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It’s All Very Simple
It’s All Very Simple
Well, the morning has started with some reruns of the Andy Griffith Show. I like to watch them on the Sundance channel because they show different cuts from the original episodes. Scenes that are usually not viewed.
Yes, this probably indicates that I am over 21 years old. It reminds me how things used to be. I can remember how simple life was. Things were sort of black or white, right or wrong. It didn’t take a Doctorate to understand all the relevant points when someone says, I am thirsty. I would like a glass of water.
Did they really mean glass, or would a Dixie cup do. Spring water, tap water, flavored water. A full glass, or just half full.
Cold water or room temp.
THIS MAKES ME TIRED.
The same thing has happened to the Gospel. I believe that most of the 41,000 different denominations and institutions believe that Jesus is the answer. It is the path to reach Him, and to embrace Him, that is all over the place.
I have a lot to say about Biblical principles and the Apostolic authority that has been passed on to the church. What was accomplished in the book of Acts and throughout the NT is relevant today.
Keep an eye on my blog posts. I address these things all the time. For now I am going to keep it simple.
John 12:32
And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.
The word all, or a synonym is used in all the English translations of this verse. “All, Means All”
Luke 9:23-25
23 And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.
24 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.
25 For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?”
What an amazing Savior. He died for all, called all. It’s all very simple.
Jesus suffered intense Roman persecution. The rejection of the very people He came for. People who should have known who He was. His crucifixion and death.
He went through this so all would have a path to Him.
That path requires us to give up our will and ways to follow Him, Our cross if you will. “It’s all very simple.” We lose who we are, to become who He has called us to be.
He even made the journey very simple when it comes to theological principles.
Luke 22:36-40
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
38 This is the great and foremost commandment.
39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
40 On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”
It’s All Very Simple.
John 1:12
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.
Is the Kingdom Divided?
Is the Kingdom Divided?
Who does not recognize the extreme division in our country today. It is sad to see the separation causing so much damage to our culture. The land of the free, and the home of the brave, has become a boiling pot of anger and division.
I love this country and pray for it, and it’s leaders.
Still I look for the reasons why, and the path to make things better. Because of who I am I first look to myself, and to the church. Jesus shared the way we can make our world better.
Matthew 5:13-16
13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;
15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven
The two operative words in these passages are salt and light.
Jesus used both words metaphorically. The Greek lexicon tells us the message that Jesus was giving His followers.
Salt comes from the Greek word, halas. Metaphorically it means, salt is a symbol of lasting concord. Wisdom and grace exhibited in speech. WOW.
Light comes from the Greek word phos. Used metaphorically to speak of truth and it’s knowledge. That which is exposed to the view of all. The power of understanding moral and spiritual truth.
We are the preservation, and the illumination of the world. So what’s the problem? The problem is that the church is often as divided as the world.
I recently heard a Biblical scholar say that Islam is growing much faster in this country than Christianity. The reason is, people don’t know what we believe. The message has been divided into many different presentations.
By the latest statistics since the Reformation more than 41,000 different Christian denominations and institutions have formed.
The church must return to the unified message of Jesus and the cross.
Those who have never followed Christ don’t know what we believe. Skip the theological principles and share with these people the story of Jesus.
The path to redemption is the story of the cross. The story of Jesus and His love and commitment to restore favor with the Father and forgiveness for our sins.
Maybe we should stop focusing on the sin, and focus on the Savior. Jesus, His birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension is the greatest story ever told.
Remember the old hymn, “Tell me the story of Jesus. Write on my heart every word. Tell me the story of Jesus, sweetest as ever I heard.”
One Body
One Body
Well I thought I would address another subject that tends to be used inappropriately. At least it will be my take on the subject.
It seems there is a movement about that suggests that the local church is not relevant.
These ministries often say that we are all members of the same body. This of course is true.
1 Corinthians 12:12-13
12 For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.
13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
Anybody reading this should understand that this is referring to spiritual alignment with Christ. All Christians are connected in the Spirit to the will and purpose of God. We have to go beyond this and understand that the Apostolic ministry beginning in the book of Acts started building local churches.
