Saturday, April 8, 2017

GOD'S SYSTEM OF PROMOTION / Good Steward

This is the seventh of seven devotions and music videos 
with the theme from Galatians 5:22 
"The Fruit of the Spirit is Faithfulness"


GOD'S SYSTEM OF PROMOTION
by 
Kent Clifford Cooley


(Adapted from Galatians 5:22; Luke 12:42, 16:10-12, 19:17)

In the past, when we have moved to serve with another church, I have felt a prophetic canopy of the presence of God come over us and I would prophecy.  One particular time when we were in transition, I was driving the truck loaded with all of our belongings and Rebecca was driving the car in back of me.  I called her on the cell phone with a word from the Lord.  This word became the instruction for the next season of our ministry.  This was what the Lord said,
“This is God’s system of promotion;
If we are faithful over small things, 
God will make us ruler of many things.
 If we are faithful over what is someone else’s, 
God will give us what is our own.  
If we are faithful over money, 
God will give us true riches.
 And if we are faithful over the secular, 
God will give us ministry.”

This was such a profound word to me that it has been instruction for my life and ministry ever since.  I have come to know that God will not violate these principles. 

Father, I know now that these are the keys to promotion.  I confess that I am faithful over small thing, I am faithful over what is someone else’s.  I am faithful over money.  And I am faithful over the secular.  These are the keys to my own promotion.  You will make me ruler over many things.  You will give me what is my own.  You will give me true riches.  And You will give me ministry.  I have already been processing these principles in my life and I continue to do so as I live out my life as a good and faithful steward.
  
© LoveWalkPublishing 
KentCliffordCooley


Click here to view today's music video on youtube


GOOD STEWARD
Devotion: God’s System Of Promotion
(Adapted from Galatians 5:22; Luke 12:42, 16:10-12, 19:17)
Verse 1
If you’re faithful over small things
I will make you ruler over many things
If you’re faithful over what is someone else’s, 
I will give you what is your own,
I will give what is your own
Chorus
Good steward over all you’ve given me, 
good steward, good steward, good steward. (Repeat)
You gave me a mind, 
You gave me a body, 
You gave me a 1. spirit (2.family), 
You gave me job to do
Verse 2
If you’re faithful over money, 
I will give you true riches
If you’re faithful over the secular, 
I will give ministry, I will give you ministry 



© LoveWalkMusic WordsAndMusic by KentCliffordCooley 

Friday, April 7, 2017

BLOOMING WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED / I Embrace

This is the sixth of seven devotions and music videos 
with the theme from Galatians 5:22 
"The Fruit of the Spirit is Faithfulness"





(Adapted from 1 Kings 17:1-19; 2 Kings 2:1-9; Galatians 5:22; Luke 12:42, 16:10-12, 19:17)

How long was Elisha faithful to Elijah before Elijah’s mantle was passed to him?  Elisha was Elijah’s assistant for years.  Elijah trained Elisha as he served in his role as prophet of Israel.  The one that Elijah mentored was to be an important part of God’s strategy to bring down Israel’s idol-worshiping leaders.  Elisha, who started out his “ministry” as an assistant to a prophet of Israel, probably assisted in quite a few menial things to help Elijah.  But at the height of his ministry, he was noted as the one who brought an end to the idol worship of Baal.

Have you ever felt that your ministry or your destiny lay dormant, inactive and hidden under someone else’s vision?  Have you ever felt like you just wanted to do something for the Lord and make a difference somewhere, somehow in someone’s life?  The key to Elisha’s promotion was in his faithfulness to Elijah.  The key today is still the same – faithfulness over what is someone else’s. 

Father, I take the key of faithfulness in my hands and apply it to what you have set before me today.  Sometimes I feel like I am bursting with vision and pregnant with dreams and ideas.  But I will remain faithful over the ministry you have assigned me to and I will bloom where I stand today.  Tomorrow I will take the mantle you place on me as a promotion because I have passed the test of selflessness today.

 “If you are faithful over small things,
I will make you ruler of many things.
 If you are faithful over what is someone else’s,
 I will give you what is your own.  
faithful over money,
I will give you true riches.
 And if you are faithful over the secular,
 I will give you ministry.”
  
