"Aholic"

"I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)" 1 Corinthians 16:15

 We have all heard the words alcoholic, workaholic and shopaholic. "Aholic" is a suffix added to a word that denotes a person that is addicted to something. Have you ever heard of a "fleshaholic"? Are you one?

 

We were all born "flesaholics"-- catering to our flesh, living by it, being ruled by it, under submission to it, addicted to its lusts. A person who is an "aholic" of any kind, is drawn to whatever it is they are addicted to; they crave it; they give themselves to it completely. Alcoholics are drawn to alcohol; workaholics are drawn to work; shopaholics are drawn to shopping. Fleshaholics are drawn to the works of the flesh-- jealousy, sexual immorality, lustful pleasures, drunkenness, wild parties, envy, anger, selfish ambition, etc. (Galatians 5:19-21) 

 

When we come to Jesus Christ for salvation, He breaks addictions. He is the Great Deliverer. He delivers from the power of sin- breaking its hold over us. He delivers from the power of addiction- destroying its power. He delivers from the power of our flesh over us- setting us free from walking after its desires. He changes our nature and our desire and makes us a new person. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)

 

Once we come to Jesus and give our lives to follow Him, He delivers us from following after the lust of our flesh and changes our lives. We begin to walk in a different direction. We are no longer addicted to our fleshly desires, but to following and walking after the Spirit. Our desire changes from fulfilling the lust of the flesh, to fulfilling the desires of the Spirit. We no longer crave the lust of the flesh, but pursue after the things of God-- love, joy, peace, etc. (Galatians 5:21,22) You might could say we are now- "Christ-aholics"-- consumed with, being drawn to, following after Him and in short "addicted" (giving ourselves completely consecrated) to Him. 

 

Have a great day. Are you a "fleshaholic"?

"Life Is A Hard Taskmaster"

"For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun? For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity." Ecclesiastes 2:22,23 

Life is a hard taskmaster. It is not easy, it is hard. It brings sorrow, pain, troubles, distress, hurt, difficulties and vexation of heart. Life wasn't intended to be like this, and it wasn't before the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. But because of sin, life can be a struggle. Sickness, suffering, hate, broken relationships, violence all came as a result. We now have to labor to make a living. We now have to wrestle with disease and sickness. We now have pain in childbirth. We have prison systems, courts of law, medical facilities, psychiatric wards to help make life at least bearable. 

 

Life itself may be a hard taskmaster-- hard and always keeping you "down"-- but God is not. Even in the midst of a "cursed world" of pain and misery, He is the Giver of life-- abundant life. This is why life doesn't destroy us as Christians. Life may happen, but God's love and grace sees us through it. He counteracts life. Pain may come in life, but God gives comfort. Weakness may hit us, but He gives us His strength. We may find ourselves in ashes, but He gives beauty. Life hits us with sorrow and mourning, but He gives us the oil of joy. Heaviness of heart comes to weight us down, but He provides us with the garment of praise. 

 

Don't think it strange when fiery trials try you, that is just life. Don't be shaken when affliction hits, afflictions are part of life. Don't get discouraged when tribulations come, in this world we will have them. But through it all, remember the words of Jesus, the Giver of abundant life. "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." He is not a hard taskmaster, and He will give you rest, peace, joy, hope, strength and victory to live in a burden laden world that tries to beat you up. "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." This is why we can live in this world and overcome it instead of it overcoming us.

 

Have a great day. Life is a hard taskmaster, but Jesus gives us abundant life to overcome it and walk in peace and victory. 

 

For further reading:

Matthew 11:28

John 10:10; 16:33

1 Peter 4:12

Isaiah 61:3

 

"Who Is God?"

"And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you." Exodus 3:14 

When God showed Himself to Moses and told him to go to Egypt to bring deliverance to the children of Israel, Moses asked the Lord, "What should I tell them your name is when they ask?" (verse 13) God said to tell them it is "I Am That I Am". In that "name" was wrapped up the fullness of who God is-- His nature, His character and what He does. He alone bears this name. 

