Thoughts ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZONPRTOFF dateof comment Look Inside Data Conditions:Order: 1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10|11|12|13|14|15|16| Dateof Comment 02/13/2024 Paul new the importance of love and how it can empower a church and bring souls to Jesus Christ: 1 Corinthians 13 New Living Translation 4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Man, look at all the things love entails: Love is patient and kind - I think of all the grandparents who have prayed for 30+ years for their children and grandchildren being patient and kind to their children with the faith that God will bring them home. This goes for wives who are praying for their husbands for that day of salvation. Putting up with people doing stupid things can challenge our patience and kindness. Only love can soften these feelings. There are times though when patience or kindness is not an option. Jesus demonstrated this when he threw out the money changers at the beginning and end of his ministry. They were degrading the temple which should represent the Father. Some of the spiritual battles we face may require our immediate attention also. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud- Jesus is the only one who can sit at the right hand of the Father, and he knew that place was for him. But he came to earth as a servant that washed feet. He spent his ministry bringing souls into God's Kingdom. The rest of the time he was training the disciples to take over when he had to be the last sacrifice for our sins. He did this while the best seat in the house was his. If only we could encourage people and spread the gospel with the attitude Jesus had. This is what love does. It does not demand its own way - I am not into basketball, but I have heard about one of the Denver Nugget players. He is extremely good at what he does but he has found out that using the skills of other players along with his talent makes him even look better. If you want a powerful church, then you need to learn to work with other people. God intended for us to combine our talents to further his Kingdom. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged- This is what the forgiveness of sins about. I have a lot of respect for a person when the action of one person cannot get under their skin. When we truly understand how we behave and how Jesus handles it, we can apply that principle to others who seem to get under our skin. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out - I do love this one, but God's timing and planning may seem like he is not doing anything about the truth coming out. I do believe we are going to see a lot of truth coming out in 2024. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance - People who are praying for other people face the attack of the enemy who wants us to quit and go to a place where God does not want us. This is not love but self -pity. True love is like praying for someone's salvation who continues to fight it. Like I have said before, some have prayed 30+ years with what seems like nothing is happening. It is so cool how they never give up. Their faith keeps their hope alive even if that person wants nothing to do with you. I have witnessed it in our ministry God gave me. There was a grandfather who was prayed for those 30+ years for salvation. When his granddaughter read one of these comments to him his barrier dropped. He is a different man serving Jesus now. Keep praying and there will be event that will change their world too. Never forget about the ultimate love verse: John 3:16 (New Living Translation) “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 02/10/2024 When you come across evil, how does it make you feel? David had something to say about it: Psalm 97:10 (New International Version) Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. What does hate mean? The dictionary defines hate as: verb (used with object) to dislike intensely or passionately; feel extreme aversion for or extreme hostility toward; detest: verb (used without object) to feel intense dislike, or extreme aversion or hostility. noun intense dislike; extreme aversion or hostility. Hostility is mentioned in the definition many times. What is the definition of hostility? hostility noun opposition or resistance to an idea, plan, project, etc. acts of warfare. David says that if we love the Lord that evil should be lighting a fire under us to the point where we should be standing against those things that disrespect our King. Burning down abortion clinics is not what he means. We still have the right in America to voice our opinions against evil. If we continue to sit still, we will lose our ability to stand against evil. That same verse also says that our God is not bound by men, and he plans to defend us against the wicked. I am ready for God to take out the evil people right now. Sometimes we feel that God is too slow at vindicating us. Peter explains why this happens: 2 Peter 3:9 New Living Translation 9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. Micah describes what Peter wrote more: Micah 7:18 New Living Translation 18 Where is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of his special people? You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love This is still more proof on how much God loves us. 02/06/2024 When we are born our minds are basically empty. God knows this and so does the devil. It is a race to see who gets to fill our minds first. This is why God asks us to bring up our children teaching his ways. The devil has no honor and can deceive us to go his way with a variety of tricks. God only can use the truth which has one path. Psalm 33:4-5 (New International Version) For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love. King Solomon was the wisest and richest man who ever lived. He discovered this to be true: Proverbs 21:21 (New Living Translation) Whoever pursues righteousness and unfailing love will find life, righteousness, and honor. Jesus had the wisdom of the Holy Spirit in his time and also figured it out: Matthew 6:33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Solomon definitely saw this principle come true: 1 Kings 3:7-14 NLT 7 “Now, O Lord my God, you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around. 