Psa 1:1--¶Blessed [is] the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
Psa 1:2--But his delight [is] in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
Psa 1:3--And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
Psa 1:4--The ungodly [are] not so: but [are] like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
Psa 1:5--Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
Psa 1:6--For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
In my previous post, I talked about Caleb and Joshua obtaining the promise and going into the promised land. Let's walk through Psalm 1 and get some insight on how they did it. As you know, they had to wander around the wilderness for fourty years until all of the doubters died. Here is some of what they faced.
From verse #1: They retained their joy because they would not listen to the counsel of the ungodly, or walk with sinners, or sit in the seat of the scornful. There were people who rose up in rebellion against Moses and the Word of God. They all got swallowed up in a fire-filled earthquake. There were people who murmured, griped and complained about the way that God's man, Moses, was leading them. They died of snake bite. Caleb and Joshua were not among them. They believed the Word of God and honored God's Man of the Hour.
From verse #2: They retained their joy because they considered the promises of God to be the LAW and not a pipe dream that might never come to pass. They chose to meditate (think about) on what was going to happen when God did what He said He would do. They did not stop to fuss and cuss and fume about the way things were going right then, even though a lot of people (ungodly, sinners and scournful) were consumed with griping and doubting. Caleb and Joshua were consumed with believing. It was THEIR CHOICE, it was THEIR CHOICE, listen to me, it was THEIR CHOICE to meditate, think about and day-dream about God's promise. Caleb kept thinking about Mt. Hebron, and he finally got it.
From verse #3: Here is what happens when you think about the promise instead of the nasty now-nows. The idea, or day-dream that the Word of God brings, becomes firmly planted inside you like a little seed. The idea of a tree planted by the rivers of waters is this. In the Eastern cultures there was not a lot of rain that went around. So, if somebody had a tree that was their favorite, they would did a little path from the well or nearby stream so that their precious tree would have nourishment all of the time. God's Word says that when we meditate on His Word day and night, that the Holy Spirit will water that seed constantly and allow it to grow faster and faster. When you start meditating on the what's-happening-right-now, the river gets cut off.
However, you will have to wait until your season. Fruit trees have different maturity rates. Some bear fruit in the first year. Oranges take from five to seven years to start bearing. I have read that lemon trees take from 15-20 years. I'm glad that I'm not waiting for that crop to come in. Anyway, the maturity rate is up to God. He is the One Who gave the promise and His is the One Who is Faithful to bring it to maturity. So, Caleb and Joshua had to wait for fourty years, but their crop DID come in.
However, during this time their leaf did not wither. Leaves are what a tree holds toward the sunshine, or in this case the Son-shine, TO BRING IN FOOD AND NOURISHMENT to help towards maturity. As you stand firm on the Word, meditate on the Law, you hold your heart up in praise and admiration to the Lord Jesus Christ who is honor bound to bring His Word to pass. Don't let your leaf wither. Keep the dream alive in you and your praises HOT. God will mature His Word for you.
From verse #6: God knows the way of the righteous. Being righteous means believing what God said to be the truth and thinking about it all the time. God knows the right path for you, Jer 29:11. He knows how to get you from point A to point B. We honor God to the highest degree when we choose to believe Him and His Word in every situation. In turn, God honors us because of His love for His children.
Happy Believing,
Henry
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Transformed by What God Said
Romans 12:2--And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.
We all have to admit that God says some pretty wild things. He told Abraham, at the age of 75, that he would father a multitude of children. On top of that, that they would come from his 69 year old wife. We know the story that Sarah only had one child, but on down through the years, one grew to be a multitude just like God said.
When the Hebrews were in Egyptian bondage, God said that He was going to set them free and GIVE them a land flowing with milk and honey. Sounds unvelievable, huh? We'll talk more about that later.
Let's talk about Abraham. Why did God wait 25 years just to give him ONE child? Because, by that time, it was impossible for man to do it. Was He mad at Abraham for some reason? No. Is God just a real mean God and doesn't like to see people happy? On the contrary, He sent His Son so that our joy could be full. (John 16:24) Then, why in thunder does God do goofy stuff? Because He is trying to show that He is able to do anything for His children. He is proving to Abraham AND HIS DESCENDANTS that He is well able to do whatever He promises.
Here is something that I have never heard preached or taught or even talked about. See if you have. When Isaac began getting to an age where he could reason, he started looking at all of the young men and young women who were having children. He looked at married couples 69 and 75 years old and figured out that they didn't have children, much less a couple in their 90's. Reasoning would have yelled out at Isaac, "Hey, there really is something to this God stuff my Dad has been preaching to me." When his daddy took him up to a mountain to sacrifice him and the angel stopped Abraham and talked to him, Isaac must have thought, "Hey, there really is something to this God stuff my Dad has been preaching to me." And all that Abraham did, was believe what God said instead of what it looked like. God said that was the righteous thing to do. (Rom 4:3, Gal 3:6, Jam 2:23) By not conforming to the world's way of doing things and saying what God said, Abraham transformed not only his life but TRANSFORMED HIS CHILDREN'S LIVES, ALSO. How about it mom's and dad's? Is standing on the Word of God worth the lives and souls of your children? I reckon so.
God said something pretty nifty to the Hebrews in Egyptian bondage. He told them that He would bring them out with great prosperity and them give them their on plot of land in Canaan that they and their children could own. All of this was well and good until they sent 12 spies into the land just to see how good it really was. They all agreed that the land was a good land just like God said. However, 10 of them said that there were giants in the land and that THEY ARE STRONGER THAN WE ARE. Duh! Of course they were. God already told them that they would be and not to panic. So this doesn't really rate a Fox News Alert. They must not have been paying attention to the rest of what God said. He said that He would drive their enemies out. He told them specifically that, with His help, they would conquer seven nations stronger than they were.
Here's the jist of the conversation.
Num 13:30--And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. Num 13:31--But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they [are] stronger than we.
Now, which ones are conformers and which ones are transformers. The 10 spies were being conformed by what they saw. That is extremely dangerous when you begin contradicting what God has said. Long story short. Caleb and Joshua agreed with God and started thinking and talking what God said. They got what God said they could have. It took them 40 years plus five years of battle, but they got the land of their dreams. Not only that, but Mt. Hebron belonged to Caleb's children, grandchildren, etc,. etc. By what he went through and stood for, Caleb proved what is that good and perfect will of God to his children. Thanks, Dad.
How about the 10 conformists. They were conformed by what they saw and died with unfulfilled
desires. They were miserable, cantankerous and rebellious and left no hope for their children. Their children had to believe the Word of God for themselves. Thanks for nothing, Dad.
Is praying for and believing God for revival worth it? You bet. Are you willing to step out on a limb and believe His Word instead of what you see? I hope so. When you refuse to conform and you believe in the transforming power of God, God will prove to you AND YOUR CHILDREN that He is a God worth serving.
Happy loving,
Henry
We all have to admit that God says some pretty wild things. He told Abraham, at the age of 75, that he would father a multitude of children. On top of that, that they would come from his 69 year old wife. We know the story that Sarah only had one child, but on down through the years, one grew to be a multitude just like God said.
When the Hebrews were in Egyptian bondage, God said that He was going to set them free and GIVE them a land flowing with milk and honey. Sounds unvelievable, huh? We'll talk more about that later.
Let's talk about Abraham. Why did God wait 25 years just to give him ONE child? Because, by that time, it was impossible for man to do it. Was He mad at Abraham for some reason? No. Is God just a real mean God and doesn't like to see people happy? On the contrary, He sent His Son so that our joy could be full. (John 16:24) Then, why in thunder does God do goofy stuff? Because He is trying to show that He is able to do anything for His children. He is proving to Abraham AND HIS DESCENDANTS that He is well able to do whatever He promises.
Here is something that I have never heard preached or taught or even talked about. See if you have. When Isaac began getting to an age where he could reason, he started looking at all of the young men and young women who were having children. He looked at married couples 69 and 75 years old and figured out that they didn't have children, much less a couple in their 90's. Reasoning would have yelled out at Isaac, "Hey, there really is something to this God stuff my Dad has been preaching to me." When his daddy took him up to a mountain to sacrifice him and the angel stopped Abraham and talked to him, Isaac must have thought, "Hey, there really is something to this God stuff my Dad has been preaching to me." And all that Abraham did, was believe what God said instead of what it looked like. God said that was the righteous thing to do. (Rom 4:3, Gal 3:6, Jam 2:23) By not conforming to the world's way of doing things and saying what God said, Abraham transformed not only his life but TRANSFORMED HIS CHILDREN'S LIVES, ALSO. How about it mom's and dad's? Is standing on the Word of God worth the lives and souls of your children? I reckon so.
God said something pretty nifty to the Hebrews in Egyptian bondage. He told them that He would bring them out with great prosperity and them give them their on plot of land in Canaan that they and their children could own. All of this was well and good until they sent 12 spies into the land just to see how good it really was. They all agreed that the land was a good land just like God said. However, 10 of them said that there were giants in the land and that THEY ARE STRONGER THAN WE ARE. Duh! Of course they were. God already told them that they would be and not to panic. So this doesn't really rate a Fox News Alert. They must not have been paying attention to the rest of what God said. He said that He would drive their enemies out. He told them specifically that, with His help, they would conquer seven nations stronger than they were.
Here's the jist of the conversation.
Num 13:30--And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. Num 13:31--But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they [are] stronger than we.
Now, which ones are conformers and which ones are transformers. The 10 spies were being conformed by what they saw. That is extremely dangerous when you begin contradicting what God has said. Long story short. Caleb and Joshua agreed with God and started thinking and talking what God said. They got what God said they could have. It took them 40 years plus five years of battle, but they got the land of their dreams. Not only that, but Mt. Hebron belonged to Caleb's children, grandchildren, etc,. etc. By what he went through and stood for, Caleb proved what is that good and perfect will of God to his children. Thanks, Dad.
How about the 10 conformists. They were conformed by what they saw and died with unfulfilled
desires. They were miserable, cantankerous and rebellious and left no hope for their children. Their children had to believe the Word of God for themselves. Thanks for nothing, Dad.
Is praying for and believing God for revival worth it? You bet. Are you willing to step out on a limb and believe His Word instead of what you see? I hope so. When you refuse to conform and you believe in the transforming power of God, God will prove to you AND YOUR CHILDREN that He is a God worth serving.
Happy loving,
Henry
Monday, November 9, 2009
Read about Jesus-Learn about God's Heart
Jhn 9:1
¶ And as [Jesus] passed by, he saw a man which was blind from [his] birth.
Jhn 9:2
And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
Jhn 9:3
Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
Don't the disciples sound like a lot of so-called Christians that you know? Something bad happens and it's time for the church members to break out the ole cross again. Either that or bar-b-que and french fry some struggling Christian.
Let's start off with a very important point. None of us are perfect, especially me. There are thousands of mistakes that I have made and every one of them I regret. A lot of them I regret with a broken heart but that doesn't give me a chance to do it all over again to get it right. As for right now.......today is concerned.....it won't take a whole lot of lookin' to find faults in my life. U-u-u-u-h.........and if I spent some time around you, I could find a couple if I was looking. However, don't count on me looking. I learned a long time ago, through many bumps and bruises on the road of life, it's a lot easier to enjoy someone when you're not looking for their "sins". When you get right down to it, and you took the time to do it, you could write down more good things about folks than bad things. I know, I know, it might take a lot longer to find the good in some people, but if you were to get into the habit of looking for the good, you would get into the habit of finding the good.
You see, looking at people with their faults at the center of your thoughts acts like a veil between you and the other person. When you get around them 'zip' the veil goes up and you almost don't hear a word they say or see a thing they do because you have put their 'sins' between you and them. If, while you are around them, you would find something good about them and think about that, you would sense that veil being torn to shreds. The problem you might have now is that you will find yourself liking that person. Isn't that a gruesome thought?
Let's look at God's heart manifested through what Jesus did. The apostle, Peter, spent a lot of time side by side with Jesus and he summed it up with this: 1Pe 4:8--And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. The disciples were not ole meany-guts. They were normal, everyday guys doing what the normal, everyday person is prone to do----judge people just like everybody else does. They heard it all of their lives. Their mammas and daddies did it, uncles, aunts, etc. The neighborhood did it. Everybody did it........but Jesus.
Jesus is the only begotten Son of the Creater God. God gave all of His authority to bless and curse to the Heir to the throne, Jesus Christ. Father God did not come down and brow beat Jesus into submission and MAKE Him like the blind man. Jesus, with the Divine Love of Almighty God beating in His heart, CHOSE to ignore the man's past and had only ONE thought about him. That thought was this---"I just CAN'T let him stay this way while I have the power to heal him. I want him to see s-o-o-o-o bad. I have GOT to heal him right now." You have heard it preached over and over again---For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. That included this man. However, Jesus never asked him was he 'saved.' He never asked him was he 'baptized.' He never asked him what church he was affiliated with. His love covered the multitude of this man's sins and Jesus healed him. Th Word of God also, says that He treats everybody the same. You know what He says about me? His love covers the multitude of my sins and He says----"I just CAN'T let Henry stay this way while I have the power to heal him. I want him to be healed s-o-o-o bad. I have GOT to heal him right now." How about you? What does God say about you? His love covers the multitude of your sins and He says----"I just CAN'T let him/her stay this way while I have the power to heal him/her. I want my beloved to be healed s-o-o-o-o bad. I have GOT to heal him/her right now." He is the same to all of us.
Can we see two things. First of all, God doesn't hate you for anything. There is no reason at all why God doesn't love you. There is no reason that exists. Quit beating yourself up and accept the love of God into your heart. Forget your past. Jesus did, even before He died for you. He sees your need and hears the cry of your heart for the mistakes you have made in the past. He is overlooking any and all sins that you have committed and wants nothing else but to hold you in His arms until the hurting stops.
More importantly, we need to practice the second thing. And that is to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. (I've heard that before, haven't you?) Forgive them so that God can forgive you. Then, cultivate the desire to see that person healed on the inside as well as on the outside. As you allow the love of God to be perfected in your life, God's love will flow into every conversation that you have. You will become a conduit for His very presence, the irresistable drawing of the Holy Spirit of God. In essence, you will be come a soul winner. AND, you will find your own heart being healed as you strive to bring healing to others. Is there any grudge that you may have worth holding back healing for you and your loved ones? Absolutely not.
Good Forgiving and Good Loving my Friends,
Henry
¶ And as [Jesus] passed by, he saw a man which was blind from [his] birth.
Jhn 9:2
And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
Jhn 9:3
Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
Don't the disciples sound like a lot of so-called Christians that you know? Something bad happens and it's time for the church members to break out the ole cross again. Either that or bar-b-que and french fry some struggling Christian.
Let's start off with a very important point. None of us are perfect, especially me. There are thousands of mistakes that I have made and every one of them I regret. A lot of them I regret with a broken heart but that doesn't give me a chance to do it all over again to get it right. As for right now.......today is concerned.....it won't take a whole lot of lookin' to find faults in my life. U-u-u-u-h.........and if I spent some time around you, I could find a couple if I was looking. However, don't count on me looking. I learned a long time ago, through many bumps and bruises on the road of life, it's a lot easier to enjoy someone when you're not looking for their "sins". When you get right down to it, and you took the time to do it, you could write down more good things about folks than bad things. I know, I know, it might take a lot longer to find the good in some people, but if you were to get into the habit of looking for the good, you would get into the habit of finding the good.
You see, looking at people with their faults at the center of your thoughts acts like a veil between you and the other person. When you get around them 'zip' the veil goes up and you almost don't hear a word they say or see a thing they do because you have put their 'sins' between you and them. If, while you are around them, you would find something good about them and think about that, you would sense that veil being torn to shreds. The problem you might have now is that you will find yourself liking that person. Isn't that a gruesome thought?