 

I like to think about who God is and sometimes I use the alphabet to remind me. God is everything from A to Z and all that is in between.

 

Alpha

Beautiful

Creator

Deliverer

Eternal One

Father In Heaven

God

Holy

Indescribable

Just

King of kings

Lord of lords

Master

Never ending

Omnipotent

Powerful

Quick

Redeemer

Savior

Truth

Unique

Victorious

Way

X Extraordinary

Yahweh

Zeal

 

Perhaps you may want to do this yourself. This list barely scrapes the surface of who this Amazingly Wonderful God is. 

 

Have a great day. God is everything from A to Z.

 

For further reading:

Exodus 3:13-15

"Vain Repetition

"But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking." Matthew 6:7

When you go to God in prayer, do you find yourself repeating the same thing over and over to Him again? I have thought about this when I lift up my praise to Him in prayer. I find myself repeating the same thing again and again. But just because we repeat the same thing over and over doesn't necessarily mean it is "vain" repetition. It can be repetitive but not vain. 

 

Vain repetition is when we just babble using a bunch of idle words-- we are saying a lot but saying nothing. Vain repetition is when we aren't even giving thought to what we are saying. We are saying it just to hear ourselves talk. 

 

When you start praising the Lord, you can't help but be repetitious because there are only so many words in our vocabulary that we can use to describe Him. He is so great and we are so limited in our ability to articulate who He is. He is the indescribable God-- therefore, we "run out of words" and have to start repeating ourselves. Even the host of heaven is at a loss and are repetitious as well. They sit around His throne crying, "Holy, Holy, Holy" over and over and over again. 

 

When you pray to the Lord or when you praise Him, it is all right to be repetitious, but it is not all right to do it in a vain manner just to hear yourself talk or think that He is going to hear you because you are speaking so much. If you have to keep repeating yourself because you are at a loss for words, then repeat yourself and don't let the enemy stop you because you think it is vain repetition.

 

Have a great day. It is all right to be repetitious in your praise to God because there are only so many words that we have to describe Him. Just don't use vain repetition. 

 

For further reading:

Revelation 4:8

"The Altar Of Prayer"

"I intreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word." Psalm 119:58 

I wonder what we in the modern-day church know about entreating God and praying with our whole heart? We tend to pray what I call "microwave prayers". Prayers that are "thrown up" to God to get our immediate need met. We don't know much about "tarrying" and "waiting" upon the Lord. We also tend to pray "brownie point" prayers. Prayers that are half-hearted and "just enough" so that we can say we have "done our duty" of prayer.

 

The Psalmist entreated God's favor with his whole heart. Jesus often prayed all night. Jacob wrestled with the angel until he blessed him. David fasted and prayed until he got word that the child he was praying for was dead. Jeremiah prayed for a word from the Lord for ten days before God answered him. We think we have really done something if we pray for ten minutes. And once we have prayed for ten minutes we expect God to have already answered and if He delays we get discouraged, frustrated and angry with Him. 

 

We need to learn how to go back to the altar and PRAY! I know we are to pray without ceasing (wherever we are) and there are times when we cry out to God and He answers immediately. But it wouldn't hurt us to have some calloused knees for a change because we have been on them praying to the Lord. When was the last time you knelt before the "altar" (presence) of God and prayed until you knew you had heard from heaven? Many times we walk in assumption instead of faith because we haven't prayed until we have truly heard God's answer. 

 

There is no set "form" or set "length" of time that we should pray. But the half-hearted, ten minute, on the go prayer we have been doing is not working. (That is evident by what we see happening in our world around us and in the state of the church.) As I already said we need to learn how to go to the altar and pray and stay there until we have heard from God. 

 

Have a great day. Revive and restore the altar of prayer in your life. 

 

For further reading:

2 Chronicles 7:14

 

"No Invitation"

"Let him that stole steal no more..." Ephesians 4:28a 

The enemy comes against us in our thought life more than in any other way. He makes "suggestions" and poses questions to make us "think" and "reason". He did this at the beginning in the garden when he asked Eve, "Did God say?" He did it with Jesus in the wilderness temptation. We can't stop him from "speaking" to us but we can "shut him up" and not give him an "invitation" to come on in.