© LoveWalkPublishing 
Devotion authored by KentCliffordCooley




Click here to view today's music video on youtube

I EMBRACE
(Adapted from Galatians 5:22; Luke 12:42, 16:10-12, 19:17)
Verse 1
I embrace where I am and I bloom where I am planted (Repeat)
Chorus
I love this city, I love these people.
I love You with all my heart and soul and might
(Repeat)
Bridge
If you are faithful over what is someone else’s
I will give you what is your own
(Repeat)

© LoveWalkMusic  WordsAndMusic by KentCliffordCooley 


Thursday, April 6, 2017

THE HONOR PRINCIPLE / We Will Stand

This is the fifth of seven devotions  and music videos 
with the theme from Galatians 5:22 
"The Fruit of the Spirit is Faithfulness" 


THE HONOR PRINCIPLE
by
Rebecca Cooley

(Adapted from Daniel 3)

“King Nebuchadnezzar, long live the king!
 You issued a decree requiring all people 
to bow down and worship
the gold statue when they hear 
the sound of the musical instruments. 
That decree also states, o king, that those who refuse to obey must be thrown into a blazing furnace. 
There are Jews, our king, namely, 
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego –
whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon
who have defiled Your Majesty by refusing to serve your gods
or to worship the gold statute you have set up.”

You know the end of the story.  The three Hebrew young men were thrown into the firey furnace because they did not bow to the king’s decree and the King of all Kings met them in the fire and rescued them out alive and unharmed.  But have you ever thought about why Jesus rescued them after they went into the fire and not before?

These young men stood true to their beliefs and to God but they also spoke respectfully to the men in authority over them.  They honored God by refusing to sin and they honored the king by submitting to his position of authority and speaking to him in a respectful way. 

This miracle was wholly connected to this spiritual law.  Honor opened the door for the fourth man to enter that furnace.  By honoring those that God appoints over us, we honor God and in turn, God honors us.  The Hebrew boys were mistreated but because they did not use that as an excuse to be dishonorable, God honored them and they were promoted.

“Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to the province of Babylon.”

Father, I intend to walk in the honor principle.  I want this spiritual law activated in my life.  Mistreatment happens in little offenses every day and I am asking you to make me aware of the promotions that are available to me as I walk in the honor principle every moment, every day.


© LoveWalkPublishing 
RebeccaAnnCooley 
All Rights Reserved


WE WILL STAND  
(Adapted from Daniel 3)
Verse 1
Who are those three standing
Who are those three 
Who won’t bow to the idol
Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego 
Have something to stand for 
Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego 
Know their Lord
Chorus
Do what you will 
Nebuchadnezzar we won’t bow 
We don’t know as of yet 
What our God will do
We will stand for the King of Kings
We will stand for the Lord of Lords
We will stand 
And the fourth man in the fire will stand with us
Verse 2
Who are those 3 standing 
As they heat the furnace seven times more
The king threw them in
He said I saw three standing
The king looked again
He said I now see four 
Loose in the fire walking around 
One looks like the son of God
Verse 3
All around me they're bowing 
To the idols set on high by earthly men
But I’ll not bend or bow
I’ve got something to stand for
I’m one of those who will shout it out 
To the kings to all the land
© LoveWalkMusic 
WordsAndMusic by KentCliffordCooley 
All Rights Reserved

Wednesday, April 5, 2017

FAITHFUL OVER THE SECULAR / On The Job

This is the fourth of seven devotions and music videos 
with the theme from Galatians 5:22 
"The Fruit of the Spirit is Faithfulness"




FAITHFUL OVER THE SECULAR
by
Kent Cooley


(Adapted from Matthew 5:16; Galatians 5:22; Luke 12:42, 16:10-12, 19:17)

One of our LoveWalkCovenantPartners gave us permission to share the following  email exchange with you.  Of course, I will not disclose the identity of our dear partner.    

From our partner:
I really wish my entire career revolved around working for the Lord.  What a better job than being surrounded by the work of the Lord!  I want to work and serve others.  I feel that is my calling.  Things run through my mind like, opportunities to work for those less fortunate then myself, to serve in soup kitchens, those that are ill and lonely, in prisons spreading the Word of God.  I pray that the Lord has this in His future plans for me.  I do not fit in here at work and find myself praying so very hard for patience and understanding for those who either do not believe in God or do not think twice about Him.  I need to be surrounded by people who love the Lord as much as I do, you do and all those people, family, friends that do also. 
Please pray for me that the Lord has this in His will for me to be a true disciple of Jesus by caring and working in His ministry and spreading the true Word of His great love for us all!

