Kindle The Fire - Brossura

Hicks, Jodi Marie

 
9781481721721: Kindle The Fire
Brossura
ISBN 10: 1481721720 ISBN 13: 9781481721721
Casa editrice: AuthorHouse, 2013

Sinossi

Kindle The Fire: An Acts 29 Message is the first book in Jodi's Boot Camp Bible Study Series. The focus of this particular Bible Study/Devotional is "28 Days of Identification" It is a divine invitation to pick up where the book of Acts leaves off in Chapter 28. It will challenge and encourage you to pursue God wholeheartedly. It will help you understand who you are and why you are here. It will teach you to live with passion and purpose with the help of the Holy Spirit. Kindle the Fire will inspire you to grow, stretch you beyond your comfort zone, and remind you that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. This book is a radical clarion call to all who want to experience and encounter more of God in their lives. Let God kindle a fire in your heart over the next 28 days. All it takes is just one spark.

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Kindle the Fire

An Acts 29 Message

By Jodi Marie Hicks

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2013 Jodi Marie Hicks
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4817-2172-1

Contents

Introduction...............................................................xxiii
1 Chosen God picked me....................................................1
2 Filled God wants to fill me with Himself................................11
3 Healed God still heals..................................................21
4 Boldness I am bold as a lion............................................31
5 Truth I will speak the truth at all times...............................41
6 Faith I am full of faith and the Holy Spirit............................51
7 Witness My body is a temple.............................................61
8 Preach I am called to preach............................................71
9 Vision I once was blind, but now I see..................................81
10 Pray Prayer is a priority in my life...................................91
11 Grace God's grace is sufficient for me.................................99
12 Arise The truth will make me free......................................109
13 Justified God sees me through the blood of Jesus.......................117
14 Turn I will turn from useless things...................................127
15 Conversion I am a new creation.........................................137
16 Servants I am a servant of the Most High God...........................145
17 Offspring I am a child of God..........................................155
18 Occupation God blesses the work of my hands............................165
19 Miracles Miracles are real.............................................175
20 Purchased Jesus died for me............................................185
21 Disciple I am a disciple of Christ.....................................195
22 Testimony I will share my testimony with others........................205
23 Cheer The joy of the Lord is my strength...............................217
24 Hope My hope is in Christ..............................................225
25 Jesus Jesus is the name above every name...............................235
26 Inheritance Everything that is His is mine.............................243
27 Believe I believe......................................................251
28 Fire All it takes is just one spark....................................261
Acts 29 I can do all things through Christ................................271
Epilogue...................................................................275
Prayer.....................................................................277
Affirmations...............................................................279
Confession.................................................................281
YES!.......................................................................283
References.................................................................285

Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

ACTS 1DAY ONE


CHOSEN


[TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII]
eklegomai
ek-leg'-om-ahee

to select;pick one out of many

If you are holding this book in your hands, you have beeninvited to go deeper in your relationship with God. You havean opportunity to discover and affirm your identity in Him ina greater way. What exactly does it mean to be chosen by God?Why does the God of the universe, the Father of creation, theall-knowing Being who dwells in eternal glory call you and I"chosen?"

First and foremost, you are chosen to be in a real, lovingrelationship with your Father in heaven. You are chosen towalk with Him and enjoy Him. You are chosen to worshipHim and live out His will. You are chosen for a purpose, notto promote self, but to link arms with other purpose-filledbelievers and bring God's kingdom to earth in every sphereof society. It is only from the place of intimacy with God thatyou can accomplish all that He has created and chosen you todo. Everything you are purposed to be should flow from lovingcommunion with your Creator.

Matthew 22:14 says, "For many are called, but few arechosen." Many are called to salvation. However, few acceptthis invitation to intimacy with God and live accordingly. Fewtruly understand the imputed righteousness of Christ and thesanctification of the Spirit that lead to real encounter andrelationship with God. The chosen child of God is one whomakes a decision to live obediently and intimately with Himmoment by moment, surrendering and forsaking all for Him,and opting to pursue a holy life for His glory. This is evidentin the lives of many of the men and women in the book ofActs.