Not necessarily structures, but groups of people in given areas that join together to worship the Lord. These people fellowshipped together, prayed together. Helped meet the needs of one another. Most importantly they had oversight.
When a group formed, the Apostles set a Pastor over the congregation. Trained teachers and evangelist to work in and out of the church. All of this Kingdom structure was covered with Apostolic authority. The church was not only accountable to the 5 fold ministry. They were accountable to one another, and to their local communities.
We have been given a commission to change our world. Our country is starving for leadership. There are too many people who want to lead, before they ever learn to follow.
Remember the Apostle John gave us the book of Revelation. It was a letter to seven churches. SEVEN CHURCHES. Six of which Jesus had an issue with. He did not have an issue with the church at Philadelphia.
Just so you know from the Greek. Philadelphia means, “brotherly love” Just had to get that in.
Blessings to you all, in His name. www.visitlivinghope@gmail.com
A Message not a Massage
A Message not a Massage
There has been an issue on my heart for weeks and I have finally found time to share some thoughts. I hear all too often how preachers are not addressing sin issues enough. They call it soft and compromising if you preach the love of God and His love for all people. Sinners and saints. I have heard said that some call it giving a massage, instead of preaching them a message about hell fire and eternal damnation.
The prophet Jeremiah addresses a similar issues in his 6th chapter verse 14. “They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace.”
Ministries often spend time preaching against things that no one in their congregation is dealing with. Social issues, sexual sins. Never addressing the value that love has to turn the heart of someone that has not embraced Christ.
When I share my thoughts on this subject, I often get a lot of criticism. I love that. In some small manner it puts me in the same situation Christ was in. The religious folks didn’t like His message either.
They often forget that it was the religious folks that hated Him because He loved the sinners. He forgave them, healed them, embraced them.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4 Message
3 If our Message is obscure to anyone, it’s not because we’re holding back in any way. No, it’s because these other people are looking or going the wrong way and refuse to give it serious attention.
4 All they have eyes for is the fashionable god of darkness. They think he can give them what they want, and that they won’t have to bother believing a Truth they can’t see. They’re stone-blind to the day spring brightness of the Message that shines with Christ, who gives us the best picture of God we’ll ever get.
The religious folks were looking for the Messiah. Those in the temple knew every prophesy about Him, yet they could not recognize Him.
Much like to day many have a picture in their minds of what Christ should look like. How He would respond to sinners and saints. All too often that picture is a God with a sword, poised to kill those who are in sin.
It is a picture that is painted all too often when telling the story of Jesus.
In John chapter 4 Jesus had the longest conversation recorded in the Bible with a woman who had been married 5 times, and was currently living with another man.
History tells us a lot about this woman.
Sometime after this encounter she was baptized by the Apostles and given the name, Photine. Her name means, “the luminous one” or enlightened one.
History says that she was recognized by the church as equal to the Apostles because she won so many people to the Lord.
Look her up. It is an awesome story.
In reading the story in John chapter 4 Jesus pointed out her life issues.
John 4:15-18
15 The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw.”
16 He said to her, “Go, call your husband and come here.”
17 The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have correctly said, ‘I have no husband’;
18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly.”
So where is the condemnation? He pointed out her issue and then opened the path to redemption. Seems like I read somewhere that if you have been forgiven much, you will love much.
I could go on and on so let me wrap this one up. Tell the story of Jesus. His birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension. Tell them why He did it. That must be the message. “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”
By the way Photine converted her 5 sisters and two sons. They won many to Christ. In 66AD they were all martyred under the persecution of Nero. Some say he threw her body in a dry well.
Let me know what you think. visitlivinghope@gmail.com
The Road We Travel
The Road We Travel
Wow what an awesome God. “Jesus is the answer for the world today. Above Him is no other, Jesus is the way.” In His name we move forward as Christians. Dedicated at some level, individually and corporately, to carry His word, and His story to the world, and to our world.
