Month: March 2018

MOUTH AND HEART CHRISTIANS…


Spiritual Blog - Heart and Mouth

Psalm 19:14 – “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.” NASU

 There have been times in my life, Christian walk, and ministry that I have either found myself out of harmony with that directive or have encountered others who were so conditioned.  What does it mean to be out of harmony between the “mouth” and the “heart”?  It means that what you are saying is not what you really believe or living and that would fall under the definition of “hypocrisy”.  None of us wants to be a hypocrite.

David’s prayer is one that I pray regularly and with earnest because I recognize that if “my talking the talk” does not line up with “my walking the walk” then it is like “rain on a tin barn” and is only noise but no substance.  There will be no impact on lives for the good and God only repulsion and rejection of both the message and messenger.  But, it goes deeper than that because if my “words” are not in harmony with the “meditation” of my heart then I lose out in my relationship with God and do not develop or enjoy the bountiful benefits of walking with Him.  In that condition, I am, at best, out of fellowship with my Lord and at worst in a rebellious state and in danger of being spewed out of His mouth.

I want my words to PLEASE THE LORD as well as my thoughts and heart.  I want my actions, which spring out of my heart to be pleasing to God and productive for the cause of the Kingdom of God.  I believe that the vast majority of believers desire the same thing ALL THE TIME.  Therefore, the question arises – “How Do We Ensure That Is the Case?”  I believe that Jesus said it best in Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” NASU  Paul echoed that in a different fashion in 2 Corinthians 10:5-6 – “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, 6 and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.” NASU If we are to have our “words” and “meditation” or our MOUTH and HEART be in harmony with the pleasure of the Lord we MUST make Him first above everything.  We MUST take proactive steps to ensure that NO THOUGHT that is out of harmony with His Word is allowed lodging in our hearts or minds.  We MUST become people of PRAYER, PRAISE, and PURSUIT of God.  If we do that I am convinced that God will step into our situations and maneuver our “words” and “meditations” so that they are in complete harmony and pleasing to the Father!

May God be with you and guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus our Lord as you go through your day!

 

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SOMETHING THE WICKED CANNOT HAVE…..


Spiritual Blog - Peace

Isaiah 57:19-21 – “I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near,” Says the LORD, “And I will heal him.”  20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, When it cannot rest, Whose waters cast up mire and dirt. 21 “There is no peace,” Says my God, “for the wicked.”  NKJV

 

Jesus said in John 14:27-28 – “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” NASU Paul later wrote in Philippians 4:7 –“And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” NASU The Lord, through Isaiah, declares that He creates the fruit of the lips and grants peace to the one who is near and the one who is far off.  God promises to bring healing to those and I personally believe that means physically, mentally, socially, spiritually, and economically.  Then He says something that should catch our attention if the first part did not.

God identified that there is something that the wicked cannot have or possess – TRUE PEACE.  The wicked will toss and turn on his bed at night troubled by shadows of things they fear whether real or imagined.  The wicked will always be looking over his shoulder because of the vileness of his heart and the corruption that proceeds from it.  He will never trust anyone because he cannot be trusted.  He is like a troubled sea that dredges up filth and pollution and THERE IS NO REAL PEACE.  So, if your life is marked by the absence of peace you might want to examine your relationship with our Lord.  I am not saying you are wicked but suggesting that if you allow the Holy Spirit to develop your relationship with Jesus, PEACE will become a natural product of your life and its continued absence is a definite sign of a problem.  On the other hand, if you are engaged in wickedness then you cannot expect to experience true peace or continual peace it is not something that God will allow you to have.

I know the PEACE OF GOD that goes far beyond what the human mind can comprehend or imagine.  I know what it is to be completely calm, collected, and restful in the midst of a situation that would cause any heart to be completely hysterical.  I know what the infusion of GOD’S PEACE can bring to any situation and any heart in the most difficult of times.  That place of peace is a place that I desire as my permanent residence.