The word chosen is used twicein the first chapter of Acts, and bothtimes it refers to being selected byGod for a purpose. Acts 1:2 says thatJesus "... through the Holy Spirithad given commandments to theapostles whom He had chosen...."Have you ever paused to considerwhy He chose those particulartwelve men to establish His kingdomon earth? What was so special about them? Regardless of theiroccupation, education, or experience, I believe Jesus chosethem because He knew that they would say yes to His call. Heknew that they would be willing to walk with Him daily. Thebeauty of saying yes to Jesus is that He knows of what you arefully capable. There should be no hesitation when you hear Hisinvitation to "Follow Me." Your Creator knows you better thanyou know yourself, and His plans for you are good.

In Acts 1:24-25, the disciples were gathered together inprayer in the upper room to choose a replacement for Judas.They prayed, "You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, showwhich of these two You have chosen to take part in this ministryand apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that hemight go to his own place." God reveals throughout His wordthat He has chosen certain people for specific purposes. Oncethat purpose is identified, however, it is up to us to lean intoHim and fulfill it. The disciples, for example, were chosen totake the gospel to the nations. They were used by God to leadothers into His presence. They consistently kindled fires in cold,wounded, captive hearts. They healed bodies and performedmiracles by the Spirit and power of God. They truly set theworld on fire after spending three years establishing a close,personal relationship with Jesus. You and I are no different. Godhas chosen us and called us His own. He wants to use us tobring heaven to earth, but everything we do must be done fromthe place of intimacy with Him. John 15:5 says, "I am the vine,you are the branches. He whoabides in Me, and I in him, bearsmuch fruit; for without Me you cando nothing."

Every person on the face of thisearth was created for a reason.When you begin to understandthat your life has meaning, asthose in the book of Acts did, youwill live differently. Your purposeis not independent of your passion,and passionate people cause things to shift in the atmospherearound them. There is a spark inside of you that was placedthere by God to ignite a fire in the earth that will bring gloryto His name. When you live in the fullness of your destiny asa chosen child of God, you will experience a life of completesatisfaction in Him that you were designed to desire.

There will never be a void that cannot be filled by God asyou pursue greater intimacy with your Creator. There is adeep sense of belonging that comes from knowing that youhave been handpicked, called out, and set apart for somethingspecial. There is great comfort in believing that your life is notan accident. There is tremendous hope in the realization thatdestiny awaits you. There is excitement and anticipation indiscovering that you were created to make a difference. Youwere not a last resort in the mind of God. You are cherished andimportant. A Majestic Artist painted the canvas of your life withbeauty and intention. He loves you powerfully, passionately,purposefully, and eternally.

Regardless of how terrible life's circumstances may seemat times, you still have breath in your lungs because God is notfinished with you yet. There is so much more He wants to teachyou about Himself and about the infinite reasons why He choseyou. With His help, you will do something great in your lifetime,but you must also remember that God defines greatness. Asyou pursue Him and His plans for your life, view your "great"destiny through the eyes of God rather than through the eyesof man or through the lens of a striving, performance-basedculture.

The first chapter of Acts reveals some of the facets andbenefits of being chosen by God. As you read the followingitalicized phrases, make them personal and allow God to speakto you about what it means to be "chosen." In verse 3, Jesuspresented Himself alive to the disciples and spoke to them aboutthings pertaining to the Kingdom. In verse 4, He was in themidst of the assembly, and He gave them instructions. In verse5, He foretold the future and restored their hope. In verse 7,He answered their questions. In verse 8, He encouraged themand revealed their purpose. In verse 9, He demonstrated Hissupernatural power. In verse 10, He sent heavenly messengers tothem in His absence. Oh, the perks of being a chosen child ofGod!

It is important to note that the chosen ones hadresponsibilities as well. In verse 10, they looked steadfastlytoward heaven. In verse 14, they gathered together in unityand prayer. Finally, in verse 24, they acknowledged that Godordained certain people to accomplish specific tasks. Once youaccept that God has chosen you, you will need to do your partto see that His plans are fulfilled in your life. There is no magicformula, but we can learn a lot from the way the discipleswalked out their faith. They fixed their eyes on Jesus (Acts1:10, Hebrews 12:2), they did not forsake the gathering of thebrethren (Acts 1:14, Hebrews 10:25), they lived in unity (Acts1:14, 1 Peter 3:8), and they communicated often with Godthrough prayer (Acts 1:14, 1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Being chosen means that you are gifted in certain areasto do something unique in this earth that no one else can do.You have a DNA, fingerprint, heartbeat, voice pattern, and eyeprint that will never be duplicated. You are the only you thatwill ever exist. The unique identity of mankind reveals theCreator's desire to connect personally and individually withHis children. God has something special for you to do in thislife that will be birthed through your intimate pursuit of Him.Do you know what it is? Allow me to remind you that you are aone-of-a-kind masterpiece. You have the signature of a perfect,holy God inscribed into your spirit, soul, and body. Nothing willbe impossible for you if you will only believe.

