Isaiah 59:2 (KJV) Says, "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that He will not hear:" I John 3:22 (KJV) Says, "And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight."
The above verse of scripture taken from the book of Isaiah tells us that our sins can cause God to hide His face from us, and not hear our prayers. The verse taken from the book of I John tells us that we will receive what we ask of Him, when we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
Have you ever gone to God in prayer, requested something from Him, and then thought to yourself what is taking Him so long to answer me? Have you ever lost patience while waiting on God to answer your prayers, and allowed negative thoughts to enter your mind? Do you have thoughts like, God doesn't answer my prayers, He doesn't hear me, He doesn't care about me, and things of that nature? If so, have you ever consider that your behavior may be a factor?
There are various reasons that God doesn't answer some prayers, and there are some prayers He answers that are not answered in the manner in which we wanted them answered. He may not answer a prayer because He knows it is not what's best for us, because He has something better in store for us, because the timing is not right, or for our own protection, and many other reasons. With that being said, have you ever considered that He may not be giving you what you've ask Him for because you are not living in obedience to Him? Are there things in your life that God has been dealing with you about, things that you know He wants you to walk away from because they don't fit who you are as a follower of Jesus Christ? Have you been made aware of these things through the Holy Spirit living within you, and yet you continue on in your ways refusing to get rid of them? Are you knowingly living in disobedience to God, and expecting Him to answer your prayers? Have you ever ask yourself the question is there something in my life that I am holding onto that may be preventing God from answering my prayers?
We are quick to go to God in prayer requesting things from Him, and yet we never consider the fact that there are things He has commanded and requested of us that are being ignored. It seems reasonable to parents everywhere that children should not be rewarded for disobedience, yet many children of God go to Him in prayer asking him to reward them with something while living in blatant disobedience to Him.
I encourage you to evaluate your life, and to weed out the things that don't fit who you are as a Christian. If we want a close personal relationship with our Lord and Savior then we must walk in obedience to Him. We want God to grant our requests without ever thinking about whether or not we are fulfilling his. God wants what's best for us, He wants us to have a life filled with joy, divine peace, and contentment. He wants to bless us and answer our prayers, and He wants us to walk in obedience to Him so that he can do so. The next time you go to God in prayer asking Him for something, I encourage you to remember it's a two way street.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to prayer for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Consider Your Ways
Haggai 1:3-7 (KJV) Says, "Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying, Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste? Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you but there is none warm: and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways."
The prophecy of Haggai consists of four messages from God delivered to the nation of Israel in the city of Jerusalem after the rebuilding of the temple had ceased for about ten years. Haggai began his ministry in 520 B.C. to encourage the people to complete the task of rebuilding the temple. He was one of a small group of people who had seen the former temple in its glory. His ministry was short, lasting only about four months, but it was sufficient motivation to prompt the people to begin working on the temple again.
The immediate purpose of the book of Haggai is to encourage the people to return to the building of the temple. It was imperative that the people build the temple because blessings from God depend on obedience. In the above passage of scripture Haggai questions the people asking them if they should be dwelling in ceiled houses which refers to houses with ceilings paneled with fine wood, a common practice among kings, while the temple of the Lord was wasting away. The command consider your ways is used five times throughout this prophecy, and it is a plea on the part of God for the people to take note of their behavior, and amend their ways accordingly.
Notice that through the prophecy of Haggai God lets the people know that they need to be obedient to Him, and that the blessings He has in store for them depend on it. God's Word does not expire, and just as the Israelites were warned to amend their ways and that their blessings depended on it, our being obedient to God is mandatory, if we desire to receive the blessings He has in store for us.
We live in a society where people are quick to complain about all their problems, and just as quick to tell you who or what they blame their problems on. We live in a society where many people who profess to be Christians, which means to be Christ-like, blatantly walk in disobedience to God while questioning where He is in their life. How can we groan and complain about our problems, live in blatant disobedience to God, and at the same time question where He is in our lives? How can we question God while totally ignoring our own behavior, and making no attempt to examine our lives and weed out the things that do not fit who we are as Christians?
I'm by no means saying that every time we face a trial in our life it is because we are walking in disobedience to God. Sometimes we face trials in order to draw us closer to God, and to strengthen our personal relationship with him. Nothing draws people closer to God faster than needing Him desperately during a trial. People who have not prayed in years will drop to their knees in an instant, the moment they find themselves in a situation they cannot handle on their own. Some trials are sent into our lives to test our faith. It is easy to proclaim our faith, when everything is going great in our lives, but it is through trials that our faith is truly tested. Finally, there are some trials that we face for reasons only God understands.
In the above scripture God brings to the Israelites attention, through Haggai, that they have sown
a lot and brought in little, that they eat but are not full, that they drink but are still thirsty, that they are clothed but none of them are warm, and that they earn wages but only to put them into a bag with holes in it. God makes clear to them that all of these things are consequences of their actions. As most of us know, history repeats itself and it has here in that we too need to be reminded that some of the trials we face are consequences of our actions. We like the Israelites need to be reminded to consider our ways.
If you are facing a trial, I encourage you to take an inventory of your life, and get rid of all the things that don't fit who you are as a disciple of Jesus Christ. I encourage you to remain steadfast in your faith trusting God, and setting the example you are to set as a Christian. I encourage you to be patient, and to remember God loves you tremendously. Finally, I encourage you to remember that through whatever trials you face in life, with Christ as your Savior, you can rest assured you are never walking alone.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
The prophecy of Haggai consists of four messages from God delivered to the nation of Israel in the city of Jerusalem after the rebuilding of the temple had ceased for about ten years. Haggai began his ministry in 520 B.C. to encourage the people to complete the task of rebuilding the temple. He was one of a small group of people who had seen the former temple in its glory. His ministry was short, lasting only about four months, but it was sufficient motivation to prompt the people to begin working on the temple again.
The immediate purpose of the book of Haggai is to encourage the people to return to the building of the temple. It was imperative that the people build the temple because blessings from God depend on obedience. In the above passage of scripture Haggai questions the people asking them if they should be dwelling in ceiled houses which refers to houses with ceilings paneled with fine wood, a common practice among kings, while the temple of the Lord was wasting away. The command consider your ways is used five times throughout this prophecy, and it is a plea on the part of God for the people to take note of their behavior, and amend their ways accordingly.
Notice that through the prophecy of Haggai God lets the people know that they need to be obedient to Him, and that the blessings He has in store for them depend on it. God's Word does not expire, and just as the Israelites were warned to amend their ways and that their blessings depended on it, our being obedient to God is mandatory, if we desire to receive the blessings He has in store for us.
We live in a society where people are quick to complain about all their problems, and just as quick to tell you who or what they blame their problems on. We live in a society where many people who profess to be Christians, which means to be Christ-like, blatantly walk in disobedience to God while questioning where He is in their life. How can we groan and complain about our problems, live in blatant disobedience to God, and at the same time question where He is in our lives? How can we question God while totally ignoring our own behavior, and making no attempt to examine our lives and weed out the things that do not fit who we are as Christians?
I'm by no means saying that every time we face a trial in our life it is because we are walking in disobedience to God. Sometimes we face trials in order to draw us closer to God, and to strengthen our personal relationship with him. Nothing draws people closer to God faster than needing Him desperately during a trial. People who have not prayed in years will drop to their knees in an instant, the moment they find themselves in a situation they cannot handle on their own. Some trials are sent into our lives to test our faith. It is easy to proclaim our faith, when everything is going great in our lives, but it is through trials that our faith is truly tested. Finally, there are some trials that we face for reasons only God understands.
In the above scripture God brings to the Israelites attention, through Haggai, that they have sown
a lot and brought in little, that they eat but are not full, that they drink but are still thirsty, that they are clothed but none of them are warm, and that they earn wages but only to put them into a bag with holes in it. God makes clear to them that all of these things are consequences of their actions. As most of us know, history repeats itself and it has here in that we too need to be reminded that some of the trials we face are consequences of our actions. We like the Israelites need to be reminded to consider our ways.
If you are facing a trial, I encourage you to take an inventory of your life, and get rid of all the things that don't fit who you are as a disciple of Jesus Christ. I encourage you to remain steadfast in your faith trusting God, and setting the example you are to set as a Christian. I encourage you to be patient, and to remember God loves you tremendously. Finally, I encourage you to remember that through whatever trials you face in life, with Christ as your Savior, you can rest assured you are never walking alone.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
A Stiff-Necked People
Deuteronomy 9:11-16 (KJV) Says, "And it came to pass at the end of forty days and forty nights, that the Lord gave me the two tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant. And the Lord said unto me, Arise, get thee down quickly from hence; for thy people which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt have corrupted themselves; they are quickly turned aside out of the way which I commanded them; they have made them a molten image. Furthermore the Lord spake unto me, saying, I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people: Let me alone, that I may destroy them, and blot out their name from under heaven: and I will make of thee a nation mightier and greater than they. So I turned and came down from the mount, and the mount burned with fire: and the two tables of the covenant were in my two hands. And I looked, and, behold, ye had sinned against the Lord your God, and had made you a molten calf: ye had turned aside quickly out of the way which the Lord had commanded you." II Chronicles 30:8 (KJV) Says, "Now be ye not stiff-necked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the Lord, and enter into his sanctuary, which He hath sanctified for ever: and serve the Lord your God, that the fierceness of His wrath may turn away from you."
In the above passage of scripture taken from Deuteronomy, Moses had gone up to Mt. Sinai to meet with God, and receive the ten commandments. Moses left his brother, Aaron, in charge of the Israelites who he had led out of bondage in Egypt. Aaron and the children of Israel were aware that Moses had gone to meet with God, and they had witnessed God's mighty power as He sent plague after plague upon Egypt until Pharaoh agreed to set them free. After forty days and forty nights God gave Moses the ten commandments, and advised him to go down from Mt. Sinai quickly. God advised Moses that he needed to get down from the mountain quickly because Aaron and the Israelites had corrupted themselves. God told Moses that the Israelites had turned away from what He instructed them to do, that they had strayed from His instructions and had done so quickly. They had lost patience waiting on Moses to return, and had made a molten calf to worship. They had witnessed God's power firsthand in Egypt and also as they were led out of Egypt yet they lost patience, gave up on God, and disobeyed His instructions. They were doing things their way, in their time, and leaving God out of it. How quick they were to give up on God.
In the above verse of scripture taken from II Chronicles, God warns the Israelites not to be stiff-necked like their fathers were, but instead to obey and serve Him, and to avoid his wrath. The term stiff-necked is defined as haughty and stubborn, when speaking about a person or their behavior. So in short God referred to the Israelites several times as prideful and stubborn. He also uses the term stiff-necked in four verses in Exodus, two in Deuteronomy and one in Acts, just to name a few more. This demonstrates what a huge problem pride and stubbornness were in the era of Moses, and this is a problem that remains in existence today.