 

When he came to Eve, she had a choice to either "shut him up" or "invite him in". We know that she invited him in. How do we give him an invitation to get into our lives? We do it by "entertaining" those thoughts, suggestions and questions he poses to us. She entertained them-- therefore, inviting him in-- and we know the end result. 

 

When he comes with his suggestions, accusations, words of fear, and condemnation you too have to make the decision to either invite him in or shut him up. We invite him in when we entertain what he says. When you dwell on the thoughts that he is planting, when you give heed to the words he is speaking, when you receive what he says then you have invited him in. Once he is in, he will try to "run the house". He will try to set up homestead. He will not want to leave either. 

 

We don't have to invite him in, we can keep him out, we can slam the door in his face. We do this by following Jesus' example. Jesus did not give place to his words, accusations and lies. He used the scriptures to "shut him up". The enemy could find nothing in Jesus-- no place to set up residence-- because Jesus did not invite him in.

 

Shut the door on the enemy by not listening to his lies, but by listening to the truth of God's word. Cast down those thoughts when they come to you, don't entertain them. Station the sword of the Spirit (God's word) beside the door to your heart and mind and use it. You have to make the decision to listen or not, to heed or not, to give place and invite him in or shut the door on him. Which will you do?

 

Have a great day. When the enemy comes, don't invite him in, but slam the door in his face by not entertaining the thoughts he is throwing at you.

 

For further reading:

John 14:30

James 4:7

Ephesians 6:17

2 Corinthians 10:5

Genesis 3:1

Matthew 4:4,7,10 

"Love Is Not A License"

"If ye love me, keep my commandments." John 14:15 

We have heard it taught that grace does not give us a license to sin. But love doesn't give us a license either. Just because God loves us unconditionally, and nothing separates us from His love, it doesn't mean that we can do anything we want to do, and it will still be all right because He won't stop loving us. That attitude speaks volumes concerning just where your heart is in regard to God.

 

The fact that God loves us always is not in question. It is whether you love Him or not that is the question. We can say we love God but that doesn't make it so, or mean we really do. Jesus said that the true evidence that you love Him is that you keep His commandments. In other words, if you do those things that He says to do and refrain from doing those things He says not to do-- this is the sign of your love for Him. How can you love Him if you are living "against" Him. You may say, "I am not against God. I believe in Him. I know He is real. I love Him". You are against Him when you go against His commandments. You are against Him when you live the way you want to live instead of the way He desires for you to live. You are against Him when you are living after your own fleshly, selfish, self-centered desires. You are against Him when you are living by your own standards instead of His standards. 

 

You can't live in adultery and fornication, you can't get drunk, cheat, lie, steal, abuse drugs, be immoral, use profanity, covet, etc. and say you love God. The Bible says that the truth is not in you. Truly loving Him means that you have turned your life over to Him. And when you turn your life over to Him, you become a new person. You start acting like and living like Him. You start walking in love-- love toward others and love toward Him. And love toward both is expressed in action. Love toward others means you are forgiving, kind, caring, compassionate. Love toward Him means you do what He says to do-- you keep His commandments.

 

Have a great day. Because God loves you unconditionally doesn't mean that you have a license to live anyway you want to live and it will be all right.

 

For further reading:

John 15:10

2 Corinthians 5:17

1 John 2:4; 4:20; 5:2

"God Loves You"

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16 

I felt this morning that the Lord wanted me to remind you that He loves you. His love for you is unending. His love for you is unconditional. His love for you is always there. You may try to run from His love, but you will never be able to. You may try to outrun it, but you can't. You may try to deny it, but it still exists. You may try to turn from it, but you can't get away from it. You may even reject it, but you can't quench it. Nothing can separate you from the love that God has for you. 