Let's look at God's heart manifested through what Jesus did. The apostle, Peter, spent a lot of time side by side with Jesus and he summed it up with this: 1Pe 4:8--And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. The disciples were not ole meany-guts. They were normal, everyday guys doing what the normal, everyday person is prone to do----judge people just like everybody else does. They heard it all of their lives. Their mammas and daddies did it, uncles, aunts, etc. The neighborhood did it. Everybody did it........but Jesus.
Jesus is the only begotten Son of the Creater God. God gave all of His authority to bless and curse to the Heir to the throne, Jesus Christ. Father God did not come down and brow beat Jesus into submission and MAKE Him like the blind man. Jesus, with the Divine Love of Almighty God beating in His heart, CHOSE to ignore the man's past and had only ONE thought about him. That thought was this---"I just CAN'T let him stay this way while I have the power to heal him. I want him to see s-o-o-o-o bad. I have GOT to heal him right now." You have heard it preached over and over again---For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. That included this man. However, Jesus never asked him was he 'saved.' He never asked him was he 'baptized.' He never asked him what church he was affiliated with. His love covered the multitude of this man's sins and Jesus healed him. Th Word of God also, says that He treats everybody the same. You know what He says about me? His love covers the multitude of my sins and He says----"I just CAN'T let Henry stay this way while I have the power to heal him. I want him to be healed s-o-o-o bad. I have GOT to heal him right now." How about you? What does God say about you? His love covers the multitude of your sins and He says----"I just CAN'T let him/her stay this way while I have the power to heal him/her. I want my beloved to be healed s-o-o-o-o bad. I have GOT to heal him/her right now." He is the same to all of us.
Can we see two things. First of all, God doesn't hate you for anything. There is no reason at all why God doesn't love you. There is no reason that exists. Quit beating yourself up and accept the love of God into your heart. Forget your past. Jesus did, even before He died for you. He sees your need and hears the cry of your heart for the mistakes you have made in the past. He is overlooking any and all sins that you have committed and wants nothing else but to hold you in His arms until the hurting stops.
More importantly, we need to practice the second thing. And that is to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. (I've heard that before, haven't you?) Forgive them so that God can forgive you. Then, cultivate the desire to see that person healed on the inside as well as on the outside. As you allow the love of God to be perfected in your life, God's love will flow into every conversation that you have. You will become a conduit for His very presence, the irresistable drawing of the Holy Spirit of God. In essence, you will be come a soul winner. AND, you will find your own heart being healed as you strive to bring healing to others. Is there any grudge that you may have worth holding back healing for you and your loved ones? Absolutely not.
Good Forgiving and Good Loving my Friends,
Henry
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Re-dig The Wells
Gen 26:17
And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.
Gen 26:18
And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them.
Isaac was 75 years old when Abraham died. As they walked through the land that God had given them, Abraham had shown him all the places where he had dug wells. After Abraham's death, the Philistines had stopped up some of those wells. They had a lot of respect for Abraham but very little, it seems, for his son Isaac. Now, it was time for Isaac to begin asserting his authority as the heir to the promise of God.
There's a great lesson here. How long are we going to just hang around in the blessings that our parents and grandparents brought through prayer and dedication to God? If we would be honest, we would actually say, "The wells of revival that our parents/grandparents digged have been stopped up." All of us have heard people sigh and say, "It's not like it was in the old days when people used to shout and run the aisles." However, we forget that those times were brought on by years of dedication and hours of intercessory prayer. The "old-timers" got the outpouring because they paid for it. We are just riding on their coattails. (Please. Don't shout me down just because I'm preaching real good.)
Just as the normal cycle of a Christian goes, I have been going through some exceptionally rough times. Any child of God is going to experience "junk" at some point in time. The outpouring of His presence has not been as powerful. The joy has not been unspeakable. It has been more of a test of endurance. Perhaps some of you are going through the same things. Rejoice, we're normal!!!!
The wells were stopped because of the jealousy and hatred of the Philistines. We have an enemy that would love to stop our flow of His blessings by the same means. No, I'm not talking about the deacons or your spouse. When it comes right down to it, the only enemy we have is Satan, himself. He might use the deacons and your spouse, and he might use them re-e-a-a-l good. Why? Satan is jealous of our relationship with Almighty God. He hates us because we have experienced forgiveness and mercy that he can never have. He will use anyone and everyone that he can to hurt us and destroy our relationship with those that we love. His ultimate goal is to destroy our relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus brings us "life." Furthermore, Satan would like to keep us from the fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit that a "live" well would bring. Therefore, he dumps his 'garbage' into our wells to polute and stop up any flow. A stopped flow means no victory. A stopped flow means no souls won. A stopped flow means that he rules over me and you.
We can do one of two things. The first one is what most Christians have chosen. Listen for a minute and you will agree. They walk by the stopped up well that has junk and garbage littered in it and around it. It stinks. It is no longer a place of peace or beauty. You didn't do it, somebody did it to you. So, here's the sermon you start preaching. "Look what so-and-so did to me. No wonder I can't get anywhere. No wonder nobody wants to come to church anymore. No wonder we don't have the victory. It's all so-and-so's fault." Oh, by the way. I don't know if anyone can use these excuses any more because I have worn them out from using them so much. What did you say? You have been using them, too? And you know others that have been using them? Well, gee-whiz-gosh-a-Moses-you-all-I-swear. No wonder those phrases are all worn out. We've all used them so much.
The second alternative is the one we need to choose. We need to get down on our knees and start digging the 'garbage' of hatred, jealousy and un-forgiveness out of our hearts. God will bring us to some times of deep introspection where we have to look deep within ourselves. We can re-dig those wells of living water or we can walk away and die. Our ancestors brought in a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit. But they did it on their knees crying out to God for revival. They put away childish hurts, they quit point fingers and got down to business with God. Why? Because without a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit somebody or something would die.
Let's join together, put away petty differences and re-dig the wells.
Much love, Henry
And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.
Gen 26:18
And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them.
Isaac was 75 years old when Abraham died. As they walked through the land that God had given them, Abraham had shown him all the places where he had dug wells. After Abraham's death, the Philistines had stopped up some of those wells. They had a lot of respect for Abraham but very little, it seems, for his son Isaac. Now, it was time for Isaac to begin asserting his authority as the heir to the promise of God.
There's a great lesson here. How long are we going to just hang around in the blessings that our parents and grandparents brought through prayer and dedication to God? If we would be honest, we would actually say, "The wells of revival that our parents/grandparents digged have been stopped up." All of us have heard people sigh and say, "It's not like it was in the old days when people used to shout and run the aisles." However, we forget that those times were brought on by years of dedication and hours of intercessory prayer. The "old-timers" got the outpouring because they paid for it. We are just riding on their coattails. (Please. Don't shout me down just because I'm preaching real good.)
Just as the normal cycle of a Christian goes, I have been going through some exceptionally rough times. Any child of God is going to experience "junk" at some point in time. The outpouring of His presence has not been as powerful. The joy has not been unspeakable. It has been more of a test of endurance. Perhaps some of you are going through the same things. Rejoice, we're normal!!!!
The wells were stopped because of the jealousy and hatred of the Philistines. We have an enemy that would love to stop our flow of His blessings by the same means. No, I'm not talking about the deacons or your spouse. When it comes right down to it, the only enemy we have is Satan, himself. He might use the deacons and your spouse, and he might use them re-e-a-a-l good. Why? Satan is jealous of our relationship with Almighty God. He hates us because we have experienced forgiveness and mercy that he can never have. He will use anyone and everyone that he can to hurt us and destroy our relationship with those that we love. His ultimate goal is to destroy our relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus brings us "life." Furthermore, Satan would like to keep us from the fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit that a "live" well would bring. Therefore, he dumps his 'garbage' into our wells to polute and stop up any flow. A stopped flow means no victory. A stopped flow means no souls won. A stopped flow means that he rules over me and you.
We can do one of two things. The first one is what most Christians have chosen. Listen for a minute and you will agree. They walk by the stopped up well that has junk and garbage littered in it and around it. It stinks. It is no longer a place of peace or beauty. You didn't do it, somebody did it to you. So, here's the sermon you start preaching. "Look what so-and-so did to me. No wonder I can't get anywhere. No wonder nobody wants to come to church anymore. No wonder we don't have the victory. It's all so-and-so's fault." Oh, by the way. I don't know if anyone can use these excuses any more because I have worn them out from using them so much. What did you say? You have been using them, too? And you know others that have been using them? Well, gee-whiz-gosh-a-Moses-you-all-I-swear. No wonder those phrases are all worn out. We've all used them so much.
The second alternative is the one we need to choose. We need to get down on our knees and start digging the 'garbage' of hatred, jealousy and un-forgiveness out of our hearts. God will bring us to some times of deep introspection where we have to look deep within ourselves. We can re-dig those wells of living water or we can walk away and die. Our ancestors brought in a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit. But they did it on their knees crying out to God for revival. They put away childish hurts, they quit point fingers and got down to business with God. Why? Because without a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit somebody or something would die.
Let's join together, put away petty differences and re-dig the wells.
Much love, Henry
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
With the Temptation
1 Cor. 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it].
I was teaching from this scripture the other night at church and I felt that I need to share part of it with you today.
Have you every noticed the phrase in this verse, "with the temptation." Keep in mind that God teaches us as individuals on the level of their personality. Sometimes, my personality can be considered one taco short of a combination platter. However, God gave me this illustration. He said to consider the ink pens that you buy. All of them come "with" ink already. I know, I know, D-u-u-u-h, Bro. Henry. Yes, but think. If you bought a pen that did not have ink in it, you would consider it defective and return it for one that did. Now, read that part of the verse again. God "will with the temptation also make a way to escape." Catch a hold of what the Apostle Paul is saying through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Every time you buy a pen, it comes "with" ink already in it. Every time you buy a loose leaf binder for your school children it comes "with" paper made and placed in the right spot in the binder.
David and his army returned home to Ziklag one day to find their homes burned with fire and their wives and children stolen. But, that wasn't the end of the story. That temptation came "with a way of escape." David and his men had to finish crying. David had to turn to God and talk to him about it. When God finally got His turn to speak He said, "Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake [them], and without fail recover [all]." 1 Sam 30:8. Not only did David and his men recover all, but they got all of the spoils that the enemy had acquired. Do you see? The temptation came "with" a great, jumping-up-and-down-and-screaming blessing.
How about the crucifixion of Jesus. Re-read all the torture He went through as well as the horrible cross. But, "with" that temptation, God "made" the resurrection.
So, the next temptation you face. Get ready to shout because every temptation comes "with" and not "without." Enjoy the day with Jesus.
I was teaching from this scripture the other night at church and I felt that I need to share part of it with you today.
Have you every noticed the phrase in this verse, "with the temptation." Keep in mind that God teaches us as individuals on the level of their personality. Sometimes, my personality can be considered one taco short of a combination platter. However, God gave me this illustration. He said to consider the ink pens that you buy. All of them come "with" ink already. I know, I know, D-u-u-u-h, Bro. Henry. Yes, but think. If you bought a pen that did not have ink in it, you would consider it defective and return it for one that did. Now, read that part of the verse again. God "will with the temptation also make a way to escape." Catch a hold of what the Apostle Paul is saying through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Every time you buy a pen, it comes "with" ink already in it. Every time you buy a loose leaf binder for your school children it comes "with" paper made and placed in the right spot in the binder.
David and his army returned home to Ziklag one day to find their homes burned with fire and their wives and children stolen. But, that wasn't the end of the story. That temptation came "with a way of escape." David and his men had to finish crying. David had to turn to God and talk to him about it. When God finally got His turn to speak He said, "Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake [them], and without fail recover [all]." 1 Sam 30:8. Not only did David and his men recover all, but they got all of the spoils that the enemy had acquired. Do you see? The temptation came "with" a great, jumping-up-and-down-and-screaming blessing.
How about the crucifixion of Jesus. Re-read all the torture He went through as well as the horrible cross. But, "with" that temptation, God "made" the resurrection.
So, the next temptation you face. Get ready to shout because every temptation comes "with" and not "without." Enjoy the day with Jesus.
Monday, August 10, 2009
They That Wait Upon the Lord
Isaiah 40:31-But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint.
This verse of scripture comes at the end of a great chapter. Read all of it and you will understand this particular promise more and more. The chapter is a reminder to God's people of how big He is, how powerful He is, and (how shall I put this as tenderly as possible) how much smarter He is than anybody else on the face of this earth. Yes, that means He is smarter than me and you. Hard to believe isn't it?
Israel was going through a rough time in it's history. Things weren't going according to all of the promises of God. There lives were just hum-drum. It looked like all the other nations around them were booming with prosperity and goodness. But, it also tells us that the nation as a whole had slipped quite a bit in their relationship with God. Just like the times we are in right now. However, God still had a people that would not be swayed by what everybody else was doing and was struggling to serve Him with all of their hearts. This promise was to those people whose desire for God and His blessings was hot and not lukewarm or non-existent.
Before we get into the scripture, here is a great idea to ponder. Not everyone is in love with Jesus like you and I are. No big revelation there, is it? However, this word today is to encourage you to purposely set your heart on Jesus no matter what happens and no matter whether anyone else decides to serve Him to the degree that your heart cries out for you to do. Now, let's go on.
The first thing this verse says, is BUT. Whenever you see the word BUT at the beginning of a sentence, (ask any grammer teacher) it means to disregard the previous statement. The previous few statements dealt with a nation and especially the youth giving up because the way is too hard and they could not see God's hand in anything. What God is saying to the rest of us is, "Hey. It only looks bad BUT I can turn things around."
They that wait upon the Lord--How much time have you spent WAITING for things to get worse than what they are right now. This phrase is talking about those who are trusting and hoping in God that things are going to get better, just like God said they would. Sometimes as we walk along life's road we step in a cow pattie or a nest of fire ants that we did not see coming. The most comforting thing that I can say is, "Get over it." Stuff happens to all of us as we are traveling to our promise. Just because the path Jesus has us on takes us through a cow pasture and it's astute pleasures, doesn't mean that He will leave us there. This might be where we are right now, but it is not where He said He would take us. Focus on His promise and not the problem.
Shall renew their strength--This particular phrase means to re-gain strength in the same manner that grass keeps growing after it is cut. All of us will experience times when life cuts us down. It doesn't mean we have to just sit there and die. When we make up our minds that God's Word is true for us, His Holy Spirit will begin renewing the strength that we lost in the last battle. A strong relationship with the Holy Spirit is just as vital as reading God's Word. Both will remind us of His promises.
The greatest example that I can think of is Caleb. When God brought His children out of Egyptian bondage and sent them to spy out the land, Caleb came back more excited than ever about the promises of God. He was ready to take on every enemy because he knew that what God had promised, He was well able to do. You know the story. Because of the evil report of the 10 spies that said, "It's too hard and we can't do it," Caleb was forced to wait for fourty years before he could enjoy the promise of God. That's an entirely different message, so let me finish this one. Caleb waited on God and kept looking forward to inheriting Mount Hebron, the mountain that the spies camped on while spying out the land. He fell in love with that mountain and, as a result, he fell in love with the promise of God. When God finally brought them victoriously into the promised land, Caleb told Joshua that his strength at 85 years old was just as good as it was when he was 40. Why? As he kept meditating on the promise and not the problem, the vision of inheriting that mountain grew stronger the the cow pattie he was standing in.
Don't look at what you're standing in and make a decision about God. The fire ants might be causing you some intense pain right now but their sting doesn't last forever. Wait on God's promise. The healing will come. The promise of God is steadfast and sure. AND, you will inherit the promise. Enjoy today!!! You're on your way to the promised land.
This verse of scripture comes at the end of a great chapter. Read all of it and you will understand this particular promise more and more. The chapter is a reminder to God's people of how big He is, how powerful He is, and (how shall I put this as tenderly as possible) how much smarter He is than anybody else on the face of this earth. Yes, that means He is smarter than me and you. Hard to believe isn't it?