The Israelites repeatedly disobeyed God, and then would turn back to Him after they made a disaster of such magnitude out of their lives; that they could no longer handle things on their own. Each time, God being merciful forgave them. The world continues to be full of stiff-necked people. There are people all around us so full of pride and so stubborn that they refuse to admit there is anything they can't handle . These people refuse to turn to Almighty God until they are in dire straits. They treat prayer like a fire alarm to be pulled only in an emergency. They pull it, and begin crying out to God for help, when something traumatic or devastating happens in heir life.
The children of Israel faced many trials and tribulations because of their disobedience to God, and it is no different for us today. We will be rewarded and blessed for living in obedience to him, and we will face consequences for disobeying him. The world is in a state of devastation, and we have numerous people acting confused as to why that is. We will never know the reason for everything, but we can look to God's Word, and find that many things are the consequences of our own actions. That being said, I don't think there's a need to ask why the world is in the state it's in, or why some people's personal lives are in the shape their in. If we take a look around at all the stiff-necked people who have chosen to disobey Almighty God just as the Israelites did, and the ones that are doing all they can to take God out of everything, we may see things a bit clearer.
The good news is that if we go to God in prayer, and repent of our sins He will forgive us and have mercy on us just as He did the Israelites. If you know you're living in disobedience to God I urge you to go to Him in prayer, ask Him to forgive you, and return to following Him immediately. If you have somehow justified in your mind that straddling the fence and obeying God in some things while disobeying him in others is acceptable, I urge you to stop kidding yourself because this behavior is by no means acceptable. If all Christians who have strayed from their walk with God would go to Him in prayer, ask for forgiveness of their sins, and return to walking in obedience to Him I have no doubt whatsoever that we would see major improvements in not only our personal lives, but in the state of the world.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
In the above passage of scripture taken from Deuteronomy, Moses had gone up to Mt. Sinai to meet with God, and receive the ten commandments. Moses left his brother, Aaron, in charge of the Israelites who he had led out of bondage in Egypt. Aaron and the children of Israel were aware that Moses had gone to meet with God, and they had witnessed God's mighty power as He sent plague after plague upon Egypt until Pharaoh agreed to set them free. After forty days and forty nights God gave Moses the ten commandments, and advised him to go down from Mt. Sinai quickly. God advised Moses that he needed to get down from the mountain quickly because Aaron and the Israelites had corrupted themselves. God told Moses that the Israelites had turned away from what He instructed them to do, that they had strayed from His instructions and had done so quickly. They had lost patience waiting on Moses to return, and had made a molten calf to worship. They had witnessed God's power firsthand in Egypt and also as they were led out of Egypt yet they lost patience, gave up on God, and disobeyed His instructions. They were doing things their way, in their time, and leaving God out of it. How quick they were to give up on God.
In the above verse of scripture taken from II Chronicles, God warns the Israelites not to be stiff-necked like their fathers were, but instead to obey and serve Him, and to avoid his wrath. The term stiff-necked is defined as haughty and stubborn, when speaking about a person or their behavior. So in short God referred to the Israelites several times as prideful and stubborn. He also uses the term stiff-necked in four verses in Exodus, two in Deuteronomy and one in Acts, just to name a few more. This demonstrates what a huge problem pride and stubbornness were in the era of Moses, and this is a problem that remains in existence today.
The Israelites repeatedly disobeyed God, and then would turn back to Him after they made a disaster of such magnitude out of their lives; that they could no longer handle things on their own. Each time, God being merciful forgave them. The world continues to be full of stiff-necked people. There are people all around us so full of pride and so stubborn that they refuse to admit there is anything they can't handle . These people refuse to turn to Almighty God until they are in dire straits. They treat prayer like a fire alarm to be pulled only in an emergency. They pull it, and begin crying out to God for help, when something traumatic or devastating happens in heir life.
The children of Israel faced many trials and tribulations because of their disobedience to God, and it is no different for us today. We will be rewarded and blessed for living in obedience to him, and we will face consequences for disobeying him. The world is in a state of devastation, and we have numerous people acting confused as to why that is. We will never know the reason for everything, but we can look to God's Word, and find that many things are the consequences of our own actions. That being said, I don't think there's a need to ask why the world is in the state it's in, or why some people's personal lives are in the shape their in. If we take a look around at all the stiff-necked people who have chosen to disobey Almighty God just as the Israelites did, and the ones that are doing all they can to take God out of everything, we may see things a bit clearer.
The good news is that if we go to God in prayer, and repent of our sins He will forgive us and have mercy on us just as He did the Israelites. If you know you're living in disobedience to God I urge you to go to Him in prayer, ask Him to forgive you, and return to following Him immediately. If you have somehow justified in your mind that straddling the fence and obeying God in some things while disobeying him in others is acceptable, I urge you to stop kidding yourself because this behavior is by no means acceptable. If all Christians who have strayed from their walk with God would go to Him in prayer, ask for forgiveness of their sins, and return to walking in obedience to Him I have no doubt whatsoever that we would see major improvements in not only our personal lives, but in the state of the world.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Turn To God
Isaiah 54:10 (KJV) Says, "For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee." Psalm 55:22 (KJV) Says, "Cast thy burdens upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." Ephesians 6:12 (KJV) Says, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." I Peter 5:6-7 (KJV) Says, "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you." Isaiah 26:3 (KJV) Says, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee."
Let me begin by stating that God has never broken even one promise, and you can rest assured that He never will. With that said in the above passages of scripture we are promised that God's kindness will never leave us, that He has mercy on us, and that His promise of peace will not be taken away. We are instructed to cast our burdens upon the Lord and we are promised that He will sustain us. We are warned that we wrestle against Satan, and evil in the world. We are instructed to humble ourselves before God, and told that He cares for us. If you ever doubt how much God loves you, remind yourself quickly that He sent his only Son, who was without sin, to die on the cross for you so that you might have eternal life. That my friends confirms that God loves each of us tremendously. Finally, the above scripture promises us that if we stay focused on God and trust Him, He will keep us in perfect peace.
There are numerous people in the world today who are worried, troubled, and miserable for various reasons, and they can't seem to find peace. I understand that people are going through trials, and tribulations because we all face them. God never promises that we won't have times of trouble, the good news is that He will see us through all of them, if we will put our faith and trust in Him. The unfortunate thing is that numerous people in search of peace and comfort turn to other things such as drugs, alcohol, gambling, and any other vice you can name seeking a solace that can only come from God.
There are many reasons why people don't turn to God in times of trouble, and one of them is that they believe the negative thoughts that Satan puts in their minds. He places thoughts in our minds, like God doesn't love me, I've made far to many mistakes for God to ever forgive me, I've waited to long to turn to God, my problems are so great not even God can help me, God has turned his back on me, and any other negative thought he can use to draw us further away from the Lord. We must not allow Satan to convince us that any of these statements or any others like them are true. Satan is the father of lies, and we must rebuke his lies, if we are to have peace. We must replace his lies with truths such as God loves me tremendously, He will never leave nor forsake me, He is holding my right hand, or any other passage of scripture you opt to use. God's Word is our weapon of defense so when Satan attacks your mind, use it on him immediately.
Another reason people don't turn to God is that they have the wrong idea of who he is. Many people have him pictured as standing in heaven with a lightening bolt in His hand just waiting to throw it at them, and nothing could be further from the truth. God is not standing up in heaven hoping we will make a mistake so He can zap us. He is kind, loving, merciful, forgiving, understanding, and so many more great things.
There are also people of the opinion that to follow God would be to live a rigid and strict life that is void of laughter and fun, and filled with boredom. This is another falsehood. The truth is when you opt to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and decide to follow Him you will have a divine peace, joy, and contentment like you have never before known. The Bible describes the peace that God gives us as a "divine peace" and a "perfect peace." Having been blessed with the peace that can only come from God, I can tell you there is a huge difference in peace from God, and any other definition of the word. I can also tell you firsthand that Christians have fun, and that our lives are far from boring.
Above are a few reasons why some people turn to worldly things, addictive substances, and material possessions in times of trouble, worry and despair in lieu of turning to the one true help which is God. If you are struggling with worry and despair I encourage you to take all of your problems to God in prayer. Cast your cares upon the Lord, and leave them there. Put your faith and trust in God knowing that He loves you, He will never leave nor forsake you, there is no problem He cannot handle, He has never broken a promise, He is merciful, kind, forgiving, long-suffering, understanding, and all things good. I urge you to consider all these things, and to turn to God having faith and trust in Him always. God never changes He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and His power is unlimited. He is there for you anytime day or night, and He is willing to help you if you will simply call on Him. If you've been turning to something besides God in times of trouble, if you're still struggling, if you're the prisoner of a vice such as drugs or alcohol, then I urge you beginning right now to surrender all your troubles to God. Take all of your problems to Him, and leave them their. I urge you to put your faith and trust in God and obey Him knowing He will not let you down. I urge you to wait patiently on Him as He works things out for your good, because He loves you and He knows what's best for you.
Are you living in a state of worry, and despair? Are you believing all the lies Satan is running through your mind? Do you feel you've done so much wrong that there is no way God would ever forgive you? Have you turned to something other than God in search of peace, and contentment? Are you carrying your troubles around with you allowing them to weigh you down, and make your life miserable? If so, I urge you to surrender your life to God. Go to Him in prayer and leave all your troubles with Him. It is only in God that you will find joy, peace, contentment, and all the great things you've been searching for. If you are living in a constant state of misery, and what you're currently doing to change that is not working for you, then why not take a chance, and turn to God? He is the answer, don't give up on Him, be patient no matter how long it takes, remain steadfast in your faith remembering that God's timing is never early, never late, but perfect. Reach out to God and begin today living the life of joy, peace, and contentment He desires for you He's only a prayer away.
If you haven't accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I urge you to do so immediately. We are not promised tomorrow so please if you have the desire to do so, do it now, right where you are. Simply go to God in prayer, ask Him to forgive you for all your sins, tell Him you believe that Jesus was born, that He died on the cross for your sins, and that He rose again. Ask Him to come into your heart, and be your Lord and Savior. If you prayed this prayer and accepted Christ, congratulations you made the greatest decision you will ever make.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, send me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Let me begin by stating that God has never broken even one promise, and you can rest assured that He never will. With that said in the above passages of scripture we are promised that God's kindness will never leave us, that He has mercy on us, and that His promise of peace will not be taken away. We are instructed to cast our burdens upon the Lord and we are promised that He will sustain us. We are warned that we wrestle against Satan, and evil in the world. We are instructed to humble ourselves before God, and told that He cares for us. If you ever doubt how much God loves you, remind yourself quickly that He sent his only Son, who was without sin, to die on the cross for you so that you might have eternal life. That my friends confirms that God loves each of us tremendously. Finally, the above scripture promises us that if we stay focused on God and trust Him, He will keep us in perfect peace.
