me", then they go right back to discussing their problem. In so doing they invalidate the power of what God said.  

The Holy Spirit is authorised to act on God's Word when you begin to say what God has said.' When you dwell on your problem, it's like a pilot flying by sight and senses.  

But when you agree with God's Word and begin to stand on it, you're flying by your instrument panel.

So get into God's Word, get God's Word into you, and start speaking it over your situation. 

'My Word...will not return to Me empty...but will...achieve the purpose for which I sent it' (Isaiah 55:11 NIV).

Soul Food: Jer 51-52, Matt 26:69-75, Ps 50:16-23, Pro 10:11-13

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Friday, 11 April 2014

The Parable of the Prodigal Son (3)

'...He was lost and is found.' Luke 15:32 NIV

The Prodigal Son didn't really know who his father was or how his father felt about him until he left home.

Looking back, he thought,

'I left the best thing I ever had'. 

After ending up in a hog pen he 'came to himself' (Luke 15:17). Looking around, he thought,

'This is not how I was meant to live'. 

At that point his life took a dramatic turn. Upon his return, his father threw a big party.

When the Prodigal Son got a revelation of who his father was, he discovered who he was; then he could really celebrate.

Until you discover who God is, and who you are, there's nothing to celebrate. You'll just keep trying to buy love, get people to like you, try to win their friendships, try to make connections, try to be with the right people at the right place at the right time in order to get to the right destination, etc.  

But once you know Who your Father is, and who you are, you get to go back home and take your rightful place at the table.

No more loneliness.
No more guilt.
No more lacking.

Listen to the Father's words: 
'We had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found' (Luke 15:32 NIV).

When he left home the Prodigal Son was saying,
 '...Give me my share of the estate...' (Luke 15:12 NIV).

But he discovered that you can have all the 'stuff' in the world, yet it means nothing without the assurance of your Father's love. Get the idea?

Soul Food: Jer 25-27, Matt 25:14-23, Ps 31, Pro 8:34-36

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Wednesday, 2 April 2014

The Parable of the Prodigal Son (2)

'He came to his senses...' Luke 15:17 NIV

Sometimes you have to reach your lowest point to understand who God is and what He can do for you.

When the younger son ended up in a hog pen,

'He came to his senses'. 


But his next decision was crucial: 

'I will...go back to my father and say..."I have sinned"...' (Luke 15:18 NIV). 

And when he did, his father restored him to his rightful place. But the older brother needed his father's forgiveness too. 

What was his sin? 

Jealousy and judgmentalism:

 '...This son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him' (Luke 15:30 NIV)! 

He built himself up by tearing his brother down. He tried to earn his father's love by making points. The trouble was, he already had his father's love; he just didn't know it, so he kept trying to 'prove himself'.

Are you doing that? 

As a redeemed child of God you are already accepted, justified and clothed in the righteousness of Christ. Today your Heavenly Father is saying, 

'...You are always with Me, and everything I have is yours' (Luke 15:31 NIV). 

These two boys sinned in very different ways, but their solution was the same - being restored to fellowship with their father.

James writes, 

'Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father...who does not change...' (James 1:17 NIV). 

Notice, God not only knows what's 'good' for you, but what's 'perfect'. And He will give it to you when you get into the right place spiritually and begin to relate to Him as you should.

Soul Food: Jer 22-24, Matt 25:1-13, Ps 6, Pro 8:32-33

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Tuesday, 1 April 2014