Month: June 2018

THE IMMEASURABLE GOD WE SERVE…


Spiritual Blog - Awesome

Isaiah 40:12-18 – “Who else has held the oceans in his hand? Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed out the mountains and the hills? 13 Who is able to advise the Spirit of the LORD? Who knows enough to be his teacher or counselor? 14 Has the LORD ever needed anyone’s advice? Does he need instruction about what is good or what is best? 15 No, for all the nations of the world are nothing in comparison with him. They are but a drop in the bucket, dust on the scales. He picks up the islands as though they had no weight at all. 16 All Lebanon’s forests do not contain sufficient fuel to consume a sacrifice large enough to honor him. All Lebanon’s sacrificial animals would not make an offering worthy of our God. 17 The nations of the world are as nothing to him. In his eyes they are less than nothing — mere emptiness and froth. 18 To whom, then, can we compare God?” NLT

This morning, as I was reading this passage, seemed to leap off the page at me so I wish to pen a few brief remarks.  We all face the many uncertainties of life and none of us truly know what is around the next corner or the next encounter we will face.  We truly live from moment to moment, in Him.  He is our rock and our strength in the time of trouble, and our strong tower in the time of safety.

In reading this I was particularly encouraged when I began to think of the “awesomeness of God” and His “immenseness”.  Read this passage slowly and allow it to sink in and you realize that the “Creator of the Universe” has no comparison.  He is immeasurable and absolutely reliable and trustworthy.  He has extended to each of us the “hand of fellowship” allowing us to be “adopted” into the family of God through the Blood of Jesus.  What a comfort to know that nothing escapes His view, nothing is too large for Him to handle, and nothing is more immense than He.  While we may be small and insignificant in comparison to Him, He takes careful pains to ensure that each of us is cared for individually and collectively.  He is so concerned about each of us that He knows the very number of the hairs on our heads and pays attention to every detail of our lives, needs, struggles, and victories.  WHAT A MIGHTY GOD WE SERVE!

So, I plan my day not knowing what a day may bring forth.  I recall, a few years ago, when I was referred to a surgeon because of an issue with my parathyroid gland.  There was trepidation because the tests indicated a tumor.  As I researched parathyroid tumors I discovered that they were rarely malignant.  The surgeon assured me that it was benign because of the rareness of malignancies in this gland.  I had PEACE that God was in control but there was a gnawing thought in my mind that this was not routine.  When I underwent surgery and the doctor visited me in my hospital room he informed me that he had been wrong and it was, in fact, malignant and quite large.  Numerous things transpired to cause me further concern and trepidation and a second surgery was scheduled for a few months down the road.  One day, sitting in my truck during my lunch break and doing what I did daily, praying and reading the Word of God, I felt a warmth cover my body and sensed that I had been healed.  I had a sweet and powerful PEACE settle over me and in my heart and I begin to sing of our AWESOME GOD!  I rested in His care and trusted the prayers of my many friends that were going up continually for me.  As an old preacher once said, “God can pull you through anything if you can stand the pull.”  Just before the second surgery, all my PTH levels went to the low side of normal and the surgery proved to be a total success.  NO TRACE OF CANCER was found in my body.  I walked and now walk in complete PEACE knowing I am in His hands.  I live in confidence that HE WILL BE THERE every step of the way, so I GO IN PEACE!

Thanks for your prayers, and may you have a blessed day.  God bless you, have a fantastic day serving our AWESOME GOD!

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THE ULTIMATE GUARANTEE…


Spiritual Blog - Guarantee

Lamentations 3:22-24 – “The unfailing love of the LORD never ends! By his mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. 23 Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day. 24 I say to myself, “The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!”  NLT

We’ve all heard the sales pitch from one salesman or another about the “guarantee” or “warranty” of their product and how it is so much better than any other product like it on the market.  Sometimes that claim is true and sometimes it is just “sales talk”.  In this particular passage, we find the ULTIMATE GUARANTEE that is ABSOLUTE, UNSHAKABLE, and WILL NEVER FAIL!  Now I don’t know about you but those words excite me.