There are numerous people in the world today who are worried, troubled, and miserable for various reasons, and they can't seem to find peace. I understand that people are going through trials, and tribulations because we all face them. God never promises that we won't have times of trouble, the good news is that He will see us through all of them, if we will put our faith and trust in Him. The unfortunate thing is that numerous people in search of peace and comfort turn to other things such as drugs, alcohol, gambling, and any other vice you can name seeking a solace that can only come from God.
There are many reasons why people don't turn to God in times of trouble, and one of them is that they believe the negative thoughts that Satan puts in their minds. He places thoughts in our minds, like God doesn't love me, I've made far to many mistakes for God to ever forgive me, I've waited to long to turn to God, my problems are so great not even God can help me, God has turned his back on me, and any other negative thought he can use to draw us further away from the Lord. We must not allow Satan to convince us that any of these statements or any others like them are true. Satan is the father of lies, and we must rebuke his lies, if we are to have peace. We must replace his lies with truths such as God loves me tremendously, He will never leave nor forsake me, He is holding my right hand, or any other passage of scripture you opt to use. God's Word is our weapon of defense so when Satan attacks your mind, use it on him immediately.
Another reason people don't turn to God is that they have the wrong idea of who he is. Many people have him pictured as standing in heaven with a lightening bolt in His hand just waiting to throw it at them, and nothing could be further from the truth. God is not standing up in heaven hoping we will make a mistake so He can zap us. He is kind, loving, merciful, forgiving, understanding, and so many more great things.
There are also people of the opinion that to follow God would be to live a rigid and strict life that is void of laughter and fun, and filled with boredom. This is another falsehood. The truth is when you opt to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and decide to follow Him you will have a divine peace, joy, and contentment like you have never before known. The Bible describes the peace that God gives us as a "divine peace" and a "perfect peace." Having been blessed with the peace that can only come from God, I can tell you there is a huge difference in peace from God, and any other definition of the word. I can also tell you firsthand that Christians have fun, and that our lives are far from boring.
Above are a few reasons why some people turn to worldly things, addictive substances, and material possessions in times of trouble, worry and despair in lieu of turning to the one true help which is God. If you are struggling with worry and despair I encourage you to take all of your problems to God in prayer. Cast your cares upon the Lord, and leave them there. Put your faith and trust in God knowing that He loves you, He will never leave nor forsake you, there is no problem He cannot handle, He has never broken a promise, He is merciful, kind, forgiving, long-suffering, understanding, and all things good. I urge you to consider all these things, and to turn to God having faith and trust in Him always. God never changes He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and His power is unlimited. He is there for you anytime day or night, and He is willing to help you if you will simply call on Him. If you've been turning to something besides God in times of trouble, if you're still struggling, if you're the prisoner of a vice such as drugs or alcohol, then I urge you beginning right now to surrender all your troubles to God. Take all of your problems to Him, and leave them their. I urge you to put your faith and trust in God and obey Him knowing He will not let you down. I urge you to wait patiently on Him as He works things out for your good, because He loves you and He knows what's best for you.
Are you living in a state of worry, and despair? Are you believing all the lies Satan is running through your mind? Do you feel you've done so much wrong that there is no way God would ever forgive you? Have you turned to something other than God in search of peace, and contentment? Are you carrying your troubles around with you allowing them to weigh you down, and make your life miserable? If so, I urge you to surrender your life to God. Go to Him in prayer and leave all your troubles with Him. It is only in God that you will find joy, peace, contentment, and all the great things you've been searching for. If you are living in a constant state of misery, and what you're currently doing to change that is not working for you, then why not take a chance, and turn to God? He is the answer, don't give up on Him, be patient no matter how long it takes, remain steadfast in your faith remembering that God's timing is never early, never late, but perfect. Reach out to God and begin today living the life of joy, peace, and contentment He desires for you He's only a prayer away.
If you haven't accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I urge you to do so immediately. We are not promised tomorrow so please if you have the desire to do so, do it now, right where you are. Simply go to God in prayer, ask Him to forgive you for all your sins, tell Him you believe that Jesus was born, that He died on the cross for your sins, and that He rose again. Ask Him to come into your heart, and be your Lord and Savior. If you prayed this prayer and accepted Christ, congratulations you made the greatest decision you will ever make.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, send me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Asking God
I Kings 3:7-14 (KJV) Says, "And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; Behold I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. And I have also given the that which thou hast not asked both riches and honor: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days."
In the above passage of scripture Solomon is talking with God in a dream. God has made Solomon king after the reign of his father, David. Solomon is young and the people he has rule over are more than can be numbered. Solomon was well aware of what a great responsibility being king was, and he took that responsibility seriously. When given the opportunity to ask anything of God he desired, he ask for an understanding heart to judge the people with the ability to discern good and bad. Solomon especially being young could have chosen to ask God for something that would benefit him and him only. He could have ask for gold, silver, fine horses and chariots, beautiful women, and so many other things that he himself would find pleasure in, but yet he opted to ask for an understanding heart. God was so pleased with what Solomon ask of Him that he blessed him with not only an understanding heart, but He also gave him riches, honor, and a promise of long life, if he would keep His statutes and commandments.
We are blessed to have the opportunity to go to God in prayer any time day or night. We can go to him in prayer, and ask anything and everything we desire to ask him. Many people, unlike Solomon, choose to ask God for shallow, earthly, material things in lieu of asking God for things that are of real importance. What these people fail to realize is that if your heart is right, as was Solomon's, and you ask earnestly for things that are of importance in helping you to be the best servant of God that you can be He will rain other blessings upon you as long as you live in obedience to Him. Choosing to seek and chase after money, and the material things we desire, making them a priority, is such a big mistake. We need only to realize that God wants to bless us, if we will get our hearts right, and choose to live in obedience to Him.
If you went to God in prayer right now, what would you ask of Him? Would your request be one of substance and importance that would be pleasing to God? Would your request benefit someone other than yourself? Would you ask God to lead, guide, and direct your path? Would you ask Him to shine light on His Word as you read and study it? Would you ask Him for wisdom and understanding? Would you ask Him to help you grow in the areas of kindness, compassion, forgiveness, mercy, or other areas of weakness you may have in your life? Or would your prayer be one that is material, and self-serving?
Solomon reaped many blessings because his heart was right with God. He was granted his prayer request and so much more because he was unselfish, earnest, and he had a right heart. Is your heart right in regards to your desires? Are your priorities straight? Are you living in obedience to God? Are your requests unselfish? I encourage you to do as Solomon did, and that is to ask God for things that will help you to be the best disciple of Christ you can be, and for those things that will help you to carry out and fulfill the plan God has for your life. I want to be clear there is nothing wrong with going to God in prayer about our worries, troubles, cares, and desires, but if we find ourselves going to God in prayer requesting only material possessions we need to examine our hearts immediately. I encourage you to take an honest look at your heart, to live in obedience to God, and to include in your prayers things that benefit more than self. God loves you and wants the best for you just as He did Solomon. He has blessings prepared to rain down on us, and is eager to do so, when we choose to live in obedience to him.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
In the above passage of scripture Solomon is talking with God in a dream. God has made Solomon king after the reign of his father, David. Solomon is young and the people he has rule over are more than can be numbered. Solomon was well aware of what a great responsibility being king was, and he took that responsibility seriously. When given the opportunity to ask anything of God he desired, he ask for an understanding heart to judge the people with the ability to discern good and bad. Solomon especially being young could have chosen to ask God for something that would benefit him and him only. He could have ask for gold, silver, fine horses and chariots, beautiful women, and so many other things that he himself would find pleasure in, but yet he opted to ask for an understanding heart. God was so pleased with what Solomon ask of Him that he blessed him with not only an understanding heart, but He also gave him riches, honor, and a promise of long life, if he would keep His statutes and commandments.
We are blessed to have the opportunity to go to God in prayer any time day or night. We can go to him in prayer, and ask anything and everything we desire to ask him. Many people, unlike Solomon, choose to ask God for shallow, earthly, material things in lieu of asking God for things that are of real importance. What these people fail to realize is that if your heart is right, as was Solomon's, and you ask earnestly for things that are of importance in helping you to be the best servant of God that you can be He will rain other blessings upon you as long as you live in obedience to Him. Choosing to seek and chase after money, and the material things we desire, making them a priority, is such a big mistake. We need only to realize that God wants to bless us, if we will get our hearts right, and choose to live in obedience to Him.
If you went to God in prayer right now, what would you ask of Him? Would your request be one of substance and importance that would be pleasing to God? Would your request benefit someone other than yourself? Would you ask God to lead, guide, and direct your path? Would you ask Him to shine light on His Word as you read and study it? Would you ask Him for wisdom and understanding? Would you ask Him to help you grow in the areas of kindness, compassion, forgiveness, mercy, or other areas of weakness you may have in your life? Or would your prayer be one that is material, and self-serving?
Solomon reaped many blessings because his heart was right with God. He was granted his prayer request and so much more because he was unselfish, earnest, and he had a right heart. Is your heart right in regards to your desires? Are your priorities straight? Are you living in obedience to God? Are your requests unselfish? I encourage you to do as Solomon did, and that is to ask God for things that will help you to be the best disciple of Christ you can be, and for those things that will help you to carry out and fulfill the plan God has for your life. I want to be clear there is nothing wrong with going to God in prayer about our worries, troubles, cares, and desires, but if we find ourselves going to God in prayer requesting only material possessions we need to examine our hearts immediately. I encourage you to take an honest look at your heart, to live in obedience to God, and to include in your prayers things that benefit more than self. God loves you and wants the best for you just as He did Solomon. He has blessings prepared to rain down on us, and is eager to do so, when we choose to live in obedience to him.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Sunday, December 8, 2013
God Breathed
II Timothy 3:16-17 (KJV) Says, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."
The above passage of scripture tells us that the Bible is God-breathed. It is written by men, but authored by God. It is written for doctrine to tell us what to believe, for reproof to tell us what is wrong, for correction to tell us how to correct wrongs, and for instruction in righteousness meaning to tell us how to live. It further serves to ensure that we may be perfect meaning capable and proficient having everything needed to do what God wants. It uses the words thoroughly furnished meaning thoroughly equipped. The Bible is God's inspired Word and properly used and applied, it provides all we need for life and ministry.
The Bible has sold more copies than any other book in history, and continues to be the greatest seller of books to date. It amazes me that even though it is filled with prophesies that have come to pass, some hundreds of years after they were written, and some that are coming to pass right before our very eyes, that there remain individuals who do not believe in God. I think if non-believers took the time to examine the Bible in its entirety, they may come to realize that it is in fact one hundred percent truth.
If the Bible had been labeled a history book and taught in schools, I have no doubt there would be fewer non-believers. Students have no problem believing whatever their teachers, in any subject, teach them from a textbook written by man. For instance, although we were not present to see George Washington cross the Delaware River, or to witness tea being dumped into the Boston Harbor we believe it to be true. People have no problem accepting recorded events such as these, but when it comes to recorded history included in the Bible many have difficulty accepting it to be factual.
