"Fixing The Fixer"

"And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you".  1 Thessalonians 4:11

 When the Lord laid this scripture on my heart to share this morning, I knew it was for me if for no one else.  It is not always easy to do-- be quiet, tend to your own business, do your own work-- especially when you are a "fixer". 

When you see things that are wrong, when you have a "better" way of doing it, when you have gone through it yourself, when you are more versed on what the scriptures say about it, when you have a heart to help, when you want to make it easier for other people, when you can see the situation more clearly, you can't help but want to say something or do something to remedy it-- it is hard not to do it.

This word this morning is two-fold:  First, it is an instruction.  Stop giving your opinion and telling others what to do unless they ask for the help or advice-- keep your mouth off of it.  Tend to, and mind, your own business unless they want you involved-- or the Holy Spirit prompts you to do something-- keep your nose out of it. 

Second, this is a freeing message.  The Lord wants to free you from thinking you always have to "do something".  It is freeing to know that I don't have to right every wrong, correct every mistake, instruct every move, point out every fault and always be pointing to the right direction.  It is freeing to know it is not my place to live someone else's life for them.  I am not responsible for them or their decisions.  I am responsible for me-- to do my own work and take care of my own business.  When I do that, I will be more productive in the things that the Lord has called me to do. 

Am I saying there is never a time to help counsel or be involved? No, but not if it isn't wanted.  And not if I think I can make it or the person different.  That isn't my business, it's God's.  Sometimes we are trying to do something that only God can do and in doing so we take it out of His hands.  It is His place to fix it and not mine.  I can promise you, it is better to leave it in His hands and let Him do what needs to be done--- in my own life and the life of someone else.

Have a great day.  You don't always have to be fixing something or someone.
 

"Your Tomorrow And Today"

"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus".  Philippians 4:19

Your tomorrows are not hid from God.  Yesterday He saw your tomorrow which has now become today.  He sees past time and distance.  He sees the future before it becomes the present and then the past. 

Since He sees all-- even what is not yet-- He can make provision for what lies ahead and have it waiting for you when it arrives.  He did that where our salvation is concerned.  He saw into the future that Adam would disobey Him and eat of the tree that He had commanded him not to eat of.  He saw the sin that would come as a result.  He saw our separation from Him because of the sin.  He saw all this before He even laid the foundation of the world.  He saw it before He ever said, "Let there be light".  Because He saw it before it happened, He made a provision for it.  He predetermined to give His One and Only Son Jesus as a sacrifice for our sins.

Since He sees all, when He created the world, He waited and created man on the last day.  On the first five days He created everything that mankind would need to be able to live, then He made man. 

The Lord has not changed.  He is still seeing ahead.  He is still making provision for us.  He saw yesterday, last week, last month, last year, even before you were born, what you would need today, and He has already made the provision for it.  So, whatever you need today, whether it is of a spiritual, financial, physical, mental or relational nature, He already has it waiting for you.  So don't be anxious.  Don't be fearful.  Don't be confused.  Don't be discouraged.  He already saw it and has already provided for it.

Have a great day.  God sees all your tomorrows before they become today and has made provision for every one of them.

Scripture reference:
Revelation 13:8
Genesis 1

"Imperfect Person"

"But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty".  1 Corinthians 1:17

When you are listening to some ministers, do you ever wonder how they can hear the Lord so clearly about certain subjects, be so anointed, have amazing Bible knowledge, speak with great authority and are used mightily by the Lord yet they "miss it" in some areas.  In those areas they seem to lack any understanding or discernment.  How is it that they can be so right in some ways and so wrong in others and the Lord still use them?  It is because the Lord doesn't use "perfect" vessels. He doesn't use "perfect" people to do His work.  He doesn't use "perfect" people to speak through.   

The Bible tells us that the Lord uses "weak and foolish" things.  When we come into a relationship with Him, we don't automatically become perfect.  We start a process.  We start a process of growth and transformation.  It begins at the moment of the new birth and continues on throughout the rest of our lives. 