May God be with you as you go through your day!

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LEGAL AUTHORITY…


Spiritual Blog - Authority

Matthew 4:8-11 – “Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; 9 and he said to Him, ” All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.'”  11 Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.”  NASU

It would be impossible in a short devotional to fully exegete this subject, but I want to say a few things with the hope of giving you comfort and hope in your daily walk, work, and spiritual warfare.  This is a fascinating passage in that the devil insinuates to our LORD that he, the devil, has authority over the kingdoms of this world.  Jesus did not dispute that therefore, I conclude that it was the truth.  The Bible refers to the devil as being the “god of this world” in 2 Corinthians 4:4, Jesus called him the “ruler of this world” in John 12:31, and Paul addressed him as “the prince of the power of the air” in Ephesians 2:2.  

Therefore, when Jesus walked the earth, the devil had “legal authority” in the world and over man.  How did that happen?  It happened in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve in their rebellion and the Fall of Man.  In Genesis 1:26-28 we find God gave Adam “dominion” over the earth and everything that lived in and on it.  Adam and Eve were to “subdue” and “have dominion” over the earth.  Man, was to “live forever” and “fill” or “replenish” the earth.  In the Garden, God walked and talked with him and man was in a perfect state of peace and purity living in harmony with and in total obedience to God.  In that state, they were not only made in the image of God they represented and manifested Him in all that He was.

There was a problem coming that God knew in which Adam and Eve would be put to the test and determine the future of man on the earth.  Lucifer as described by Ezekiel and Isaiah, a cherub angel, created by God began to be filled with Pride and a thirst for power and position.  He wanted to be “like the most high” and in his heart began to desire to be “possessor of heaven and earth.”  He didn’t just want to be “like” God, he wanted to “be” God.  His Pride and Rebellion resulted in one-third of the angels following him in that rebellion and God evicted him from heaven.  At that point, Lucifer or Satan became God’s chief enemy.  He had polluted heaven with sin and rebellion requiring a purging and now he was roaming the earth seeking to do the same and bring God’s creation into a state of rebellion.  The devil knew that in order to control the Earth, he would, of necessity, have to control the human race.

In Genesis 3 we read the record of Eve’s deception and her role in the deception and seduction of Adam in this rebellion against God.  The devil presented them with a lie or better THE LIE and used their reason against them.  His suggestion that God was keeping something good from them and they deserved more prominence, position, control, and power produced an infection that resulted in Rebellion.  The command of God to NOT EAT the fruit could have been a command to NOT CROSS a stream or anything.  The object is not the fruit but the act, it was REBELLION and DISOBEDIENCE.  Adam and Eve were co-regents of the Earth and in their act of rebellion they legally relinquished their crown to the devil and separated themselves from the care, keeping, and covering of God.  This gave the devil legal ownership or rulership in the Earth.

Jesus came, as the last Adam, and legally took back the rulership from the devil through his sinless life and sacrificial death.  Jesus has stripped the devil of his legal authority and since we are IN CHRIST we are not subject to the lordship of the “god of this world.”  The devil has NO LEGAL AUTHORITY in our lives and when we allow him to operate we are allowing a criminal to openly and without confrontation take our possessions.  We have been given weapons of warfare that are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.  We are more than conquerors through Jesus.  Do not accept the idea that the devil has any authority in this earth, EXCEPT in those who are not “blood bought.”  The Blood of Jesus is our badge of authority over the power and authority of the devil.  You are IN Christ and in that condition and position, you have authority over all the power of the devil.  The Bible says that if we “resist the devil” he will because he has no choice, flee from us!

You have Legal Authority through Christ and your authority frees you from the power of the devil!   So, as you enjoy this day, refuse to be intimidated by the devil and embrace your condition and position as a Child of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  We serve the Living God and in Him, we live and move and have our being!   Walk in peace this day!