Consider it with me:

  1. It begins with the UNFAILING LOVE OF GOD.  A love that NEVER ENDS, a love that CANNOT BE SHAKEN, and a love that is COMPLETELY UNEARNED.  It is UNCONDITIONAL and  It is a love that is far beyond anything that we humans can use to compare it.
  2. Then, the focus becomes HIS MERCIES. Through them, we are KEPT from COMPLETE DESTRUCTION.  Not just kept safe for a time or a little but COMPLETE SAFETY.  Can you really fathom that?  NOTHING can touch you when you are under the “shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91).
  3. Next, we see that HIS FAITHFULNESS AND MERCIES are FRESH every day!  They are being continually renewed so that they are an inexhaustible supply of LOVE, GRACE, TENDERNESS, FAITHFULNESS, and MERCY from the Throne Room of Heaven.  It is a River flowing to us from Him, the same river Jesus spoke of in the Gospels that would flow out of our “innermost being” when we came to Him and drank of His Grace.
  4. That leads us to the CONFIDENCE that we can say without fear or hesitation, “The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” We are people of HOPE!  Not wishful thinking but HOPE that is anchored in PROMISE backed up by the PERSON who is the OMNIPOTENT, OMNIPRESENT, OMNISCIENT CREATOR of the Universe – GOD!

Therefore, TODAY make the decision that you will no longer walk in despair but will walk in hope that is assured, builds faith, emboldens with courage, and empowers with confidence because you are a Child of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!  You and I have been given the ULTIMATE GUARANTEE!  A love that will never fail!  Mercies that will never end!  Faithfulness that will never be shaken!  We have an immovable Inheritance that cannot be taken from us by the powers of Hell.  We have God’s Promise and I choose to “rest” in that Place of Peace through the Power of His Promise under the Shadow of the Cross.

May God grant you a most beautiful day of worship and celebration today!

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SOMETIMES QUITTING WOULD BE SO EASY…


Spiritual Blog - Quit

Galatians 6:9-10 – “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” NIV

Have you ever reached the place that quitting would be so easy that it seems the only logical thing to do?  Yet, in your heart of hearts, you know that “quitting” will ensure defeat and you will be in worse shape than if you keep “fighting the good fight of faith”?  I have!  I have had times when I wanted to just crawl under the Juniper tree and say, “Lord, just take me home.  I’m tired, nothing is happening, and nobody cares.”  Pity party, oh yeah but it is more than that, sometimes it is “battle fatigue.”  Sometimes you have struggled with the same issues so long that and seen virtually no results that discouragement sets in and clouds your ability to see the bigger picture, the promises of God, and hear the encouragement of the Holy Spirit to KEEP GOING!  Sometimes you feel like the light at the end of the tunnel is a train coming straight at you not an answer but certain destruction.  It seems more than you can bear and “quitting would be so easy.”

However, Paul gives us some counsel in this passage that can and should move us from pity, discouragement, despair, and certain defeat to an “assured victory” in the Lord and Life!  The scripture tells us in James 4:17 – “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.” NIV.  Of course, we don’t want to fall into sin and we do not want to displease the Lord so we struggle to keep the faith because we know as Hebrews 11:6 tell us – “…without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” NIV.  We, want to as Paul urged in Philippians 3:12-14 – “Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do:  forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” NASU.  Therefore, it is imperative that we KEEP PRESSING TOWARD THE MARK and KEEP REACHING FOR THE PRIZE, the ultimate victory in Christ.

God has promised a “harvest” if we do not “give up”.  He has promised to come through for us if we “refuse to quit”.  He has promised that in HIS TIMING He will send the abundance of the harvest into our lives.  Our problem is we want to dictate the timing but God will NEVER play that game.  He is the Sovereign King of Kings and Lord of Lords and He knows the end from the beginning and all in between.  He knows, when, where, how, and how much needs to be done and that is exactly what He will do and it is for our “best good” that He does it.  Our part is to DO NOT GIVE UP!  I’ve told people for years – “The devil cannot win UNLESS we quit!”  If we refuse to quit the devil is already a defeated foe.  He hasn’t stopped fighting, deceiving, and striving to shipwreck lives but ULTIMATELY, He was defeated at the Cross and Resurrection by our precious Lord Jesus Christ!  We are NOW more than conquerors through Him who loves us.  So, when you feel like quitting, call someone who will kick you in the seat of the pants and tell you NO!  Fall on your faces before God and repent and allow the Holy Spirit to encourage you and give you “grace for the time of need”.  BUT above all DO NOT QUIT!  The only way you fail is IF YOU QUIT! 