Israel was going through a rough time in it's history. Things weren't going according to all of the promises of God. There lives were just hum-drum. It looked like all the other nations around them were booming with prosperity and goodness. But, it also tells us that the nation as a whole had slipped quite a bit in their relationship with God. Just like the times we are in right now. However, God still had a people that would not be swayed by what everybody else was doing and was struggling to serve Him with all of their hearts. This promise was to those people whose desire for God and His blessings was hot and not lukewarm or non-existent.
Before we get into the scripture, here is a great idea to ponder. Not everyone is in love with Jesus like you and I are. No big revelation there, is it? However, this word today is to encourage you to purposely set your heart on Jesus no matter what happens and no matter whether anyone else decides to serve Him to the degree that your heart cries out for you to do. Now, let's go on.
The first thing this verse says, is BUT. Whenever you see the word BUT at the beginning of a sentence, (ask any grammer teacher) it means to disregard the previous statement. The previous few statements dealt with a nation and especially the youth giving up because the way is too hard and they could not see God's hand in anything. What God is saying to the rest of us is, "Hey. It only looks bad BUT I can turn things around."
They that wait upon the Lord--How much time have you spent WAITING for things to get worse than what they are right now. This phrase is talking about those who are trusting and hoping in God that things are going to get better, just like God said they would. Sometimes as we walk along life's road we step in a cow pattie or a nest of fire ants that we did not see coming. The most comforting thing that I can say is, "Get over it." Stuff happens to all of us as we are traveling to our promise. Just because the path Jesus has us on takes us through a cow pasture and it's astute pleasures, doesn't mean that He will leave us there. This might be where we are right now, but it is not where He said He would take us. Focus on His promise and not the problem.
Shall renew their strength--This particular phrase means to re-gain strength in the same manner that grass keeps growing after it is cut. All of us will experience times when life cuts us down. It doesn't mean we have to just sit there and die. When we make up our minds that God's Word is true for us, His Holy Spirit will begin renewing the strength that we lost in the last battle. A strong relationship with the Holy Spirit is just as vital as reading God's Word. Both will remind us of His promises.
The greatest example that I can think of is Caleb. When God brought His children out of Egyptian bondage and sent them to spy out the land, Caleb came back more excited than ever about the promises of God. He was ready to take on every enemy because he knew that what God had promised, He was well able to do. You know the story. Because of the evil report of the 10 spies that said, "It's too hard and we can't do it," Caleb was forced to wait for fourty years before he could enjoy the promise of God. That's an entirely different message, so let me finish this one. Caleb waited on God and kept looking forward to inheriting Mount Hebron, the mountain that the spies camped on while spying out the land. He fell in love with that mountain and, as a result, he fell in love with the promise of God. When God finally brought them victoriously into the promised land, Caleb told Joshua that his strength at 85 years old was just as good as it was when he was 40. Why? As he kept meditating on the promise and not the problem, the vision of inheriting that mountain grew stronger the the cow pattie he was standing in.
Don't look at what you're standing in and make a decision about God. The fire ants might be causing you some intense pain right now but their sting doesn't last forever. Wait on God's promise. The healing will come. The promise of God is steadfast and sure. AND, you will inherit the promise. Enjoy today!!! You're on your way to the promised land.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
God's Plan for You
In Revelation 1:8, Jesus introduces himself as the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. In Heb 12:2, He is described as the author and the finisher of our faith. It is of the utmost importance for us to always remember the He starts stuff in our lives with the intentions of finishing it. Some of you might be right in the middle of Junk City, USA wondering if there really is a place called The Promised Land. Let me assure you, our journey with Jesus only takes us through Junk City. Let me give you something to shout about. He might have brought you there for a while but it is only because it is His way of bringing you into the promises of God.
How did God create the universe which includes the world that we live in? He had a plan from the very beginning. He didn't create birds to fly before He created a perfect atmosphere for them to fly in. He didn't create them with only one wing so they would fly around in circles. The oceans and rivers were created before the fish of the sea. Here again, they were created perfectly adapted to swim, live and breathe under water. Jer. 29:11 says-For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. He had a plan for the birds, He had a plan for the fishes and He has a plan for you. Notice the last part of that verse. His plans include giving us an expected end.
How many of you out there would just like to see the nasty n0w-nows that you are going through right now to just end already!!!! Me, too!!!!!
How did God's people get tangled up into being slaves in Egypt fo four hundred years? God "began" or "authored" that through a promise to Abraham in Genesis 15:3. Have you ever wondered just what was on God's mind when He said that much lest when He began to bring it about? The only answer I can give is, He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the author and finisher of our faith. God had a plan that far surpassed any of their imaginations. Did they have to live in a manner that they did not want to? Yes. Did they have to go through stuff that made it look like God had forsaken them? Yes. Then what was God doing? He was finishing their faith and culminating His promise to Abraham four hundred years earlier.
We have got to understand. God's promises include the beginning of something and the expected end. The expected end is whatever God has promised in His Word. It would do us good to read the great "Road map to Heaven" to find out what it really says. No where in the Bible does it say that God would leave us destroyed along life's highway like a piece of trash. His Word is full of "bringing them out" promises. Go find them.
Why did Moses have to run away from Egypt and go into the desert to live? Why did God appear to him in the burning bush and make him come back? Boy, I hope you're looking for great theological answers to those questions. I have many but not enough time to go into it. Let's just plainly say, "Jer 29:11." God had a plan all along that started with a promise to Abraham and ended with the children of Israel being delivered out of Egypt with a great victory. Yes, God's plan included slavery to a wicked nation. Yes, God's plan included much hardship. But it wasn't more than they could bear. Yes, from everyone's view point, it looked like God had forsaken them, but He hadn't. His plan was far greater than they could see at the time. Why Moses? Why not Aaron? The Alpha was proving they He was the Omega. Just like creation, when He spoke the word to Abraham, He had an Exodus plan in mind. Did He give Abraham all the details? No. Abraham did not need to know the details. Romans, Galatians and James all say that Abraham believed God and God counted that for righteousness. Abraham trusted that God had a better plan than he could imagine.
We all look at the situations that we face and say, "Just what was God thinking about?" Jer. 29:11 says, that he is thinking about doing us good and not evil. He is thinking about bringing us into a place of peace. His Word also says that there is great joy and abundance promised to us. His plans for us don't stop in Junk City, USA or The Nasty Now-Nows Valley. Just like the children of Israel in Egyptian bondage. All those four hundred years, God's intentions were to bring them out not leave them there. His plan was years ahead of them. He had every situation worked out. All they had to do was follow Him, love Him and obey Him and leave the rest up to Him. God help us to see that He has a plan that He has sworn to be faithful to. Then let us be faithful to the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the author and the finisher of our faith.
How did God create the universe which includes the world that we live in? He had a plan from the very beginning. He didn't create birds to fly before He created a perfect atmosphere for them to fly in. He didn't create them with only one wing so they would fly around in circles. The oceans and rivers were created before the fish of the sea. Here again, they were created perfectly adapted to swim, live and breathe under water. Jer. 29:11 says-For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. He had a plan for the birds, He had a plan for the fishes and He has a plan for you. Notice the last part of that verse. His plans include giving us an expected end.
How many of you out there would just like to see the nasty n0w-nows that you are going through right now to just end already!!!! Me, too!!!!!
How did God's people get tangled up into being slaves in Egypt fo four hundred years? God "began" or "authored" that through a promise to Abraham in Genesis 15:3. Have you ever wondered just what was on God's mind when He said that much lest when He began to bring it about? The only answer I can give is, He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the author and finisher of our faith. God had a plan that far surpassed any of their imaginations. Did they have to live in a manner that they did not want to? Yes. Did they have to go through stuff that made it look like God had forsaken them? Yes. Then what was God doing? He was finishing their faith and culminating His promise to Abraham four hundred years earlier.
We have got to understand. God's promises include the beginning of something and the expected end. The expected end is whatever God has promised in His Word. It would do us good to read the great "Road map to Heaven" to find out what it really says. No where in the Bible does it say that God would leave us destroyed along life's highway like a piece of trash. His Word is full of "bringing them out" promises. Go find them.
Why did Moses have to run away from Egypt and go into the desert to live? Why did God appear to him in the burning bush and make him come back? Boy, I hope you're looking for great theological answers to those questions. I have many but not enough time to go into it. Let's just plainly say, "Jer 29:11." God had a plan all along that started with a promise to Abraham and ended with the children of Israel being delivered out of Egypt with a great victory. Yes, God's plan included slavery to a wicked nation. Yes, God's plan included much hardship. But it wasn't more than they could bear. Yes, from everyone's view point, it looked like God had forsaken them, but He hadn't. His plan was far greater than they could see at the time. Why Moses? Why not Aaron? The Alpha was proving they He was the Omega. Just like creation, when He spoke the word to Abraham, He had an Exodus plan in mind. Did He give Abraham all the details? No. Abraham did not need to know the details. Romans, Galatians and James all say that Abraham believed God and God counted that for righteousness. Abraham trusted that God had a better plan than he could imagine.
We all look at the situations that we face and say, "Just what was God thinking about?" Jer. 29:11 says, that he is thinking about doing us good and not evil. He is thinking about bringing us into a place of peace. His Word also says that there is great joy and abundance promised to us. His plans for us don't stop in Junk City, USA or The Nasty Now-Nows Valley. Just like the children of Israel in Egyptian bondage. All those four hundred years, God's intentions were to bring them out not leave them there. His plan was years ahead of them. He had every situation worked out. All they had to do was follow Him, love Him and obey Him and leave the rest up to Him. God help us to see that He has a plan that He has sworn to be faithful to. Then let us be faithful to the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the author and the finisher of our faith.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
This Is The Day
In 1 Samuel, chapter 17, we read about the day that David killed Goliath. Think about how David's day got started. Did he jump up out of bed and say to himself, 'Boy, I really, really, really, feel like killing a big ole giant today?' No, he didn't. His heart and mind was being obedient to his father's command. (There's a two hour sermon just in that.) His daddy had told him to take some corn and some bread to his three older brothers. They had enlisted in Saul's army which was busy fighting the Philistines. His daddy wanted David to find out how the battle was going and how his brothers were doing. Typical daddy stuff. David wasn't even thinking about being really rich, but today would be that day. David probably hadn't given much thought to whom he would marry. And a princess surely wasn't one he would have given a thought to. But, today would be that day.
What was King Saul thinking when he woke up that morning? Was he thinking, 'Boy, it would be really peachy-keen if some sweet little shepherd boy would come along out of nowhere and whip this big, bad ole giant that's been making fun of me and my girlie-men.' U-h-h-h, nope. He had listened to Goliath's challenge twice a day for 40 days for a champion from the army of Israel to come out to fight him man-to-man. Undoubtedly, he walked through his army, talking to his men to see who would take on this 9 foot warrior. He made promises to the toughest of them that he would give them riches, his daughter's hand in marriage and make his family free from taxes. I can just imagine, that he had a couple of guys picked out that would make some real good son-in-laws. But, there was no man that wanted to answer Goliath's challenge.
What was Goliath thinking during all of this? King Saul described him as "a man of war from his youth." This big guy had trained his whole life for this one big challenge----to make fun of Israel's army. His thoughts were probably of just how bad he was going to mutilate whoever it was that came against him. He had trained almost all of his life and he couldn't wait for this day to come.
Did I say trained? Oh, yeah, trained. We-e-e-l-l-l-l. Just how did David train for this day. David started his training the very day that he was anointed to be king over Israel. His daddy and his older brothers told him to go back out and tend to the family sheep farm, Mr. King over all Israel. Can't you just hear their jeers? He trained by being faithful in what his father told him to do. He went through long hours in the pasture lands tending the sheep. However, the anointing of the Holy Spirit began to communicate with David. Psalms of praise began to come to him as he began to enjoy keeping his mind on the God of all creation. Through keeping these sheep, God was training David to throw that small insignificant sling. As a sheep would begin to wander away from the rest, he would sling a stone on the other side of the sheep to scare him back into the safety of the herd. If his aim was short, it scared the sheep away from the herd and David would then have to chase him. I would say he learned real quick how to place his shots. Don't you just imagine that, every day, David got in some sling-shot practice as well as some worship practice as he was being faithful to his father's command? Even so, God has us practicing things that seem so small and of very little importance.
David had no idea how important that sling would be to him until that day came. David probably figured that he was just wasting his time out there with those smelly, aggravating sheep. However, God saw it as a proving time for his future. David's ability with a simple, little sling was the opening of the door to many things for him. That day God manifested His love and provision to the entire kingdom of Israel. That day God began manifesting His approval on the life of a lowly shepherd boy. That day changed, forever, the path of David, the son of Jesse. That day came because David chose to be faithful in the small jobs that were given to him. It was one of many "pay days" that God would bless David with.
But, what about Goliath? He had trained physically harder than David did and for a longer period of time. It was pay day for Goliath, too. He had chosen the course of the cursed. When you choose to sin, the only pay day you have to look forward to is death and destruction. There's a high energy bill that has to be paid for all of the "bright lights" that some work hard for. It's called the pits of hell. One day, the debt would be demanded in full. And this was that day.
But, what about King Saul? When that day came, was he extremely joyous that his kindom was now safe and the Philistines defeated? Not really. You see, King Saul had sinned against God by worshipping God the way he wanted to and not the way that God had said to. God had taken the anointing from him and had placed it on David. When David was ushered into Saul's tent, he began to tell the king of how God was with him when he slew the bear and the lion. Then he began to assure the king that God was the one that would help him slay Goliath. No doubt, as David was talking, Saul remembered the day when the prophet Samuel anointed him with oil and the spirit of prophecy came upon him. He knew he had lost out with God because God told him so. Now, on that day, he sees David under the same anointing that he once had. His heart began to weigh heavier and heavier under the foreboding thought that his successor was standing in front of him with the anointing and favor of God that he could have had. In a modern phrase, God was "in his face" about his sins and about his awful future. Pay day was coming for the back-slidden King Saul. That day was going to be stretched out into years of absolute agony for the man who missed God. Every day from then until he took his own life would be remorse, on top of remorse, on top of remorse.
What is today to you? Is it a day that you will choose to turn from God or not answer His call? Is this a day that you will choose to antagonize God or his servants? Or, is this a day that you will lift up your heart in praise to the Holy One and sing, "This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it." Stay faithful to Him in the little things. There is a day that God is working on right now that will begin your turn into healing and prosperity. Don't miss it by being unfaithful or falling away from God. Be faithful in the little things that He has asked you to do. You might destroy some giants one day.
What was King Saul thinking when he woke up that morning? Was he thinking, 'Boy, it would be really peachy-keen if some sweet little shepherd boy would come along out of nowhere and whip this big, bad ole giant that's been making fun of me and my girlie-men.' U-h-h-h, nope. He had listened to Goliath's challenge twice a day for 40 days for a champion from the army of Israel to come out to fight him man-to-man. Undoubtedly, he walked through his army, talking to his men to see who would take on this 9 foot warrior. He made promises to the toughest of them that he would give them riches, his daughter's hand in marriage and make his family free from taxes. I can just imagine, that he had a couple of guys picked out that would make some real good son-in-laws. But, there was no man that wanted to answer Goliath's challenge.
What was Goliath thinking during all of this? King Saul described him as "a man of war from his youth." This big guy had trained his whole life for this one big challenge----to make fun of Israel's army. His thoughts were probably of just how bad he was going to mutilate whoever it was that came against him. He had trained almost all of his life and he couldn't wait for this day to come.
Did I say trained? Oh, yeah, trained. We-e-e-l-l-l-l. Just how did David train for this day. David started his training the very day that he was anointed to be king over Israel. His daddy and his older brothers told him to go back out and tend to the family sheep farm, Mr. King over all Israel. Can't you just hear their jeers? He trained by being faithful in what his father told him to do. He went through long hours in the pasture lands tending the sheep. However, the anointing of the Holy Spirit began to communicate with David. Psalms of praise began to come to him as he began to enjoy keeping his mind on the God of all creation. Through keeping these sheep, God was training David to throw that small insignificant sling. As a sheep would begin to wander away from the rest, he would sling a stone on the other side of the sheep to scare him back into the safety of the herd. If his aim was short, it scared the sheep away from the herd and David would then have to chase him. I would say he learned real quick how to place his shots. Don't you just imagine that, every day, David got in some sling-shot practice as well as some worship practice as he was being faithful to his father's command? Even so, God has us practicing things that seem so small and of very little importance.