I personally have no doubt whatsoever that the scripture is God-breathed, and that it is one hundred percent truth. I am certain of this because of all the many promises found in scripture that God has kept for me personally. He has never failed to fulfill a promise. If a person wants proof of that they can read the Bible and find hundreds of promises he has made and kept, while finding not a single one that he has broken.
The Bible is a miracle in and of itself, if you think about it. Consider the size of the Bible, and then think about the fact that there is scripture pertaining to any and every subject you can imagine found within its pages. When I look back on my high school years and the reports I was assigned to write, I think about searching through a large stack of encyclopedias to do research on just one topic, and sometimes finding nothing of any help in any of them. That for me puts into perspective what a miracle the Bible truly is, in that it contains scripture relating to all topics yet it is just one book. Is this more proof that the Bible is a divine God-breathed work? In my opinion absolutely, and I see no room whatsoever for anyone to dispute that.
There are several points to be made to support the fact that the Bible is one hundred percent, God-breathed truth, but in spite of that there will always be people who attempt to dispute it. These people will never succeed in doing so because it is simply not possible. I often wonder why people work so hard to try and disclaim something so great, and something they need so desperately whether they realize it or not. I wonder why they would seek to take God out of everything without ever giving the Bible the consideration that it so obviously deserves. I wonder if they ever ask themselves the question what if the believers are right, I'm wrong, and I miss out on spending eternity in heaven?
If you haven't accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I urge you to do so immediately. Right where you are go to God in prayer, ask Him to forgive you of all your sins, tell Him you believe that Jesus was born, that He died on the cross for your sins, and that He rose again. Ask Him to come into your heart, and be your Lord and Savior. Accepting God's precious gift of salvation is without a doubt the greatest decision you will ever make.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
The above passage of scripture tells us that the Bible is God-breathed. It is written by men, but authored by God. It is written for doctrine to tell us what to believe, for reproof to tell us what is wrong, for correction to tell us how to correct wrongs, and for instruction in righteousness meaning to tell us how to live. It further serves to ensure that we may be perfect meaning capable and proficient having everything needed to do what God wants. It uses the words thoroughly furnished meaning thoroughly equipped. The Bible is God's inspired Word and properly used and applied, it provides all we need for life and ministry.
The Bible has sold more copies than any other book in history, and continues to be the greatest seller of books to date. It amazes me that even though it is filled with prophesies that have come to pass, some hundreds of years after they were written, and some that are coming to pass right before our very eyes, that there remain individuals who do not believe in God. I think if non-believers took the time to examine the Bible in its entirety, they may come to realize that it is in fact one hundred percent truth.
If the Bible had been labeled a history book and taught in schools, I have no doubt there would be fewer non-believers. Students have no problem believing whatever their teachers, in any subject, teach them from a textbook written by man. For instance, although we were not present to see George Washington cross the Delaware River, or to witness tea being dumped into the Boston Harbor we believe it to be true. People have no problem accepting recorded events such as these, but when it comes to recorded history included in the Bible many have difficulty accepting it to be factual.
I personally have no doubt whatsoever that the scripture is God-breathed, and that it is one hundred percent truth. I am certain of this because of all the many promises found in scripture that God has kept for me personally. He has never failed to fulfill a promise. If a person wants proof of that they can read the Bible and find hundreds of promises he has made and kept, while finding not a single one that he has broken.
The Bible is a miracle in and of itself, if you think about it. Consider the size of the Bible, and then think about the fact that there is scripture pertaining to any and every subject you can imagine found within its pages. When I look back on my high school years and the reports I was assigned to write, I think about searching through a large stack of encyclopedias to do research on just one topic, and sometimes finding nothing of any help in any of them. That for me puts into perspective what a miracle the Bible truly is, in that it contains scripture relating to all topics yet it is just one book. Is this more proof that the Bible is a divine God-breathed work? In my opinion absolutely, and I see no room whatsoever for anyone to dispute that.
There are several points to be made to support the fact that the Bible is one hundred percent, God-breathed truth, but in spite of that there will always be people who attempt to dispute it. These people will never succeed in doing so because it is simply not possible. I often wonder why people work so hard to try and disclaim something so great, and something they need so desperately whether they realize it or not. I wonder why they would seek to take God out of everything without ever giving the Bible the consideration that it so obviously deserves. I wonder if they ever ask themselves the question what if the believers are right, I'm wrong, and I miss out on spending eternity in heaven?
If you haven't accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I urge you to do so immediately. Right where you are go to God in prayer, ask Him to forgive you of all your sins, tell Him you believe that Jesus was born, that He died on the cross for your sins, and that He rose again. Ask Him to come into your heart, and be your Lord and Savior. Accepting God's precious gift of salvation is without a doubt the greatest decision you will ever make.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Reaping What You Sow
Galatians 6:7-9 (KJV) Says, "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."
The above passage of scripture tells us not to fool ourselves into thinking that God will be mocked. This means that we can not outwit God. To disobey God's commands and then escape divine punishment would be to outwit God, and make a mockery of Him and His Word, if we think that is possible we are kidding ourselves. The above passage of scripture goes on to tell us that if we live our lives in a manner that follows and feeds our fleshly desires sowing to the flesh, then we will reap the consequences of that. If we live our lives in a manner that follows the guidance of the Holy Spirit within us, sowing to the Spirit, we will be rewarded with blessings from God.
Often times we hear the phrase "you reap what you sow" spouted at someone as a warning to prevent them from doing something God would not approve of, or when they've done something that was not of good character, and it comes back to haunt them. One would think the knowledge that we reap blessings and rewards when we sow to the Spirit would encourage people to do more in the way of sowing, but that is not necessarily the case. As a matter of fact it is rare to hear the phrase "you reap what you sow" mentioned in the form of encouragement, when someone sows good seed. Although we should have the desire in our hearts to sow good and plentiful seed of the Spirit it seems some struggle in the area of sowing.
We can sow to the Spirit in so many ways. We can sow to the Spirit by witnessing for God, helping someone in need, sharing an encouraging word, sharing a smile, and the list goes on and on. As I mentioned earlier we should sow to the Spirit out of the desire in our hearts to do so. Many people however seem to become weary in well doing, and give up which the Bible tells us not to do in Galatians 6:9 (KJV) which says, "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."
Knowing that we are rewarded for sowing to the Spirit in more ways than I could ever list here, it would be nice if we reminded ourselves that the phrase "you reap what you sow" could be spoken in a positive light more frequently. The more good seed we sow the more blessings and rewards we reap, and the more divine peace, joy, and contentment we have in our lives. We live in a world where many people only think about themselves, and have a sense of entitlement. These people have no idea how much better their lives could be, if they would simply opt to accept Christ as their Savior, allow him to lead, guide, and direct their paths, and begin sowing to the Spirit
If you are one who admits that you have been sowing to the flesh and suffering the consequences, I urge you to make a change immediately and begin sowing to the Spirit. You will be blessed and rewarded whether it is in this earthly life or the eternal life that follows. You will be filled with joy, a divine peace, and a sense of contentment like you have never before known.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
The above passage of scripture tells us not to fool ourselves into thinking that God will be mocked. This means that we can not outwit God. To disobey God's commands and then escape divine punishment would be to outwit God, and make a mockery of Him and His Word, if we think that is possible we are kidding ourselves. The above passage of scripture goes on to tell us that if we live our lives in a manner that follows and feeds our fleshly desires sowing to the flesh, then we will reap the consequences of that. If we live our lives in a manner that follows the guidance of the Holy Spirit within us, sowing to the Spirit, we will be rewarded with blessings from God.
Often times we hear the phrase "you reap what you sow" spouted at someone as a warning to prevent them from doing something God would not approve of, or when they've done something that was not of good character, and it comes back to haunt them. One would think the knowledge that we reap blessings and rewards when we sow to the Spirit would encourage people to do more in the way of sowing, but that is not necessarily the case. As a matter of fact it is rare to hear the phrase "you reap what you sow" mentioned in the form of encouragement, when someone sows good seed. Although we should have the desire in our hearts to sow good and plentiful seed of the Spirit it seems some struggle in the area of sowing.
We can sow to the Spirit in so many ways. We can sow to the Spirit by witnessing for God, helping someone in need, sharing an encouraging word, sharing a smile, and the list goes on and on. As I mentioned earlier we should sow to the Spirit out of the desire in our hearts to do so. Many people however seem to become weary in well doing, and give up which the Bible tells us not to do in Galatians 6:9 (KJV) which says, "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."
Knowing that we are rewarded for sowing to the Spirit in more ways than I could ever list here, it would be nice if we reminded ourselves that the phrase "you reap what you sow" could be spoken in a positive light more frequently. The more good seed we sow the more blessings and rewards we reap, and the more divine peace, joy, and contentment we have in our lives. We live in a world where many people only think about themselves, and have a sense of entitlement. These people have no idea how much better their lives could be, if they would simply opt to accept Christ as their Savior, allow him to lead, guide, and direct their paths, and begin sowing to the Spirit
If you are one who admits that you have been sowing to the flesh and suffering the consequences, I urge you to make a change immediately and begin sowing to the Spirit. You will be blessed and rewarded whether it is in this earthly life or the eternal life that follows. You will be filled with joy, a divine peace, and a sense of contentment like you have never before known.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Christian
Colossians 3:12-14 (KJV) Says, "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness."
In the above passage of scripture we are instructed as God's elect to be merciful, kind, humble, meek, long-suffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving. Often times I believe we read these words, but fail to give their meaning any true consideration. To be Christian means to be Christ-like, and although none of us will ever be of the character of Christ who is perfect, we are to follow the example Jesus set for us on how to behave as Christians. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we are sanctified which means to be set apart. As such we should stand out, not because we are any better than others, but because having the Holy Spirit dwelling within us our behavior, attitude, and demeanor reflect who we are in Christ. People should be able to see the characteristics in the above passage of scripture within us. If we take the time to examine the meaning of these characteristics, it may help us to better evaluate how well they are shining through in our own lives.
Let's look at what it means to be merciful for instance. To be merciful by definition is to show compassion and forgiveness toward someone, when it is within your power to do them harm. When you find yourself in a position to repay someone who has hurt you or wronged you in some way, do you show them mercy, compassion and forgiveness or do you move forward with something that hurts them equally as bad as what they did to hurt you?
We all know what it means to be kind, but do we practice it? How about humility? Can you say that you have a humble spirit? Or Do you lift yourself up above others, and behave in a proud manner as if you are somehow better than those around you? By definition to be humble is to show a low estimate of one's importance. This is not to be confused with low self-esteem or to say that we should not take pride in ourselves, we should. The problem comes when we allow ourselves to grow so proud of ourselves that we begin to believe we are above others. This prideful spirit is made evident in a lofty attitude in regard to self, and a demeaning attitude toward others. Are you are guilty of being prideful and boastful?