May you have a blessed Saturday and a wonderful weekend in the Lord!  Blessings abundantly!

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THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD…..


Spiritual Blog - Faithful

Deuteronomy 7:9 – “Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments;” NKJV

There are many uncertainties in life and some of them trouble us greatly, especially when we are living in “our own strength” and “abilities.”  Trusting the “Arm of Flesh” is a recipe for trouble every time and in every situation.  I realize that Athletes reach a place that they do not think about what they are doing, they react because they have practiced, trained, have talent, and trust their abilities; however, in life, we face things that are “beyond our abilities” and MUST or NEED TO rely on God.

I trust the chair I sit on to hold my weight so I sit on it without concern that it is going to crumble under me and cause me injury or embarrassment.  I trust the wiring in my house that when I flip the switch I will have a light come on and be able to see.  I trust many things in life in the natural but sometimes I face things in life that is beyond what is “seen” and “known” and I need the help of someone who “Sees the End from the Beginning”.  I need the OMNIPOTENT, OMNISCIENT, OMNIPRESENT GOD to come to my defense, lead me down the right path, help me make the right decisions, and provide supernaturally for me.

This passage emphasizes the “trustworthiness” of God.  If we make Him first in our lives and “Seek FIRST the Kingdom of God and His righteousness….”  HE WILL provide!  His promises are sure!  His character without flaw!  His Word TOTALLY RELIABLE!  Of all the things in life that we trust, but might fail us, God is not one of those.  In fact, He is the only one on whom we can COMPLETELY RELY to ALWAYS be FAITHFUL.  People will fail us, the ability will fail us, technology will fail us, other people will fail us, finances will fail us, but GOD will NEVER FAIL us!

Therefore, as I have faced a previous surgery, as in all times when I have faced something like that there was a bit of trepidation but I had PEACE because I knew God is faithful.  I had less concern about the procedure of replacing the hip joint than the fact that that there is a tumor in existence, yet through the Holy Spirit, I was able to take that thought captive to the obedience of Christ and put my COMPLETE TRUST in Him and have PEACE that all would be well, and it was.  The thing that gave me this confidence was, I had been through a battle with cancer and God healed me.  I had been through multiple surgeries and God always brought me through with excellence.  He has continually provided not only competent doctors but godly ones and for that I am grateful.  But, the greatest of all things that give me confidence is that my Eternal Destiny is settled and I have a home in that Eternal Abode with Him at the end of my days, so I don’t allow worry to overcome me because of the PEACE OF GOD that passes all understanding dwelling and residing in my heart.  I expected to come through that with great results and live a long and full life.  I TRUST GOD with my life!  He is TRUSTWORTHY!

May the Lord be the Peace of your Heart and the Anchor of your Life in all that you are and do as you spend this Lord’s Day in His Presence!  May His blessings overtake you and His love cover you in a new and special way on this day!

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WHY ME LORD or WHY NOT ME LORD?


Spiritual Blog - Why

Isaiah 6:8-9 – “Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!”  NASU

Through the years I’ve had personal battles and listened to the stories of people who have faced incredible difficulties in life and frequently the question is “Why me Lord?”  I’ve had people say things like, “What did I do to deserve this?” or “Man I must have really made God mad.”  I believe those are the wrong questions and statements based on the wrong focus.  Life is not necessarily “fair” nor is it “predictable”.  Bad things happen to good people and often without explanation or apparent reason.  When I consider Job in the Bible, the description of Job certainly did not warrant the dilemma and devastation he encountered.  He didn’t earn it but God allowed him to be tested, and as a result is an example to each of us on the importance of “maintaining our integrity” and not “wrongfully blaming God” for the difficulties in life.  Scripture tells us that “all things WORK TOGETHER for good.”  It does not say that “ALL THINGS ARE GOOD.”  There is a vast difference and it serves us well to recognize the difference.