 

When you examine your own self, do you wonder how He could love you? Do you feel undeserving and unworthy of His love? Well, you are. We don't deserve God's love. We have done nothing to earn it. We are not worthy of it. But He loves us anyway, not on the merits of what we have done, but on the merits of His own Divine nature.

 

Your mistakes, your sins, your rejection, your unworthiness, will never be greater than His love for you. His love is greater than our sins. It never changes toward us. When Adam sinned in the garden, God did not stop loving him. Adam's sin broke their fellowship but not God's love for him. God loved him so much that although He knew that Adam would disobey and rebel against Him before He even created him, He already had a plan in place to bring him back to Himself. It was a plan of love-- "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son." "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8-NKJV)

 

God is all about love. And He is all about loving you.

 

Have a great day. God loves you, and don't forget it.

 

For further reading:

Romans 8:31-39

"Where Are You Dwelling?"

"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." Psalm 91:1 

Where are you dwelling/living? Where is your place of abode? I am not talking about your physical address, I am talking about your spiritual dwelling place. Are you dwelling in the place of bitterness? Bitter because of something that happened to you in the past. Are you dwelling in the place of unforgiveness because someone mistreated you? Are you dwelling in anger? Are you dwelling in fear? Where we dwell spiritually is a choice- no one can force us into a place of residence- we choose to move there.

 

The dwelling place for a Christian is under the shadow of the Almighty God. It is a dwelling place of peace and joy and faith and love and righteousness. No one can evict you from that place. If you "move out" of that dwelling, you do it by choice also.

 

"Where do you choose to dwell/live?". I choose to dwell in the Presence of the Lord. I choose to dwell in peace. I choose to dwell in truth. I choose to dwell in joy. I choose to dwell in His everlasting care. I choose not to dwell-- and will not dwell-- in anger, bitterness, fear, discouragement, etc. Those are not the dwelling places He has prepared for us. Jesus said that He was going to prepare a place for us and then return for us and take us there. Well, He has also prepared a place for us to dwell in here until He returns for us. That place is the dwelling place of abundant life. Is that the dwelling place you choose to live in? Or will you choose to live/dwell in the place of defeat and despair?

 

Have a great day. The place where you dwell spiritually is by choice-- you choose to dwell there. 

 

For further reading:

Psalm 90:1

John 14:1; 10:10

"Reasoning Away Miracles"

"Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." Mark 9:23 

Why is it so hard for us to believe for healing, miracles and deliverance? We say that God can do it, but we don't act like He can. I believe some of the reason why is because we "talk ourselves out of them". We "reason" it away. Let me explain.

 

We come up with all kinds of reasons why it won't happen. Here are some of them.

1) It may not be His will. "And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed." (Matthew 8:2,3)

 

2) We reason that because the disease is "big"- like cancer, the "Big C"- or because it is one that there is no cure for God can't heal it. "Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?" (Mark 2:9) It is all the same to the Lord. He doesn't see "big" or "small". Healing cancer or AIDS is as easy for Him as healing a toothache. 

 

3) I have had this illness for so long-- for years-- so it is too late to receive a healing. "And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years... came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched." (Luke 8:43,44) "And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk." (John 5: 5,6,8)

 

4) I am suffering for my sins. This is my cross to bear. "And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him." (John 9:2,3)  "Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases." (Psalms 103:3)

 

5) God put this on me so I must suffer for His glory. "But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?" (Matthew 12:24-26) If God puts the sickness on us but He also heals sickness, then He is divided against His own self and working against Himself. He doesn't, therefore, He doesn't put it on us. 

 

The thing we must stop doing is listening to the voice of our own reasoning. Our reasoning is often false reasoning. We need to listen to what God says to us through His Word. Jesus came to show us the Father and teach us what His will is concerning us. So, look at Jesus, look at His life, look at what He did. He only did what the Father told Him to do. He only did the will of His Father. What did He do? "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him." (Acts 10:38) Then that must be the will of the Heavenly Father. 

 

Have a great day. Stop listening to the voice of your own reasoning and start listening to the Lord and you will see miracles, healing and deliverance take place. 