Do you practice meekness, which by definition means to be quiet and gentle? Or do you behave in a manner that is loud and boisterous? Can you say that you are long-suffering which by definition means to show patience in times of trouble that has been caused by others? Or do you lash out at those at fault, and begin a verbal assault of blame? Do you need work in any of these areas?
Are you forgiving or do you struggle with that? If you are one who has an unforgiving spirit, then I urge you to address that issue immediately because the Bible tells us in Matthew 6:14-16 (KJV) that if we do not forgive others then God will not forgive us. If you have an unforgiving spirit consider the multiple times God has forgiven you, and then ask yourself why it is you struggle so hard to forgive? When we think about it in that light, it should not be very difficult to forgive one another.
Finally, we are to be forbearing toward one another, and by definition that means to be patient, tolerant, easy going, forgiving, and understanding. Can you say you are all these things, or are there areas that you recognize you need work in? If you recognize areas you need work in write them down, and begin improving upon them today. We all have areas of weakness, and we will continue to as long as we live because we are fallible human beings, and God understands that. He knows our hearts, however, and He is fully aware of whether or not we have an honest desire to improve on ourselves and our behavior toward others.
The above named character traits are just a few of the many Jesus demonstrated for us. There are so many more examples available to us in God's Word, and I encourage you to be conscience of the meaning of each one as you come across them in your reading. I urge you to take a moment to honestly examine your behavior. If you profess to be a Christian, I urge you to ask yourself whether or not your character reflects that of someone who is living their life in a Christ-like manner. We all have areas of weakness that need our attention, and that is to be expected because we will never be perfect. It is important, however, that we recognize those weaknesses, and begin working on them immediately so that we can be the witnesses to others that God has called us to be.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
In the above passage of scripture we are instructed as God's elect to be merciful, kind, humble, meek, long-suffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving. Often times I believe we read these words, but fail to give their meaning any true consideration. To be Christian means to be Christ-like, and although none of us will ever be of the character of Christ who is perfect, we are to follow the example Jesus set for us on how to behave as Christians. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we are sanctified which means to be set apart. As such we should stand out, not because we are any better than others, but because having the Holy Spirit dwelling within us our behavior, attitude, and demeanor reflect who we are in Christ. People should be able to see the characteristics in the above passage of scripture within us. If we take the time to examine the meaning of these characteristics, it may help us to better evaluate how well they are shining through in our own lives.
Let's look at what it means to be merciful for instance. To be merciful by definition is to show compassion and forgiveness toward someone, when it is within your power to do them harm. When you find yourself in a position to repay someone who has hurt you or wronged you in some way, do you show them mercy, compassion and forgiveness or do you move forward with something that hurts them equally as bad as what they did to hurt you?
We all know what it means to be kind, but do we practice it? How about humility? Can you say that you have a humble spirit? Or Do you lift yourself up above others, and behave in a proud manner as if you are somehow better than those around you? By definition to be humble is to show a low estimate of one's importance. This is not to be confused with low self-esteem or to say that we should not take pride in ourselves, we should. The problem comes when we allow ourselves to grow so proud of ourselves that we begin to believe we are above others. This prideful spirit is made evident in a lofty attitude in regard to self, and a demeaning attitude toward others. Are you are guilty of being prideful and boastful?
Do you practice meekness, which by definition means to be quiet and gentle? Or do you behave in a manner that is loud and boisterous? Can you say that you are long-suffering which by definition means to show patience in times of trouble that has been caused by others? Or do you lash out at those at fault, and begin a verbal assault of blame? Do you need work in any of these areas?
Are you forgiving or do you struggle with that? If you are one who has an unforgiving spirit, then I urge you to address that issue immediately because the Bible tells us in Matthew 6:14-16 (KJV) that if we do not forgive others then God will not forgive us. If you have an unforgiving spirit consider the multiple times God has forgiven you, and then ask yourself why it is you struggle so hard to forgive? When we think about it in that light, it should not be very difficult to forgive one another.
Finally, we are to be forbearing toward one another, and by definition that means to be patient, tolerant, easy going, forgiving, and understanding. Can you say you are all these things, or are there areas that you recognize you need work in? If you recognize areas you need work in write them down, and begin improving upon them today. We all have areas of weakness, and we will continue to as long as we live because we are fallible human beings, and God understands that. He knows our hearts, however, and He is fully aware of whether or not we have an honest desire to improve on ourselves and our behavior toward others.
The above named character traits are just a few of the many Jesus demonstrated for us. There are so many more examples available to us in God's Word, and I encourage you to be conscience of the meaning of each one as you come across them in your reading. I urge you to take a moment to honestly examine your behavior. If you profess to be a Christian, I urge you to ask yourself whether or not your character reflects that of someone who is living their life in a Christ-like manner. We all have areas of weakness that need our attention, and that is to be expected because we will never be perfect. It is important, however, that we recognize those weaknesses, and begin working on them immediately so that we can be the witnesses to others that God has called us to be.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Sunday, November 24, 2013
A Destroyer
I Samuel 18:5-9 (KJV) Says, "And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants. And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music. And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? And Saul eyed David from that day and forward."
As we see from the above passage of scripture, David was a Godly man, and he was well liked by all. In fact, King Saul liked him enough to have set him over the men of war. King Saul had no problem with David as long as he felt he was above him in all things which he felt he was, until the day they returned from battling the Philistines. It was a tradition in ancient Israel for the women to greet victors returning from battle with music, and dancing, and when they came out in celebration and gave David credit for slaying ten thousands, and Saul only thousands, Saul instantly became overwhelmed with jealousy.
King Saul had rule over everything in the land, his word was final in all matters. Being king he had the finest of living spaces, and he had an abundance of the best food in the land to eat. He had the finest apparel, he had wives, and children, he had chariots, horses, servants, and anything else he desired. Having all he could possibly want, however, wasn't enough to satisfy him once the women of Israel had given David credit for slaying more men in battle than they gave him. From that point forward King Saul was nothing short of miserable, and spent the remainder of his days in pursuit of David having the desire to kill him. He was so filled with jealousy that he couldn't love and appreciate David for the asset he was to him as a loyal friend, and a skilled warrior. In lieu of living like the king that he was and remaining at home in his palace, Saul spent his time roaming around in search of David with the hope of finding him and taking his life. He felt he could not be content until David was dead. In short, King Saul allowed Jealousy to destroy him.
I've known people like King Saul in my lifetime, and more than likely you have as well. They are perfectly content and pleased to call you friend as long as you have less than them in all areas of your life. They are even okay with you being equal to them in possessions as long as their brand is better than yours. These type people go through life making everything a competition, and they must win. They may not be out to kill someone who surpasses them in some area of praise or materialism, but they certainly make it obvious that they will do everything they can to regain the position of top dog. Most often people like King Saul, who are prone to extreme jealousy, become jealous of those who are neither competitive or jealous, when it comes to what others possess or the praise they receive. Those who are filled with a spirit of extreme jealousy are so easy to spot, and the fact that they are miserable because of it is quite obvious to everyone around them.
Extreme jealousy caused Saul to spend countless days chasing David instead of spending time in the luxury of his palace minding his kingdom. His pursuit of David took him away from his family, and the finer things of life. How must he have appeared to the people of Israel as he pursued a man they hailed a hero? As with anyone else who is consumed with jealousy Saul's behavior made the fact that he was overcome with it blatantly obvious. He had it all, but that one statement made by the Israelite women ignited a jealousy in him that he allowed to absolutely destroy him.
Do you have a jealous spirit? Do you feel the need to always best your neighbor? Do you allow jealousy to consume you? Or, can you be genuinely happy for others when they receive praise or material possessions? For instance, if your friend purchased a home twice the size of yours, could you tell them congratulations on their new home and actually be sincere about it? Or, would you congratulate them by forcing the words out of your mouth through gritted teeth making it obvious that jealousy had its hold on you? When you hear of someone receiving praise or a new material possession do you walk around for days afterwards complaining that you deserve it more than they do? Do you become so jealous of others that like Saul you wind up in a state of misery? If so, I urge you to begin working on that area of weakness in your life immediately. I urge you to go to God in prayer confess that you have a problem with jealousy, and ask Him to help you conquer that negative emotion.
I encourage you to look around, and be grateful for all the blessings God has bestowed upon you, and your family. Be genuinely happy when you hear that God has blessed someone else with praise or some material need. Jealousy is such an ugly emotion, and it is a destroyer. It destroys friendships, families, your health, and it steals your joy, peace, contentment, as well as precious time from your life. I urge you to be happy for others in all they are blessed with, to walk in obedience to God, and to wait patiently for Him to rain down the many blessings He has in store for you.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
As we see from the above passage of scripture, David was a Godly man, and he was well liked by all. In fact, King Saul liked him enough to have set him over the men of war. King Saul had no problem with David as long as he felt he was above him in all things which he felt he was, until the day they returned from battling the Philistines. It was a tradition in ancient Israel for the women to greet victors returning from battle with music, and dancing, and when they came out in celebration and gave David credit for slaying ten thousands, and Saul only thousands, Saul instantly became overwhelmed with jealousy.
King Saul had rule over everything in the land, his word was final in all matters. Being king he had the finest of living spaces, and he had an abundance of the best food in the land to eat. He had the finest apparel, he had wives, and children, he had chariots, horses, servants, and anything else he desired. Having all he could possibly want, however, wasn't enough to satisfy him once the women of Israel had given David credit for slaying more men in battle than they gave him. From that point forward King Saul was nothing short of miserable, and spent the remainder of his days in pursuit of David having the desire to kill him. He was so filled with jealousy that he couldn't love and appreciate David for the asset he was to him as a loyal friend, and a skilled warrior. In lieu of living like the king that he was and remaining at home in his palace, Saul spent his time roaming around in search of David with the hope of finding him and taking his life. He felt he could not be content until David was dead. In short, King Saul allowed Jealousy to destroy him.
I've known people like King Saul in my lifetime, and more than likely you have as well. They are perfectly content and pleased to call you friend as long as you have less than them in all areas of your life. They are even okay with you being equal to them in possessions as long as their brand is better than yours. These type people go through life making everything a competition, and they must win. They may not be out to kill someone who surpasses them in some area of praise or materialism, but they certainly make it obvious that they will do everything they can to regain the position of top dog. Most often people like King Saul, who are prone to extreme jealousy, become jealous of those who are neither competitive or jealous, when it comes to what others possess or the praise they receive. Those who are filled with a spirit of extreme jealousy are so easy to spot, and the fact that they are miserable because of it is quite obvious to everyone around them.
Extreme jealousy caused Saul to spend countless days chasing David instead of spending time in the luxury of his palace minding his kingdom. His pursuit of David took him away from his family, and the finer things of life. How must he have appeared to the people of Israel as he pursued a man they hailed a hero? As with anyone else who is consumed with jealousy Saul's behavior made the fact that he was overcome with it blatantly obvious. He had it all, but that one statement made by the Israelite women ignited a jealousy in him that he allowed to absolutely destroy him.