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NATIONAL PRAYER – America and the World…


Spiritual Blog - National Prayer

Daniel 9:3-10 – “So I directed my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes. 4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed and said, “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and extends lovingkindness toward those who love Him and keep His commandments, 5 we have sinned and committed wrong, and have behaved wickedly and have rebelled, turning away from Your commandments and ordinances. 6 Further, we have not listened to and heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our princes and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.  7 “Righteousness belongs to You, O Lord, but to us confusion and open shame, as it is this day—to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those who are nearby and those who are far away, in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of the [treacherous] acts of unfaithfulness which they have committed against You. 8 O Lord, to us belong confusion and open shame—to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers—because we have sinned against You. 9 To the Lord our God belong mercy and lovingkindness and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against Him; 10 and we have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by walking in His laws which He set before us through His servants the prophets.”  Amplified 

 

 As Daniel reflected on the Word of God, the Prophecies and the Promises concerning Israel to be realized after seventy years of exile, he prayed this prayer.  As I read it the immediate cry of my heart was AMERICA and the CHURCH.  If there ever was a time when this nation and the world should call a fast and engage in intercessory prayer, it is today.  Let me walk through Daniel’s prayer and suggest a similar path for us to follow in praying for today’s world.

He began by HALLOWING the Name and Person of God.  He recognized God’s Greatness, His Awesomeness, His Covenant Keeping, His Mercy, Longsuffering and Lovingkindness toward His people.  He begins by Praise and Adoration of WHO GOD IS as well as WHAT GOD DOES.  What God does is a reflection and outworking of Who He is.  Daniel entered the Gates and Courts of God with Thanksgiving and Praise.  His first recognition was not “What he or the nation needed, but WHO GOD IS!”  That conditions the heart for proper interaction with God.

His second step was ADMISSION and CONFESSION of his and the nation’s sins and acknowledged the wickedness of their behavior.  He admitted their actions and attitude amounted to REBELLION.  He did not shy away from the reality that they were not following God’s precepts and principles but were living as a Law unto themselves in Self-Centeredness.  He acknowledged that they had turned a deaf ear to God and no longer listened to His directives either by His Spirit, through His prophets, or in His written word.  They had sinned, and Daniel made an open and honest confession.  There was no sugar-coating, justification, or seeking caveats through which they could be absolved of any guilt.  They were GUILTY of sin and He CONFESSED and ACCEPTED his and the nation’s responsibility for their actions.

He then recounts WHO GOD IS saying, “Righteousness belongs to You, O Lord…”  He follows that with accepting personal responsibility saying, “But to us confusion and open shame, as is this day…”  We are Guilty!  He called their actions treacherous and identified the unfaithfulness as the cause of open shame, confusion, and rejection.  He said, “WE HAVE SINNED AGAINST YOU.” 

If you move down just a few verses you find the Arch Angel Gabriel coming with an answer from the Father and the Promise of help.  It would behoove us to remember the words of Jesus in Luke 12:32, “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”  Also, 2 Chronicles 7:14 enjoins us that if we will repent, pray, seek God’s face, and turn from wickedness He will HEAR our prayers, FORGIVE our sins, and HEAL our land.

Believers, if we are going to see God’s Restoration and Deliverance of our Nation and a Renewal and or Revival in the Church we need to heed, embrace, and adopt Daniel’s prayer.  We need to heed the words of our Lord in Matthew 6:33, “…Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness…”  It is then that ALL THESE THINGS are added to us, deliverance comes, and God’s Spirit moves through the land in the hearts and minds of people and we are RESTORED.

God bless you as you set your hearts to seek him for the nation, the church, your family, and yourself.   Have a Great Day!

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WHAT IF GOD DOESN’T DELIVER YOU???


Spiritual Blog - Even If

Daniel 3:15-18 – “Now if you are ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image which I have made, very good. But if you do not worship, you shall be thrown at once into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can rescue you out of my hands?”  16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to answer you on this point. 17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up!”  Amplified.