8 And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted! 9 Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?” 10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom. 11 So God replied, “Because you have asked for wisdom in governing my people with justice and have not asked for a long life or wealth or the death of your enemies— 12 I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have! 13 And I will also give you what you did not ask for—riches and fame! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life! 14 And if you follow me and obey my decrees and my commands as your father, David, did, I will give you a long life.” Remember that we serve the same God as Solomon did. You may never see the great wealth that Solomon experienced but you will be much better off living for God. Never forget that God does not desire us to be poor. There are things in his word that ask us to take care of widows and people in need. You cannot do any of those things if you are broke. What can bring more Glory to our King than a "wise and understanding heart"? Watch out! God may even honor you before men like he did King Solomon. 02/04/2024 Have you wondered what it was like when David was trying to stay one step ahead of Saul. I believe it could be as exciting as a "mission impossible" movie or like the "Bourne movies" where the government is out to get you. In Hollywood you can predict the outcome because it is written on man's script. For David it was different because God had the only script. David had to learn who he could trust and still remember who his God was while this was all going on. I wonder how many of the enemies plots where foiled because God himself foiled them or they were leaked out from the enemy themselves. David was constantly on the move (one big adrenalin rush) even asking for bread from the temple. It seemed like Saul was never far behind in getting him. When that day came when David was released, he sang NOT SPOKE words that only glorified God: Psalm 18:1-2 (New Living Translation) For the choir director: A psalm of David, the servant of the Lord. He sang this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul. He sang: I love you, Lord; you are my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. The rest of the chapter summarized the things David was experiencing up till this MILESTONE moment: 3 I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies. 4 The ropes of death entangled me; floods of destruction swept over me. 5 The grave[a] wrapped its ropes around me; death laid a trap in my path. 6 But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears. 7 Then the earth quaked and trembled. The foundations of the mountains shook; they quaked because of his anger. 8 Smoke poured from his nostrils; fierce flames leaped from his mouth. Glowing coals blazed forth from him. 9 He opened the heavens and came down; dark storm clouds were beneath his feet. 10 Mounted on a mighty angelic being,[b] he flew, soaring on the wings of the wind. 11 He shrouded himself in darkness, veiling his approach with dark rain clouds. 12 Thick clouds shielded the brightness around him and rained down hail and burning coals. 13 The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded amid the hail and burning coals. 14 He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies; great bolts of lightning flashed, and they were confused. 15 Then at your command, O Lord, at the blast of your breath, the bottom of the sea could be seen, and the foundations of the earth were laid bare. 16 He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters. 17 He rescued me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and were too strong for me. 18 They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress, but the Lord supported me. 19 He led me to a place of safety; he rescued me because he delights in me. 20 The Lord rewarded me for doing right; he restored me because of my innocence. 21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord; I have not turned from my God to follow evil. 22 I have followed all his regulations; I have never abandoned his decrees. 23 I am blameless before God; I have kept myself from sin. 24 The Lord rewarded me for doing right. He has seen my innocence. 25 To the faithful you show yourself faithful; to those with integrity you show integrity. 26 To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd. 27 You rescue the humble, but you humiliate the proud. 28 You light a lamp for me. The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness. 29 In your strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall. 30 God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. 31 For who is God except the Lord? Who but our God is a solid rock? 32 God arms me with strength, and he makes my way perfect. 33 He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights. 34 He trains my hands for battle; he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow. 35 You have given me your shield of victory. Your right hand supports me; your help[d] has made me great. 36 You have made a wide path for my feet to keep them from slipping. 37 I chased my enemies and caught them; I did not stop until they were conquered. 38 I struck them down so they could not get up; they fell beneath my feet. 39 You have armed me with strength for the battle; you have subdued my enemies under my feet. 40 You placed my foot on their necks. I have destroyed all who hated me. 41 They called for help, but no one came to their rescue. They even cried to the Lord, but he refused to answer. 42 I ground them as fine as dust in the wind. I swept them into the gutter like dirt. 43 You gave me victory over my accusers. You appointed me ruler over nations; people I don’t even know now serve me. 44 As soon as they hear of me, they submit; foreign nations cringe before me. 45 They all lose their courage and come trembling from their strongholds. 