Do you have a jealous spirit? Do you feel the need to always best your neighbor? Do you allow jealousy to consume you? Or, can you be genuinely happy for others when they receive praise or material possessions? For instance, if your friend purchased a home twice the size of yours, could you tell them congratulations on their new home and actually be sincere about it? Or, would you congratulate them by forcing the words out of your mouth through gritted teeth making it obvious that jealousy had its hold on you? When you hear of someone receiving praise or a new material possession do you walk around for days afterwards complaining that you deserve it more than they do? Do you become so jealous of others that like Saul you wind up in a state of misery? If so, I urge you to begin working on that area of weakness in your life immediately. I urge you to go to God in prayer confess that you have a problem with jealousy, and ask Him to help you conquer that negative emotion.
I encourage you to look around, and be grateful for all the blessings God has bestowed upon you, and your family. Be genuinely happy when you hear that God has blessed someone else with praise or some material need. Jealousy is such an ugly emotion, and it is a destroyer. It destroys friendships, families, your health, and it steals your joy, peace, contentment, as well as precious time from your life. I urge you to be happy for others in all they are blessed with, to walk in obedience to God, and to wait patiently for Him to rain down the many blessings He has in store for you.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
What's Best For You?
Philippians 4:6 (KJV) Says, "Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." Psalm 27:14 (KJV) Says, "Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord."
Romans 8:32 (KJV) Says, "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?"
The above verse of scripture taken from Philippians instructs us not to worry about anything, to go to God in prayer, let him know we are thankful, and then to present our requests to Him. The above verse of scripture taken from Psalm 27 reminds us that after we go to God in prayer, we are to wait patiently on Him. Finally, the above verse of scripture taken from Romans reminds us that there is nothing God will not do for us.
I've heard many people complain that they have gone to God in prayer asking for something, and that they never received it. In some cases the reason a prayer seems to have gone unanswered is because people lose patience, and simply give up. They start complaining that God doesn't hear them, that He never answers their prayers, and that they don't understand why He didn't give them what they asked for. They never stop to think that God may have been preparing to answer their prayer and give them what they prayed for, but they gave up on Him instead of waiting, and realizing that He does things in his time. We must be patient, and wait on God to do things in His time; remembering that He is never early, never late, but always right on time. His timing is perfect.
Another reason a prayer request may seem to go unanswered is because God loves us, He knows what is best for us, and the request we made is not best. You may think that what you ask was not unreasonable, and you may have absolutely no idea why God would not grant the request that you made, but we must remember that God is all knowing. God knows what the outcome of Him answering our prayers in the manner that we desire for Him to answer them will be, and therefore he denies some of our requests for our own good. God is our Heavenly Father, and we are his children. Just as earthly parents tell their children no when they ask for something they don't feel is best for them, God on occasion tells us no for the very same reason.
I can remember as a child getting so upset with my parents, when they would tell me no about something. I would whine and complain asking why not repeatedly. I failed to realize at my age they were telling me no because they loved me and wanted what was best for me. As adults many people react the same way, when God denies their request.
Looking back, it is clear to me now why my parents did not allow me to stay out as long as I wanted to, when I was in high school. They being older, wiser, and more experienced in life than I was, knew that it was not a good idea for a teenager to be out late at night unsupervised. Another clear and basic example of a child being told no for their own good, would be if parents saw their child playing with a lighter, took the lighter away from them, and told them no. The child wanted to play with the lighter, and had no idea he or she could be burned. The parents did know the dangers, however, so they responded by taking the lighter away, and telling the child no.
We are God's children, and He loves us tremendously. He is not going to grant our prayer request, knowing that the result of doing so would not be in our best interest. For example, let's say you are searching for a job and you've applied for several positions, but you are praying daily that you land one in particular. In the end you fail to get the job you prayed so hard for, and you are upset because you were not only qualified for it, but feel you truly deserved it. Because you failed to land the position you desired, you become upset with God, and begin whining and complaining to him professing that you just can't believe he didn't answer your prayer. It is ironic that parents get aggravated if their children whine and complain, when they are told no, but then these same parents will turn right around and behave the same way, when God tells them no. In situations like this it is important that we remember God loves us, and He knows and wants what is best for us. Isn't this the same way earthly parents feel about their children? It could be that the job you wanted was in jeopardy because the company was going out of business within a year or two. It could be that although you felt strongly you wanted the position you would have been extremely unhappy there. It could be that the position you do wind up landing is one that places you among numerous non-believers, and will provide you with the most opportunity to witness by example for the Lord. God denies some of our requests for our own protection.
There could be any number of reasons why God doesn't answer some of our prayers in the manner we desire Him to, and the truth is we may never know the reasons. We can, however, be certain that He loves us, He wants what is best for us, and being all knowing He is fully aware of exactly what the best is. There is no room for doubt, when it comes to the fact that we are God's children and He would do anything for us. If doubt as to whether or not God loves you and wants the best for you ever creeps into your mind, I urge you to remember He sent his only Son, being sinless, to die on the cross for our sins. If He loves us enough to offer us a sacrifice of that magnitude, what would He not give us as long as it was for our good?
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you
Romans 8:32 (KJV) Says, "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?"
The above verse of scripture taken from Philippians instructs us not to worry about anything, to go to God in prayer, let him know we are thankful, and then to present our requests to Him. The above verse of scripture taken from Psalm 27 reminds us that after we go to God in prayer, we are to wait patiently on Him. Finally, the above verse of scripture taken from Romans reminds us that there is nothing God will not do for us.
I've heard many people complain that they have gone to God in prayer asking for something, and that they never received it. In some cases the reason a prayer seems to have gone unanswered is because people lose patience, and simply give up. They start complaining that God doesn't hear them, that He never answers their prayers, and that they don't understand why He didn't give them what they asked for. They never stop to think that God may have been preparing to answer their prayer and give them what they prayed for, but they gave up on Him instead of waiting, and realizing that He does things in his time. We must be patient, and wait on God to do things in His time; remembering that He is never early, never late, but always right on time. His timing is perfect.
Another reason a prayer request may seem to go unanswered is because God loves us, He knows what is best for us, and the request we made is not best. You may think that what you ask was not unreasonable, and you may have absolutely no idea why God would not grant the request that you made, but we must remember that God is all knowing. God knows what the outcome of Him answering our prayers in the manner that we desire for Him to answer them will be, and therefore he denies some of our requests for our own good. God is our Heavenly Father, and we are his children. Just as earthly parents tell their children no when they ask for something they don't feel is best for them, God on occasion tells us no for the very same reason.
I can remember as a child getting so upset with my parents, when they would tell me no about something. I would whine and complain asking why not repeatedly. I failed to realize at my age they were telling me no because they loved me and wanted what was best for me. As adults many people react the same way, when God denies their request.
Looking back, it is clear to me now why my parents did not allow me to stay out as long as I wanted to, when I was in high school. They being older, wiser, and more experienced in life than I was, knew that it was not a good idea for a teenager to be out late at night unsupervised. Another clear and basic example of a child being told no for their own good, would be if parents saw their child playing with a lighter, took the lighter away from them, and told them no. The child wanted to play with the lighter, and had no idea he or she could be burned. The parents did know the dangers, however, so they responded by taking the lighter away, and telling the child no.
We are God's children, and He loves us tremendously. He is not going to grant our prayer request, knowing that the result of doing so would not be in our best interest. For example, let's say you are searching for a job and you've applied for several positions, but you are praying daily that you land one in particular. In the end you fail to get the job you prayed so hard for, and you are upset because you were not only qualified for it, but feel you truly deserved it. Because you failed to land the position you desired, you become upset with God, and begin whining and complaining to him professing that you just can't believe he didn't answer your prayer. It is ironic that parents get aggravated if their children whine and complain, when they are told no, but then these same parents will turn right around and behave the same way, when God tells them no. In situations like this it is important that we remember God loves us, and He knows and wants what is best for us. Isn't this the same way earthly parents feel about their children? It could be that the job you wanted was in jeopardy because the company was going out of business within a year or two. It could be that although you felt strongly you wanted the position you would have been extremely unhappy there. It could be that the position you do wind up landing is one that places you among numerous non-believers, and will provide you with the most opportunity to witness by example for the Lord. God denies some of our requests for our own protection.
There could be any number of reasons why God doesn't answer some of our prayers in the manner we desire Him to, and the truth is we may never know the reasons. We can, however, be certain that He loves us, He wants what is best for us, and being all knowing He is fully aware of exactly what the best is. There is no room for doubt, when it comes to the fact that we are God's children and He would do anything for us. If doubt as to whether or not God loves you and wants the best for you ever creeps into your mind, I urge you to remember He sent his only Son, being sinless, to die on the cross for our sins. If He loves us enough to offer us a sacrifice of that magnitude, what would He not give us as long as it was for our good?
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
God Never Changes
Malachi 3:6 (KJV) Says, "For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." Hebrews 13:8 (KJV) Says, "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and for ever."
How powerful these two verses of scripture are, and what great comfort, strength, and reassurance we can draw from them. We are advised in the above verse taken from Malachi that God never changes. We are further advised in the scripture taken from Hebrews that he is the same yesterday, today, and forever. That God never changes is a promise given to us more than once in scripture, and God never breaks a promise. What greater foundation could one find to stand on than the promises of Almighty God? The answer friends is none.
Many people place their faith and trust in earthly things only to wind up disappointed. For instance, personal relationships. Whether it be a spouse, someone we're dating, or a friend we can bank on the fact that they will eventually disappoint us. Now I'm not suggesting that some of these disappointments are not ones that we can forgive and move past quite the contrary many of them are. My point is that we are human beings subject to mistakes, and being far from perfect we wind up disappointing others at times in our lives. For example, there are people who claim to be our friends, and they are, as long as we give to them and do for them. The minute we are no longer capable of giving and doing for them they walk out of our lives. These people were never our friends because true friends don't walk out on you merely because they can no longer use you.
When we open up to someone, and expose our deepest feelings, we do so because we trust them, and believe they are in our lives to stay. On occasion, after having opened up to a person however, we find ourselves disappointed because the person we confided in tells us or demonstrates to us by their actions, that they no longer love us, and no longer want us around. It is then that we realize we made a mistake in opening up to that person. Had we known that they was going to change their feelings for us we would never have confided in them. Then there are some that opt to gossip about the personal information we shared with them, and this too is highly disappointing. How grateful I am that we can talk to God at any time, and that we can confide and trust in him about anything and everything.
Some people place their trust and faith in their careers, and what a huge mistake that is. These people have put their trust in a position that is paying them well, and affording them many of life's luxuries. Then one day their company shuts down, or they lose their position for another reason and thereby lose all of their material possessions. That leaves them devastated and disappointed because all along they had a concrete belief that their worldly status would never change. These people find out with a quickness that they have put their trust and faith into the wrong things. Worldly possessions change, for instance a new expensive car will eventually be old, begin to break down, and one day rust away in a junkyard.