God loves all of His children with an everlasting love. Thereis nothing you could say or do to make Him love you any less.He is your biggest fan! He is cheering for you in the midst ofevery storm. He weeps when you weep, and He celebrates yourvictories with all of the hosts of heaven. He delights in you, Hecalls you Beloved, and He longs to see you become all that Hecreated you to be. His dreams for your life are greater thananything you could ask or think or imagine. His love for you cannever be earned or lost. It is eternal. You are worthy of His best,and you are valued by Him every second of every day. In fact,He loves you so much that He sent His Son to die for your sinsso you can live in complete freedom from all condemnation,fear, shame, and doubt.

This life is not a dress rehearsal. It is the real deal, and youhave been given one shot to make the best of it. You will notalways get it right. In fact, expect to make some major mistakesalong the way. Jesus already made provision for that throughHis blood. When you fall, just pick yourself up, dust yourself off,and repent of your sins. Then move forward with perseverance,faith, and tenacity. God is with you always. He cannot fail, andneither can you as long as you let Him lead. Even in the midst ofyour greatest trials and biggest messes, there is a way out. Donot allow discouragement to keep you from finishing the race.

You have been chosen for greatness because you serve agreat God! You are not just another number, and you are neverforgotten. You are on the Father's heart all day every day, andHe cares about every detail ofyour life. Keep your chin up andknow that you are not alone. Youhave been chosen by the Alphaand the Omega, the One whoknows the end before thebeginning. His plans for you areglorious, and His will is that youlive on purpose with an abidingknowledge of His perfect loveand power. Let it begin today.


Pause and Reflect

How will the revelation of being "chosen" by God change yourrelationship with Him and others?__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Raw and Real

The enemy has lied to God's children and prevented them fromdiscovering their true identity.


Short and Sweet

Loving God, I want to grow in my relationship with You. I wantto know who You say I am. Thank You for choosing me. RevealYour great purpose for my life and help me fulfill it for Yourglory. Amen.


Meditate and Memorize

"And they prayed and said `You, O Lord, who know the hearts ofall, show which of these two You have chosen to take part in thisministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgressionfell, that he might go to his own place.'"

—Acts 1:24-25


Believe and Receive

God picked me.


Listen and Learn

Talk to God about intimacy and purpose.__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Create and Relate

Use this space to connect with God through creativity.

CHAPTER 2

ACTS 2DAY TWO


FILLED


[TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII]
pleroo
play-ro'-o


to cram, furnish, satisfy, or execute;to finish or accomplish;to perfect or complete;to cause to abound;to supply liberally


Practically speaking, to be filled means that something isno longer empty. It refers to a particular vessel containinga specific substance, typically to nearly overflowing. That isexactly what God wants for you. He wants to fill you with HisHoly Spirit in such a way that you are empowered to live a lifeof overflowing abundance and victory.

Imagine for a moment that you have an empty glass in frontof you. Now place as many rocks in your imaginary glass as youcan possibly fit into it. Is it full? Some would say yes. However,if you place sand on top of your imaginary rocks, you will noticethat it slowly trickles down into the empty spaces in the glass.Now is it full? Not exactly. Imagine again that you are gentlypouring water into your glass that seems to already be "filled"with rocks and sand. As you pour the water into the glass, younotice that it begins to saturate the sand, compressing it, andmaking more room for a substance that you originally did notimagine your glass could contain. God wants to fill you up thesame way. He does not want even the most microscopic spacesto remain empty in your life.

God alone is completely aware of the cracks and crevicesthat need to be filled in your soul. He sees where your spiritis dry and could use a little water. In fact, when you thinkyou are full, God says, "I see room for a little more." Acts2:2 says, "And suddenly there came a sound from heaven,as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole housewhere they were sitting." God wants to fill your whole house,your entire temple—spirit, soul, and body. The problemwith today's grab-and-go society is that many people are"rocking" along, building their lives on sinking "sand," andsaving little room for the refreshing, healing "water" of God'sword and presence. Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the word ofGod is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edgedsword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, andof joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts andintents of the heart." In other words, the word of God flowslike the water in your imaginary glass into the places thatyou cannot see with your naked eye, transforming you andfilling you in every way.