David had no idea how important that sling would be to him until that day came. David probably figured that he was just wasting his time out there with those smelly, aggravating sheep. However, God saw it as a proving time for his future. David's ability with a simple, little sling was the opening of the door to many things for him. That day God manifested His love and provision to the entire kingdom of Israel. That day God began manifesting His approval on the life of a lowly shepherd boy. That day changed, forever, the path of David, the son of Jesse. That day came because David chose to be faithful in the small jobs that were given to him. It was one of many "pay days" that God would bless David with.
But, what about Goliath? He had trained physically harder than David did and for a longer period of time. It was pay day for Goliath, too. He had chosen the course of the cursed. When you choose to sin, the only pay day you have to look forward to is death and destruction. There's a high energy bill that has to be paid for all of the "bright lights" that some work hard for. It's called the pits of hell. One day, the debt would be demanded in full. And this was that day.
But, what about King Saul? When that day came, was he extremely joyous that his kindom was now safe and the Philistines defeated? Not really. You see, King Saul had sinned against God by worshipping God the way he wanted to and not the way that God had said to. God had taken the anointing from him and had placed it on David. When David was ushered into Saul's tent, he began to tell the king of how God was with him when he slew the bear and the lion. Then he began to assure the king that God was the one that would help him slay Goliath. No doubt, as David was talking, Saul remembered the day when the prophet Samuel anointed him with oil and the spirit of prophecy came upon him. He knew he had lost out with God because God told him so. Now, on that day, he sees David under the same anointing that he once had. His heart began to weigh heavier and heavier under the foreboding thought that his successor was standing in front of him with the anointing and favor of God that he could have had. In a modern phrase, God was "in his face" about his sins and about his awful future. Pay day was coming for the back-slidden King Saul. That day was going to be stretched out into years of absolute agony for the man who missed God. Every day from then until he took his own life would be remorse, on top of remorse, on top of remorse.
What is today to you? Is it a day that you will choose to turn from God or not answer His call? Is this a day that you will choose to antagonize God or his servants? Or, is this a day that you will lift up your heart in praise to the Holy One and sing, "This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it." Stay faithful to Him in the little things. There is a day that God is working on right now that will begin your turn into healing and prosperity. Don't miss it by being unfaithful or falling away from God. Be faithful in the little things that He has asked you to do. You might destroy some giants one day.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Can Any Good Thing Come Out of This?
John 1:45-46 - Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
In Jesus' day, we would consider Nazareth to be a 'hick town,' or 'just a slick spot in the road.' It is situated at base of the mountain range that connects to the Valley of Jezreel. It was, what archeologists have called, 'an agricultural village of about two dozen families.' Most Judeans did not even know where it was. They had to, first, explain how to get to the town where the prophet Jonah was born and ask the folks there how to get to Nazareth. It was so obscure, that when Pontius Pilate hung the sign "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" historians say he meant, " The King of the Jews is Jesus from Nowhere." Nathanael was from the town of Cana which was not too far away from Nazareth. So, as a citizen of a neighboring town, he was probably qualified to ask the question, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?"
As committed Christians, all of us will have 'Nazareth experiences' from time to time. We trust God that He is 'leading us in paths of righteousnes.' We believe that 'all things work together for good.' But sometimes, we find ourselves surrounded by circumstances that would lead us to question, "Can any good thing ever come out of this situation." The blessings aren't flowing like they have at times. Our financial situation isn't the 'open the doors of Heaven and pour you out a blessing that you don't have room enough to receive.' Instead, we're searching the sofa to piece together the gas money to get back and forth to work. The life of peace and joy promised to us seems to have turned int a dry wilderness filled with rough spots. And our precious Christian friends don't help us very much. They see us going through these less than shouting times and give us that "Which sin did you commit?" look. They are, also, sweet and kind enough to go spend their time on the other side of the church with folks that are walking in the 'blessings.'
Green Cove Springs, Florida used to have a Navy base in it. In the 50's, that base was billed as "The World's Largest Mothball Fleet." It brougt a lot of business and prosperity to Green Cove. However, in the 60's, the base was closed. Businesses left. People moved closer to Jacksonville to work and live. Green Cove became just a spot on Highway 17 between Palatka and Jacksonville. As a matter of fact, several of us kinfolk moved away because of jobs or just to move away. There was not much reason to go to Green Cove Springs except for the fact that a lot of my relatives still lived there.
But for me and these other kinfolk, there was one of the greatest reasons for us to return to this spot in the road. We would make that journey to this place to see Nellie Hendricks, our grandmother. I can remember, as a three and four-year old child sitting by my grandmother at the original Assembly of God Church in Green Cove Springs. I sat with her because I loved her. That made me listen to the songs of Zion sung by a handful of spirit-filled saints. Back then there was an old upright piano but no one to play it. Every now and then Bro. Sapp's son Everett would bring his guitar. Sitting by my grandmother, I heard Bro. Henry Harry Sapp preach the Word of God straight from Heaven itself. I came to know Jesus and learned to worship Him while sitting with my grandmother. I would always come back to this washed-up little town not to just come to the town. I came to see my grandmother.
Nathanael asked Phillip, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" Phillip answered, "Come and see." His answer was not to come and see the town, but come and see Jesus. Don't let the 'Nazareth experiences' that we all walk through blind your faith. It is through these experiences that we need to look at Jesus instead of the circumstances. If you are trusting Him to guide you every day and you wake up in Nazareth, there is something good there. It's Him. Away from the bright lights, the glitz and the glamour, great relationships can be found if we look to Him. The sweetness and grace of life can be found if we look to Him. Strength and courage for the next battle can be found. Uncanny wisdom can be learned by looking to Him. Yes, there are many great things that can come from 'Nazareth experiences,' but they all start by looking to Jesus and not the circumstances.
What you learn and experience when you find Jesus in Nazareth will prepare you for the rest of your journey. It will leave pleasant memories in your soul. There will be times, during our journeys when we will see 'Nazareth' on the horizon again. This time, instead of cringing, our hearts will cry out to us----I'm going to see Jesus there. Every time I made that long trip from Tennesse to Green Cove Springs, Florida, my heart would say, "But, I'll get to see Grandma again." That reward made the trip more than worth it.
In Jesus' day, we would consider Nazareth to be a 'hick town,' or 'just a slick spot in the road.' It is situated at base of the mountain range that connects to the Valley of Jezreel. It was, what archeologists have called, 'an agricultural village of about two dozen families.' Most Judeans did not even know where it was. They had to, first, explain how to get to the town where the prophet Jonah was born and ask the folks there how to get to Nazareth. It was so obscure, that when Pontius Pilate hung the sign "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" historians say he meant, " The King of the Jews is Jesus from Nowhere." Nathanael was from the town of Cana which was not too far away from Nazareth. So, as a citizen of a neighboring town, he was probably qualified to ask the question, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?"
As committed Christians, all of us will have 'Nazareth experiences' from time to time. We trust God that He is 'leading us in paths of righteousnes.' We believe that 'all things work together for good.' But sometimes, we find ourselves surrounded by circumstances that would lead us to question, "Can any good thing ever come out of this situation." The blessings aren't flowing like they have at times. Our financial situation isn't the 'open the doors of Heaven and pour you out a blessing that you don't have room enough to receive.' Instead, we're searching the sofa to piece together the gas money to get back and forth to work. The life of peace and joy promised to us seems to have turned int a dry wilderness filled with rough spots. And our precious Christian friends don't help us very much. They see us going through these less than shouting times and give us that "Which sin did you commit?" look. They are, also, sweet and kind enough to go spend their time on the other side of the church with folks that are walking in the 'blessings.'
Green Cove Springs, Florida used to have a Navy base in it. In the 50's, that base was billed as "The World's Largest Mothball Fleet." It brougt a lot of business and prosperity to Green Cove. However, in the 60's, the base was closed. Businesses left. People moved closer to Jacksonville to work and live. Green Cove became just a spot on Highway 17 between Palatka and Jacksonville. As a matter of fact, several of us kinfolk moved away because of jobs or just to move away. There was not much reason to go to Green Cove Springs except for the fact that a lot of my relatives still lived there.
But for me and these other kinfolk, there was one of the greatest reasons for us to return to this spot in the road. We would make that journey to this place to see Nellie Hendricks, our grandmother. I can remember, as a three and four-year old child sitting by my grandmother at the original Assembly of God Church in Green Cove Springs. I sat with her because I loved her. That made me listen to the songs of Zion sung by a handful of spirit-filled saints. Back then there was an old upright piano but no one to play it. Every now and then Bro. Sapp's son Everett would bring his guitar. Sitting by my grandmother, I heard Bro. Henry Harry Sapp preach the Word of God straight from Heaven itself. I came to know Jesus and learned to worship Him while sitting with my grandmother. I would always come back to this washed-up little town not to just come to the town. I came to see my grandmother.
Nathanael asked Phillip, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" Phillip answered, "Come and see." His answer was not to come and see the town, but come and see Jesus. Don't let the 'Nazareth experiences' that we all walk through blind your faith. It is through these experiences that we need to look at Jesus instead of the circumstances. If you are trusting Him to guide you every day and you wake up in Nazareth, there is something good there. It's Him. Away from the bright lights, the glitz and the glamour, great relationships can be found if we look to Him. The sweetness and grace of life can be found if we look to Him. Strength and courage for the next battle can be found. Uncanny wisdom can be learned by looking to Him. Yes, there are many great things that can come from 'Nazareth experiences,' but they all start by looking to Jesus and not the circumstances.
What you learn and experience when you find Jesus in Nazareth will prepare you for the rest of your journey. It will leave pleasant memories in your soul. There will be times, during our journeys when we will see 'Nazareth' on the horizon again. This time, instead of cringing, our hearts will cry out to us----I'm going to see Jesus there. Every time I made that long trip from Tennesse to Green Cove Springs, Florida, my heart would say, "But, I'll get to see Grandma again." That reward made the trip more than worth it.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
God Will Restore And More
Joel 2:25- And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.
Mark 10:29, 30 - And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,
But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
Joel is a book of revival. It tells of a people who have grown cold. Before some of you get into that Old Religious stuff of God sent awful stuff on people who did not deserve it. You'd better watch out with that sacred cow and read carefully the whole Bible. God warned the people way back in the book of Deuteronomy the 28th chapter, that if they walked in sin, judgement would come in various forms. It's like any of us cooking supper. Cooking supper is a good thing. But if a disobedient child comes up and grabs one of the burners after we told them, "Don't touch it. It will burn you" none of you will say that you cursed the child. You gave the warning. The child didn't listen. But what do you say next. You say, "I told you it was hot. Why did you grab that burner." Then like a good mommy or daddy you tend to your child who cries out to you in repentance. They know how to get in trouble by themselves but they need parents to help them heal when they are hurt.
Now, let's look at this scripture. Deut 8:2 - And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, [and] to prove thee, to know what [was] in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
The curses in Deuteronomy 28 are for the sinner. In Deuteronomy 8, there are times when things don't exactly line up with what we consider to be the blessings of God. However, just like the fourty years in the wilderness, this was only temporary. God never designed it to be permanent. God's promise was to bring them into a land flowing with milk and honey. Those that held on and believed His Word were restored in grand fashion and more.
Let's take Abraham for an example. He was nice and comfy in his home town, around his relatives, and becoming prosperous. Then God calls him out and told him that he was going to be the father of many nations and that the whole world would be blessed by his seed. Which, by the way, he didn't have any. Now, anybody trying to figure God out would have said, "Well, I guess God meant for me to take a lot of wives and have a lot of children if I am to become a great nation." But that is not what God promised. They tried it and God didn't dig it. He said that Sarah would bear the promised child.
So, here we go. Abraham tells all of his several hundred servants that their seventy-five year old boss and his sixty-nine year old wife were going to father a multitude of children. Right! And so. They kept watching Sarah, and kept watching Sarah, and kept watching Sarah and nothing happened. For twenty four years, they watched and nothing happened. Don't you reckon that by now they were just a little skeptical?
Listen to what God did. He publicly embarassed them. Even though they were rich, they were considered cursed because they had no children. For twenty four years, all the servants kinda looked at them as 'Those poor old fools---believing such nonsense." The high-brow kings that they visited thought the same thing when they finally found out they were married. On top of that, they had gotten so old that their bodies weren't in reproduction mode any more.
But in the twenty-fifth year, God showed up and changed history. The bodies that couldn't, did. Instead of ho-hum around the camp, laughter was heard. The impossible had happened. What everyone saw as a curse, God was using to see what was in Abraham and Sarah's heart. Would they follow Him all the way to the miracle? Indeed they did, and indeed God did. God restored their bodies. God restored their laughter. God restored their pride. They held on to the promise and remained faithful to Him and He did just exactly what He said that He would do. Their paitience, their faithfulness, their praise to God in ungodly circumstances brought God's restoration in a greater way than they had imagined. Their sacrifice (Mark 10), was greatly multiplied by millions of children down through the years, including Jesus. When God got through restoring, Abraham and Sarah had more than what they had sacrificed. God was faithful. He will restore and more.
Let's look at Joseph. He had a Godly dream. He shared it with his brothers a his daddy. His brothers were so enthused about his Godly dream that they faked his death and sold him as a slave. That's a lot of good thanks and appreciation for being able to hear God. (Have you ever said that about ungodly circumstances that have surrounded you when you've done your best? Just wonderin'.) As a slave in Potiphar's house, Potiphar's wife tried to seduce him. When he refused because of his relationship with God, she lied on him and had him sent to prison. (Have you ever been thrown in an ungodly circumstance when you did what God asked you to? Just wonderin'.) Joseph's heart for God was tested for fourteen years. His heart ached for his father and brothers. He longed to be back in a place that he called "home." He had to live every day around people that he had no heart-ties to. He had to live every day with nagging questions, "Did I really hear God? Was that dream real? How long do you have to wait? Have I missed God and lost my blessing?" Now, I know that you have never asked these questions but they have entered my mind a couple of times.
Then, in one day, God promoted him from prisoner to prince. He became second in command of all of Egypt. He married Pharaoh's daughter and lived in the lap of luxury. Then, a couple of years later, he was re-united with his family and was able to provide for them greater than they could have done back in the home country. God used the riches of Egypt to bless His faithful servants. The end was better than what they expected. God will restore and more.
Again, when the children were slaves in that same land. They were made to serve "with rigor." Even though it looked like it never would happen, God had a plan already in progress to bring His people back into the promised land. His plan never included leaving them in a strange land wondering if God really cared. His plan was to bring them into a land that would be theirs for keeps. While they were serving Egypt for four hundred years, God had people in the promised land of Caanan that were building it into a garden for His people. God will restore and more.
Whatever we have had to sacrifice to serve the Lord, God is faithful to keep an accurate record. Nothing ever slips past Him and He will never forget the smallest item. Meditate on this, Heb 6:10 - For God [is] not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. Don't let the enemy tell you that your reward is in the 'sweet by and by.' Mark 10 said that we would receive one hundred fold now in this time of whatever we have had to sacrifice to live for Him. Instead of looking down all day, we need to be looking up and praising Him in the middle of our lack. We need to be praising Him not for the lack that we are experiencing but for the one hundred fold return now in this life that we will receive. Not because it looks like it, but just because God said so. And God has proven Himself to be faithful to restore and more.