I doubt there is anyone that doesn’t have a family member or friend that is struggling with life. Struggling with their faith in God. Dealing with hurts and failures. Trying to understand the answer that will move them beyond all their stuff, and find a meaningful relationship with Christ.
Paul in prison wrote this to Timothy in his second letter 1:12. KJV “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” That day meaning when Paul faced Jesus
“This is the Message I’ve been set apart to proclaim as preacher, emissary, and teacher. It’s also the cause of all this trouble I’m in. But I have no regrets. I couldn’t be more sure of my ground—the One I’ve trusted in can take care of what he’s trusted me to do right to the end.” “I love this stuff”
Isaiah 35:8-10
8 A highway will be there, a roadway, And it will be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean will not travel on it, But it will be for him who walks that way,
And fools will not wander on it.
9 No lion will be there, Nor will any vicious beast go up on it; These will not be found there. But the redeemed will walk there,
10 And the ransomed of the Lord will return And come with joyful shouting to Zion, With everlasting joy upon their heads. They will find gladness and joy, And sorrow and sighing will flee away.
The road we travel will be, to say the least interesting. On it we will find all sorts of teaching tools. These tools have a singular purpose. Fulfill our purpose
Here is that purpose defined by scripture.
Ephesians 4:13
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.
For the rest of this message I will be using road as a metaphor. You might say it is a journey that carries us forward in the knowledge of Christ. Learning, growing, embracing, and sharing what we know with the world.
Saul got on the road one day with letters to arrest and kill followers of Christ. “Jesus meeting on the road and changing the path”
God will prepare others to help you as the road changes in your journey. Same road, different process. Saul was blind.
Acts 9:17
So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Saul was not trusted by the Apostles. They knew him as a killer of followers of Christ.
Acts 9:27
But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.
Saul who became Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles began his journey with murder in his heart. When he had an encounter on the road his purpose changed. He was now in an unfamiliar setting. God had positioned others to help Paul on his journey.
“What happens when you meet Jesus for the first time on your journey?”
The road to eternal life will test your character.
Luke 10:30-33
30 Jesus replied and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead.
31 And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32 Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
33 But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion.
“Religion wouldn’t help. It took compassion from someone despised in the culture of the day.”
The road, the journey will test your character. “The road, the journey will provide opportunities.”
Luke 18:35
As Jesus was approaching Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging.
What about us today? Traveling our road, our journey. Have we passed a blind, hungry, sick, discouraged, angry, unloved, wounded, all alone person? If so did we stop? The road, the journey will test our character. “It will test our faith as well.”
This occurred during Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
Luke 19:35-38
35 They brought it to Jesus, and they threw their coats on the colt and put Jesus on it.
36 As He was going, they were spreading their coats on the road.
37 As soon as He was approaching, near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen,
38 shouting: “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
Verse 36 Amplified
As He rode along, people were spreading their coats on the road [as an act of homage before a king].
The road, the journey is a place of worship. This was a common expression of joy in the day. Given as worship in response to the great things Christ had done.
What about the your road, your journey.
By The Grace of God
By The Grace of God
We have moved forward year after year. Prayerfully coming to understand more of God’s word. Embracing His purpose for our lives, and the ministry of this church.
Father is revealing and strengthening as we understand His Word, and follow His principles. What a compassionate, understanding, and forgiving, Father. His Son has redeemed us, restored us, and empowered us. “All things are possible, in His name”
In Luke 15 Jesus tells us the story of the prodigal son. When he came home and his brother protested the celebration the father replied.
Luke 15:31-32
“31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours.
32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.’” Awesome
Genesis 32:10-12
10 I am unworthy of all the lovingkindness and of all the faithfulness which You have shown to Your servant; for with my staff only I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two companies.
11 Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, that he will come and attack me and the mothers with the children.
12 For You said, ‘I will surely prosper you and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which is too great to be numbered.’”
Jacob speaking to God about his deceptions.