46 The Lord lives! Praise to my Rock! May the God of my salvation be exalted! 47 He is the God who pays back those who harm me; he subdues the nations under me 48 and rescues me from my enemies. You hold me safe beyond the reach of my enemies; you save me from violent opponents. 49 For this, O Lord, I will praise you among the nations; I will sing praises to your name. 50 You give great victories to your king; you show unfailing love to your anointed, to David and all his descendants forever. Do you know that we serve the same God David did? We even have Jesus Christ as our high priest to represent us. This even gives us an edge over David. As you read this chapter, I am willing to bet you are not facing anything worse than David did. God did not place this chapter to fill some white space in a book. He put it there because he wants us to know we can have victory over our enemies by giving ourselves to him like David did. 01/31/2024 God gives us all abilities. These abilities are not the same for everyone. The only thing I know for sure is that our abilities were given to us in order to glorify our King. Some can sing and rock the house with beautiful worship. There are those who are creative and can turn a bunch of pop cans into a fighter jet. Our abilities also allow us to earn wages to live. Those who have greater abilities may make more money then those who have less if they are willing to work. God expects all of us to develop our talents for him. Don't let the enemy trick you into saying you have no talent or my talent is dumb. Your talent may be more important to what God needs now then someone who is in a position of worship. The devil found out the hard way that he could be replaced. Trust God that he did not make you from junk and he has a plan for you: Jeremiah 29:11 New Living Translation 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. It is cool to be good at doing things that others may find difficult or even impossible. This can be dangerous in the fact you may begin to elevate yourself above others. If you find yourself changing friends because they become inferior is a real problem. If God is removed from the center of your life you may experience great defeat and/or embarrasement when God bring forth someone with even greater talent. If you have a servants heart like Jesus, James said let Jesus lift you up in honor. Now this would be cool being honored by the King of kings: James 4:10 (New Living Translation) Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor. Paul confirms this in his letter to the Ephesians. He also mentioned that we are dealing with people who are not perfect including ourselves. If we have love we will be patient and make allowances for our faults. Ephesians 4:2 (New Living Translation) Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. How do we know if our minds are in a humble state? Paul has a plan: Philippians 4:8 (New International Version) Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. There is a lot of good stuff in chapter 4 that can help get our minds into proper focus. Philippians 4:6-9 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. 8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. They will know you by your fruit!!!! 01/24/2024 One of the most dangerous verses in the bible is Mathew 7:1. People interpret the verse that as long as I don't judge what other people do that God will not judge me. This is one of the biggest lies of the enemy. They need to read to verse 3: Matthew 7:1-2 NLT 1 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. 2 For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. In order to know what sin is you have to make a judgment call on what is sin. Then you sit back and twittle your thumbs like most Christians do. Paul says the contray. Get off you butt and help a fellow brother or sister get back on the path: Galatians 6:1 (New Living Translation) Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Before we can truly help out a brother or sister we need to have some self-control of the sin in our own life. We do not want to fall into the same trap. Mathew warns about this: Matthew 7:3-5 NLT 3 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? 4 How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye. This next verse requires some discernment from the Holy Spirit. There are people out there who have given themselves to the enemy and God wants you to walk away from them: Matthew 7:6 6 “Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you. If you still think that God will not judge you, you need to read these verses: (Remember that the sins that Jesus Christ has forgiven will not be remembered by God either. God is interested how we lived our lives for him.) Psalm 37:13 But the Lord just laughs, for he sees their day of judgment coming. Proverbs 11:4 Riches won’t help on the day of judgment, but right living can save you from death. Isaiah 2:11 Human pride will be brought down, and human arrogance will be humbled. Only the Lord will be exalted on that day of judgment. Isaiah 2:17 Human pride will be humbled, and human arrogance will be brought down. Only the Lord will be exalted on that day of judgment. Isaiah 2:20 On that day of judgment they will abandon the gold and silver idols they made for themselves to worship. They will leave their gods to the rodents and bats, Isaiah 3:18 On that day of judgment the Lord will strip away everything that makes her beautiful: ornaments, headbands, crescent necklaces, Isaiah 22:14 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has revealed this to me: “Till the day you die, you will never be forgiven for this sin.” That is the judgment of the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Ezekiel 7:10 “The day of judgment is here; your destruction awaits! The people’s wickedness and pride have blossomed to full flower. Ezekiel 39:8 That day of judgment will come, says the Sovereign Lord. Everything will happen just as I have declared it. Hosea 10:15 You will share that fate, Bethel, because of your great wickedness. When