Confession of Belief

                                                                                                                                 

Aloha Dearest Family,

 

                “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” (Proverbs 18:21)

 

As Christians, we know that life has many trials and challenges. It is important to NOT CONFESS our present situation but confess the victory that God has for us. It may be challenging because many of us listen to the people around us and tend to repeat their negative language. God has given us many promises in His Word for us to claim so that we can always be victorious, no matter the situation we may be facing. One such situation is recorded in Exodus chapter 14.

           After more than 400 years, God’s people, Israel, are finally leaving Egypt. After 10 devastating plagues, the Pharaoh had finally ordered Israel to leave the country. Israel wasted no time and left in haste. This was God’s orchestration and He directed the people exactly where to go. They ended up stopped at the Red Sea, not able to go any further.

               

“Then the LORD said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea. You are to encamp by the sea, directly opposite Baal-zephon.” (Exodus 14:1 and 2)

 

                Meanwhile, Pharaoh and his advisors realized what they had done in letting their slaves go and decided to go after them. (One needs to wonder about the sanity of Pharaoh at this point. The plagues had decimated his country and the first-born of every household had been killed – including his own).

               

                “When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said, “What have we done? We have released Israel from serving us.” So Pharaoh prepared his chariot and took his army with him. He took 600 of the best chariots, and all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them. And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt* so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out defiantly. The Egyptians—all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots, horsemen and troops—pursued the Israelites and overtook them as they camped by the sea near Pi-hahiroth, opposite Baal-zephon.” (Verses 5-9 )

                *(It is important to understand that God always gives us free will to make our own decisions. God never forces His Wil upon us. In this verse the figure of speech of “permission” is employed. It is more accurate to say that God ALLOWED Pharaoh’s heart to be hardened).

                Pharaoh called together his army with his chariots and best soldiers to bring back their slaves. Israel was now hemmed in and capture seemed imminent. When the people saw Pharaoh’s mighty army on the hill, all hope was lost and they told Moses this.

               

                “As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up and saw the Egyptians marching after them, and they were terrified and cried out to the LORD. They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us into the wilderness to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Did we not say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone so that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” (verses 10-12)

Moses could have been swayed by their words but Moses refused to be moved by their fear and unbelief. God had promised that He would bring His people out of Egypt and Moses would stand firm on this promise. The situation was most desperate and Moses knew that the only way out now was for God to perform a miracle. Moses believed that God would stay true to His promise so instead of confessing defeat, he confessed total victory.

 

“But Moses told the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the LORD’s salvation, which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Verses 13 and 14)

Moses wasn’t sure WHAT God would do, but he was convinced that God WOULD deliver His people this day. Moses told the people to “stand still”, but God said, “Don’t stand still-GET GOING!” God told Moses to lift his staff over the Red Sea and as he did, the Red Sea parted. The scope of such an event is almost beyond imagining. It’s only because of movies like The Ten Commandments that I can even picturing it happening. But our God is a God of the impossible. Also on this day, Pharaoh would lose his entire army - drown in the Red Sea.  

 

When you know that God is on your side, the impossible becomes possible. So why not confess victorious thoughts instead of thoughts that will limit God? God wants to go to work in our lives, but it is us who limit Him. When we confess our own words or thoughts, we will remain defeated in life. But when our words “mirror” God’s words, we will be confessing what God has already declared as true. If we confess that our sins have been forgiven, we are just confessing what God has already told us. When we believe God’s Words and confess them, we are confessing the victory that God already says is ours. It’s simple.

God has promised the believer:

    Health

    Prosperity

    Peace

    Guidance

    Love

    Spiritual Power

    Wisdom

    And much more

God can promise these to us because of the finished work of His son Jesus Christ. God has already blessed us with all spiritual blessings. Why not confess some of them in our lives today.  

                We have been conditioned to confess what we feel and declare what we are seeing. But this will never change our situation. Let’s re-train ourselves to always confess God’s words of power instead of our own words of lack. Let’s introduce “words of truth” in our lives and see things change.

What you confess in your life is what you will see.

                          Love Always, Ray

 

          “Confession of belief equals receipt of confession.”

What a Loving Dad Owes His Child

                                                                                             

Years ago when our sons graduated from high school, my wife gave them each a personal heartfelt letter of blessing, instruction and detailing their future responsibilities toward God in their lives.                 Recently, after they had started their own families and started having children, she sent this letter to them.

 What a Loving Dad Owes His Child:

Remember that your daughter or son knows nothing. In fact, God tells us in Proverbs 22:15 “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.” A child’s brain is perfect for keeping all of their necessary bodily functions going but as far as learning or practicing self-control it is a slooooowww but fun process that you teach. Also remember that a “rod of correction” signifies more of the unbending will of the parent not to allow their child to become a menace or an irritant to polite society. Good behavior is not only pleasing to God but it allows your child to observe life and learn and make beautiful memories. Once a child thinks they are the center of everyone’s universe, they squelch the opportunity to learn and become productive.

1. Always lead with love and the wisdom from God’s Word. Teach your child that God is their Father and Jesus Christ is their brother.

2. Good behavior must be practiced inside the home. If they are not polite inside, they will not be polite outside.

3. Teach them respect. They need to respect the things you give them and then they’ll respect the things of others. Teach them what it is to be a good steward of all God has given them and you. You show them what thankfulness is and how it leads to praising God.

4. No screeching inside the house. No biting. No pushing. No hitting. No sassing. Once again, if they do it inside the house, they will do it outside the house. No one and I repeat no one thinks these behaviors are cute or pleasant. People walk away from your home judging you and them and it won’t be positive. All negative opinions someone has of your child will come from you not teaching your child right behavior. Never give others a chance to cast aspersions on your child because it will be your fault. You dropped the ball and now your child will pay for your lack of commitment to them.

5. Continue to encourage the adage “Always do what’s right”. Say it to your child frequently and explain why they should do the right thing. If they want success in school - do what is right. If they want success in sports - do what is right. If they want a productive relationship with people (including their parents) – do the right thing. You know and I know that what you’re encouraging your child to do is all that God commanded them to do. Obedience to God and their parents breeds success and will always save their lives.

6. Lessons are taught in 2 ways. You are either giving the example of ‘how to do things’ or ‘things you should not do’. Jesus Christ never taught from the latter category and you shouldn’t either. Most of my early lessons in life came from the latter category but God is tender and merciful and made sure I learned valuable lessons anyway. Your child watches everything you do and whether they want to or not they will follow, for the most part, your actions. Set an example worthy of following.

7. There will be many times in their lives where you will have to teach your child about the sniveling, cowardly, ugly but powerful and relentless enemy they have (the devil). Right now, and for a very long time, that responsibility falls on your shoulders and if you are wise and loving you will bring the grace of God and the intercession Jesus Christ makes for all God’s children into every moment of the life of your child. Teach your child about their Father and brother. Pray for them continually. Teach them to pray and seek the things of God. Be observant. Ask God to help you keep your child safe and He will. Say no. Say yes. Timing is important. Many times, I could see the road to destruction in families when the parents thought the child was smarter that they actually were. That is a trick of the evil one. God tells you all about your child – believe Him.

8. Love and obey. I’m not talking about your child here. I’m talking to and about you. You will always be God’s child. As you walk with your Father, you take your child with you and teach her or him to do the same. It’s beautiful and it’s love and light. We don’t cease to hold you and your lovely families up to the Father and neither does Jesus Christ. Rejoice and be thankful!!

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Deut. 6: 4-9

“Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6: 31-33