Are you ready for the greatest faith stabilizer? It is Ps 16:10 - For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. God told His Son, 'You will have to go there for a short time, but I won't leave You there. You're not going to rot in hell all of your days.' How many times has the enemy told you it's all over and you will never be any better off than you are now? As a matter of fact, he will try to tell you it will get worse. But, I've got news for that ole loser. God is no respecter of persons. If He did it for one, He will do it for all. It might feel like hell for a while, but God has never planned for you to stay that way. He will restore and more.
Mark 10:29, 30 - And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,
But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
Joel is a book of revival. It tells of a people who have grown cold. Before some of you get into that Old Religious stuff of God sent awful stuff on people who did not deserve it. You'd better watch out with that sacred cow and read carefully the whole Bible. God warned the people way back in the book of Deuteronomy the 28th chapter, that if they walked in sin, judgement would come in various forms. It's like any of us cooking supper. Cooking supper is a good thing. But if a disobedient child comes up and grabs one of the burners after we told them, "Don't touch it. It will burn you" none of you will say that you cursed the child. You gave the warning. The child didn't listen. But what do you say next. You say, "I told you it was hot. Why did you grab that burner." Then like a good mommy or daddy you tend to your child who cries out to you in repentance. They know how to get in trouble by themselves but they need parents to help them heal when they are hurt.
Now, let's look at this scripture. Deut 8:2 - And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, [and] to prove thee, to know what [was] in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
The curses in Deuteronomy 28 are for the sinner. In Deuteronomy 8, there are times when things don't exactly line up with what we consider to be the blessings of God. However, just like the fourty years in the wilderness, this was only temporary. God never designed it to be permanent. God's promise was to bring them into a land flowing with milk and honey. Those that held on and believed His Word were restored in grand fashion and more.
Let's take Abraham for an example. He was nice and comfy in his home town, around his relatives, and becoming prosperous. Then God calls him out and told him that he was going to be the father of many nations and that the whole world would be blessed by his seed. Which, by the way, he didn't have any. Now, anybody trying to figure God out would have said, "Well, I guess God meant for me to take a lot of wives and have a lot of children if I am to become a great nation." But that is not what God promised. They tried it and God didn't dig it. He said that Sarah would bear the promised child.
So, here we go. Abraham tells all of his several hundred servants that their seventy-five year old boss and his sixty-nine year old wife were going to father a multitude of children. Right! And so. They kept watching Sarah, and kept watching Sarah, and kept watching Sarah and nothing happened. For twenty four years, they watched and nothing happened. Don't you reckon that by now they were just a little skeptical?
Listen to what God did. He publicly embarassed them. Even though they were rich, they were considered cursed because they had no children. For twenty four years, all the servants kinda looked at them as 'Those poor old fools---believing such nonsense." The high-brow kings that they visited thought the same thing when they finally found out they were married. On top of that, they had gotten so old that their bodies weren't in reproduction mode any more.
But in the twenty-fifth year, God showed up and changed history. The bodies that couldn't, did. Instead of ho-hum around the camp, laughter was heard. The impossible had happened. What everyone saw as a curse, God was using to see what was in Abraham and Sarah's heart. Would they follow Him all the way to the miracle? Indeed they did, and indeed God did. God restored their bodies. God restored their laughter. God restored their pride. They held on to the promise and remained faithful to Him and He did just exactly what He said that He would do. Their paitience, their faithfulness, their praise to God in ungodly circumstances brought God's restoration in a greater way than they had imagined. Their sacrifice (Mark 10), was greatly multiplied by millions of children down through the years, including Jesus. When God got through restoring, Abraham and Sarah had more than what they had sacrificed. God was faithful. He will restore and more.
Let's look at Joseph. He had a Godly dream. He shared it with his brothers a his daddy. His brothers were so enthused about his Godly dream that they faked his death and sold him as a slave. That's a lot of good thanks and appreciation for being able to hear God. (Have you ever said that about ungodly circumstances that have surrounded you when you've done your best? Just wonderin'.) As a slave in Potiphar's house, Potiphar's wife tried to seduce him. When he refused because of his relationship with God, she lied on him and had him sent to prison. (Have you ever been thrown in an ungodly circumstance when you did what God asked you to? Just wonderin'.) Joseph's heart for God was tested for fourteen years. His heart ached for his father and brothers. He longed to be back in a place that he called "home." He had to live every day around people that he had no heart-ties to. He had to live every day with nagging questions, "Did I really hear God? Was that dream real? How long do you have to wait? Have I missed God and lost my blessing?" Now, I know that you have never asked these questions but they have entered my mind a couple of times.
Then, in one day, God promoted him from prisoner to prince. He became second in command of all of Egypt. He married Pharaoh's daughter and lived in the lap of luxury. Then, a couple of years later, he was re-united with his family and was able to provide for them greater than they could have done back in the home country. God used the riches of Egypt to bless His faithful servants. The end was better than what they expected. God will restore and more.
Again, when the children were slaves in that same land. They were made to serve "with rigor." Even though it looked like it never would happen, God had a plan already in progress to bring His people back into the promised land. His plan never included leaving them in a strange land wondering if God really cared. His plan was to bring them into a land that would be theirs for keeps. While they were serving Egypt for four hundred years, God had people in the promised land of Caanan that were building it into a garden for His people. God will restore and more.
Whatever we have had to sacrifice to serve the Lord, God is faithful to keep an accurate record. Nothing ever slips past Him and He will never forget the smallest item. Meditate on this, Heb 6:10 - For God [is] not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. Don't let the enemy tell you that your reward is in the 'sweet by and by.' Mark 10 said that we would receive one hundred fold now in this time of whatever we have had to sacrifice to live for Him. Instead of looking down all day, we need to be looking up and praising Him in the middle of our lack. We need to be praising Him not for the lack that we are experiencing but for the one hundred fold return now in this life that we will receive. Not because it looks like it, but just because God said so. And God has proven Himself to be faithful to restore and more.
Are you ready for the greatest faith stabilizer? It is Ps 16:10 - For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. God told His Son, 'You will have to go there for a short time, but I won't leave You there. You're not going to rot in hell all of your days.' How many times has the enemy told you it's all over and you will never be any better off than you are now? As a matter of fact, he will try to tell you it will get worse. But, I've got news for that ole loser. God is no respecter of persons. If He did it for one, He will do it for all. It might feel like hell for a while, but God has never planned for you to stay that way. He will restore and more.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Another Look at the Lord's Prayer
In Matthew 6:9-13, Jesus taught the disciples how to pray. Let's take a look at a few aspects of it and reap some great encouragement. Keep in mind, that if anyone knew how to get a prayer through to God, it had to have been Jesus. Think for a little bit. Surely, the Precious Son of God should KNOW how to approach His Father and how to pray effectively.
In verse 9, the first thing He does is declare that God is His Father and begins praising His name. The devil would have us to believe that we are here all by ourselves; a little, defenseless sheep left to a world of ravenous wolves. Even in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus never prayed like a defenseless little sheep.
What He did pray is defined in verses 10 and 13. He spoke to His Father and said, Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven. And- For Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever. Then He finished it by saying "Amen." Now, folks, that's not religious talk for "10-4, over and out." Amen is a Hebrew word dating back to the time of the Exodus and it means "so be it." It was used when a listener heard someone speak a vow and he wanted to agree with what that person said. Get ready to shout, now. What Jesus was saying to Father God was "Hey, I might be living down on this devil-infested earth, but You're still in control. Father God, I believe You are in control and not the devil. Blessed, Almighty God, I believe that You are going to bless me on this earth just as if You would if I was standing with You in Heaven."
Jesus was an expert in the Word of God and He knew that as a blood covenant believer, God was honor-bound to pour out Heavenly blessings according to Deuteronomy 28. It would do you good to read the first 14 verses of that chapter to see just a portion of what Jesus was Amen-ing. What was that, you just asked? Why not read all of the chapter? Silly, believer. The rest of the chapter is filled with curses against the people who would rather walk in sin. By the way, it's about twice as long as the first 14 verses. I'm not planning on walking in the curses. I'm concentrating and Amen-ing the blessings that God has already ordained for me to walk in. Jesus prayed in agreement with the Word of God and said "Amen. So be it, Almighty God. I believe that all of these blessings are coming to me, because You said so and I agree with YOU."
Look at verse 13- Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. You might be asking yourself, if Jesus is praying "lead us not into temptation," why did He have so much rough stuff happen to Him. And then again, am I being punished by God, or left out by God? Because, right now, as well as in the past, I have seen some awfully rough roads. Here's a point that I had missed for years. Jesus is not asking His Father to never have a temptation or a trial or to let Him live in a bed of roses. He Himself said in John 16:33-These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. Did you notice the almost contradiction? He said "I am going to tell you something to give you peace." Then He says, "In the world ye shall have tribulation." I knew it. I knew it was too good to be true, right? But He doesn't stop there. He tells us to be very happy--good cheer--because He has overcome the world. Now, back to Matt 6:13. Jesus' attitude in this verse is, "Father, I know that you are not leading me into a temptation just to throw me to the wolves. You a leading me into deliverance from all of the power of the devil."
Folks, even though, right now, you are going through hell on earth, it's not the end of the story. You have lived a good life, trusted God and you are still smack dab in the middle of the valley of the shadow of death. Remember the Lord's prayer. All of the kingdom power that God has He bestows on us. He is not leading us to destruction. Let Him finish what He has started. Grab His hand and praise Him that He is your Heavenly Father and let Him tug on your heart strings and lead you into deliverance. You might not be there right now. Just like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was hurting with fear until He prayed His flesh under control. Then, when He surrendered to His Father's will, He had the strength to go through the valley of the shadow of death because He feared no evil. Shout about this thought for a couple of days. The Heavenly Father was not leading Jesus to the cross. He was leading Jesus to the resurrection and the restoration of His presence in the lives of His people. The cross was only a 6 hour hitty-bump in the road. Now, tell the devil that what you are going through is only a little hitty-bump in the road and you've got enough Holy Ghost shocks to keep you on the road to God's blessings.
Enjoy Jesus and enjoy today.
In verse 9, the first thing He does is declare that God is His Father and begins praising His name. The devil would have us to believe that we are here all by ourselves; a little, defenseless sheep left to a world of ravenous wolves. Even in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus never prayed like a defenseless little sheep.
What He did pray is defined in verses 10 and 13. He spoke to His Father and said, Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven. And- For Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever. Then He finished it by saying "Amen." Now, folks, that's not religious talk for "10-4, over and out." Amen is a Hebrew word dating back to the time of the Exodus and it means "so be it." It was used when a listener heard someone speak a vow and he wanted to agree with what that person said. Get ready to shout, now. What Jesus was saying to Father God was "Hey, I might be living down on this devil-infested earth, but You're still in control. Father God, I believe You are in control and not the devil. Blessed, Almighty God, I believe that You are going to bless me on this earth just as if You would if I was standing with You in Heaven."
Jesus was an expert in the Word of God and He knew that as a blood covenant believer, God was honor-bound to pour out Heavenly blessings according to Deuteronomy 28. It would do you good to read the first 14 verses of that chapter to see just a portion of what Jesus was Amen-ing. What was that, you just asked? Why not read all of the chapter? Silly, believer. The rest of the chapter is filled with curses against the people who would rather walk in sin. By the way, it's about twice as long as the first 14 verses. I'm not planning on walking in the curses. I'm concentrating and Amen-ing the blessings that God has already ordained for me to walk in. Jesus prayed in agreement with the Word of God and said "Amen. So be it, Almighty God. I believe that all of these blessings are coming to me, because You said so and I agree with YOU."
Look at verse 13- Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. You might be asking yourself, if Jesus is praying "lead us not into temptation," why did He have so much rough stuff happen to Him. And then again, am I being punished by God, or left out by God? Because, right now, as well as in the past, I have seen some awfully rough roads. Here's a point that I had missed for years. Jesus is not asking His Father to never have a temptation or a trial or to let Him live in a bed of roses. He Himself said in John 16:33-These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. Did you notice the almost contradiction? He said "I am going to tell you something to give you peace." Then He says, "In the world ye shall have tribulation." I knew it. I knew it was too good to be true, right? But He doesn't stop there. He tells us to be very happy--good cheer--because He has overcome the world. Now, back to Matt 6:13. Jesus' attitude in this verse is, "Father, I know that you are not leading me into a temptation just to throw me to the wolves. You a leading me into deliverance from all of the power of the devil."
Folks, even though, right now, you are going through hell on earth, it's not the end of the story. You have lived a good life, trusted God and you are still smack dab in the middle of the valley of the shadow of death. Remember the Lord's prayer. All of the kingdom power that God has He bestows on us. He is not leading us to destruction. Let Him finish what He has started. Grab His hand and praise Him that He is your Heavenly Father and let Him tug on your heart strings and lead you into deliverance. You might not be there right now. Just like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was hurting with fear until He prayed His flesh under control. Then, when He surrendered to His Father's will, He had the strength to go through the valley of the shadow of death because He feared no evil. Shout about this thought for a couple of days. The Heavenly Father was not leading Jesus to the cross. He was leading Jesus to the resurrection and the restoration of His presence in the lives of His people. The cross was only a 6 hour hitty-bump in the road. Now, tell the devil that what you are going through is only a little hitty-bump in the road and you've got enough Holy Ghost shocks to keep you on the road to God's blessings.
Enjoy Jesus and enjoy today.
Friday, June 5, 2009
It's Not About Your Ego
One of the greatest hinderances to our faith is our ego. We can start off believing the Word of God with a shout. But, when the trial we start going through starts messing with our ego, we tend to back down and start moping instead of hoping. Let's take, for example, the story of Joseph in the Old Testament. When God gave him two prophetic dreams about his family bowing down to him, he shared it with everybody thinking that they would rejoice with him. I don't think they did. Now, I may be wrong, but I just don't think they did. They didn't dig it at all. As a matter of fact, they didn't dig it so much that they faked his death and sold him as a slave. Boy, howdy! That did a lot for Joseph's ego. Have you ever been there? Are you there right now?
Let's take a look at something real important. Gen 39:2-And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. Verse 3-And his master saw that the LORD [was] with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand. Verse 4-And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him. Notice that the Lord was with Joseph and made stuff prosper for him. Even with a deflated ego, Joseph chose to serve the Lord with a shout and not a pout. When your pride is being challenged, it is important for you to know that God will always honor His Word. Notice that Joseph's master saw that the Lord was with him. Now we have to answer the question. Is it more important for me to maintain an ego, or is it more important for the lost loved ones to see that the Lord is good?
Sure it was degrading to go from his daddy's pet in a beautiful, on-of-a-kind coat to a slave in a foreign land. But, Joseph placed his honor in the integrity of God Almighty and His Word. He walked through the life he was forced to live as if he knew a wonderful secret that no one else knew. Oh, by the way, no one would believe it.
It was not important if anyone else believed it or not. Many times in the New Testament, Jesus told people that it was their individual faith that had made them whole. It wasn't the faith of the High Priest, their spouse, their neighbor or the anchor on the nightly news. It was their individual faith in God and His Word that had worked the miracle for them. Joseph did not someone else to help him believe it. He kept up an everyday relationship with the God of his fathers. For fourteen years he believed God's Word. For fourteen years he sacrificed his ego waiting for the Word of God to come to pass.
Now, let's turn the page. What about the day he was promoted from prisoner to prince? His ego got a tad bit of a boost that day and from that day on through the rest of his life. God's Word was worth waiting on. Let's take heart my friends. God will always be faithful to His Word. Remember, it's not about your ego, it's about the integrity of the Word of Almighty God.
Let's take a look at something real important. Gen 39:2-And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. Verse 3-And his master saw that the LORD [was] with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand. Verse 4-And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him. Notice that the Lord was with Joseph and made stuff prosper for him. Even with a deflated ego, Joseph chose to serve the Lord with a shout and not a pout. When your pride is being challenged, it is important for you to know that God will always honor His Word. Notice that Joseph's master saw that the Lord was with him. Now we have to answer the question. Is it more important for me to maintain an ego, or is it more important for the lost loved ones to see that the Lord is good?