 

For further reading:

John 5:19

"A Boat"

"And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him." Matthew 8:23 

During Jesus' ministry there were times when He and the disciples would travel on foot from place to place. At other times they would need the aid of a boat to get to their destination. When they used a boat, they would only use it for the purpose of crossing the sea but would then dock it when they reached the shore. They would not use it again until the time came that they needed to re-cross the sea.

 

The thought occurred to me that many times we treat Jesus like He is a "boat". When we are facing storms, problems, difficulties or have a need, we will go to Him and "undock" Him by turning to Him for help. But once the situation is over, we "tie Him back up" and put Him to the side going about our own business and doing our own thing. We keep Him "on the side" until we have a "need" or "use" for Him.

 

He is not a "boat" to use only when sailing the deep waters of life. He is not a vessel to get into when we are facing a certain problem. We don't get in and out of Him, we don't tie Him up and come back to Him later when we have a specific need. He is our life vessel. We live in Him. We hide our lives in Him. We never depart from Him. He is our dwelling place. Not just some instrument that we use from time to time. Or some vehicle that makes life easier during troublesome times.

 

Are you treating Him like He is a boat? Do you only go to Him when you have a need? Do you only acknowledge Him when you need His help? Or is He just there to use in certain times? Do you keep Him "tied" up in waiting until you get ready to "use" Him again to solve your problem? He is not like a boat to be tied up awaiting further use at a later time. He should be active and a part of our lives every day.

 

Have a great day. Do you treat the Lord like He is something that you only need from time to time for certain situations?

 

For further reading:

Acts 17:28

Colossians 3:3

Psalm 91:1

"Believe God's Word"

"There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification." 1 Corinthians 14:10 

The other day the Lord impressed a word on my heart. The word was, "Am I not faithful as promised? My people believe the reports and words of men, but they don't believe My words. Am I a man that I should lie?"

 

How is it that we pay more attention, give heed to, and give credence and credibility to the words of men yet we don't believe what God says? We will listen to the doctors. We listen to what the economy says. We listen to what the government says. We listen to what the voice of fear says. We listen to all those around us and we believe what they say. Yet we won't listen to God's words and believe them.

 

We will take sixteen pills a day because the doctor says to do it. We will get ourselves so deep in debt that we will never see daylight because pride says we have to have the biggest and the best. We will let go of faithful and loving relationships because selfishness says, "I am not getting what I want." We will hang on to something we should have let go of a long time ago because fear says, "You can't make it without it."

 

The Bible says that there are many voices. There are a whole lot more voices that speak to us each day than I have named. But there is only one voice that is the voice of truth. All other voices are either just mere facts (true to a point), subject to change, deceptive or false. That one voice of truth is the voice of God. He is the only one who can speak truth... and everything that He speaks is Truth! 

 

So why are we giving so much heed and attention to the voices that surround us each day and no attention to the voice of the Lord? Am I saying that we should not listen to some of these voices? Of course not, the Lord often speaks through them. But what I am saying is why do we put our faith and trust in those voices/words, yet disregard the voice of the Lord when He speaks to us? His words are the only words we can truly put our faith and confidence in because His are the only ones that are truth... the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

 

Have a great day. Who's words are you listening to and putting your faith in?

 

For further reading:

John 17:17

Numbers 23:19

"Pray Or Command?"

"How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him." Acts 10:38 

There is a time to pray for our needs but there is also a time when we need to do warfare over them by using our God-given authority. Often, we pray for God to do something about what we are going through when we need to do something about it ourselves. There are prayers we pray for God's help, but there are times we speak to and command the enemy to leave. 

 

The Bible says that Jesus prayed to the Father over certain individuals for their need to be met, but then there were times when He spoke to the situation and commanded it to change. He mostly did this when there was a spirit behind the problem. 