I encourage you to remember that in this earthly life people, and situations change. I urge you not to forget, the fact that there is only ONE that remains the same always, that never leaves or forsakes us, that we can trust whole heartily, that we can have one hundred percent faith in without doubt, and who is there for us twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. That ONE is God. I urge you to place your trust and faith in him, knowing you can confide in him always, that he keeps every promise he makes, that he will never walk out on you or disappoint you, and that he will absolutely NEVER change.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
How powerful these two verses of scripture are, and what great comfort, strength, and reassurance we can draw from them. We are advised in the above verse taken from Malachi that God never changes. We are further advised in the scripture taken from Hebrews that he is the same yesterday, today, and forever. That God never changes is a promise given to us more than once in scripture, and God never breaks a promise. What greater foundation could one find to stand on than the promises of Almighty God? The answer friends is none.
Many people place their faith and trust in earthly things only to wind up disappointed. For instance, personal relationships. Whether it be a spouse, someone we're dating, or a friend we can bank on the fact that they will eventually disappoint us. Now I'm not suggesting that some of these disappointments are not ones that we can forgive and move past quite the contrary many of them are. My point is that we are human beings subject to mistakes, and being far from perfect we wind up disappointing others at times in our lives. For example, there are people who claim to be our friends, and they are, as long as we give to them and do for them. The minute we are no longer capable of giving and doing for them they walk out of our lives. These people were never our friends because true friends don't walk out on you merely because they can no longer use you.
When we open up to someone, and expose our deepest feelings, we do so because we trust them, and believe they are in our lives to stay. On occasion, after having opened up to a person however, we find ourselves disappointed because the person we confided in tells us or demonstrates to us by their actions, that they no longer love us, and no longer want us around. It is then that we realize we made a mistake in opening up to that person. Had we known that they was going to change their feelings for us we would never have confided in them. Then there are some that opt to gossip about the personal information we shared with them, and this too is highly disappointing. How grateful I am that we can talk to God at any time, and that we can confide and trust in him about anything and everything.
Some people place their trust and faith in their careers, and what a huge mistake that is. These people have put their trust in a position that is paying them well, and affording them many of life's luxuries. Then one day their company shuts down, or they lose their position for another reason and thereby lose all of their material possessions. That leaves them devastated and disappointed because all along they had a concrete belief that their worldly status would never change. These people find out with a quickness that they have put their trust and faith into the wrong things. Worldly possessions change, for instance a new expensive car will eventually be old, begin to break down, and one day rust away in a junkyard.
I encourage you to remember that in this earthly life people, and situations change. I urge you not to forget, the fact that there is only ONE that remains the same always, that never leaves or forsakes us, that we can trust whole heartily, that we can have one hundred percent faith in without doubt, and who is there for us twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. That ONE is God. I urge you to place your trust and faith in him, knowing you can confide in him always, that he keeps every promise he makes, that he will never walk out on you or disappoint you, and that he will absolutely NEVER change.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Judging A Person's Heart
I Samuel 17:26-29 (KJV) Says, "And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? And the people answered him after this manner saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him. And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightiest see the battle. And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?"
In the above passage of scripture David has been sent to the battlefield, by his father Jesse, to bring his brothers food. When he arrived, he began asking the men around him what would be done to the man that kills Goliath, and who Goliath was to defy the armies of God. While he is speaking with these men his eldest brother, Eliab, over hears him, and becomes angry. He begins a verbal attack on David by asking him why he came down to the battlefield. He then moves on to insult David further by asking who he left tending the few sheep he was in charge of. Eliab's insults came in the form of him using the word few when referring to the number of sheep David was shepherd over thereby doing his best to minimize David's job as a shepherd, and of course, in accusing him of being full of pride. He then goes on to judge David's heart, and to assume he knows why he came to the battlefield. It is made evident that this wasn't the first time that Eliab had picked on David by the question that David poses to him after being the target of his insults. David asks Eliab what he has done now to cause him to be angry at him.
Eliab clearly jumped to conclusions and judged David's heart having no idea what David's reason was for coming to the battlefield, or his reason for questioning the men about Goliath. The truth as to why David had come down to the battlefield was that he did so in obedience to his father's request that he bring Eliab, and his other brothers food. Then Eliab goes on to make another major mistake in judgment, when he assumes David is questioning the other men in regards to Goliath out of pride. The truth is David was asking those questions because he was confident in the fact that God would lead his army to defeat the Philistines, and that with God working through him, he could slay Goliath. Pride had absolutely nothing to do with it. David was confident because he had faith, and trust in God not in himself. David knew that God had seen him through trials in the past, and that this Philistine giant was nothing God couldn't handle. Notice that David does not argue back with his brother, but moves forward slaying Goliath with a sling and a stone having faith and trust in God. Judging David's heart without having the first fact to base his assessment on, prompted Eliab to behave in an unkind and harsh manner toward his brother, when he had no valid reason whatsoever to do so.
When we jump to conclusions, and judge another person's heart, it can cause tremendous pain to that individual. There are people who based on assumption, think they know exactly why someone is doing what they are doing, and they also tend to convince themselves that the person's motive is less than upright. These same people are not only quick to make a rash judgment, but they also begin spreading terrible rumors based on what they have concluded as if they're stating facts. This is a horrible way to behave toward another human being. We certainly wouldn't want someone to judge our hearts, and begin spreading vicious rumors about us or begin lashing out at us, when they couldn't be further off course. Eliab is a prime example of how wrong a person can be when they opt to judge one's actions and motives, forming an opinion based on no facts. David was bringing his brothers food, and demonstrating confidence in God, that was David's true heart. By judging David's heart on his own, Eliab had David coming to the battlefield just to watch, and behave in a prideful manner. How far away from the truth we can be, when we jump to our own conclusions.
Friends, I urge you not to be quick to judge another person's heart. It is impossible to know for a fact what a person's motives are at a glance, and without the first fact. I encourage you to make certain you know the truth behind a person's actions and motives before you react as Eliab did, and wind up regretful and feeling guilty because you caused someone great pain only to discover that you were way off on your assessment of them, and their actions.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
In the above passage of scripture David has been sent to the battlefield, by his father Jesse, to bring his brothers food. When he arrived, he began asking the men around him what would be done to the man that kills Goliath, and who Goliath was to defy the armies of God. While he is speaking with these men his eldest brother, Eliab, over hears him, and becomes angry. He begins a verbal attack on David by asking him why he came down to the battlefield. He then moves on to insult David further by asking who he left tending the few sheep he was in charge of. Eliab's insults came in the form of him using the word few when referring to the number of sheep David was shepherd over thereby doing his best to minimize David's job as a shepherd, and of course, in accusing him of being full of pride. He then goes on to judge David's heart, and to assume he knows why he came to the battlefield. It is made evident that this wasn't the first time that Eliab had picked on David by the question that David poses to him after being the target of his insults. David asks Eliab what he has done now to cause him to be angry at him.
Eliab clearly jumped to conclusions and judged David's heart having no idea what David's reason was for coming to the battlefield, or his reason for questioning the men about Goliath. The truth as to why David had come down to the battlefield was that he did so in obedience to his father's request that he bring Eliab, and his other brothers food. Then Eliab goes on to make another major mistake in judgment, when he assumes David is questioning the other men in regards to Goliath out of pride. The truth is David was asking those questions because he was confident in the fact that God would lead his army to defeat the Philistines, and that with God working through him, he could slay Goliath. Pride had absolutely nothing to do with it. David was confident because he had faith, and trust in God not in himself. David knew that God had seen him through trials in the past, and that this Philistine giant was nothing God couldn't handle. Notice that David does not argue back with his brother, but moves forward slaying Goliath with a sling and a stone having faith and trust in God. Judging David's heart without having the first fact to base his assessment on, prompted Eliab to behave in an unkind and harsh manner toward his brother, when he had no valid reason whatsoever to do so.
When we jump to conclusions, and judge another person's heart, it can cause tremendous pain to that individual. There are people who based on assumption, think they know exactly why someone is doing what they are doing, and they also tend to convince themselves that the person's motive is less than upright. These same people are not only quick to make a rash judgment, but they also begin spreading terrible rumors based on what they have concluded as if they're stating facts. This is a horrible way to behave toward another human being. We certainly wouldn't want someone to judge our hearts, and begin spreading vicious rumors about us or begin lashing out at us, when they couldn't be further off course. Eliab is a prime example of how wrong a person can be when they opt to judge one's actions and motives, forming an opinion based on no facts. David was bringing his brothers food, and demonstrating confidence in God, that was David's true heart. By judging David's heart on his own, Eliab had David coming to the battlefield just to watch, and behave in a prideful manner. How far away from the truth we can be, when we jump to our own conclusions.
Friends, I urge you not to be quick to judge another person's heart. It is impossible to know for a fact what a person's motives are at a glance, and without the first fact. I encourage you to make certain you know the truth behind a person's actions and motives before you react as Eliab did, and wind up regretful and feeling guilty because you caused someone great pain only to discover that you were way off on your assessment of them, and their actions.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Don't Quit
Luke 19:1-9 (KJV) Says, "And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. And, behold, there was a man named Zaccheus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who He was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him: for He was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw Him, and said unto him, Zaccheus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received Him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all murmured saying, that He was going to be a guest with a man that is a sinner. And Zaccheus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham."
Mark 2:2-5 (KJV) Says, "And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and He preached the word unto them. And they came unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was born of four. And when they could not come nigh unto Him for the press, they uncovered the roof where He was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. When Jesus saw their faith, He said unto the sick of the palsy, son, thy sins be forgiven thee."
In the above passage of scripture taken from Luke, we are informed that Zaccheus was a chief tax collector who was not always ethical in his work. He had apparently heard about Jesus, and wanted to see for himself who this man was. Being short, he was unable to get a clear view because of the crowd surrounding him. Knowing that Jesus would soon be coming down the road, Zaccheus didn't give up and go home pouting, instead he devised another plan. He climbed up into a sycamore tree, and was able to get a good look at Jesus. To his surprise, as he draws near, Jesus tells him to come down from the tree because He is going to his house. The scripture indicates the excitement Zaccheus felt upon hearing that Jesus was coming to his house by telling us that he made haste coming down from the tree. He didn't just slowly get down as if the idea of Jesus coming to his house was not exciting, he came down quick. After visiting with the Lord Zaccheus tells Him that he will give half of all he has to the poor, and that any man he has wrongly taken from, he will pay back with four times what he took from them. Zaccheus had a divine appointment with Jesus that day, and the result of that appointment was Zaccheus accepting Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. He would have missed this divine appointment had he been one to quit.
We are told in the above passage of scripture taken from Luke that Jesus was preaching in the temple, and it was so crowded that it was impossible for anyone else to get in through the door. There came some men carrying their friend in his bed because he was unable to walk due to his suffering with palsy. When they saw they could not enter at the door to get to Jesus they devised a second plan. They climbed up on the roof, cut a hole in it, and lowered their friend down through the ceiling whereupon Jesus healed him. When these men recognized that there was no possible way for them to enter in at the door they did not quit. They came up with a way to hoist him onto the roof, cut a hole in it, and lower their friend down to Jesus. The result was that through faith, and determination their friend was healed.