  

 Let me begin by asking, “Have you experienced a situation in your life where the answer did not come or did not come in the way you desired or expected?”  Let me pose that a little differently and say that I am convinced each of us have prayed for someone that did not get healed, mothers have prayed for their sons in time of war who did not come, children or loved one’s lives have been snuffed out in a tragic accident even though we prayed for God’s protection and deliverance.  I realize that is a bit different from what these three young men were facing but the question is still valid – “What If God Doesn’t?” 

I fully believe that God can!  His ability to perform the miraculous is not in question for me.  I don’t even question His willingness and refer to numerous passages in the New Testament when someone said, “If you are willing?”  Each time Jesus said, “I am willing.”  One even said, “If you can” and Jesus said, “IF I CAN?”  Of course, He can, but WHAT IF.  I’ve ministered to people in tragedy, disappointment, and loss who waited until the event to decide how they would respond.  Some wait until matters are critical to pray, seek God’s face and help and then find themselves incredibly perplexed and troubled if things do not go as they desired.  You do not wait until the shooting starts to prepare for war.  You do not wait until the well runs dry to prepare for water.  You do not wait until the pantry is empty to begin searching for food.  You must plan, prepare, and decide BEFORE the crisis to survive the crisis.

These young men had determined in their hearts that they were going to serve God and not participate in the worship of anyone or anything other than Him.  Before, the Giant Statue and Edict came into existence they, along with Daniel had determined in their hearts to serve God REGARDLESS.  No wonder, the Bible says of Daniel that there was an “excellent spirit” in him.  No wonder, these young men find their way into the scriptural record. They had decided, settled the issue, and they were confident God was trustworthy.

The King’s edict was, “bow down or burn.”  Their answer to the King is powerful and continually serves as encouragement to me in times of ease or difficulty.  The place they had arrived and the position and condition of their hearts are where I strive to be and long to stand.  They said, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to answer you to this point.”  Fascinating!  “Hey, king, there is nothing to discuss the decision is already made.”  Hear what they said, “If it be so, our God whom we serve IS ABLE to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire…”  There is no vacillation in their hearts or minds – GOD CAN.  They continued, “…and HE WILL rescue us from your hand, O king.”   HALLELUJAH!  Hear their commitment, confidence, and faith in this.  God Can that is not a question or concern.  God will!  That is amazing because it expresses their confidence that one way or other, God will rescue us from you, Mr. King.  Notice the next statement, “But even if HE DOES NOT, let it be known to you, O king, that WE ARE NOT GOING TO SERVE YOUR GODS or WORSHIP the golden image that you have set up!”   In East Texas vernacular, “Bring it on, king!  Bring it on! We ain’t gonna bow down!”

The key is COMMITMENT and CONFIDENCE.  The key is TRUST so complete that even if death in the natural is the result there will be NO OTHER GODS before the Living God of Heaven.  Even if God DOES NOT do what we ask or expect, we won’t bend even if we burn because WE TRUST GOD.  It is critical, in our Christian Walk to reach a place that we are so confident in God, and so completely committed to Him that we have no other thought than serving Him.  That’s where the disciples were when imprisoned by the Sanhedrin and Peter said, “Whom shall we obey, God or man?”  If we reach the place in our lives where the issue of bowing or burning is decided, we can face all the WHAT Ifs of Life with complete peace.  We live, knowing that GOD CAN and are confident that HE WILL, but IF HE DOESN’T that changes nothing because in the end He still rescues us, and the reward is eternal.  What shall a man give in exchange for his soul and what is the benefit of gaining the whole world and losing our souls?

If you decide in advance that you won’t bow even if you burn your confidence will cause hell to tremble and your peace will guide you safely through all the troubled waters of life.  I pray that God will richly bless you and enable you to abide under the shelter of His arms.  Have a Great Day!