We know that this reunion went well. God is faithful. Even to hear the prayer, and keep His promise to someone with failures and mistakes. “By the Grace of God”
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
7 Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself!
8 Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me.
9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
Verse 9:Message and then he told me, My grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness.
How much clearer can this be. God is not demanding perfection. Humility and loyalty are the principles He builds upon. take your eyes and your mind off your fears and your failures. Focus your eyes and your mind on the gift of God within you.
This was part of John the Baptist response when he was questioned about being the Messiah.
John 1:27
It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.
Jesus said this about John The Baptist.
Luke 7:28 KJV
For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.
Success in Christ is not about your family tree. Your education or your perfection. Our success is built on our ability to reject our will, for The will of God. To recognize that it is not me, but Christ in me. To move forward with humility, and dependence on God.
Yes we must strive to be the best that we can be. Rejecting temptation to sin. To walk our own path. Just remember that when you become great. The least of these will be greater than you.
Paul said this to the Philippians. “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Love the way the Message says it.
Philippians 4:13 Message
“Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am”
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 4:15-16 Message
15 We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin.
16 So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.
For some it is time to reject the excuses, and embrace the mercy. Life is not over because you have an issue.
King and Priest
King and Priest
Together we are experiencing a wonderful presence of God. I am so thankful for His love, grace, and the truth of His Word.
John 1:1-5
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.
5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
We must embrace Jesus. Everything about Him. His beginning, regarding creation. The prophetic that herald His coming and His character, all through the OT. His birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension. “Our life must be the image of Jesus. In understanding and in presentation.”
Zechariah 6:12-13
12 Then say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Behold, a man whose name is Branch, for He will branch out from where He is; and He will build the temple of the Lord.
13 Yes, it is He who will build the temple of the Lord, and He who will bear the honor and sit and rule on His throne. Thus, He will be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace will be between the two offices.”’
Zechariah 13 Message
Yes, he’s the one. He’ll build the Temple of God. Then he’ll assume the role of royalty, take his place on the throne and rule—a priest sitting on the throne!—showing that king and priest can coexist in harmony.’
A King rules, and a Priest serves. Jesus fulfills both of these offices. “We are being built in the spirit to be the dwelling place of God. “
Ephesians 2:19-22
19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household,
20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,
21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord,
22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.
“all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home.” Eph 2:22 MSG
1 Peter 2:5
you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 2:5 Amplified
You [believers], like living stones, are being built up into a spiritual house for a holy and dedicated priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices [that are] acceptable and pleasing to God through Jesus Christ.
“I talk a lot about Kingdom authority, and our role in its purpose. This office was proclaimed prophetically very early in th Bible. It has been God’s plan from the very beginning. The things that God has planned for His followers has never been a secret. It has never even been that complicated to understand.”
Let me start from the beginning.
Genesis 14:18-20 KJV
18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
The Psalmist David said this prophetically.
Psalms 110:4
The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind,
“You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.”
The author of Hebrews confirmed this.
Hebrews 5:6
just as He says also in another passage, “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.”
Hebrews 5:10
being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 7:1-3
1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
2 to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, (Hebrew-rightness, justice, righteousness) and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace.
3 Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.
I want to talk for a few minutes about Melchizedek.
What is so unique about Him? He held two offices, that in a sense were in direct conflict with one another.
He was a king. A ruler of people. Making laws, passing sentence. Everything a king was supposed to do. He was a priest. Serving God and the people.
How is it that these two offices can be fulfilled by one person? What does it mean to us?
9 And they sang a new song [of glorious redemption], saying, “Worthy and deserving are You to take the scroll and to break its seals; for You were slain (sacrificed), and with Your blood You purchased people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10 “You have made them to be a kingdom [of royal subjects] and priests to our God; and they will reign on the earth.”
Revelation 1:4-6
4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne,
5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood—
6 and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
The previous passage says they will reign, Reign means, to exercise kingly power. “Who is they?” Who is us?