These two passages of scripture contain examples of men that were persistent, determined, and who refused to quit. They faced obstacles that some would have automatically deemed insurmountable, and yet they refused to quit. It would have been far easier for Zaccheus to have given up, and started whining and complaining about being short, about people failing to notice that he couldn't see, and that he should have known that he'd never be able to see Jesus in a big crowd, but he didn't quit. It certainly would have been easier for the men carrying their friends bed to quit when they saw there was no way they could enter the temple with him through the door. They too could have whined and complained about how far they had carried that bed, how heavy it was, and what a waste of time it had been, but they didn't quit. Because they didn't quit, Zaccheus was born again, and became a new creature in Christ, and the man sick with the palsy was healed. What precious blessings they would have missed out on had any of these men simply quit.
Often times things worth having in life require us to go that extra mile, and to overcome obstacles that are in our way. What prevents most people from succeeding is their lack of persistence, and determination. The first obstacle they come to they begin whining, complaining, deeming the task impossible, and proclaiming they have no alternative except to quit. When we have a mission to accomplish, we must remember that with God all things are possible, and we must be determined, to see it through.
Are you a person who pushes forward through obstacles with determination to succeed? Or are you one to come upon the first obstacle and begin whining, complaining, blaming, and making excuses as to why you can't possibly complete the task at hand? I want to encourage you to never give up, be determined to succeed, have perseverance, and to remember that with God working through you all things are possible. I encourage you to set a good example for others in situations that seem insurmountable. When you are facing things that seem impossible, I urge you to remember who your God is, press forward, and never quit.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, send me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Mark 2:2-5 (KJV) Says, "And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and He preached the word unto them. And they came unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was born of four. And when they could not come nigh unto Him for the press, they uncovered the roof where He was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. When Jesus saw their faith, He said unto the sick of the palsy, son, thy sins be forgiven thee."
In the above passage of scripture taken from Luke, we are informed that Zaccheus was a chief tax collector who was not always ethical in his work. He had apparently heard about Jesus, and wanted to see for himself who this man was. Being short, he was unable to get a clear view because of the crowd surrounding him. Knowing that Jesus would soon be coming down the road, Zaccheus didn't give up and go home pouting, instead he devised another plan. He climbed up into a sycamore tree, and was able to get a good look at Jesus. To his surprise, as he draws near, Jesus tells him to come down from the tree because He is going to his house. The scripture indicates the excitement Zaccheus felt upon hearing that Jesus was coming to his house by telling us that he made haste coming down from the tree. He didn't just slowly get down as if the idea of Jesus coming to his house was not exciting, he came down quick. After visiting with the Lord Zaccheus tells Him that he will give half of all he has to the poor, and that any man he has wrongly taken from, he will pay back with four times what he took from them. Zaccheus had a divine appointment with Jesus that day, and the result of that appointment was Zaccheus accepting Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. He would have missed this divine appointment had he been one to quit.
We are told in the above passage of scripture taken from Luke that Jesus was preaching in the temple, and it was so crowded that it was impossible for anyone else to get in through the door. There came some men carrying their friend in his bed because he was unable to walk due to his suffering with palsy. When they saw they could not enter at the door to get to Jesus they devised a second plan. They climbed up on the roof, cut a hole in it, and lowered their friend down through the ceiling whereupon Jesus healed him. When these men recognized that there was no possible way for them to enter in at the door they did not quit. They came up with a way to hoist him onto the roof, cut a hole in it, and lower their friend down to Jesus. The result was that through faith, and determination their friend was healed.
These two passages of scripture contain examples of men that were persistent, determined, and who refused to quit. They faced obstacles that some would have automatically deemed insurmountable, and yet they refused to quit. It would have been far easier for Zaccheus to have given up, and started whining and complaining about being short, about people failing to notice that he couldn't see, and that he should have known that he'd never be able to see Jesus in a big crowd, but he didn't quit. It certainly would have been easier for the men carrying their friends bed to quit when they saw there was no way they could enter the temple with him through the door. They too could have whined and complained about how far they had carried that bed, how heavy it was, and what a waste of time it had been, but they didn't quit. Because they didn't quit, Zaccheus was born again, and became a new creature in Christ, and the man sick with the palsy was healed. What precious blessings they would have missed out on had any of these men simply quit.
Often times things worth having in life require us to go that extra mile, and to overcome obstacles that are in our way. What prevents most people from succeeding is their lack of persistence, and determination. The first obstacle they come to they begin whining, complaining, deeming the task impossible, and proclaiming they have no alternative except to quit. When we have a mission to accomplish, we must remember that with God all things are possible, and we must be determined, to see it through.
Are you a person who pushes forward through obstacles with determination to succeed? Or are you one to come upon the first obstacle and begin whining, complaining, blaming, and making excuses as to why you can't possibly complete the task at hand? I want to encourage you to never give up, be determined to succeed, have perseverance, and to remember that with God working through you all things are possible. I encourage you to set a good example for others in situations that seem insurmountable. When you are facing things that seem impossible, I urge you to remember who your God is, press forward, and never quit.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, send me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Trust God
Luke 5:4-7 (KJV) Says, "Now when He had left speaking, He said unto Simon (which is Peter), Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. (the word draught means "catch" of fish) And Simon (which is Peter) answering said unto Him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink."
In the above passage of scripture Jesus tells Peter to take his ship back out into the deep water, and to cast his nets to catch fish. Peter responds by telling Jesus that he and the men with him have fished all night long, and have caught nothing. These men were more than likely exhausted and discouraged after fishing all night, and coming up empty. Pause and give their physical and mental state true consideration. Most of us have experienced staying up all night, and how that makes us feel. Now think about how heavy the nets were, and how much labor they had spent casting them out, and dragging them in against the force of the water only to find them empty repeatedly. Imagine how they felt, when Jesus comes up as they are folding their nets in preparation to leave, and tells Peter to go back out into the deep water, and cast his nets again. Peter could have very easily said I am a professional fisherman, I fished all night and caught nothing, the fish just aren't out there, continued folding his nets, and left the vicinity. Instead, Peter responds by addressing Him as Master, which lets us know that Peter was aware of who Jesus was. Peter then says to Him even though we haven't caught anything all night long, since it is you telling me to go back out into the deep water and let down my nets I will do it. As the scripture tells us, when Peter and the other men went back out into the deep and cast their nets they drew up so many fish that they filled two ships to the point that they began to sink. Peter had trusted God, stepped out in faith, and was blessed in abundance for doing so.
Have you ever felt God was instructing you to do something, and found yourself listing all the reasons in the world why it won't work until you talk yourself out of even making an attempt at it? Have you always had it on your heart that you should be doing something specific, something God has gifted you to do, but you've allowed negative thoughts sent from Satan to hold you back? Has God called you to do something that you are running from because you are afraid of failing?
Peter did not hesitate to follow Jesus' instructions, if he had he would have missed out on an abundant blessing. Fortunately Peter opted to trust God, step out in faith, and follow the instructions Jesus' gave him, and as we read in the above passage of scripture, it certainly paid off. When God calls you to do something or He instructs you to do something, large or small, do you hold back? Or Do you react like Peter, step out in faith, trust God, and following His instructions without hesitation?
Friends are you holding yourself back from something God has called you to do, if so you are doing two things. Most importantly you are demonstrating a lack of trust in God. He would never call us to do something He hasn't equipped us to do, and He would never call us to do something that He would not work through us to accomplish. He would never instruct us to do something in order to set us up for failure. The second thing is you are operating according to your fleshly feelings. You are allowing your doubt and fears to rule your actions, and prevent you from being all that God has called you to be. You are also missing out on the many blessings God has in store for you. Peter could have allowed fleshly feelings to prevent him from casting his nets back out. He could have said I'm tired, I don't feel like it, it won't do any good because the fish aren't out there, and I won't catch anything, but instead he trusted God. I urge you not to hesitate to respond as Peter did to God's instructions. I urge you to step out in faith, trust God, and be all that he has called you to be.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
In the above passage of scripture Jesus tells Peter to take his ship back out into the deep water, and to cast his nets to catch fish. Peter responds by telling Jesus that he and the men with him have fished all night long, and have caught nothing. These men were more than likely exhausted and discouraged after fishing all night, and coming up empty. Pause and give their physical and mental state true consideration. Most of us have experienced staying up all night, and how that makes us feel. Now think about how heavy the nets were, and how much labor they had spent casting them out, and dragging them in against the force of the water only to find them empty repeatedly. Imagine how they felt, when Jesus comes up as they are folding their nets in preparation to leave, and tells Peter to go back out into the deep water, and cast his nets again. Peter could have very easily said I am a professional fisherman, I fished all night and caught nothing, the fish just aren't out there, continued folding his nets, and left the vicinity. Instead, Peter responds by addressing Him as Master, which lets us know that Peter was aware of who Jesus was. Peter then says to Him even though we haven't caught anything all night long, since it is you telling me to go back out into the deep water and let down my nets I will do it. As the scripture tells us, when Peter and the other men went back out into the deep and cast their nets they drew up so many fish that they filled two ships to the point that they began to sink. Peter had trusted God, stepped out in faith, and was blessed in abundance for doing so.
Have you ever felt God was instructing you to do something, and found yourself listing all the reasons in the world why it won't work until you talk yourself out of even making an attempt at it? Have you always had it on your heart that you should be doing something specific, something God has gifted you to do, but you've allowed negative thoughts sent from Satan to hold you back? Has God called you to do something that you are running from because you are afraid of failing?
Peter did not hesitate to follow Jesus' instructions, if he had he would have missed out on an abundant blessing. Fortunately Peter opted to trust God, step out in faith, and follow the instructions Jesus' gave him, and as we read in the above passage of scripture, it certainly paid off. When God calls you to do something or He instructs you to do something, large or small, do you hold back? Or Do you react like Peter, step out in faith, trust God, and following His instructions without hesitation?
Friends are you holding yourself back from something God has called you to do, if so you are doing two things. Most importantly you are demonstrating a lack of trust in God. He would never call us to do something He hasn't equipped us to do, and He would never call us to do something that He would not work through us to accomplish. He would never instruct us to do something in order to set us up for failure. The second thing is you are operating according to your fleshly feelings. You are allowing your doubt and fears to rule your actions, and prevent you from being all that God has called you to be. You are also missing out on the many blessings God has in store for you. Peter could have allowed fleshly feelings to prevent him from casting his nets back out. He could have said I'm tired, I don't feel like it, it won't do any good because the fish aren't out there, and I won't catch anything, but instead he trusted God. I urge you not to hesitate to respond as Peter did to God's instructions. I urge you to step out in faith, trust God, and be all that he has called you to be.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
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