Sure it was degrading to go from his daddy's pet in a beautiful, on-of-a-kind coat to a slave in a foreign land. But, Joseph placed his honor in the integrity of God Almighty and His Word. He walked through the life he was forced to live as if he knew a wonderful secret that no one else knew. Oh, by the way, no one would believe it.
It was not important if anyone else believed it or not. Many times in the New Testament, Jesus told people that it was their individual faith that had made them whole. It wasn't the faith of the High Priest, their spouse, their neighbor or the anchor on the nightly news. It was their individual faith in God and His Word that had worked the miracle for them. Joseph did not someone else to help him believe it. He kept up an everyday relationship with the God of his fathers. For fourteen years he believed God's Word. For fourteen years he sacrificed his ego waiting for the Word of God to come to pass.
Now, let's turn the page. What about the day he was promoted from prisoner to prince? His ego got a tad bit of a boost that day and from that day on through the rest of his life. God's Word was worth waiting on. Let's take heart my friends. God will always be faithful to His Word. Remember, it's not about your ego, it's about the integrity of the Word of Almighty God.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
The Word Will Outlast Your Problems
While reading John 1:1-In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, something very interesting came to me. Before any of your problems came about, God and His Word were here. When all of your problems are gone, God and His Word will still be ruling all things. Therefore, nothing was created outside of His ability and nothing can be destroyed without His permission. Let's take a look at how far-reaching that is.
Is someone your problem? Who created man in His image? Compare how long God has been around with how long your someone problem is. Which one has been supremely successful in all of His endeavors? Out of all of the people that stood up against God, i.e. Pharaoah, Nebuchadnezzer, Ananias and Saphira, the religious people of Jesus' day---how many of them kept God from performing His Word? None of them did. You will never find where someone outsmarted God or got one over on Him. Ps 46:6-The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. So go ahead, let that ole heathen rage, whether it's your spouse, in-law, bossman, mean-spirited pastor, teen-ager or terrible two-year-old. They can rage and move others to frustration. They can even move kindoms towards destruction. But. when God utters His voice, or He has already uttered His voice, they will melt. Now if you believe that, give God a shout AND QUIT WORRYING ABOUT THAT HEATHEN!!!!!! God and His Word will be around a lot longer than him.
What kind of situation are you facing? Nerves? Bills? Oppression? God and His Word were here before any of them and God and His Word will be here long after they are gone. Take some time to read 2 Chron 17:14-19 and add up all of the men that waited on Jehoshaphat. Over one million men!!!!!! That did not count the people that the king put in the cities as guards. Now read 2 Chron 20:1-3. An army came to fight him so big that it made Jehoshaphat afraid. Just how big of an army could that have been to make a one-million-plus army afraid and the king call for a nationwide fast!!!! They were looking at destruction, pestilence, death, poverty and slavery.
Read 2 Chron 20:10. It is almost a prayer quote of God's Word in 2 Chron 7:14. Jehoshaphat spoke God's Word back to Him in his prayer for deliverance. God honored his prayer by telling him and the people not to be afraid. The battle was His!!! Then the Levites did what I want to do about now and that's lift up a shout!! I bet campmeetin' broke out. They were still in the mood the next morning when they assembled to march towards the enemies camp. They discussed it and said that if God gave His Word and said not to fear, then the only alternative is to sing praises to Him because the battle is already won. They put praisers out in front of the army and praised the beauty of holiness and declared that the mercy of the Lord endures forever. By the time they got to the battlefield, every last one of their enemies were dead. The people of God were not only free because of the Word, but the enemy had brought so much gold and jewelry with them that it took three days to haul it away.
When it looked like all was lost, God's Word turned certain defeat into vast riches. WHAT A MIGHTY GOD WE SERVE. The moral of the story is.....The Word Will Outlast Your Problems.
Is someone your problem? Who created man in His image? Compare how long God has been around with how long your someone problem is. Which one has been supremely successful in all of His endeavors? Out of all of the people that stood up against God, i.e. Pharaoah, Nebuchadnezzer, Ananias and Saphira, the religious people of Jesus' day---how many of them kept God from performing His Word? None of them did. You will never find where someone outsmarted God or got one over on Him. Ps 46:6-The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. So go ahead, let that ole heathen rage, whether it's your spouse, in-law, bossman, mean-spirited pastor, teen-ager or terrible two-year-old. They can rage and move others to frustration. They can even move kindoms towards destruction. But. when God utters His voice, or He has already uttered His voice, they will melt. Now if you believe that, give God a shout AND QUIT WORRYING ABOUT THAT HEATHEN!!!!!! God and His Word will be around a lot longer than him.
What kind of situation are you facing? Nerves? Bills? Oppression? God and His Word were here before any of them and God and His Word will be here long after they are gone. Take some time to read 2 Chron 17:14-19 and add up all of the men that waited on Jehoshaphat. Over one million men!!!!!! That did not count the people that the king put in the cities as guards. Now read 2 Chron 20:1-3. An army came to fight him so big that it made Jehoshaphat afraid. Just how big of an army could that have been to make a one-million-plus army afraid and the king call for a nationwide fast!!!! They were looking at destruction, pestilence, death, poverty and slavery.
Read 2 Chron 20:10. It is almost a prayer quote of God's Word in 2 Chron 7:14. Jehoshaphat spoke God's Word back to Him in his prayer for deliverance. God honored his prayer by telling him and the people not to be afraid. The battle was His!!! Then the Levites did what I want to do about now and that's lift up a shout!! I bet campmeetin' broke out. They were still in the mood the next morning when they assembled to march towards the enemies camp. They discussed it and said that if God gave His Word and said not to fear, then the only alternative is to sing praises to Him because the battle is already won. They put praisers out in front of the army and praised the beauty of holiness and declared that the mercy of the Lord endures forever. By the time they got to the battlefield, every last one of their enemies were dead. The people of God were not only free because of the Word, but the enemy had brought so much gold and jewelry with them that it took three days to haul it away.
When it looked like all was lost, God's Word turned certain defeat into vast riches. WHAT A MIGHTY GOD WE SERVE. The moral of the story is.....The Word Will Outlast Your Problems.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
What Are You Prepared For?
After Jesus died on the cross, we pick up this scripture in Luke 23:56-And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.
Luke 24:1-Now upon the first [day] of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain [others] with them. Notice the word 'prepared.' Just what were they 'prepared' for? They were prepared for what they believed. They believed that Jesus was dead and that all of their hopes for a brighter day, a better life and great fellowship with a tremendous man of God were all gone. (Do you somehow feel a shout coming on? Not yet? Stick around.) After all, that's what it looked like. All of the natural evidence was there. Three days ago, they saw Him mocked, beaten and crucified. They saw Him wrapped in a burial shroud and taken to the tomb of Joseph of Arimathaea. They were preparing for the 'Well, I guess the Word of God was just too good to be true" that most Christians believe in.
However, they were sadly disappointed when they got to the grave. Jesus wasn't there. Two men in white appearel were. They told the ladies, "remember how He spake unto you." Two men on the road to Emmaus were moaning and groaning about what it "looked like." Jesus started walking with them and let them moan and groan for a while and then He said, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: In other words, why didn't you believe the prophecy about me instead of what you saw with your own eyes? Later on, when Jesus appeared in the middle of the room where His disciples were sitting, moaning and groaning, He said, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
Guess what, folks? Jesus expected them to have been acting like the Word of God was true in the very middle of "It really doesn't look like it." We spend the majority of our time preparing ourselves for "what it looks like" instead of what the Word of God said it was going to be. Jesus scolded these folks for acting like sinners. All the sinners believed that Jesus was finished. His followers believed the same thing.
Think about about this. What was God thinking about when He allowed His only begotten Son to be arrested, beaten and crucified. Think, think, THINK!!!! He was thinking, "Yep, the High Priest and the Romans fell for it hook, line and sinker, just like I planned it. Now, satan will be completely destroyed. This is the day I have been waiting for." What is inconceivable to us was God's plan all along. He never got nervous. He never got an ulcer. As a matter of fact, you might say that He was "prepared" for it. Please try your best and THINK, THINK, THINK. God spent 400 years of never speaking to His people to let them drift into the religious mindset they were in. He spent years and years of raising up a brutal Roman nation and taught them a specific type of horrible death called the crucifixion. However, He was NOT "preparing" to kill Jesus. 1 John 3:8-For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. He was "preparing" to destroy the enemy of all creation by raising His Son from the dead. Jesus was "prepared" to go through death because He read and believed His Father's Word on the subject. His Father never, never, never said that He would leave Him in the grave or let the torture go on forever. Jesus "prepared" Himself by meditating on everything His Father ever said.
If the people actually believed the Word instead of what it looked like, they would have
"prepared" a worship service of shouting, singing, playing tamborines and dancing around the cross and praising God that His Word was true. They would have "prepared" two all night Praise Vigils outside of the tomb. The news that would have been on everyone's lips would have been, "Come watch Him when He rises from the dead. It's the Word of God coming true before your very eyes. Everyone come and see this miracle. You don't want to miss it." You talk about a Holy Ghost revival/riot there would have been one.
I can hear you saying it right now. "You're right, Bro. Henry. If I had been there, I would have been singing and shouting until I lost my voice. Then I would have danced so hard that I would have worn holes in my shoes. I would have gone to all of my loved ones and did whatever I had to do to get them to see the power of God unfolded right before their very eyes." Do you know what else you would have done? You would have fixed enough sandwiches and snacks for the couple of days' wait. You would have brought a lawn chair or two, blankets and pillows, cameras and recorders. Unlike the ladies in Luke 23 and 24, you would have "prepared" for a miracle instead of "preparing" for His death. All because we were convinced that God's Word was true.
Now. Do you believe God's Word about your current situation? Or, do you feel trapped and think that there is no way out? Faith in God's Word doesn't rely on 'it doesn't look like' to get it's answer. It merely relies on the fact that God loves us dearly and He meant every Word that He said. What we need to do as individuals is "prepare" ourselves for His Word coming to pass. We need to praise Him in advance for every need to be met. We need to rejoice that our unsaved loved ones are coming to Him and being filled with His Presence. We need to get excited about revival whether we are in one right now or not. My challenge to you is, find in God's Word what He has said about your situation. Believe that it will come to pass and begin giving Him praise.
Luke 24:1-Now upon the first [day] of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain [others] with them. Notice the word 'prepared.' Just what were they 'prepared' for? They were prepared for what they believed. They believed that Jesus was dead and that all of their hopes for a brighter day, a better life and great fellowship with a tremendous man of God were all gone. (Do you somehow feel a shout coming on? Not yet? Stick around.) After all, that's what it looked like. All of the natural evidence was there. Three days ago, they saw Him mocked, beaten and crucified. They saw Him wrapped in a burial shroud and taken to the tomb of Joseph of Arimathaea. They were preparing for the 'Well, I guess the Word of God was just too good to be true" that most Christians believe in.
However, they were sadly disappointed when they got to the grave. Jesus wasn't there. Two men in white appearel were. They told the ladies, "remember how He spake unto you." Two men on the road to Emmaus were moaning and groaning about what it "looked like." Jesus started walking with them and let them moan and groan for a while and then He said, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: In other words, why didn't you believe the prophecy about me instead of what you saw with your own eyes? Later on, when Jesus appeared in the middle of the room where His disciples were sitting, moaning and groaning, He said, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
Guess what, folks? Jesus expected them to have been acting like the Word of God was true in the very middle of "It really doesn't look like it." We spend the majority of our time preparing ourselves for "what it looks like" instead of what the Word of God said it was going to be. Jesus scolded these folks for acting like sinners. All the sinners believed that Jesus was finished. His followers believed the same thing.
Think about about this. What was God thinking about when He allowed His only begotten Son to be arrested, beaten and crucified. Think, think, THINK!!!! He was thinking, "Yep, the High Priest and the Romans fell for it hook, line and sinker, just like I planned it. Now, satan will be completely destroyed. This is the day I have been waiting for." What is inconceivable to us was God's plan all along. He never got nervous. He never got an ulcer. As a matter of fact, you might say that He was "prepared" for it. Please try your best and THINK, THINK, THINK. God spent 400 years of never speaking to His people to let them drift into the religious mindset they were in. He spent years and years of raising up a brutal Roman nation and taught them a specific type of horrible death called the crucifixion. However, He was NOT "preparing" to kill Jesus. 1 John 3:8-For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. He was "preparing" to destroy the enemy of all creation by raising His Son from the dead. Jesus was "prepared" to go through death because He read and believed His Father's Word on the subject. His Father never, never, never said that He would leave Him in the grave or let the torture go on forever. Jesus "prepared" Himself by meditating on everything His Father ever said.
If the people actually believed the Word instead of what it looked like, they would have
"prepared" a worship service of shouting, singing, playing tamborines and dancing around the cross and praising God that His Word was true. They would have "prepared" two all night Praise Vigils outside of the tomb. The news that would have been on everyone's lips would have been, "Come watch Him when He rises from the dead. It's the Word of God coming true before your very eyes. Everyone come and see this miracle. You don't want to miss it." You talk about a Holy Ghost revival/riot there would have been one.
I can hear you saying it right now. "You're right, Bro. Henry. If I had been there, I would have been singing and shouting until I lost my voice. Then I would have danced so hard that I would have worn holes in my shoes. I would have gone to all of my loved ones and did whatever I had to do to get them to see the power of God unfolded right before their very eyes." Do you know what else you would have done? You would have fixed enough sandwiches and snacks for the couple of days' wait. You would have brought a lawn chair or two, blankets and pillows, cameras and recorders. Unlike the ladies in Luke 23 and 24, you would have "prepared" for a miracle instead of "preparing" for His death. All because we were convinced that God's Word was true.
Now. Do you believe God's Word about your current situation? Or, do you feel trapped and think that there is no way out? Faith in God's Word doesn't rely on 'it doesn't look like' to get it's answer. It merely relies on the fact that God loves us dearly and He meant every Word that He said. What we need to do as individuals is "prepare" ourselves for His Word coming to pass. We need to praise Him in advance for every need to be met. We need to rejoice that our unsaved loved ones are coming to Him and being filled with His Presence. We need to get excited about revival whether we are in one right now or not. My challenge to you is, find in God's Word what He has said about your situation. Believe that it will come to pass and begin giving Him praise.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
God is Faithful
Let's take a look at 1 Cor 10:13. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: We, sometimes, get under the conviction that bad things happen to us because God is mad at us. Deuteronomy 8:2 says And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, [and] to prove thee, to know what [was] in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. First of all, if you are trying hard to live for Jesus, this applies to you. On the other hand, if you are dabbling around in sin and only living for Jesus in a haphazard manner, you get what's coming to you. You deserve your whippin's. Temptations will come to a Christian for a reason. God is wanting to see what is in your heart. He is trying to prove you through this test. He is also trying to prove Himself to you. Basically, He was fixing to bring His children into a place that was flowing with milk and honey. He wasn't going to leave them in the wilderness for the rest of their lives. He had an abundant blessing in store for them. But, He needed to see whether they really loved Him or not.
But God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; Notice our theme ---GOD IS FAITHFUL. Malachi 3:6-For I am the Lord, I change not; Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. You aughta be shoutin' right about now. God is faithful and He never, never, never, never changes. Luke 22:31-And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired [to have] you, that he may sift [you] as wheat: Jesus brings us into the reality of temptations, or times of trial. He said that Satan desires to bring things our way. Satan's desire it to tear us up. God only allows it to sift us, to separate the undesireable things that weigh us down. Here again, He wants to prove our hearts and prove Himself to us. Don't ever think that Satan is just plowing through us at his every whim. That is not the case. Our precious Heavenly Father is faithful to watch over us. Satan can only bring things into a Christian's life with the permission of a loving Heavenly Father. Notice what 1 Cor. 10:13 says--GOD WILL NOT ALLOW A TEMPTATION THAT WE ARE NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO HANDLE. Did you get that? When it looks like things are all messed up and way, way, way out of control. My Heavenly Father still, still, yes, He still has it under HIS control. Never, at any time, no way Jose, couldn't do it if he wanted to, can the devil just rip and tear into our lives just any old way he wants to. The God I serve has that mangy dog on one of those electric leashes and He has his finger on the power button. Glory to God. He only operates with God's permission and God is faithful to jerk back on that leash and pop the power button on him if he tries to get to high-handed with any child of God. (Go on and shout for a while, I know you want to. I know that I want to right about now.)