When Jonah was directed by God to go preach destruction to the city of Nineveh he resisted and in a sense was saying, “Why me Lord?”  When Elijah was sitting under the Juniper tree after a great victory over Jezebel and her prophets of Baal he was effectively saying, “Why me Lord?” But here God asks for a volunteer and Isaiah says, “Here am I.  Send Me!”  The difference is in attitude and focus.  I believe in the case of both Jonah and Elijah they were turning the focus inward and “self” was the center rather than God.  Isaiah, on the other hand, was turning the focus “upward” and God was the center, not self.  It was not “what will it cost me?”  It was “what can I do?”  It was the reflection of a “complete commitment” to the purposes of God.  Therefore when faced with a problem, potential, need, or opportunity there are two questions we can ask:

  1. Why me Lord?
  2. Why not me Lord?

One leads to service although the cost may be high.  In fact, it could mean the end of your life on earth.  One leads to wrong focus which usually results in having a pity party, ineffective service, and often rebellion against the will and plan of God.  It does not produce the fruit of righteousness and others are not touched by the incredible Grace, Love, and Mercy of the Father.  So instead of looking at whatever the situation we are facing and saying, “Why me Lord?” why not say, “Why not me Lord?”  I know you will see me through and if it is a dire circumstance you will enable me to walk through it in such a way that it will become a testimony for you in a powerful way.  It will speak of your Grace, your Love, your Power, and Provision.  It will become a beacon of hope for others who encounter various trials in life and enable them to say, “With God’s help, I too can walk through this.”

The Grace of God is an amazing thing and it NEVER FAILS!  The Love of God is more than the human mind can comprehend and it KNOWS NO BOUNDS!  The Power of God is inexhaustible and it CANNOT BE MATCHED!  How can I not trust him?  Therefore, I have chosen to make my question in each situation, “Why not me Lord?” rather than “Why me Lord?” and I find that it brings a peace that is more comforting than words can describe!

May God bless you as you begin to bring your week to a conclusion in your labors for the Kingdom of God!  Have a blessed day and enjoy your life in His presence!

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HOW TO HAVE PEACE IN ALL THINGS…


Spiritual Blog - Peace

Philippians 4:6-7 – “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  NASU

Each of us has experienced a time or times of a troubled spirit and been anxious or worried about something.  I find it most comforting and challenging that the Bible teaches that we can have “peace” in all things, all the time, in all circumstances.  That does not mean it is necessarily easy but possible and a promise from the Lord.  There is a “key” to this level of living that cannot be practiced on an intermittent basis but must become a lifestyle if we are to walk on this plane continually.

Here Paul gives us some keys to “Peace”:

  1. Be ANXIOUS for Nothing. (Don’t fret, don’t worry, don’t fear, don’t become overcome, or overrun by what is happening around you.)  That is a TALL ORDER but then he tells us how to accomplish this.
  2. IN EVERYTHING by “prayer” and “supplication” with “thanksgiving” let your requests be made known to God.
  3. Prayer – – Communication with God. (Talking to Him. Telling Him how you feel, what you are thinking, and acknowledging His person, power, and presence)
  4. Supplication – – Here is the petition part of prayer. This is where you are presenting your needs, desires, and requests before the throne in light of WHO HE IS.
  5. Thanksgiving – – Without a grateful heart little is accomplished in the Kingdom. Without a grateful heart, we will forget TO WHOM we owe all that we are, have and will be.  We forget that WITHOUT HIM we can do nothing.  We forget that our HUMAN FRAILTY will never overcome the CIRCUMSTANCES of life and the EVIL POWERS that come against us.  We will never learn to live in a STATE OF CONTENTMENT.