Our Reply:
Remember that, when life happens to you, this is your opportunity to walk in love.  It does not matter what people do to you  or what they say about you.  It does matter how you live your life before God in the midst of it all.  While you have that job, you have an opportunity to engage a powerful kingdom principle "If you are faithful over the secular God will give you ministry.  When the apostles received their calling, they were fishing.  When Elisha was called, he was plowing.  When Gideon was called, he was threshing out the wheat.  Scripture says that "if you are faithful over earthly mammon, God will give you true riches.  So your job is not a burden keeping you from doing ministry, It is the very key that unlocks the door of opportunity for ministry.  While you are there remember that Jesus said "Let your light so shine so that they may see your good works and glorify the father."
 Kent And Rebecca

© LoveWalkPublishing 
Kent CliffordCooley




Click here to view today's music video on youtube


ON THE JOB
Devotion: Faithful Over The Secular
(Adapted from Galatians 5:22; Luke 12:42, 16:10-12, 19:17)
Verse 1
A long time ago, I heard the call, 
“God’s looking for some people who are available,
I filled out my application, “Lord please send me”, 
Knowing it was required to go where He sends me
Chorus
I’m on the job, working for Jesus, on the job, working for my Lord, on the job, bring forth the fruit of the Spirit
Doing what I can for the kingdom of God, may you always find me on the job
Bridge
Everything I do and I say, every song I sing, every prayer I pray, I do it all unto my Lord,
For I really know who I am working for



© LoveWalkMusic WordsAndMusic by KentCliffordCooley Devotion by Kent CliffordCooley



Tuesday, April 4, 2017

FAITHFUL OVER MONEY / Live A Life Of Love

This is the third of seven devotions And music videos 
with the theme from Galatians 5:22 
"The Fruit of the Spirit is Faithfulness"




FAITHFUL OVER MONEY
by
Kent Clifford Cooley

(Adapted from Isaiah 58; Galatians 5:22; Luke 12:42, 16:10-12, 19:17)

The Israelites inquired of the Lord during a fast that they felt should move the hand of God but, in fact, was only a religious form.

“We have fasted before you! 
Why aren’t you impressed? 
We have been very hard on ourselves 
and you don’t even notice it!”

Part of God’s response through the prophet Isaiah was,

“It is because you are fasting to please yourselves. 
Even while you fast, you keep oppressing your workers,  
you overwork them and you underpay them.”

The Israelites believed God would bless them if they only performed the right rituals.  Their fasting was a mere external piety without repentance and right living.  I must guard against the same wrong thinking lest I become committed to a religious form instead of focusing on walking in love and pleasing God. 

I might not have a payroll to meet but occasionally I ‘employ’ a server in a restaurant to meet my need of a meal.  If the restaurant only pays the server $3.00 an hour, then I undercut their income that hour of their day when I leave a small tip.  If I hold back what is due that server, I will be in violation of love as described in Isaiah 58, and it will render my fasting and prayer useless

If an employer pays his workers as little as he can get by with, he is administering poverty to his employees and he sows to his own poverty.  

If I fast but do not walk in love, my soul is not prospering and therefore I am not prospering.  My fasting becomes a ritualistic pomp when it should be a time of self-deprivation in order to focus on God and please Him.  Simply stated, I am blessed because I bless others.

“My child, If you are faithful over money, 
I will give you true riches.
 Be wise concerning your finances. 
Trust me with the first fruits of your increase. 
Owe no man anything except to love them.
Be a blessing and you will prosper even as your soul prospers.”


© LoveWalkPublishing 
KentCliffordCooley





LIVE A LIFE OF LOVE
 (Adapted from Galatians 5:22; Luke 12:42, 16:10-12, 19:17)
Verse 1
Why have we fasted they say, 
And You do not see it
Why have we afflicted ourselves 
And You take no knowledge of it
You oppress your workers, 
You overwork them, you under-pay them
Don’t just be religious but live a life of love, 
A life of love
Chorus
Cry aloud and spare not
Lift up your voice like a trumpet
Declare to your people, their transgression, 
And to the house of Jacob, their sin
Bridge
You can turn it around, 
Be a blessing to everyone you meet, 
Then your light shall break forth
And your healing shall spring forth speedily


© LoveWalkMusic
WordsAndMusic by KentCliffordCooley

Monday, April 3, 2017

SMALL THINGS / Faithful

This is the 2nd of 7 devotions  and music videos 
with the theme from Galatians 5:22 
"The Fruit of the Spirit is Faithfulness" 


SMALL THINGS
by
Rebecca Cooley

(Adapted from Galatians 5:22; Luke 12:42, 16:10-12, 19:17)

Suppose someone had a ministry that was very small. That person so wanted his ministry to grow and develop into a bigger ministry that he prayed and believed God for bigger things constantly. That person might also sow seeds, believing God to bless his ministry and cause it to grow. These are good and acceptable measures but if his heart is so prone to what he wants his ministry to be that he forgets to be faithful over the small ministry the Lord has already provided, then his pursuits are in vain. Faithfulness over the small ministry is the key to growth and the only way for promotion to come.
Lord, I apply myself today to what you have given to me. My ministry is where you have placed me in this season of my life and I am thankful and intend to be faithful over it. I do want to be promoted and go to new levels of ministry but my attention is not on the promotion but on the journey at hand.