Acts 2 is a perfect picture of what it means to be filled withthe Holy Spirit. Apart from the presence and power of theHoly Spirit operating in and through us, we cannot walk in ourtrue identity in Christ, individually or corporately. It is Hisindwelling Spirit who leads us into all truth, comforts us inour times of need, satisfies our deepest longings, andempowers us to fulfill our destinies. Apart from Him, we cando nothing.

God is holy. Holiness is an aspectof His character that is expressedthoroughly and repeatedly throughoutScripture. When mankind's carnalnature leads him astray, it is theconviction and beauty of the HolySpirit that will provoke him to lookmore like God.

I invited God into my life in afresh way through the baptism of the Holy Spirit in 2007, lessthan eighteen months after I became a born-again Christian.The word of God describes two baptisms, the first with waterand the second with fire. John the Baptist spoke about this inMatthew 3:11 when he said, "I indeed baptize you with waterunto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightierthan I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptizeyou with the Holy Spirit and fire." Later, as the disciples wereawaiting "the Promise of the Father" that Jesus spoke of inActs 1:4, the Bible says, "Then there appeared to them dividedtongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And theywere all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak withother tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."

This "Promise" that Jesus spoke of was not just a slightmisting of His presence. It was a radical holy encounter withfire! It transformed the lives of the disciples and caused themto move forward in supernatural power. It created a burningdesire within them to preach the gospel, heal the sick, raisethe dead, and set the captives free according to the GreatCommission Jesus had given them. The Holy Spirit filled themwith such boldness and courage that many of them relentlesslyfollowed Christ even unto their brutal deaths.

It must be clarified that water baptism is an outwardexpression of an inner faith. We are submerged in water tosymbolically declare a washing away of the old sinful natureand a birthing of the new creation. Then, through the baptismof fire, we are immersed in His Spirit and filled with Hispresence. The refining power of the Holy Spirit activated inyour life will burn out every impurity and cause love to aboundin supernatural ways. The book of Acts reveals that sometimesthese two baptisms are separate events and other times theyoccur simultaneously.

The Greek poet and physician, Nicander, who livedapproximately 200 years before Christ, described the processof making pickles using the Greek words bapto and baptizo.Nicander said that in order to make a pickle, the vegetablemust first be dipped (bapto) in water then baptized (baptizo)in a vinegar solution. The first produces temporary change.The latter produces a new creation. This is the baptism ofthe Holy Spirit. It invokes permanent transformation in thelife of a believer, ultimately causing a cucumber Christian tobecome a powerful pickle! A pickle will outlast a cucumberevery time. Think about it. This is the will of God for all of Hischildren.

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the godhead whowas sent to empower each of us to do the greater worksJesus commands us to do. With that empowerment comes awillingness to obey His word, a desire to be in the center of Hisperfect will, and a longing to grow in intimacy with Him. Thefiery love and presence of His Spirit will smooth out the roughedges and make all the wrongs right. He will heal every hurt if(and only if) you will surrender to His perfect leadership. Trustthat His ways are higher and better than your own. As you do,He will refine and purify your spirit, soul, and body, and He isguaranteed to get all of the glory.

When you allow the Holy Spirit to be large and in charge inyour life, you will be amazed at what He is capable of doing inand through you. You will find that you are able to be contentin plenty and content in lack. You will discover new gifts andabilities that you did not know you possessed. There will beevidence of His presence in the way you speak, act, and live.Others will notice a difference, and you will begin to understandthe meaning of being a foreigner in a strange land.


(Continues...)
Excerpted from Kindle the Fire by Jodi Marie Hicks. Copyright © 2013 by Jodi Marie Hicks. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Le informazioni nella sezione "Su questo libro" possono far riferimento a edizioni diverse di questo titolo.

Editore
AuthorHouse
Data di pubblicazione
2013
Lingua
Inglese
ISBN 10 
1481721720
ISBN 13 
9781481721721
Rilegatura
Copertina flessibile
Numero di pagine
314
Contatto del produttore
non disponibile
Persona responsabile
non disponibile

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9781481721677: Kindle the Fire

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ISBN 10:  1481721674 ISBN 13:  9781481721677
Casa editrice: Authorhouse, 2013
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