the day of judgment dawns, the king of Israel will be completely destroyed. Amos 5:18 Warning of Coming Judgment What sorrow awaits you who say, “If only the day of the Lord were here!” You have no idea what you are wishing for. That day will bring darkness, not light. Amos 6:3 You push away every thought of coming disaster, but your actions only bring the day of judgment closer. Micah 7:4 Even the best of them is like a brier; the most honest is as dangerous as a hedge of thorns. But your judgment day is coming swiftly now. Your time of punishment is here, a time of confusion. Zephaniah 1:7 Stand in silence in the presence of the Sovereign Lord, for the awesome day of the Lord’s judgment is near. The Lord has prepared his people for a great slaughter and has chosen their executioners. Zephaniah 1:8 “On that day of judgment,” says the Lord, “I will punish the leaders and princes of Judah and all those following pagan customs. Zephaniah 2:2 Gather before judgment begins, before your time to repent is blown away like chaff. Act now, before the fierce fury of the Lord falls and the terrible day of the Lord’s anger begins. Malachi 3:1 The Coming Day of Judgment “Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Malachi 3:17 “They will be my people,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “On the day when I act in judgment, they will be my own special treasure. I will spare them as a father spares an obedient child. Malachi 4:1 The Coming Day of Judgment The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says, “The day of judgment is coming, burning like a furnace. On that day the arrogant and the wicked will be burned up like straw. They will be consumed—roots, branches, and all. Matthew 7:22 On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ Matthew 10:15 I tell you the truth, the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah will be better off than such a town on the judgment day. Matthew 11:22 I tell you, Tyre and Sidon will be better off on judgment day than you. Matthew 11:24 I tell you, even Sodom will be better off on judgment day than you.” Matthew 12:36 And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. Matthew 12:41 “The people of Nineveh will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah. Now someone greater than Jonah is here—but you refuse to repent. The motto of this comment is everything has to be judged in order to know right from wrong. It really pleases God when we stand up for out King against the evils of the enemy. God is not going to support the lukewarm anymore. We need to be hot for him. 01/22/2024 I have been hearing a lot about the Jezebel spirit attacking our nation and even Christians. Do not think you are safe from it because it caught Elijah and John the Baptist off guard. Jesus said this about John: Matthew 11:11 “I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is! God demonstrated to both Johns who the Messiah is by the Spirit descending on him. John 1:29-34 29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 He is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘A man is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’ 31 I did not recognize him as the Messiah, but I have been baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 Then John testified, “I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him. 33 I didn’t know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of God.” With the boldness of Elijah, John the Baptist stood up politically against the marriage of Herod: Matthew 14:3-5 3 For Herod had arrested and imprisoned John as a favor to his wife Herodias (the former wife of Herod’s brother Philip). 4 John had been telling Herod, “It is against God’s law for you to marry her.” 5 Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of a riot, because all the people believed John was a prophet. This action sent John to prison when the enemy challenged John. This spirit causes fear and we began to doubt our calling or what we know. This is also harmful to our faith in these moments. Elijah ran to the desert to hide where he began making false assumptions that he was the only one left and Jezebel had more power then God. John could not run and was so unsure of his calling that he sent his disciples to find out if Jesus was real: Matthew 11:2-4 2 John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, 3 “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?” (Jesus is the master of communication in his response:) 4 Jesus told them, “Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen— 5 the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.” 6 And he added, “God blesses those who do not fall away because of me.” It is easy to fall into this trap because this spirit is so prevalent. This is why we need to pray and bind the enemy to overcome this Spirit. Ask frequently: Matthew 7:7-8 (New Living Translation) “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. This spirit is harmful to your spiritual health in so many ways. Lord I pray that you keep the spirit of Jezebel away from all your children and give us the insight to recognize it. 01/20/2024 We all know that we are supposed to model our lives after Jesus Christ. But what if we don't? When David came back to his senses, he repented and asked God not to forget him. He really shared everything on his heart that was bothering him. I would not be surprised that some of us may have experienced what David had before we came to give our hearts to Jesus: Psalm 38 NLT A psalm of David, asking God to remember him. 1 O Lord, don’t rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your rage! 2 Your arrows have struck deep, and your blows are crushing me. 3 Because of your anger, my whole body is sick; my health is broken because of my sins. 4 My guilt overwhelms me— it is a burden too heavy to bear. 5 My wounds fester and stink because of my foolish sins. 6 I am bent over and racked with pain. All day long I walk around filled with grief. 7 A raging fever burns within me, and my health is broken. 8 I am exhausted and completely crushed. My groans come from an anguished heart. 