THEN it is in this condition that Paul tells us that the PEACE OF GOD that is beyond human ability to comprehend or understand floods our hearts, guards our hearts, and covers our minds so that every thought is brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.  It is here that we walk FREE OF WORRY and LIVE IN A CONTINUAL STATE OF PEACE.  We are secure in our relationship, or position, or potential, our promise, and our place in Him.  We then can say with Paul, “To die is gain but to live profitable for you.”  We walk in total confidence in Him IN EVERYTHING!  This is where the LOVE OF GOD that banishes all fear fills our hearts and lives and we become so AT ONE with Jesus that when people see us, hear us, and encounter us they encounter Him.  We are then “ruled by peace” and it is a peace that the world did not give and the world cannot steal.

May God bless you as you continue your week in Him!  Blessings in the Lord of Lord and King of Kings!

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CHRIST’S WORK ON EARTH THROUGH HIS SPIRITUAL GIFTS…


Spiritual Blog - Gifts

1 Corinthians 12:27-31- “Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. 29 All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? 30 All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? 31 But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way.” NASU

Ephesians 4:11-16 – “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. 14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.” NASU

I personally cannot fathom life, in any dimension in which there was the absence of the direction of the Lord.  That life would not be effective or effectual.  Jesus and the writers of the New Testament continually referred to the Great Body of Believers as “The Body of Christ” and thereby identified particular functions for each of the many members or organs within that body (as in the human body).  Jesus established and identified a plan to function through His Body (made up of multitudes of believers) in numerous passages, the two above or just examples.

We have A LIFE and that LIFE involves the spiritual, mental, physical, relational, political, and practical.  We are not cats we do not have “nine lives” nor “compartmentalized lives” we have A LIFE!  It is the sum total of what we are and who we are.  It is the expression of our relationship with Him and the world around us.  He is the basis, the foundation, and the guide for all our decisions, moral foundation, political ideology, and spiritual relationship.  To assume anything else flies in the face of Scripture.

Not to address every individual gift ministry in this short devotion but suffice it to say that His purpose in giving those gifts, functions, and/or ministries was to “equip”, “train”, “unify”, and “mature” the Church to become a fully functional manifestation of Him in this present world.  These gifts/ministries were to last UNTIL we all come to the UNITY OF THE FAITH.  Since it is quite clear we are not there, then one can conclude without fear of contradiction that they are valid today.  Are there abuses?  Of course!  Are there misunderstanding and misinterpretations of their role, authority, and function?  Of course!  Does that invalidate them?  Absolutely not!

The ministry of the New Testament Prophet is one largely of being a confirming or correcting voice.  The prophet is not the rudder of the Ship of Zion, Jesus and His Word are.  He/She are not the psychic to eliminate the need to seek God’s face for ourselves they are directional – pointing us to Him who is our foundation.  The prophet “warns” us when we are making wrong decisions.  He/she “encourages” us when we are under stress and duress and need to be encouraged to stay the course.  Likewise, this ministry/function is vital to keep us on course identifying spirits at work, help develop plans of action and empower the Church to “fight the good fight of faith” with foreknowledge and even revelation.  He is called a “seer” in the Old Testament for good reason – – He/she “SEES” into the Realm of the Spirit and comprehends things that the human mind misses or ignores.  We need the Prophet today and the prophet must be held accountable to the strict guidelines and parameters of Scripture.  He/she MUST be men/women of impeccable integrity.  They do not speak of their own but declare the very Words of the Lord to the situation, at the time, for the purpose at hand.

I have no idea why anyone would desire that be eliminated from daily life, the church body as a whole and the oversight of the nation?  We need to hear God in every aspect and dimension of life not as a State Run or State Controlled Religion but as a fresh unrestricted expression of the mind of God I all matters.  The “true prophet’s” ministry is often a lonely one and often he is the source of ridicule and scorn but to dares declare “thus says the Lord” and places himself directly between God and man and face the most severe consequences of God if spoken out of personal bias, prejudice, doctrinal interpretation, or preference rather than the actual speaking of God to that situation.  A history of accuracy lends authenticity to the voice of the prophet and will demonstrate a growing humility in the speaker, knowing that God has spoken through them not because they were special but because they were a willing vessel and obedient to Him.