 

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GOD DEALS WITH OUR WANT TO, But…


Spiritual Blog - Want To

Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 5:4-21

These passages give us a view of what we identify as the “Ten Commandments”.  I have neither the time nor inclination to take the one by one and give a dissertation or exegete them.  However, for the purpose of this devotional, I want to deal with a matter that has long been in my heart and one that many seem to struggle with in life.  The matter of our “want to” and what we are to do while God is dealing with our hearts in addressing the “want to” within us.

What am I talking about?  I am talking about the human heart and its total conversion to “Christlikeness” and “Conformity” to the Word, Will, and Way of God.  I am talking about the Christian Life lived in the fullest dimension and whether we can or should expect God to purge the “want to” from us regarding sin and things contrary or counter to His character and nature.  Some believe that there is a singular moment with God so transforms the heart that you no longer have a tendency or temptation to sin.  Others believe that God never takes away the desire or bent toward sin from us and others believe that it is a process in which we are progressively sanctified and the “want to” is dealt with divinely.  I am not trying to stir up controversy but suffice it to say, UNTIL God deals with the “want to” in our hearts regarding sin and the tug of the world WHAT is our responsibility?  Now, we are getting to where the rubber meets the road spiritually.  Daily living and personal responsibility.

I go to the Ten Commandments to help me understand this problem or potential and look at the command regarding COVETOUSNESS.  That is the “want to” commandment where God is focused on the human heart.  In all the other covenants we are told DON’T DO THIS or DO THIS but, in this commandment, He is dealing with the WANT TO.  The focus is on the desire of the heart or the “want to.”  I believe that when we receive Christ as our Lord and Savior, repenting of our sins and are born-again through the sacrificial blood of the atonement we are CHANGED and become ANOTHER PERSON.  We are not the same and although we struggle with many things in life and temptation continues to raise its ugly head our DESIRE is to Please God and we do not WANT TO SIN.  The problem is, we do fall short from time to time.  I am not talking about going back to a lifestyle of sin but an occasional bump in the road and stumble in our walk.  It may be attitudinal, omission, or commission but the problem is there, and we know it is wrong, often weep over it, and regret its occurrence.  If it is totally God’s responsibility to eradicate this condition then we have no responsibility and can just shrug it off and say, “When God totally transform me, I’ll be different,” thereby erasing our personal accountability.  That is flawed logic, in my view.

I believe, from my study of Scripture, we should desire THE CHANGE that comes to be complete and experience such sanctification that sin is a historic problem not a current one in our lives.  However, since most of us are forced to acknowledge that we do stumble from time to time and err in our words and deeds Determination and Will Power must be infused into the situation.  God expects, no He demands from us, personal responsibility and accountability.  That, to me, means that I have a part to play in the process.  I do not want to sin, not simply because of the consequences of sin alone but because of how it impacts God.  It breaks His heart and that I never want to do.  I want Him to be pleased with me and I want to become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus and live holy because He is holy.  Therefore, UNTIL the “want to” is fully dealt with in my heart and the transformation is complete it is my responsibility to exercise restraint and DO NOT or DO what we know to do.  It may not be easy, and we may not feel like it but JUST DO IT.  Some have argued that doing so would be hypocritical because what we did was not consistent with the heart’s true feelings.  I say to that, “Just because your flesh wants to eat 5 pounds of chocolate, but your mind says, that is not healthy, should you just do it because of your desire?”   No marriage would survive allowing the eyes or desires of the flesh drive the actions.  If you still have a “want to” problem in some areas then it is your responsibility to reach deep inside, with the help of the Holy Spirit and DETERMINE that you WILL NOT, or you WILL do what is right.  You may fail, but over time, you will bring your “want to” to the place on God’s altar that it is crucified with Him and no longer problematic.  In fact, I’ve found that the more I exercise biblical restraint or engage in the pursuit of biblical principles even when I don’t feel like it or want to do it, the easier it becomes to do right which leads to being right.      It is a Heart Issue!

