The choice is yours!

The choice is yours!
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

Isaiah 1:19‭-‬20
"If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the best of the land; But if you refuse and rebel, You shall be devoured by the sword”; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

The quality of the life you live depends totally on what and who you choose to honour and obey. You can have a good, struggle free life or you can have a pathetic life, full of struggles with endless toil.

The choice is yours! Not God's. Many people would like to blame God for their horrible lives. God desires every one to have a great life filled with God's best. God has already made the choice. God does not want you to struggle in life. Let me say it again, God doesn't want you to struggle in life. He came to give us the abundant life and He gives us all things richly to enjoy. Now it's your choice! If you willingly obey God, you will enjoy God's best in every area of your life. But if you do not honour the word of God but refuse and rebel against it, you position yourself for the worst. Be wise! Make a good choice! Honour the word of God and give it top most priority in your life.

The only reason for struggle in any area of life is the dishonour, refusal and negligence of God's word. It is very expensive to ignore, disregard and rebel against God's word. God's best in every area of life awaits you. You can have a good life, a life filled with God's best. Start making the word and spiritual things highly important and you will begin to experience God's best! It's your choice!

"I am willing and obedient to God's word and therefore I eat the best of the land. God's word is the top most priority of my life. My life is an unending stream of success and everything I do prospers because the word of God is my life and my lifestyle."

Why do I doubt?

Why do I doubt?
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

James 1:6‭-‬8
But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he  is  a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Think about this, a person who doubts will not receive anything from the Lord. A double minded person is unstable in all his ways, like a wave of the sea he is driven and tossed by the wind.

Why does a believer doubt the word of God? The number reason for doubt is lack of revelation concerning who Jesus is. When you don't know who Jesus is, you will doubt the word of God. The more you grow in the revelation knowledge of Jesus, the stronger your faith becomes with absolutely no doubt. Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus sat at the feet of Jesus and heard his word. Meditation on the word brings revelation of the word. As you behold Jesus by meditating on the word, the Holy Spirit will give you revelations and insights concerning Jesus.

Doubt is a proof that a person doesn't yet know Jesus. Make knowing Jesus your number one priority in life. Every thing you need to know about Jesus is in the word of God. Jesus is the word of God! The more you know Him, the less you doubt. The less you know Him, the more you doubt. Only one thing is needed! The word!

"I refuse to doubt. I am not a doubter. I am a believer. I believe Jesus. I believe His word. I believe His Spirit. I refuse to stay ignorant. I am growing in the knowledge of Jesus and I am becoming stronger in faith. Hallelujah."

Spiritual maturity!

Spiritual maturity!
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

James 3:2
We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.

Who comes to your mind when I say think about a person who is never at fault in what they say? Jesus! We follow Him, we walk after Him. He is our life and the length of our days.

When you study the life of Jesus in the Gospels, you will know that He never stumbled in His word. He was very careful about what He spoke and how He spoke. Spiritual maturity is measured by the quality of your words. A person who can control his speech is a mature person, fully developed in character. A person who is careless in his speech is spiritually immature, not yet developed. Spiritual maturity has nothing to do with how much you can clap, fast, sing or how loudly you can shout.

Your words reveal how spiritually mature or spiritually developed you are. Words are the most important thing in this universe. Your words have the power of life and death. Your life follows your words. Speak wisely! Speak carefully! Speak life! Speak the word! Your miracle is in your mouth. Go on with Jesus!

Freedom in the word!

Freedom in the word!
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

James 1:25
But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in  it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

The word of God is called the perfect law of liberty. It's impossible to dive in water and not get wet. Similarly it's absolutely impossible for you to stay in the word of God and not be free.

John 8: 31-32 says, Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.  And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” There is freedom in the word. As you make a quality decision to consistently meditate, speak and do the word, you will experience freedom in every area of your life like you have never known before. Only a free person can enjoy life. Only a free person can change the world. Be free in Jesus name!

The word 'look' in this verse means : to stoop to a thing in order to look at it, to look at with head bowed forward,  to stoop and look into, to look carefully into and to inspect curiously. As you 'look' into the word of God, you will not only experience freedom but also be blessed in everything you put your hands to. What a great life in the word! Go for the word! Go on with Jesus!

“The word of God is the perfect law of liberty. I am a word man therefore I am a free man. I am a word man therefore I free others in the name of Jesus. I live in liberty all the days of my life.”

Whose friend are you?

Whose friend are you?
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

James 4:4
Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Do you know that you can make yourself God's enemy? Whoever chooses to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. It's dangerous to be in opposition to God. It's a tough place to be!

What does it mean to be a friend of the world? Does that mean that we shouldn't have worldly friends?  Or that we shouldn't associate with worldly people? No. It's talking about the systems, principles, ways and beliefs of this world. Satan is the god of this world system and He has established principles that are in direct opposition to the principles of the word of God. When you walk in line with the worldly principles, you make yourself an enemy of God. The world and the word have no similarities, no common ground. Choose the word! The word is full of life and will bless you greatly.

The world and it's desire is passing away and being destroyed but the one who walks on the word of God abides forever. Every principle of this world is founded and based on three things : lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life. Every worldly principle is self destructive. Choose the word and refuse to be a friend of this worldly system and principles. There is no life in them. Choose the word! Walk on the principles of the word! This is your distinguishing factor! Go on with Jesus!

Every good and perfect gift!

Every good and perfect gift!
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

James 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

What a powerful verse! This verse reminds us of the source of every good gift and every perfect gift in our lives.

It's not your hard work, your contacts, your education or even your experience, it's simply because of the Father of lights, who loves you with an immensely unconditional love. Every good gift in my life, every perfect gift in my life is because of my heavenly Father, the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

This will help you keep your focus on God and not depend on people. Love people but look to God. Keep your expectations only on and from the Lord. When you acknowledge God as your Source with thanksgiving and praise, you position yourself for greater manifestations of the blessings of God.

"Father, every good and every perfect gift in my life is because of you and you alone. Thank you Father for your love towards me. I praise you for your great goodness and your unchanging nature of ever blessing your children. Thank you Father!"

Faith takes it!

Faith takes it!
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

Mark 5:27‭-‬29
When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.

Your faith needs to be stubborn. If you are not stubborn for things that belong to you, then probably you will never enjoy them. Only a violent and stubborn faith can overcome the obstacles and hindrances that come against your miracle.

This woman took her healing for it belonged to her. She didn't wait for her miracle, she went ahead and took it. Faith takes it! II Corinthians 1:20 says, For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. In other words, God is saying, everything is yours, come take it, take what you want, take it all. Jesus has paid for it all with his precious blood. Hallelujah!

How does faith take it? How did this lady take her healing? She heard. She believed. She said. She acted on it. She refused to give up. She was made completely whole. Hear the word. Believe the word. Speak the word. Act on the word. Refuse to give up no matter what. Forgive. Your promises wait for you!  Take it now! Let nothing stop you, let no one hinder you....Go on with Jesus!

"The blood of Jesus has given me everything I will ever need, want and desire. My faith is the only way I can enjoy these blessings. I hear the word. I believe. I speak. I act on it. I refuse to give up. I forgive. I look to Jesus and the miracle is mine. Hallelujah."