EVERYTHING is to be “tested” through the Word of God!   EVERYTHING!  When confirmed it is the Word of God for the moment it is to be heeded implicitly with gladness as well as “fear and trembling”.  We need each member, gift, function, and ministry as we need EVERY ORGAN in the natural body to function to perfection as is God’s expressed desire for His Church!  Treasure the gifts and allow God to cultivate them and demonstrate them in your lives and local congregations.

May God bless you as you reach an even higher plane in the Kingdom in your pursuit of excellence in the Spirit!

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SIMPLE GUIDELINES PAY BIG DIVIDENDS…


Spiritual Blog - Give

Luke 6:37-38 – “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.  38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” NKJV

Most of us make too many things complicated and for many in the role of “teacher” or “preacher”, we tend to look for something DEEP to share some GREAT INSIGHT or REVELATION that will AWE people.  Yet, for the most part, God’s Word is SIMPLE, STRAIGHT FORWARD, and CLEAR.  It was written so that ANYONE could understand it, apply it to their lives, and reap the rewards of living according to Scripture.  This passage is a clear example of that:

  1. JUDGMENT always results in Judgment. If we are judgmental we will find that we are judged by the same standard that we use in judging others.
  2. CONDEMNATION always results in Condemnation. If we are quick to condemn others, events, or things we will find that same coming back to us.
  3. FORGIVENESS always results in Forgiveness. If we are of a forgiving heart, we will find that people are more responsive to our requests for forgiveness because of the gentleness of our hearts and we will be more readily forgiven.

Then I come to the part that I really wanted to bring to light that is directly tied to the first three found in (verse 38).

GIVE – – There is a very big little word in this sentence that is the “key” to the entire passage.  “IT”.  Notice: “Give, and IT will be given to you….”  What does that mean?  It means that you will GET what you GIVE.  If you give “money” the return will affect you monetarily in some way.  If you give “compassion” the return will affect you in the area of compassion.  If you give “love” the return will come to you in the form of love and understanding.  If you give “understanding” the return will come to you in the form of tolerance, temperance, and understanding.  God gives back not only according to the standard of measure you use He gives back in kind.  Remember the passage regarding “reaping and sowing”.  You reap WHAT you sow, you reap, MORE than you sow, and you reap LATER than you sow.  If you give with a thimble the return will be with a thimble.  If you give with a Number 3 Wash Tub the return will be the same.  If you give out of your of your lack God will give out of His abundance.  You give out of your abundance so that you don’t know it, feel it or are even affected by its outgo then you probably won’t notice its return.

Think of what God has given us in the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross and how that we would have nothing if it were not given to us by Him.  Any money we have earned, though it comes through hard work, ingenuity, and industry it was because God gave us the ability.  Therefore, what I give, no matter the area I am only giving back what God has allowed me to have possession of.  I’m distributing it as He has chosen and He has promised He will return it to me IN ABUNDANCE.  Be that Love, Understanding, Compassion, Forgiveness, or Money.  Give it a try, you just might find that it is a lifestyle that you want to adopt.

May God bless you as you begin your week in the Kingdom with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

 

 

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TRUE FRIENDS…


Spiritual Blog - Friends

Proverbs 17:17 – “A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.” NASU

Proverbs 18:24 – “…there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” NIV

Most of us have people we call “friend” or they call us “friend” but are they really?  What level of friendship are we talking about, because there are many and most fall into the category of “casual friendships” or friendships that cost us little or nothing!  I call them “friendships of convenience”.  They are valid when they provide a benefit for us and are convenient for us to maintain.  Then there are friendships that go beyond that to the level of “good friends”.  These are friendships that we are willing to invest at least some time and effort into and even be inconvenienced to a degree, but even in this category, there is a limit.  Then we come to the type of friendship mentioned in the passages above, I would call this “covenant friendships”.  These are friendships that we are willing to die for and will do whatever, whenever, and wherever to fulfill any need, obligations or requests within moral boundaries for them.  I have such friends in my life and for that I am grateful.