If my “want to” is not consistent with the “ought to” of God, then I must command, my flesh and exercise biblical restraint or pursue biblical commitment and DO RIGHT.  God will help us, and I have often thought that His allowing us to be tempted is to help us realize that we are incapable of living this Christian life without the aide of the Holy Spirit and the Grace of God.  He says, “Seek Me and you will find me.”  When we set our hearts to doing right regardless of the inner desires or temptations HE IS THERE, and His Grace prevails.

God bless you richly as you enjoy this day in Him!

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THE CHRISTIAN’S DILEMMA REGARDING GOVERNMENT…


Spiritual Blog - God and Government

Romans 13:1-7 – “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. 3 For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; 4 for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. 5 Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. 7 Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.”  NASU

I heard this again from the Lord in my time with Him this morning of having coffee and fellowship with Him.  I again asked the Lord, “What do Christians do when the leaders follow paths that violate your Word?”  He instructed my heart again this way.

SUBJECTION AND PRAYER:

We are whenever and wherever possible to be subject to and obey the laws of the human government.  God does have all authority and He has a purpose for allowing leaders to be in place and sometimes that is simply to wake up the people from their slumber and apathy as has been the case time after time in Scripture.  Yet, when their laws violate the directive of the Lord we must make a choice understanding the possible consequences of both man and God.

OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MAN:

Acts 5:27-32 – “When they had brought them, they stood them before the Council. The high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, ” We must obey God rather than men. 30 ” The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. 31 ” He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. 32 “And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”   NASU

When we have a directive from the Lord and human government instructs us to violate that directive we must make a choice.  To disobey human government could mean incarceration in prison or even death but to disobey God is an even greater peril, at least for me. I’m not talking about opinion; I’m talking about a clear directive from the Lord and His word.  If God has directed us, as Christians, we have only one choice and that is obedience no matter the cost or repercussions.  What happens if Caesar asks for something that belongs to God?

RENDER UNTO CAESAR AND RENDER UNTO GOD:

Matthew 22:21-22 – “They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” Then He said to them, ” Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.”  22 And hearing this, they were amazed, and leaving Him, they went away.”  NASU

If the government asks us for something that belongs to God how shall we give it?  That would include everything from the above verses as well.  If we make government a god that would violate the Ten Commandments and clear directive of God that I have no other gods before Him.  I cannot give honor to something that is dishonorable and violates the sanctity of human life that would violate God’s revealed manner of life and principles.  I may have cause to fear them even if I am doing right because they are opposed to God and His way, therefore, I fear God, not a man and the fear I have for God is a reverential fear not one of terror.

WHAT DO WE DO?  We pray for those in leadership.  We pray for their salvation.  We pray that they make right decisions.  We pray that their decisions bring the people to a place of repentance and returning to God.  We pray that God gives His grace (mercy & divine enablement) to all those who follow Him to walk through the fire and not be burned; to walk through the flood and now drown.  We pray for our brothers and sisters as well as the lost and dying.  We pray for God’s Grace and Mercy to flood the land and maintain our integrity walking in the light of His Word and in total obedience to Him.  And having done all to stand we stand fast and stand firm in the directives of our LORD and if it comes to crunch time we follow the path of the Disciples – “Whom shall we obey God or man?”  The answer is GOD!

The Blessings of the LORD be upon you is my prayer and desire!

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CONVERSATION WITH A COLLEGE PROFESSOR…


Spiritual Blog - Confusion

Genesis 1:1-2 – “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”  NKJV

 

The time changed last night and the March winds are howling this morning, but it is a great day to be alive and my time with the Lord this morning has been inspirational.  From time to time the Lord reminds me of encounters with people from various walks of life I have had and one, in particular, came to mind that I want to talk about today.  It was a conversation I had recently with a College Professor about CREATION.