The Fathers Business
The Fathers Business
I love the Lord, it may sound a little weird but I love Him more and more. His presence comforts, heals, and empowers. It is so strengthening to know that He has our backs. We can face each day knowing that Jesus is with us every step.
In success we give Him praise and glory. In moments of fear and confusion we worship. It aligns our will with His. Never a day goes by that I don’t need Him to calm my spirit. Give me wisdom to make decisions. Share my heart with His. As the old song says, “I love Him, because He first loved me.”
We live in a world today that us seasoned saints have trouble understanding. It is a great comfort to know that God knew this time would come even before it did. It may take more time in prayer to be relevant in this day. If we listen, the needs are the same. The hurt and confusion is the same. The answer is the same.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16
I want to share a passage 3 different ways.
Ephesians 1:18 KJV
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.
Amplified
And [I pray] that the eyes of your heart [the very center and core of your being] may be enlightened [flooded with light by the Holy Spirit], so that you will know and cherish the hope [the divine guarantee, the confident expectation] to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints (God’s people),
Good News
I ask that your minds may be opened to see his light, so that you will know what is the hope to which he has called you, how rich are the wonderful blessings he promises his people,
“It is very difficult for me to move beyond the gifts, and promises God gave us, and His purpose for us all.”
With that said I have looked consistently for the words to encourage, and the tools to be successful. I believe God’s church. The body of Christ. Locally and globally must embrace His promises and the tools He has given us to increase His Kingdom. Let me establish His eternal presence and purpose.
Daniel 7:14
“And to Him was given dominion,Glory and a kingdom,
That all the peoples, nations and men of every language
Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting
dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.”
Ephesians 1:22-23 Amplified
22 And He put all things [in every realm] in subjection under Christ’s feet, and appointed Him as [supreme and authoritative] head over all things in the church,
23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills and completes all things in all [believers].
Ephesians 2:6
and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
NLT
For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.
It is time for God’s church to move beyond the elementary principles of the Bible, and embrace the who He is, and what He has done, to empower us to reach our world.
With that said I want to share two Biblical principles we must use to move forward in His purpose.
James 4:5-8
5 Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”?
6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
James 4:7 Amplified
So submit to [the authority of] God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him] and he will flee from you.
Who was he was talking to?
“First principle, submit and resist.”
Matthew 18:18-20 NASB
18 Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.
19 “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.
20 For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”
Amplified
18 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, whatever you bind [forbid, declare to be improper and unlawful] on earth shall have [already] been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose [permit, declare lawful] on earth shall have [already] been loosed in heaven.
19 “Again I say to you, that if two believers on earth agree [that is, are of one mind, in harmony] about anything that they ask [within the will of God], it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered in My name [meeting together as My followers], I am there among them.”
“Second principle, bind and loose” Just so you know here is where the authority comes from.
John 14:12-14 Amplified
12 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, anyone who believes in Me [as Savior] will also do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these [in extent and outreach], because I am going to the Father.
13 And I will do whatever you ask in My name [as My representative], this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified and celebrated in the Son.
14 If you ask Me anything in My name [as My representative], I will do it.
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The Same Place
The Same Place
The older I get the more I have a sense of urgency. I have so much left to do. With that said, I have less time to do it with as each year passes by.
For you younger folks the same principle applies to you. Every year you live, you have less time to accomplish your goals, and realize your dreams. Time is too precious to waste.
I heard someone quote a scripture this week, and it stuck to me. I began to think about the past. Missed opportunities, mistakes, incomplete dreams and
expectations.
More than anything I have shared, I pray that today you will be challenged and encouraged to be all you can be.
I read this week that many years ago, if the American Indians didn’t like someone they would curse them by saying, “May you stay in the same place.”
That is a very interesting statement. It is also very enlightening. What happens when you stay in the same place? You become stagnant. The word stagnant has some synonyms. “still, motionless, inactive, depressed, dying, dormant.”
“We often relate that word to the smell of a small body of water with no in or out flow.” No growth, change, or moving.