I had several friends in Vietnam that we would have died for each other.  I have friends in ministry who would lay down their lives for me and me for them.  I have friends who have driven hundreds of miles to check on me, called at all hours of the night because God laid me on their hearts and they knew I needed help.  I’ve done the same for some of them.  That kind of friend is worth more than all the gold in Fort Knox or all the oil beneath the surface of the earth.  They are priceless and you cannot treasure them enough.

Yet, as believers we have a friend that is even more committed to us and more capable of meeting our needs than any human friend.  His name is Jesus!  He has NEVER and WILL NEVER fail you are me.  He KNOWS every need, sees every tear, hears every cry, and stands ready at ALL TIMES to come to our aide.  No power can stand against Him and no love can match His.  If you don’t know Him I highly recommend Him to you today.  He truly is a “friend that sticks closer than a brother,” and “will NEVER leave us nor forsake us.”

May you enjoy your Sunday in the Lord and reflect on those whom you call “friend” and not only treasure those friendships but cultivate them and develop at least some of them to the level of “Covenant Friendships.”

May God bless you as you go through your day and week in His Care and Keeping!

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HAVING DONE ALL TO STAND… KEEP STANDING….


Spiritual Blog - Stand

Ephesians 6:13-20 – “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, 15 and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  17 And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, 19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” NASU

 

This is a lengthy passage but I want to pull out a few key elements and focus on them briefly.  We live in troubled times and the world around us is in chaos and crumbling from the reality that we have known most of our lives.  The increase in violence, mass murders, school shootings, etc. has caused people to cower in fear and demand that politicians fix the problem.  They cannot because it is not a legislative problem but a spiritual one.  The prophecies of the Bible seem more relevant and imminent than at any time in our lifetime so what do we do?  How do we respond?  What do we think?  How do we live?  We basically have two choices we can live in “fear” or “faith”.  We can live in a “survival mode mentality” or an “overcoming mentality”.  I believe that is what Paul is addressing here for those hearing him.

It is important to “know” what the FULL ARMOR of God is, how to put it on, and when we are missing an element of it.  That is critical to our survival as well as our success in our labors for His Kingdom.  Yet he says something that signifies the determination that we must have, the commitment we must possess, and the faith/confidence we must embody in these last days.  “…having done everything to stand.  Stand firm….”  Once you’ve done all you know, in Him to do, plant yourself like a granite boulder and refuse to be shaken from your position in Him.  Don’t run in fear, death is not to be feared.  Don’t run in fear, He is more than a conqueror.  Don’t run in fear, His promises will not fail and He will NEVER leave us NOR forsake us.

We need to focus first and foremost on Him, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  He must become the central figure of our universe.

  1. Everything must revolve around Him, His will, His desire, His word, His way, His character, and His Love.
  2. We must invest ourselves in TRUTH and make it a covering for our lives (for out of it we reproduce).
  3. Our hearts must be anchored in RIGHTEOUSNESS because if our hearts condemn us and wickedness is found in our hearts we are easy targets for the evil one.
  4. Our feet (Walk, Way of Life) must be shod with the GOSPEL for that is our driving force. He is the truth, the way, and the life and no other way to God but through Him.
  5. We must carry the SHIELD OF FAITH for without faith it is impossible to please Him much less face the struggles of life that we have now and will have on an even greater scale in the days to come.
  6. We must have our minds covered with the HELMET OF SALVATION. We too frequently discount the “thought processes” but in a great measure, salvation begins in the mind.  “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”  We are not what we think we are but we are a product of what we think.
  7. We must be committed to Him in all things and at all times.

 It is not only for survival that we need this but for taking the battle to the enemy and claiming the land for Christ.  We are triumphant in as much as we do these things.  So, do all that you know to do to “stand” then determine in your heart to “keep on standing” NO MATTER WHAT!  He will give you the grace, strength, encouragement, and power to come through the Fire and the Flood victorious.

Blessings as you go into your weekend victorious in Christ!

 

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