Hebrews 12:1 says that were are surrounded by a 'cloud of witnesses.' Read through Heb. 11 at the heroes of faith. God was faithful to bring them out of their time of temptation into the glory that He had for them. Most of them had worse circumstances than any of us. If He was faithful to bring them out and He never changes, then I can expect and praise Him to bring me out of what I am going through right now. I can say with all of the authority of the Word of God, that whatever you are going through, God will be faithful to bring you out, also.
Rom 8:28--And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God. What is the qualification to have good things come our way---to love God. Can I qualify for that? You bet I can. Can you qualify for that? You bet you can. After all that the Apostle Paul went through, he could stand flat-footed, toe-to-toe, staring eye-to-eye with any devil (and that might include your in-laws, spouse, pastor or deacons) and say, "The God that I serve will work this shipwreck, and this beating and your tongue-wagging into something good for me. But, hey, sport, you'd better step back some because when He comes down to deliver me, he's gonna wipe out everything that looks like sin. And that just might be you."
If you're not shouting the victory right now, wait til you read this. The rest of 1 Cor 10:13 says this-but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it]. Keep this in mind the next time a trial comes. BEFORE God allows the time of trial to begin, He already has set aside enough power and blessing to bring you out. Read this part of that verse again and again and again until it sinks way down into your spirit. It says that when God releases the temptation to come to you, He also releases more than enough of whatever it takes to bring you out of it. He is faithful to bring you out. His love never fails. If you are in the middle of a trial right now, God released the blessing at the same time He released the trial. Did you see it in the Word? It said, 'With the temptation.'
And it also said, 'That ye may be able to bear it.' That means that God has been bragging on us to the devil. Remember, the devil has to ask permission first. God looks at us and sees something within us that can whip whatever the devil is asking to do. Remember, when Satan asked to sift Peter as wheat, Jesus did not say 'I'm gonna whip the devil for you.' No Jesus said that He would pray for Peter that his faith fail not. Jesus knew that it was necessary for Peter to face this horrible mistake Peter was fixing to make so that it would 'convert' him. Not that Peter was not saved. But the time of his testing converted Peter into the man of God that God always knew existed, the man the he saw in Peter. God was only allowing satan to sift all of the 'fluff and bluff' out of Peter so that all that was left in him was a strong relationship with Jesus Christ. When God got through with the trial, Peter was a powerful leader and soul-winner.
Remember these things as you go through life's trials. God is faithful. He brought many people through times of temptation just to show His mighty hand in their lives. The end result is always that souls are won and revival comes. Let Him reign in your heart and life today.
But God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; Notice our theme ---GOD IS FAITHFUL. Malachi 3:6-For I am the Lord, I change not; Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. You aughta be shoutin' right about now. God is faithful and He never, never, never, never changes. Luke 22:31-And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired [to have] you, that he may sift [you] as wheat: Jesus brings us into the reality of temptations, or times of trial. He said that Satan desires to bring things our way. Satan's desire it to tear us up. God only allows it to sift us, to separate the undesireable things that weigh us down. Here again, He wants to prove our hearts and prove Himself to us. Don't ever think that Satan is just plowing through us at his every whim. That is not the case. Our precious Heavenly Father is faithful to watch over us. Satan can only bring things into a Christian's life with the permission of a loving Heavenly Father. Notice what 1 Cor. 10:13 says--GOD WILL NOT ALLOW A TEMPTATION THAT WE ARE NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO HANDLE. Did you get that? When it looks like things are all messed up and way, way, way out of control. My Heavenly Father still, still, yes, He still has it under HIS control. Never, at any time, no way Jose, couldn't do it if he wanted to, can the devil just rip and tear into our lives just any old way he wants to. The God I serve has that mangy dog on one of those electric leashes and He has his finger on the power button. Glory to God. He only operates with God's permission and God is faithful to jerk back on that leash and pop the power button on him if he tries to get to high-handed with any child of God. (Go on and shout for a while, I know you want to. I know that I want to right about now.)
Hebrews 12:1 says that were are surrounded by a 'cloud of witnesses.' Read through Heb. 11 at the heroes of faith. God was faithful to bring them out of their time of temptation into the glory that He had for them. Most of them had worse circumstances than any of us. If He was faithful to bring them out and He never changes, then I can expect and praise Him to bring me out of what I am going through right now. I can say with all of the authority of the Word of God, that whatever you are going through, God will be faithful to bring you out, also.
Rom 8:28--And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God. What is the qualification to have good things come our way---to love God. Can I qualify for that? You bet I can. Can you qualify for that? You bet you can. After all that the Apostle Paul went through, he could stand flat-footed, toe-to-toe, staring eye-to-eye with any devil (and that might include your in-laws, spouse, pastor or deacons) and say, "The God that I serve will work this shipwreck, and this beating and your tongue-wagging into something good for me. But, hey, sport, you'd better step back some because when He comes down to deliver me, he's gonna wipe out everything that looks like sin. And that just might be you."
If you're not shouting the victory right now, wait til you read this. The rest of 1 Cor 10:13 says this-but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it]. Keep this in mind the next time a trial comes. BEFORE God allows the time of trial to begin, He already has set aside enough power and blessing to bring you out. Read this part of that verse again and again and again until it sinks way down into your spirit. It says that when God releases the temptation to come to you, He also releases more than enough of whatever it takes to bring you out of it. He is faithful to bring you out. His love never fails. If you are in the middle of a trial right now, God released the blessing at the same time He released the trial. Did you see it in the Word? It said, 'With the temptation.'
And it also said, 'That ye may be able to bear it.' That means that God has been bragging on us to the devil. Remember, the devil has to ask permission first. God looks at us and sees something within us that can whip whatever the devil is asking to do. Remember, when Satan asked to sift Peter as wheat, Jesus did not say 'I'm gonna whip the devil for you.' No Jesus said that He would pray for Peter that his faith fail not. Jesus knew that it was necessary for Peter to face this horrible mistake Peter was fixing to make so that it would 'convert' him. Not that Peter was not saved. But the time of his testing converted Peter into the man of God that God always knew existed, the man the he saw in Peter. God was only allowing satan to sift all of the 'fluff and bluff' out of Peter so that all that was left in him was a strong relationship with Jesus Christ. When God got through with the trial, Peter was a powerful leader and soul-winner.
Remember these things as you go through life's trials. God is faithful. He brought many people through times of temptation just to show His mighty hand in their lives. The end result is always that souls are won and revival comes. Let Him reign in your heart and life today.
Monday, May 11, 2009
What Do You Know About Jesus?
In Luke 18, there is a story about a blind man just outside of Jericho. He was sitting by the roadside begging. That was the only thing that he knew to do. That was his only way of making a living. Life had dealt him a hard blow. He could never, never, never, never be like the majority of mankind who could see. He was condemned by circumstances to be a helpless, blind beggar until the day he died.
Does that sound familiar to you? Do you feel that life is passing you by and you will be no better than you are now? Do the circumstances that surround you dictate your constant failure? Possibly you are in an invironment that does not promote healthy, vibrant Christianity. Maybe that invironment is your home. Or, unfortunately, that invironment could be the church you attend. Sadly, the last statement is far too often the truest statement of all. Most churches, not all, but most churches are the main reason that God cannot move.
One day, this blind man heard a commotion. Being blind, he asked what was going on. Someone told him that Jesus was passing his way. The blind man had heard about Jesus. First of all, let me say that what he did next was not the result of the local church. The local and national church of that day despised Jesus just like they do today. He had heard the testimony of people whose lives Jesus had touched and ministered to. Do you remember that he was sitting by the roadside? Notice he was not in church. That was in his favor. That roadside he was begging at was the main road that led to Jerusalem. The temple was at Jerusalem and it was commanded by God that the men show up three times a year to worship there. A lot of people came through Jericho to Jerusalem and then back through Jericho to go home. Out of all the people that were coming and going at that point in time, Jesus happened to be one of them.
As I said before, every man had to come to the temple in Jerusalem at least three times a year. In the past three years since His baptism and empowerment by the Holy Spirit, Jesus made His appearance at least 7 or 8 times. Of course, this was to be His last because He was going to be crucified. As you read the New Testament, every where Jesus went, he blessed and healed people. Crowds followed him all of the time. So, in the past few years, out of all the gossip he heard on the road outside of Jericho, this blind man began to hear something new. That God had sent His Son to the earth. He kept hearing of how this Jesus was more than just a religious man. He carried the message from the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that God had come down in the form of a human and was performing miracles.
I can see this man, Bartimaeus Mark 10:46, sitting on this same road for years. Business was great during the days of the feasts. There was more traffic. More traffic meant more money. More traffic meant more gossip. That was how he kept up with the news, by listening to what everybody said. However, these surges in traffic three times a year began to take on a different tone. The news was different. Peoples voices got louder. There was more excitement than there used to be. And it all centered around........Jesus. Not the religious leaders. Not what the church was doing. But what Jesus was doing. God sent His Son to bring deliverance and His Son was getting the job done. All the religious leaders were doing was playing around talking about the good stories of the Bible. The news on the street was what God was doing in the lives of people. There was more excitement about God on the street three times a year than there ever was in the church for hundreds of years.
As Bartimaeus kept hearing of Jesus and His miracles, his faith in God began to grow. He began to experience hope for the first time in his life. The more he heard about miracles, the more hope began to spring up in his life. Finally, this one day, Jesus was passing by and he knew that this might be the only opportunity to receive his healing. He made so much noise trying to get Jesus' attention that the two-faced religious people tried to stop him until Jesus commanded for them to bring him to Him. Do you think that Bartimaeus was louder than anyone else? I don't think so. Besides, the crowds that followed Jesus were pretty big. And a pretty big crowd brings a bunch of noise. Well, was it the fact that he was crying out for Jesus to have mercy? Not exactly. Although that would be a great prayer for the whole world to pray.
It wasn't the words Bartimaeus prayed that got Jesus' attention above all the other words that were being spoken at that time. It was Bartimaeus' heart that Jesus heard, not just his words. Bartimaeus had heard testimony after testimony about how Jesus had changed the lives of hundreds of people. People's voices that he had heard for years had begun to ring with the praises of Almighty God instead of the curses and woes that he normally heard. Instead of gossip, jealousy and anger, there was joy, gladness and praise. It wasn't just fleeting words, he heard a change in people's lifestyle. Grouchers had become glad. Sinners had become saints. Instead of cursing they began praising God and encouraging each other. People had been healed and that was exciting. But the daily change of a life turned over to Jesus was what Bartimaeus noticed the most. That was what Bartimaeus wanted more than anything. Not just a miracle but a whole lifestyle change.
The heart of Bartimaeus cried out for a relationship with the Holy One of Israel. He wasn't interested in the bland diet of the local church. He wanted a vibrant life like the ones he was hearing about every day. Healing of the flesh is great. But the healing of a heart broken by sin is the greatest healing that could ever take place. Bartimaeus wanted a relationship with Jesus that would open up the rest of his life to love, joy, and peace and not just the same old, same old. So, it wasn't what he said that Jesus heard. It was Bartimaeus' heart and he faith that Jesus heard above the crowd. Bartimaeus didn't want just the one-time blessing. He wanted the excitement of a relationship with Jesus.
Jesus is not just a one time God. He is the every day presence that makes life worth the living. It is not how much church you have in you that makes people sit up and take notice. It is how much Jesus you are walking around with. Take some time to know Him today. Give Him space to change whatever He needs to change in your life so that others will see Him more than they know which church you belong to.
Does that sound familiar to you? Do you feel that life is passing you by and you will be no better than you are now? Do the circumstances that surround you dictate your constant failure? Possibly you are in an invironment that does not promote healthy, vibrant Christianity. Maybe that invironment is your home. Or, unfortunately, that invironment could be the church you attend. Sadly, the last statement is far too often the truest statement of all. Most churches, not all, but most churches are the main reason that God cannot move.
One day, this blind man heard a commotion. Being blind, he asked what was going on. Someone told him that Jesus was passing his way. The blind man had heard about Jesus. First of all, let me say that what he did next was not the result of the local church. The local and national church of that day despised Jesus just like they do today. He had heard the testimony of people whose lives Jesus had touched and ministered to. Do you remember that he was sitting by the roadside? Notice he was not in church. That was in his favor. That roadside he was begging at was the main road that led to Jerusalem. The temple was at Jerusalem and it was commanded by God that the men show up three times a year to worship there. A lot of people came through Jericho to Jerusalem and then back through Jericho to go home. Out of all the people that were coming and going at that point in time, Jesus happened to be one of them.
As I said before, every man had to come to the temple in Jerusalem at least three times a year. In the past three years since His baptism and empowerment by the Holy Spirit, Jesus made His appearance at least 7 or 8 times. Of course, this was to be His last because He was going to be crucified. As you read the New Testament, every where Jesus went, he blessed and healed people. Crowds followed him all of the time. So, in the past few years, out of all the gossip he heard on the road outside of Jericho, this blind man began to hear something new. That God had sent His Son to the earth. He kept hearing of how this Jesus was more than just a religious man. He carried the message from the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that God had come down in the form of a human and was performing miracles.
I can see this man, Bartimaeus Mark 10:46, sitting on this same road for years. Business was great during the days of the feasts. There was more traffic. More traffic meant more money. More traffic meant more gossip. That was how he kept up with the news, by listening to what everybody said. However, these surges in traffic three times a year began to take on a different tone. The news was different. Peoples voices got louder. There was more excitement than there used to be. And it all centered around........Jesus. Not the religious leaders. Not what the church was doing. But what Jesus was doing. God sent His Son to bring deliverance and His Son was getting the job done. All the religious leaders were doing was playing around talking about the good stories of the Bible. The news on the street was what God was doing in the lives of people. There was more excitement about God on the street three times a year than there ever was in the church for hundreds of years.
As Bartimaeus kept hearing of Jesus and His miracles, his faith in God began to grow. He began to experience hope for the first time in his life. The more he heard about miracles, the more hope began to spring up in his life. Finally, this one day, Jesus was passing by and he knew that this might be the only opportunity to receive his healing. He made so much noise trying to get Jesus' attention that the two-faced religious people tried to stop him until Jesus commanded for them to bring him to Him. Do you think that Bartimaeus was louder than anyone else? I don't think so. Besides, the crowds that followed Jesus were pretty big. And a pretty big crowd brings a bunch of noise. Well, was it the fact that he was crying out for Jesus to have mercy? Not exactly. Although that would be a great prayer for the whole world to pray.
It wasn't the words Bartimaeus prayed that got Jesus' attention above all the other words that were being spoken at that time. It was Bartimaeus' heart that Jesus heard, not just his words. Bartimaeus had heard testimony after testimony about how Jesus had changed the lives of hundreds of people. People's voices that he had heard for years had begun to ring with the praises of Almighty God instead of the curses and woes that he normally heard. Instead of gossip, jealousy and anger, there was joy, gladness and praise. It wasn't just fleeting words, he heard a change in people's lifestyle. Grouchers had become glad. Sinners had become saints. Instead of cursing they began praising God and encouraging each other. People had been healed and that was exciting. But the daily change of a life turned over to Jesus was what Bartimaeus noticed the most. That was what Bartimaeus wanted more than anything. Not just a miracle but a whole lifestyle change.