9 You know what I long for, Lord; you hear my every sigh. 10 My heart beats wildly, my strength fails, and I am going blind. 11 My loved ones and friends stay away, fearing my disease. Even my own family stands at a distance. 12 Meanwhile, my enemies lay traps to kill me. Those who wish me harm make plans to ruin me. All day long they plan their treachery. 13 But I am deaf to all their threats. I am silent before them as one who cannot speak. 14 I choose to hear nothing, and I make no reply. 15 For I am waiting for you, O Lord. You must answer for me, O Lord my God. 16 I prayed, “Don’t let my enemies gloat over me or rejoice at my downfall.” 17 I am on the verge of collapse, facing constant pain. 18 But I confess my sins; I am deeply sorry for what I have done. 19 I have many aggressive enemies; they hate me without reason. 20 They repay me evil for good and oppose me for pursuing good. 21 Do not abandon me, O Lord. Do not stand at a distance, my God. 22 Come quickly to help me, O Lord my savior. God did restore David because his story was in many books in the Old Testament. The real sad part of Psalm 38 is that these two verses never go away: 19 I have many aggressive enemies; they hate me without reason. 20 They repay me evil for good and oppose me for pursuing good. Jesus, who never sinned, experienced this when he was doing what the Father asked of him. We will also experience what he experienced if we serve him: Matthew 10:25 Students are to be like their teacher, and slaves are to be like their master. And since I, the master of the household, have been called the prince of demons, the members of my household will be called by even worse names! This one comes with a promise. Jesus smiles when we live for him. He will acknowledge us before the Father: Matthew 10:22 And all nations will hate you because you are my followers. But everyone who endures to the end will be saved. Others who are "truly" Gods children will want to support you as you walk for Jesus. They too will be excited for you to succeed. You will not be alone. You also need to be excited and encourage those who have their own walk with Jesus. You will make a difference not only to God's "real" children, but you will bring Glory to Jesus Christ when they see how you live. 01/18/2024 We live during a time when there are so many cool gadgets and cars that can put a lot of fun in our lives. This temptation to have it all can take us away from serving our King. Paul understood what this temptation was like and had something to say about it: 1 Corinthians 10:13 (New Living Translation) The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. Even though God says that the temptation will not be greater than we can bear, God still wants to be part of the solution to help us avoid these temptations. Pay attention to the word "temptation". The biggest lie the enemy tries to convince us is that we do not need God to prevent bad things from happening in our lives. Jesus knew that we cannot endure everything that life dishes out and wrote: Matthew 11:28-30 NLT Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Jesus loves us so much that he wants to help his children get through their struggles. Don't insult our King by living for the world and using him for the last chance to get out of trouble. He will not be mocked. 01/16/2024 We all have a sinful nature, but I have found out it is easier to control it if someone is watching. No one wants to be busted or embarrassed by a behavior because someone is watching. If we are serious about who Jesus is, Paul has the answer: Galatians 5:16 (NLT) So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The Holy Spirit wants to be so real to us where he appears like someone who is here in the room in the physical. I have observed those who truly walk with the Spirit live a Godlier life then those that distance themselves from the Holy Spirit. One of the gifts of the Spirit is self-control. We still may still sin, but the number of occurrences will greatly drop. Other benefits the Holy Spirit provides are peace, freedom from fear, and the ability to forgive others. The coolest thing the Holy Spirit has is direct communication to the Father. So, when we let the Spirit pray for us, we can expect big things to happen to us. Take advantage of the Holy Spirit that Jesus sent us when he returned to the Father. Everything Jesus did was by the power of the Holy Spirit because he was as human as we are. That same Spirit will help us reach the unsaved and perform the same miracles that Jesus did. John 14:12 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. 01/12/2024 Isn't it interesting how often that things of life eventually come against us. We finally realized that we can't do everything ourselves and turn to God for answers. David himself had these moments: Psalm 118:5-6 (King James Version) I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me and set me in a large place. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? God really does have a place for us. We may not even want to go there. But when we are where God wants us to be, he will be there with us in a big way. As long as he wants you to stay in this place, you will become invincible to any man. If you leave where God called you to go, you may see what other men will do to harm you. We know that apostle Paul's place was Asia. Which to me is a pretty large place. Paul was where God wanted him to be. Acts 27 talks about how the wind and the storms could not destroy him. He even warned the captain to what was about to happen if they left harbor. Our God always has a way out even when those around you are evil. When Paul prayed when the wind was about to destroy the ship, God answered his prayer quickly and saved everyone's life onboard the ship. That is another thing I have noticed is on how fast God answers prayers when we are praying about where we are supposed to be. Acts 28 talks about everyone being spared from the shipwreck. Paul was helping create a big fire when a Viper bit him. He just threw it in the fire and kept on going. He