Jeremiah 4:3
For thus says the Lord to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem, “Break up your fallow ground, And do not sow among thorns.
Hosea 10:12
Sow with a view to righteousness, Reap in accordance with kindness; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the Lord Until He comes to rain righteousness on you.
Farm land was often left uncultivated for a reason. To gain nutrients and for crop rotation. Left unplanted too long and useless things grow.
Jesus made a couple of statements while teaching in Luke the 9th chapter.
Luke 9:23
And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.
Luke 9:62
But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God
The message from these two scriptures is clear.
“God is telling us that our destiny is not behind us, it is in front of us.
Still there are gifts that have been left alone. God placed them in our hearts to grow and have value to the Kingdom. Yet they lay dormant, and have been choked by doubt and fear of failure.
“It is not about winning every time, it is however about getting up every time.” Leaving the failure or the mistake behind you in His grace, and moving forward in the gift that has been planted in you.
Here is the passage that stuck with me all week.
Philippians 3:12-15
12 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.
15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you;
Verse 15 Message
So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you’ll see it yet!
Conquer the past.
Can’t Steal My Praise
Can’t Steal My Praise
God has been faithful even in the midst of all the clutter and racket to share His love and grace. I am so blessed and thankful to be a follower of Christ.
His mercy, love, and grace has kept me through all the seasons of life. In just a few weeks Betty and I will celebrate 17 awesome years together. God has been so good to us. This church, you faithful warriors have brought us great joy and happiness. We have also felt the sorrow of loss, and yet we stand strong in His presence. We exist to give God glory. He is our strong foundation, and our constant help. Always there when we need Him.
The last part of Hebrews 13:5 AMP says this, ““I will never [under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you [assuredly not]!
I want to lay my foundation today with this very familiar passage.
Job 1:20-22
20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped.
21 He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
22 Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.
With all the loss and sorrow Job experienced, Satan couldn’t rob him of His praise.
You have to read the entire chapter of Isaiah 43. It is awesome, and I will share just a small part of it.
Isaiah 43:16-21
16 Thus says the Lord, Who makes a way through the sea And a path through the mighty waters,
17 Who brings forth the chariot and the horse, The army and the mighty man (They will lie down together and not rise again; They have been quenched and extinguished like a wick):
18 “Do not call to mind the former things, Or ponder things of the past.
19 “Behold, I will do something new, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert.
20 “The beasts of the field will glorify Me, The jackals and the ostriches, Because I have given waters in the wilderness And rivers in the desert, To give drink to My chosen people.
21 “The people whom I formed for Myself Will declare My praise.
Verse 21 Message, “the people I made especially for myself, a people custom-made to praise me.”
I could not resist one more time of God reminding us how much He has done, and how far it reaches into our lives. Our enemy will do everything possible to cause us fear and doubt. “Can’t Steal My Praise”
The Sons of Korah shared this word.
Psalms 42:9-11 NASB
9 I will say to God my rock, “Why have You forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”
10 As a shattering of my bones, my adversaries revile me, While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
11 Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.
What an awesome declaration. Overwhelmingly oppressed by the enemy. “The enemy couldn’t steal their praise.”
David shared this.
Psalms 63:1-4 Message
1 God—you’re my God! I can’t get enough of you! I’ve worked up such hunger and thirst for God, traveling across dry and weary deserts.
2 So here I am in the place of worship, eyes open,
drinking in your strength and glory.
3 In your generous love I am really living at last! My lips brim praises like fountains.
4 I bless you every time I take a breath; My arms wave like banners of praise to you.
Even in the dry spots where God seems so far away. “The devil can’t steal your praise.”
Acts 16:25-26 NASB
25 But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them;
26 and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened.
Praise will break the chains that bind. Chains of fear, doubt, anger, unforgiveness. Chains of discouragement, and rejection.
The enemy will throw everything at us over the course of our Christian life. His purpose and goal is to create a divide in our relationship with the Father. “Don’t let the enemy steal your praise.”