That individual has 2 Ph.D.’s in areas of science and is a devout evolutionist but also claims to be a devout Christian.  Our conversation led to many areas but finally, this individual said, “You just need to study the Tree of Life.”  I replied, “I have studied the “Word of Life and my name is in the Book of Life, so I believe that I understand the Tree of Life that God has established.”  The response was, “Oh the Bible, that outdated, error-filled book of fables and myths.”  Okay, now I have a problem with one area of devoutness in this person’s life and it’s not regarding their devotedness to the theory of evolution.  This person denies the validity of the Bible and questions the very existence of the God of the Bible but believes there is a higher intelligence but it’s interwoven in nature and is not a single entity.

I won’t mention the church this individual is a part of because I know some another folk who attend there and that’s not their view.  This reminds me of a college professor I had years ago with whom I got into several debates and disproved his theories and assertions in class and ended up being forbidden to speak in class else I would fail the class.  I have no doubt that many in Academia and the “so-called” intellectual community believe as this individual.  I have no doubt that there are those taught by our public school system have been fed this type of fallacy and do not believe or are not sure what they believe about creation and evolution.  I don’t fall into that category, I know exactly what I believe, and it begins, “IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED…”

Therefore, believing the first verse of the first chapter of the Bible, I can go on to believe the rest of the Bible.  I believe that Jesus came in the flesh, born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died on the cross for us, rose again on the third day, ascended to the right hand of the throne of the Father and now makes intercession for us and is coming back like He said.  With that settled, I have received Jesus as my savior, repenting of my sins and have been transferred from the kingdom of darkness into God’s marvelous light.  I am BORN AGAIN!  My eternal soul will live forever in the presence of the Almighty God, the God of the Bible and I am at perfect peace with that.  It doesn’t matter what happens in this world that will not change.  They may, at some point in time, separate my head from my mortal body but that won’t change my faith only my location.  I will then be absent from the body but present with the Lord!  I rejoice in Genesis 1:1 and the door it opens!  Rejoice, my friends, rejoice redemption draws near!

May the richest of God’s Blessings flow to and through you as you enjoy this wonderful day He has prepared. 

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DRESSED AND READY FOR BATTLE…


Spiritual Blog - Battle REady

Ephesians 6:14-20 – “Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints —  19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”  NKJV

 

The morning began a bit later than usual and things have a vastly different appearance when that happens.  The quietness and solitude are not so quiet and there are many of God’s creatures scurrying about including workers just over my backyard fence.  Yet, I still enjoyed my coffee, bible reading, and conversation with the Lord.  He told me to “Get Dressed…”

I was praying for this country and the state she is in and what we can and should do to right the ship.  He let me ramble for a while and heard my rants, fears, concerns, complaints and then finally when I took a breath I heard in my spirit, “Get dressed to go out to Battle.  Get dressed to take a stand and not be moved.  Get ready for the battle after the battle.  Be prepared no just for the battle but for the war.”  That stopped me in my tracks and caused me to think for a while and after about an hour or so I turned to the computer to write and put my thoughts on paper.

We are to stand “wrapped” in truth, God’s truth.  The truth that shall make us free!  The truth that leads us to life!  The truth that is impeachable and impeccable!  The Good News of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ the Righteous!  Wrapped in that truth is step one!  Then, we are to have on the breastplate of righteousness.  Our hearts must be covered with righteousness, not ours but His.  Our righteousness is but filthy rags but His righteousness is whiter than the driven snow.  It is pure without the human imperfections.  Seek first the kingdom of God and HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS!  That’s when things happen not before!  Take the shield of faith.  We must exhibit faith, trust, and confidence settled assurance in Him, His word, His will, and His way.  We are to walk in TOTAL CONFIDENCE in Him and His promises; walking without wavering.  We must not be double-minded but steadfast in our confidence.  We are to take the helmet of salvation.  It is most interesting that Salvation would be a helmet (head covering) but that is because we must get our minds right, our thoughts right.  We are to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.  As a man thinks in his heart so is he.  We are to take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.  We must immerse ourselves in God’s word and become so saturated with that word that if you cut us we would bleed the word.  So, we are ready always to give an answer to every man for the reason of the hope that is within us. Finally, we are to PRAY, which is the vital portion of this attire.  We are to pray ALWAYS!   Praying with ALL prayer and supplication in the spirit – watching with perseverance for all the saints and THEN we can STAND and STAND BOLDY.  It is then we can become unmovable, steadfast.  Dressed up and ready to go to war and ready to go home if the need be, but UNMOVABLE!  Prepared for Battle!