 

Sometimes while we are praying for God to intervene and help us, God is telling us to use what He has already given us and take authority over it. "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." (Luke 10:19) "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 16:19)

 

God has given us power to deal with the things that come against us. When it is a spirit, we don't pray about it, we cast it out. Fear, depression (for the most part), infirmity, are all spirits and have to be dealt with as such. So, we need to stop praying over them and start taking authority and command them in the Name of Jesus to let go and leave. If you aren't sure which it is, pray and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal it to you-- He did to Jesus, this is why sometimes Jesus prayed for it to be removed and at other times He commanded it to leave. Once He does reveal it, use the proper provision to deal with it-- prayer or authority over it.

 

Have a great day. Sometimes we need to pray about our problem, but sometimes we need to take authority over it.

 

For further reading:

2 Timothy 1:7

Mark 16:17

"Need Him Or Want Him?"

"Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore." Psalm 105:4 

There is absolutely no doubt that we need the Lord. Even if we say we don't, that is not true. We have nothing, can do nothing, and are nothing without Him. He supplies all our needs, not ourselves. I don't supply my own oxygen. I don't supply my own salvation. Everything I have comes from Him. But He is more to me than just the One who gives me what I need. He is also my desire- I want Him. 

 

When you go to God in prayer, do you go only because you "need" Him? Do you go to Him strictly because you know He has the answer to your problem? Do you turn to Him only when you are in trouble and need His help? Or do you seek Him because you "want" Him? Do you turn to Him because He is your desire? Do you enjoy spending time with Him and not asking Him for anything? There is a difference. 

 

We should go to Him when we have a need. We should go to Him with our problems. We should look to Him for answers. But if that is the only reason you go to Him, then you are in a "sad" way. You are missing out on a wonderful relationship He desires to have with you. You are missing out on the abundant life. You are missing out on the joy that is unspeakable and full of glory. You are missing the great experience of His Presence in a deeper way. You are missing the greater depth of His love and grace that He wants to bestow on you. 

 

So, which are you? The one who turns to Him only because you need Him? Or the one who turns to Him because you not only need Him but want Him?

 

Have a great day. We all go to God because we need Him, but do we go to Him because we want Him?

 

For further reading:

Philippians 3:10

 

"Held Back"

"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1 

I was talking with a little boy the other day and asked him if he was in the second grade. He told me, "No. I am in the first, I got held back". I told him that was all right. It was for his good to help him. We all need to be "held back" sometimes-- spiritually speaking. 

 

There are times when we are "held back" because of our disobedience and sin. The Israelites were held back from entering into the Promised Land for forty years because of their unbelief. But then there are times when God-- not the devil, or self-- will "hold us back". Usually, we think of it as a "bad" thing, but when God holds you back it is a "good" thing. It is for your good and for His glory. 

 

Joseph was held back from entering into his destiny until he could get trained for the position. He was also held back until he could get to the place in his heart where he would not abuse, or use for personal revenge, his position of authority. There is so much we need to learn before we are ready to go forward. There are areas that we have to grow in before we are ready to go to the next level. 

 

God also holds us back because of divine timing. He held back the birth of Isaac until the timing was right-- until Sarah's womb was completely dead and they could not produce the promise on their own. Even our beloved Jesus was "held back" in the mission He came to earth to fulfill until the appointed time. "My time is not yet come." God held Him back from the cross until everything had been fulfilled that was spoken by the prophets, and until all things were prepared and in order. 

 

Do you feel like you are being "held back"? Ask God if it is because of some sin or disobedience in your life. Ask Him if there is something you need to do that you aren't doing. If it is neither, then just trust Him, be led by Him and wait on Him to move you "up" when it is in His plan and timing. 

 

Have a great day. There are times when God "holds us back". In those times trust Him-- it is for your good and for His glory.

 

For further reading:

John 7:6,8

Galatians 4:4

Job 32:18

"Mistakes - Part 2"

"Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil." 1 Corinthians 13:4,5

Yesterday we talked about how we all make mistakes and there are some people who like to hold our mistakes "over our head" and not let us forget them. We also were reminded that God never holds them "over our heads"-- He doesn't keep bringing them up to us.