“Child of mine, 
my system of promotion is so very simple:
If you are faithful over small things, 
I will make you ruler of many things.
If you are faithful over what is someone else’s, 
I will give you what is your own.
If you are faithful over money, I will give you true riches.
And if you are faithful over the secular, 
I will give you ministry.”

© LoveWalkPublishing RebeccaAnnCooley


FAITHFUL
Devotion: Small Things
(Adapted from Galatians 5:22; Luke 12:42, 16:10-12, 19:17)
Verse 1
Despise not the day of small things,
Everything begins with a seed
Despise not the day of small things,
A seed can meet any need
Chorus
Faithful over small things,
I will make you ruler over many things (repeat)
Bridge
I don’t want to miss the key to promotion,
Promotion comes from the Lord
I don’t want to miss the key to promotion,
Promotion comes from being faithful over small things


© LoveWalkPublishing WordsAndMusic by KentCliffordCooley

Sunday, April 2, 2017

THE SHEPHERD VERSUS THE HIRELING / The Good Shepherd

This is the first of seven
devotions and music videos
with the theme of Faithfulness


THE SHEPHERD VERSUS THE HIRELING
by
Kent & Rebecca Cooley

(Adapted from John 10:11-13)

My uncle was a Lt. Colonel and Chaplain in the Army and served tours in Vietnam. We use to enjoy hearing stories of his service to his country. He use to tell us about spending time with the soldiers and getting to know them. He would eat meals with the enlisted men and spend time with the soldiers who missed their families instead of joining the company of the officers and the more elite. He tells of stories of holding wounded men on the battlefield and waiting with them until they were rescued and taken to the hospital. Because he was a chaplain, he could have been exempt from the battlefield. He could have served in the capacity of his office far from the line of fire. He chose to be with the men who needed him. He chose to not leave them when they were under fire and in danger. He put himself in situations that he could have avoided for the sake of the soldiers whom he loved.

Uncle Nevin was not a hireling. He was a shepherd. His assignment was to care for the men who were risking their lives on the battlefield. A shepherd that regards his flock would risk his own life to defend them. When the wolf comes, a dedicated shepherd would still remain to protect them. To give his life means the same as not to fly, or to forsake his flock and to be willing to expose his life, if necessary, to defend them.


Love is brave. Love is loyal. There is a loyalty that the shepherd has for the sheep. Love is not cowardly. There is no fear in love. Love is not a hireling. A hireling cares only about himself.


I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd risks and lays down His own life for the sheep. But the hired servant, who merely serves for wages, who is neither the shepherd nor the owner of the sheep, when he sees the wolf coming, deserts the flock and runs away. And the wolf chases and snatches them and scatters the flock. Now the hireling flees because he merely serves for wages and is not himself concerned about the sheep and cares nothing for them.


Lord, thank you for the security and comfort You bring in these words. I can only imagine the comfort and security Uncle Nevin brought to the soldier who lay wounded in a foreign and dangerous place as he held his hand and waited with him for a helicopter to come and take him to safety. I feel comforted knowing that You are the Good Shepherd of my family and You care for us and keep us from the danger of the enemy. Lord, I don’t want to be a hireling. I want to fulfill the assignment You have given me in the role of a shepherd and not a hireling.
© LoveWalkPublishing
RebeccaACooley






THE GOOD SHEPHERD
(Adapted from John 10:11-13)
Chorus:
I am the Good Shepherd
I lay down my life for the sheep
I am the Good Shepherd
I am not a hireling
Verse 1:
The hired hand merely serves for wages
He is not the shepherd
He is not the owner
When he sees the wolf coming
He runs for his life
The wolf chases
The wolf snatches
The wolf scatters the flock
But . . .
Verse 2:
I know I recognize my own and my own know recognize me
Even as the Father knows me and even as my Father
© LoveWalkPublishing WordsAndMusic by KentCliffordCooley