For us to see revival come to this world we must fight the good fight of faith.  WE must continue to pray for our leaders and our land.  WE must continue to be clothed with God’s prescribed attire for battle and we must use the weapons of our warfare, which are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.  The battle is before us and the Lord is with us the only questions are – – Will we endure to the end?  Will we having done all to stand, stand and keep on standing?  As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!

May the rich and bountiful blessing of the LORD be upon you as go through your day and may the Lord of Hosts, grant you peace and wisdom to do all that you have been commissioned to do on this beautiful day He has made!

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PONDER THE PATH OF YOUR FEET……


Spiritual Blog - Pondering

Proverbs 4:25-27 – “Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you.  26 Ponder the path of your feet and let all your ways be established.  27 Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil.”  NKJV

 

It is another beautiful morning with a cool but refreshing breeze.  The sun has not yet risen over the horizon and the creatures have not begun to stir so I sit in solitude thinking of the things of God.  I sit drinking my morning cup of coffee, reading my bible and conversing with the Lord.  The thought that arose in my heart was “Ponder the path of your feet….” 

When we consider parental instructions, we almost always think in the natural realm but we need to elevate our thinking to that of our Heavenly Father’s advice and counsel to us, His children.  These three verses are filled with incredibly valuable counsel and should be heeded, daily.

  1. FOCUS – – The writer directs our thoughts to the need to keep focused on the journey and not become sidetracked by peripheral issues. We are to keep our eyes on the Cross, the empty tomb and turned heavenward looking for the soon appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ the Righteous.  We are to “seek FIRST the Kingdom of God and His righteousness”.  Our focus must be maintained lest our journey take unnecessary detours and have unnecessary delays in reaching our destination.
  2. PONDER – An Interesting word that among other things means to “roll flat”, “revolve”, “weigh mentally”. It is a word that could be used in describing the road building techniques of the Romans.  They would grind to a powder and pulverize the rocks, etc. to make them into the sand-like material that they could be placed where they wanted the road or ramp and then roll them flat to make them compacted together and smooth.  We need to ponder our path or make a smooth road out of life through the power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit.
  3. ESTABLISHED – We need to ensure that our course of life is fixed, settled, determined and prepared. We do this through our relationship with Him by our deep settled commitment to Him and His purposes.  We cover every plan, desire, and purpose with prayer, seeking His face for our every move and walk in the quiet confidence of His guidance.  We fix our eyes on Jesus and stay on the course and run the race to its conclusion.
  4. REMOVE – – We turn back from the past and press toward the prize of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus. We remove our feet from evil by our complete surrender to Him.  We resign as the captain of our fate and the master of our soul and allow Him to be Lord of All in our lives.  We shun the very appearance of evil and cling to Him the author and finisher of our faith.

We cannot walk this walk, run this race, finish the course in victory without Him leading the way and being Lord of all.  The road is too rough, the race too long and the course too uncertain to do it in our own strength.  We must have Him to pilot our ship through the troubled waters of life.  Jesus, you are Captain my Captain and Lord of All to me!  Guide my life!  Guard my heart!  Give me the grace to walk before you in all things!

May the Lord bless you as you go through your day in Him.  Have a spectacular day on this wonderful day that the Lord has created for us!

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