The heart of Bartimaeus cried out for a relationship with the Holy One of Israel. He wasn't interested in the bland diet of the local church. He wanted a vibrant life like the ones he was hearing about every day. Healing of the flesh is great. But the healing of a heart broken by sin is the greatest healing that could ever take place. Bartimaeus wanted a relationship with Jesus that would open up the rest of his life to love, joy, and peace and not just the same old, same old. So, it wasn't what he said that Jesus heard. It was Bartimaeus' heart and he faith that Jesus heard above the crowd. Bartimaeus didn't want just the one-time blessing. He wanted the excitement of a relationship with Jesus.
Jesus is not just a one time God. He is the every day presence that makes life worth the living. It is not how much church you have in you that makes people sit up and take notice. It is how much Jesus you are walking around with. Take some time to know Him today. Give Him space to change whatever He needs to change in your life so that others will see Him more than they know which church you belong to.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Holy is the Lord.
Isaiah records, in Isaiah 6, a visit to heaven. The first thing he notices is that all of the inhabitants of heaven were singing 'Holy, Holy, Holy' to the Lord. It was not because He was the one who would bash their heads in if they didn't. They sang that because of what they knew He was. If you do a study of that Hebrew word 'Holy,' you will find that it not only means 'sacred one' but it also means 'set apart.' If you go deeper into the meaning, you will find it's greatest attribute of Almighty God, 'devoted.' The angels sang that to God, not because they were afraid of Him, but because they saw His actions towards the man that He had created.
When God created heaven and earth, as recorded in the early chapters of Genesis, they saw Him create a special place for only one thing He created. God created the garden of Eden for his special creation, man. Yes, earth was a beautiful place. In the beginning all of it was beautiful and self-sustaining. I am sure all the animals were well cared for. But only for His man did God build a special garden and put him there. Only with His man did God come down and commune. The angels watched Him go every day down to the same spot on the same earth to commune to the same creation......His man.
Then as His man and man's mate, woman, fell into the trap of Lucifer, the angel that sinned and was cast out of Heaven, they must have seen the look on God's face and sensed the heaviness of His heart. They must have seen the agony as God realised that his man would have to die. But they also sat in on the plans God immediately made to send His only begotten Son to die for them and destroy all of Satan's power.
They saw and sensed His joy as He brought Israel out of bondage and set them on the pathway to the promised land. They also saw and sensed His dismay when they sinned and doubted time and time again. But every time His man stumbled or balked at His Word, they saw the determination in God's eyes to give His man the very best that He had. They saw God work through situations that were un-workable just to bless His man. They saw Him work behind the scenes to prepare blessing after blessing for His man. No problem was too hard for Him to solve, no situation was too rough that He could not smooth out for His man. They saw God carefully watch over every Word of His to perform it (Jer 1:12, Jer 29:10).
God never let man's mistakes keep Him from doing what He said He would do. The angels watched as God overlooked man's sin and plotted another course of action for him. They watched God meticulously plan circumstances and events, sometimes 400 years in advance and longer, because He was determined to bless His man just the way He promised. When some sinner messed up God's plan for His believer, God always put plan B into action. The angels watched God patiently and lovingly put together a plan of action for the man He created.
That's why, in Isaiah 6, the angels sang to each other, Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory.' They were describing His heart, 'Dedicated, Dedicated, Dedicated, is the Lord of Hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory.' It should give us ample reason to praise Him in rough situations to know that God is dedicated to us, His man-creation. He is not dedicated to the ungodly that are working against us. He is dedicated to circumvent those ungodly plans and bring us into His covenant.
Between Exodus and Deuteronomy, God spoke over 32 times words to this effect, "When I bring you into the land...." He never talked about anything else but bringing His children into the land He had promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He was dedicated to His Word. Even though David had to spend some time in a cave and had to constantly run away from King Saul, God was still working on a plan to bring His Word to pass.
Keep this in the forefront of your mind as you go about today's tedious task. God is Holy. God is Devoted to YOU. Not just to preachers and those with lots of money. God is devoted to you, even if you have slipped and missed Him. God is devoted to you whether anyone else believes in you or not. God is working on His plan right now to bless you abundantly. Don't give up on Him. Stay in His presence through prayer. Stay in His Word and let it sink deep into your heart until His Word means more to you that the situation you are in. God is not disappointed in you. God is devoted to you. He did not give up on His children who doubted in the wilderness and He did not give up on Peter when he cussed and lied. God had a plan and was faithful enough to bring His children and Peter into the blessings of His Word. God has a plan devoted especially for you. Make your plans to be devoted to Him and let Him work His plan out for you.
When God created heaven and earth, as recorded in the early chapters of Genesis, they saw Him create a special place for only one thing He created. God created the garden of Eden for his special creation, man. Yes, earth was a beautiful place. In the beginning all of it was beautiful and self-sustaining. I am sure all the animals were well cared for. But only for His man did God build a special garden and put him there. Only with His man did God come down and commune. The angels watched Him go every day down to the same spot on the same earth to commune to the same creation......His man.
Then as His man and man's mate, woman, fell into the trap of Lucifer, the angel that sinned and was cast out of Heaven, they must have seen the look on God's face and sensed the heaviness of His heart. They must have seen the agony as God realised that his man would have to die. But they also sat in on the plans God immediately made to send His only begotten Son to die for them and destroy all of Satan's power.
They saw and sensed His joy as He brought Israel out of bondage and set them on the pathway to the promised land. They also saw and sensed His dismay when they sinned and doubted time and time again. But every time His man stumbled or balked at His Word, they saw the determination in God's eyes to give His man the very best that He had. They saw God work through situations that were un-workable just to bless His man. They saw Him work behind the scenes to prepare blessing after blessing for His man. No problem was too hard for Him to solve, no situation was too rough that He could not smooth out for His man. They saw God carefully watch over every Word of His to perform it (Jer 1:12, Jer 29:10).
God never let man's mistakes keep Him from doing what He said He would do. The angels watched as God overlooked man's sin and plotted another course of action for him. They watched God meticulously plan circumstances and events, sometimes 400 years in advance and longer, because He was determined to bless His man just the way He promised. When some sinner messed up God's plan for His believer, God always put plan B into action. The angels watched God patiently and lovingly put together a plan of action for the man He created.
That's why, in Isaiah 6, the angels sang to each other, Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory.' They were describing His heart, 'Dedicated, Dedicated, Dedicated, is the Lord of Hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory.' It should give us ample reason to praise Him in rough situations to know that God is dedicated to us, His man-creation. He is not dedicated to the ungodly that are working against us. He is dedicated to circumvent those ungodly plans and bring us into His covenant.
Between Exodus and Deuteronomy, God spoke over 32 times words to this effect, "When I bring you into the land...." He never talked about anything else but bringing His children into the land He had promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He was dedicated to His Word. Even though David had to spend some time in a cave and had to constantly run away from King Saul, God was still working on a plan to bring His Word to pass.
Keep this in the forefront of your mind as you go about today's tedious task. God is Holy. God is Devoted to YOU. Not just to preachers and those with lots of money. God is devoted to you, even if you have slipped and missed Him. God is devoted to you whether anyone else believes in you or not. God is working on His plan right now to bless you abundantly. Don't give up on Him. Stay in His presence through prayer. Stay in His Word and let it sink deep into your heart until His Word means more to you that the situation you are in. God is not disappointed in you. God is devoted to you. He did not give up on His children who doubted in the wilderness and He did not give up on Peter when he cussed and lied. God had a plan and was faithful enough to bring His children and Peter into the blessings of His Word. God has a plan devoted especially for you. Make your plans to be devoted to Him and let Him work His plan out for you.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
"I'm Just Trying to Pay You Back, Smart Aleck"
Heb 6:10 - For God [is] not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
Let's take a look at Luke 5. Verse 2 says - And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing [their] nets. Wait a minute. Verse 5 will tell you that they had been out all night fishing. I know that I'm not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree, but if they had been out fishing all night, that means that those nets had been in the water. Why did they need to be washed? If you read all of the previous verses, you'll know that Peter and the boys had taken the nets out of the boats to a separate place. They needed to spread the nets out, take out foreign particles like seawead or things that might have gotten tangled during the night of fishing. These items could cause the nets to tangle and keep them from opening correctly. Also, it gave them a chance to examine the nets for torn webbing that would allow fish to escape. All of these things were important to the fishermen. It meant the difference between catching fish or losing them because of tangled or broken nets. It meant having enough money to put food on the table. It meant being able to buy the things that they needed to to live. It was a vital part of their day.
It is just like daily Bible reading and daily prayer for the Christian. These two are vital parts of our lives. They give God an opportunity to untangle things in our lives that daily living tangles up. They give God an opportunity to patch up holes in our lives that daily "strains" seem to put there. Amen? Can you see the parallel? Every day problems that we face sometimes get us tangled up as to what God's will is for us. The "strain" of facing these problems sometimes "tears us apart." Never, never, never, ever forget that Jesus' blood was shed to redeem us from sin, sickness and poverty. That is why it is so important to get a daily dose of His Word. And how can He speak words of kindness to us if we never come to Him and prayer and shut up during prayer. Spend some silent time with Him and let Him do some talking if He wants to.
Luke 5:3 - And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.
Luke 5:4 - Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
Luke 5:5 - And Simon 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.
Peter and the boys were probably thinking, "Hey, Jesus-whoever-you-think-you are, you sound pretty good at preaching. Well, we're pretty good at fishing because that's what we've been doing all of our lives. Why don't you just stick to preachin' and let us tend to fishin." However, Jesus had just finished a sermon in front of hundreds if not thousands of people. They believed this Jesus guy to be a real somebody. All hundreds or thousands of them were standing there watching to see what Blowhard Peter was going to do.
So, Mr. Slickster thinks he is going to pull a fast one on Jesus, since Jesus is only a preacherman. Go down to verse seven. It says that they had to call for help from the other ship. Peter knew that it took two boats to properly fish with a net. Trying to pull a fast one on the stupid preacher, ain't you Petey boy? You know it's a good thing that none of us try to pula fast one on Jesus, ain't it? R-i-i-i-i-i-i-ght.
Notice that in verse 5, Peter says "Nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net." Peter knew where the fishing spots were and was not even going to give Jesus a hint. His plan was to drop the nets into the water, and wait a little while until the crowds started leaving. He knew that the nets would never fully open with just one ship. That's right, drop the nets overboard, pull them back in real quick, make a fool out of Jesus and go home and get some sleep. It was a real slick plan.
Did Jesus fall for this plan? He sure did. He was in the the whole creation thing back in Genesis 1. He knew where the good spots were. He also knew the fish. But most of all, the fish knew who Jesus was. They knew that He was King of kings and Lord of lords and to disobey Him was to bring on disaster.
Up at the top of this lesson, Hebrews 6 tells us that God always remember our work and labour of love. Sure, He was asking a strange thing of Peter. Sure, it did not make sense to go fishing during the day when the fish were supposed to be out in the deep water where their nets couldn't reach. But, Jesus had used Peter's boat and He was just paying Peter back for it's use. He knew that Peter was hard-headed and a blowhard. Trying to reason with Peter would have been useless until he realized who Jesus was. Once Peter found out, he would make a great disciple.
Sometimes God asks strange things of us. First of all, our relationship with Him needs to be so up-to-date that we know when He is speaking and when it's just us thinking. He might be directing us to take a position in the church. He might be directing us to attend another church that needs help. He might be directing us in a specific way of giving or of increasing our giving. Sometimes, the things that He asks do not make sense to us. Sometimes, they go against the grain of the way we have been doing things all of our lives. If we know God, and know that He is directing us in a thing, then go for it and let Him be responsible for the blessing. Remember Peter. In all his vast experience, what Jesus asked him to do did not make sense at all. However, to Jesus, it made perfect sense. Peter did not realize that until Jesus was through blessing him. Have patience with God. He might just be trying to pay us back abundantly for all the hard work we have done. Know Him and know His blessings.
Let's take a look at Luke 5. Verse 2 says - And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing [their] nets. Wait a minute. Verse 5 will tell you that they had been out all night fishing. I know that I'm not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree, but if they had been out fishing all night, that means that those nets had been in the water. Why did they need to be washed? If you read all of the previous verses, you'll know that Peter and the boys had taken the nets out of the boats to a separate place. They needed to spread the nets out, take out foreign particles like seawead or things that might have gotten tangled during the night of fishing. These items could cause the nets to tangle and keep them from opening correctly. Also, it gave them a chance to examine the nets for torn webbing that would allow fish to escape. All of these things were important to the fishermen. It meant the difference between catching fish or losing them because of tangled or broken nets. It meant having enough money to put food on the table. It meant being able to buy the things that they needed to to live. It was a vital part of their day.
It is just like daily Bible reading and daily prayer for the Christian. These two are vital parts of our lives. They give God an opportunity to untangle things in our lives that daily living tangles up. They give God an opportunity to patch up holes in our lives that daily "strains" seem to put there. Amen? Can you see the parallel? Every day problems that we face sometimes get us tangled up as to what God's will is for us. The "strain" of facing these problems sometimes "tears us apart." Never, never, never, ever forget that Jesus' blood was shed to redeem us from sin, sickness and poverty. That is why it is so important to get a daily dose of His Word. And how can He speak words of kindness to us if we never come to Him and prayer and shut up during prayer. Spend some silent time with Him and let Him do some talking if He wants to.
Luke 5:3 - And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.
Luke 5:4 - Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
Luke 5:5 - And Simon 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.
Peter and the boys were probably thinking, "Hey, Jesus-whoever-you-think-you are, you sound pretty good at preaching. Well, we're pretty good at fishing because that's what we've been doing all of our lives. Why don't you just stick to preachin' and let us tend to fishin." However, Jesus had just finished a sermon in front of hundreds if not thousands of people. They believed this Jesus guy to be a real somebody. All hundreds or thousands of them were standing there watching to see what Blowhard Peter was going to do.
So, Mr. Slickster thinks he is going to pull a fast one on Jesus, since Jesus is only a preacherman. Go down to verse seven. It says that they had to call for help from the other ship. Peter knew that it took two boats to properly fish with a net. Trying to pull a fast one on the stupid preacher, ain't you Petey boy? You know it's a good thing that none of us try to pula fast one on Jesus, ain't it? R-i-i-i-i-i-i-ght.
Notice that in verse 5, Peter says "Nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net." Peter knew where the fishing spots were and was not even going to give Jesus a hint. His plan was to drop the nets into the water, and wait a little while until the crowds started leaving. He knew that the nets would never fully open with just one ship. That's right, drop the nets overboard, pull them back in real quick, make a fool out of Jesus and go home and get some sleep. It was a real slick plan.
Did Jesus fall for this plan? He sure did. He was in the the whole creation thing back in Genesis 1. He knew where the good spots were. He also knew the fish. But most of all, the fish knew who Jesus was. They knew that He was King of kings and Lord of lords and to disobey Him was to bring on disaster.
Up at the top of this lesson, Hebrews 6 tells us that God always remember our work and labour of love. Sure, He was asking a strange thing of Peter. Sure, it did not make sense to go fishing during the day when the fish were supposed to be out in the deep water where their nets couldn't reach. But, Jesus had used Peter's boat and He was just paying Peter back for it's use. He knew that Peter was hard-headed and a blowhard. Trying to reason with Peter would have been useless until he realized who Jesus was. Once Peter found out, he would make a great disciple.
Sometimes God asks strange things of us. First of all, our relationship with Him needs to be so up-to-date that we know when He is speaking and when it's just us thinking. He might be directing us to take a position in the church. He might be directing us to attend another church that needs help. He might be directing us in a specific way of giving or of increasing our giving. Sometimes, the things that He asks do not make sense to us. Sometimes, they go against the grain of the way we have been doing things all of our lives. If we know God, and know that He is directing us in a thing, then go for it and let Him be responsible for the blessing. Remember Peter. In all his vast experience, what Jesus asked him to do did not make sense at all. However, to Jesus, it made perfect sense. Peter did not realize that until Jesus was through blessing him. Have patience with God. He might just be trying to pay us back abundantly for all the hard work we have done. Know Him and know His blessings.
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