 

As I thought about this, I couldn't help but think about how often this happens in marriages. When there is a conflict or disagreement, one spouse will bring out their "little black book of mistakes" and begin reading it off. This book records all the other spouse's past mistakes, harsh words that may have been spoken, the time they did this or didn't do that, the time they let them down, or did something against them. This list is used as "ammunition" or "leverage" so they can "shoot" at and use it against their spouse-- hopefully to their advantage. I can assure you that it is never to your advantage, but instead to the demise of your marriage. A marriage will never survive like this.  As a matter of fact, no relationship will.... a parent to child, friend to friend, etc. 

 

"Love... thinks no evil". This literally means that love will not keep a record of all the times it was mistreated. Real love doesn't take into account the bad that has been done to it. Real love doesn't keep a list of the wrongs that were done to them. Real love doesn't have a "book of remembrance"-- unless it is a book of the good things that were done for them. 

 

Do you have one of those "books"? Are you keeping a list of the times your spouse (or someone else you are in a relationship with) made a mistake or didn't do what you wanted them to do or thought they should do? Are you using it against them like ammunition? Then you aren't walking in love. You have missed the true meaning of love. Aren't you glad Jesus doesn't have a "book" that He is writing down all the mistakes you have made in and all the times you have done Him wrong? He doesn't because He truly loves you. As His children, we should be following His example and get rid of our book of wrongs that have been done to us.

 

Have a great day. Love doesn't keep a record of the wrongs that has been done to it. 

 

For further reading:

1 Corinthians 13

"Mistakes"

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Romans 8:1 

We all make mistakes. No one is perfect. If you have never made a mistake, I would like to meet you. We are human, we are fail, we are still learning and don't know it all. The Bible is full of mighty men and women that God used in amazing ways who made mistakes-- some very serious mistakes too. 

 

Mistakes often bring consequences with them. And much of the time we have to endure those consequences. Mistakes often bring with them those who are eager to point out your mistakes-- even past mistakes. They like reminding you of "what you did". They are continually bringing it up and reminding you. They won't let it rest and move on. We have all experienced that. Hopefully we aren't the ones who are doing the "reminding". Hopefully we aren't the ones who are keeping someone else in the bondage of "what they did". 

 

Perhaps you can't escape your mistakes because someone is always bringing them up to you? All I can tell you to do about that is pray for the one who is holding your mistakes over your head. Let God deal with them. But I can tell you this... God never holds our mistakes over our heads. He never uses them against us. He never "controls or manipulates" us with them. He never threatens us with them. He never keeps reminding us of "what we did". 

 

Take heart this morning. Although you can't control others and what they do, you can rest assured that God is not going to beat you up with your mistakes or keep reminding you of them... ever!

 

Have a great day. God does not hold our mistakes over our heads.

 

For further reading:

Psalm 103:3

"That's Not The Problem"

"For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk; the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up." Hosea 8:7 

Our nation is facing great calamity. Our religious freedoms are being taken away. Laws are being passed that take away our freedoms and put us in bondage. There Is much confusion. It is, for the most part, in a mess. We definitely have a problem. Some say our problem is the government. Some say it is the president. Some say it is the Republicans/Democrats. Some say it is our school system. Some say it is the media. There is a whole list of reasons that people give as "the problem". Yes, these contribute to the problem, but these things are not "the problem". They are the consequence of the real problem. The real problem that this nation has is we have turned our back on God. We have forsaken Him. We have shut Him out of our society. We are serving our own false gods. And we are shaking a fist of rebellion in His face. 

 

The whirlwind (in the scripture above) was not the problem-- although it was a problem; it was the consequence. Their problem was they sinned against God's covenant and laws, set up their own kings and replaced God with their own idols that they worshipped. 

 

Israel's problem was not their wicked kings-- although they were a problem; that was their consequence. Their problem was rejecting God as their King.

 

The wilderness was not Israel's problem-- although it was a problem; that was their consequence. Their problem was unbelief in God's word and promise.

 

Any time you remove God, any time you turn from Him, any time you break His commandments, any time you refuse to believe His word and follow it, it brings a consequence-- whether it is in a nation, a corporation, a family or in our own individual lives. So often, what we see as "the problem", is really the "consequence" of a greater problem. 