The Lord sees our hearts.  He sees our desire for Him.  He sees our availability.  Therefore, He begins at that point to use us.  He doesn't wait until we become perfect or even fully mature.  (If He did, He would find no one to do His work.)  He uses us just as we are and in the meantime, He keeps working on us to "perfect what concerns us". 

Being weak and foolish doesn't exempt us from being used by the Lord.  Being imperfect doesn't exempt us.  Being frail and human doesn't exempt us.  The fact that we don't know everything and haven't "arrived" doesn't exempt us.  He uses our willingness and through it shows His exceeding great glory.  It is through our imperfection that the excellency of His power is seen--- not us.

Have a great day.  The Lord doesn't wait for us to become perfect before He uses us in His work.  He still uses us in our imperfect state.  

Scripture reference:
2 Corinthians 4:7
Psalm 138:8

"Get Strength"

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might".  Ephesians 6:10

We all experience times of weakness in life-- weakness in body, weakness of character, mental weakness, weakness when it comes to temptations.  But in those weaknesses, there is a strength that we can possess.  It is the strength of the Lord.  His strength is available to us all the time.

We don't have to give in to our weaknesses.  They don't have to control us.  They don't have to dominate our behavior.  They don't have to force us into doing the wrong things.  Sometimes we use the excuse that our spirit is willing, but our flesh is weak to do the things that are more convenient at the moment.  But standing in the strength of the Lord is just as "easy" and it is more powerful. 

Are you facing some sort of weakness in your life?  Are you just plain tired?  Tired of living?  Tired of always having to be strong?  Tired of giving into temptation or a besetting sin?  Are you tired and ready to "throw in the towel"?  Don't give up.  The Lord's gift of strength has your name on it.  Just call out to Him.  Ask Him for His strength.  Go to Him.  Don't try everything else and then go to Him.  Go to Him now and tell Him you are weak.  Tell Him the whole story.  Then ask Him to empower you with His strength that is made perfect in your weakness.  He will not withhold it from you.  He will strengthen you in every area of weakness.  He will endue you with His power.  You will be able to go forth.  Through His strength you can do what seems impossible.  Through His strength you can stand strong.  Through His strength you can run through a troop and leap over a wall.  Just go to Him or you will remain weak.

Have a great day.  Do you need strength?  Are you feeling weak?  The Lord has your strength.   

"It Belongs To Him"

"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it".  Malachi 3:10

I rarely talk about money but today I feel the need to.  The Bible says a lot about money and our finances.  It tells us many things like the love of money is the root of all evil.  It tells us how we are to use money.  It also tells us that any money we have does not really belong to us.  It belongs to the Lord and He so graciously gives it to us to meet our needs.

When Jesus was asked about paying taxes to Caesar, His reply was that we are to give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.  The coin that was held up for Jesus to see had Caesar's image on it, therefore give it to him.  Jesus was speaking on a spiritual level about the things that we should give to God-- love, obedience, ourselves, etc.

Let's look at His words again.  "Give to God what belongs to God".  If all the gold in the hills, all the silver in the mines and all the money in the banks belong to God then we should be giving to Him what belongs to Him.  In short, we should be giving "our" monies back to Him-- since it belongs to Him anyway.  But He does make a requirement-- bring Him the tithes and offerings.

Some of you are struggling financially.  Some of the reason you are is because you have been an "unwise" steward of the money you have.  You have spent, spent, spent like it would last forever now it hasn't.  I know people who make a good living but as soon as they get their pay check, they spend it on things that want.  In a day or two they have no money and they are crying and stressing because the bills have to be paid.  They are reaping the consequences of not managing it better.  They misplaced their priority. 

Back to giving God what is God's.  I feel the need to talk about this because some of you aren't being wasteful, but it just isn't going far enough to take care of all your needs.  May I ask you?  Are you giving to God what is God's?  Are you obeying His command to bring your tithe to Him?  Are you neglecting the tithes and offerings?  Are you holding on to that little bit and expecting it to help you?  If so, may I suggest that you start giving God what belongs to Him.  Start obeying His word about the tithe.  When you do, He will honor and bless you because you are honoring Him and His word.

Have a great day.  All the money you have belongs to the Lord.  Are you honoring Him by giving Him what is His?

References:
Mark 12:16,17
Haggai 2:8