 

Have a great day. Our real problem is not always the problem at hand. The problem at hand is more likely the consequence of a greater problem.

 

For further reading:

Hosea 8

1 Samuel 8

Hebrews 3:8-19

 

"Close The Door"

"Neither give place to the devil." Ephesians 4:27 

When I was growing up, we played outside a lot. That meant we were constantly in and out of the house. Sometimes we would forget to close the door. When we did, we would always hear our mother say, "Close the door, you are letting the flies in". This morning I want to talk about "closing the door so the flies won't come in".

 

It is interesting that satan is sometimes called Beelzebub. The Aramaic form of the word means "lord of the flies". So, we need to learn how to "close the door" to our lives so that he doesn't come in and find a place to "reside". We have to keep the door closed to our hearts and minds so that he won't be able to build a "stronghold" there. 

 

What opens the door? Disobedience opens the door. Yielding to the lusts of the flesh, the pride of life and the lusts of the eyes will open it. (Matthew 4) It is opened by not keeping your mind renewed with God's word, by not being continuously filled with the Spirit, by not filling yourself with praise. You can't have a "spiritually empty house", it has to stay filled with Jesus. (Matthew 12:44,45)

 

Once you know what opens the door, then you also know what will close it. Obedience always closes the door. Not yielding to temptation keeps the door closed. Staying full of the Spirit, walking in the Fruit of the Spirit, setting your affections on things above, following Jesus, hiding His word in your heart, keeping His praise in your mouth, and drawing near to the Lord keeps it closed.

 

Is the door open in your life? Are you letting the "flies"-- anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, greed, pride, fear, deception, ungodly mindsets, etc.-- in? Or is the door closed?

 

Have a great day. Close the door, or the flies will come in.

"Standing Before The Lord"

"And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God..." Revelation 20:12a 

Regardless of what you believe, even if you don't believe it, we will all stand before the Lord God one day and give an account of our lives. Every man, woman, boy and girl ever born since Adam to the last person born will stand before Him-- no one will be excluded. Among the great crowd that stands before Him, I see four different categories of people. 

 

1) Those who didn't believe that He is real and exist.

2) Those who believed He was real but did nothing with that belief- they had a "head knowledge" of Him only.

3) Those who were religious in deeds and action but did not have a relationship with Him.

4) Those who love Him with all their heart, soul, strength and mind and serve Him out of loving devotion.

 

1) Those who didn't believe that He is real and exist. They either didn't know or refused, like the atheist, to acknowledge Him. On that day they will have no excuse for not believing He was real because the creation declares His existence. "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse." (Romans 1:20)

 

2) Those who believed, but only with a "head knowledge". They believed He was real and that He exists, but they never did anything with that belief. They did not turn to Him, serve Him, love Him, follow Him or make Him Lord over their lives. They only believed with head knowledge, but there was no heart acknowledgment. "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:9-10)

 

3) Those who were religious in deed and action but did not have a relationship with Him. These went to church, they gave alms, they sang in the choir, they even taught Sunday School, they joined the church, they did all the religious practices, but they did not know Him. They did the work of the Lord without knowing the Lord of the work. They are like the rich young ruler who kept the commandments, who was "good" by religious standards, yet he loved another "god" -- his riches. "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matthew 7:21-23)

 

4) Those who love Him and serve Him with all their heart. These are the ones who believed in Him, received Him as Savior, loved Him with all their heart and followed Him. They draw near Him with their hearts and not just their mouths. They know Him and are known by Him. "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." (John 10:27)  "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left." (Matthew 25:31-33) On that day when we stand before Him, there will be a great distinction/separation between these groups of people. To those of the first three groups He will say, "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment. (vv. 41,46) But to only those in the last group He will say," Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." (v.34)

 

Which groups are you in? 

 

Have a great day. We will all stand before the Lord one day and give an account of our lives. When you stand before Him, will you hear Him say, "Well, done, enter into the Kingdom"; or "Depart from Me into everlasting fire"?