knew that God called him to go to Rome and understood that it would not happen if he was dead. If you don't know the story of my buddy, he too had a period when he was in distress. When he called out to God, he brought him to east Denver to reach out to the gangs. God has always protected him from danger until he tried to create his own place and almost died. He realized what he did and apologized to God for not listening. Even when we are in God's place, he can make changes if we ask. He was always getting banged around so we prayed that the leaders would prevent his men from laying a hand on him. God changed this immediately. We still had the pistols that were always drawn and even placed on the back of his head while reading God's Word. We then prayed that when he had God's Word in his hand that would be the cue to put their pistols away. God answered that prayer immediately. Now the gang members are looking for my buddy to ask him questions about forgiveness and they usually are hungry. He will be one of many who would tell you that God's place is not boring. If you have fear in your life, let God direct you to where he wants you. He will then always be by your side. The enemy will lose his power because of his presence and men will have no control over you. Don't go solo and lose what God has to offer. 01/05/2024 Look how Isaiah relates to Titus in my last comment. More proof God's word is never changing. Isaiah 1:16-17 (New Living Translation) Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways. Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows. Isaiah was from centuries past, but the only difference from each was in the words each man used. The biggest priorities are getting that sin out of our lives and learning to do good. Titus 2:12-14 NLT 12 And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, 13 while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. 14 He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds. 01/04/2024 They say that our God's word never changes. Check out what God said to Micah: Micah 6:8 (New Living Translation) No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. Now read what Titus wrote: Titus 2:11-12 (New Living Translation) For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God. Just look how they say the same thing. Titus had even more to say because Jesus has just completed what God's word talked about the coming of Jesus starting in Genisis. Titus 2:13-14 completes what is required to live for our King: 11 For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. 12 And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, 13 while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. 14 He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds. We really have something to look forward to if we commit ourselves to serve him. After all he gave his life to free us from every kind of sin. With this newfound freedom we should be wanting to do good deeds serving others. Do you know that even smiling can change persons state of mind? I know of people who are released from depression just because of kind word or just stopping to help another person. This is all real. I asked my buddy who is helping us in God's ministry a lot. He revealed that Noah has been a big help. For Christmas I had Samuel's daughter give him a Red Robin gift card. These people live in the ghetto which is a difficult place to live. It was very emotional to him that someone who he never met would give of himself to bless him. His life is changed forever. There are other people out there who are waiting on us to respond. What is holding you back? I also know that some of you have already done this. Isn't this experience one of the greatest things that you have experienced. Remember this: Matthew 10:42 NLT And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded.” and if you do it to one of God's children just because he belongs to Jesus: Mark 9:41 NLT If anyone gives you even a cup of water because you belong to the Messiah, I tell you the truth, that person will surely be rewarded. What a promise that Jesus gave us. 12/05/2023 When we sin against God and man our personal sin is not rated by Jesus based on severity. But when we cause any of his children to sin by our actions it is a different story: Luke 17 New International Reader's Version 17 Jesus spoke to his disciples. “Things that make people sin are sure to come,” he said. “But how terrible it will be for anyone who causes those things to come! 2 Suppose people lead one of these little ones to sin. It would be better for those people to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck. 3 So watch what you do. Jesus said, "But how terrible it will be for anyone who causes those things to come!" You can expect terrible things to happen to you when you lead others astray. In order to protect yourself you need to know what sin is as defined by God's word. Wokeness leads people astray to their destruction. As so-called Christians believe homosexuality is OK. Roman 1 says it is not. What is this gender confusion? Genisis says that I am going to make a man. When man looked lonely God created woman. He made men and women with enough differences that anyone with an IQ would know which one is what. The sins being done to influence others to do wrong will be judged by God like Jesus said. The reverse is also true. You bring up your children with biblical principles you will be blessed. If you oppose sin and do it in love like Jesus, you will also be blessed. People in leadership have a great responsibility to those under them. They have the power to demonstrate biblical principle which greatly please God. Remember the parable of the talents. Jesus in Luke 17:3-4 also wants us to warn those Christians who sin against you: “If your brother or sister sins against you, tell them they are wrong. Then if they turn away from their sins, forgive them. 4 Suppose they sin against you seven times in one day. And suppose they come back to you each time and say, ‘I’m sorry.’ You must forgive them.” They may never ask for forgiveness. Do not let them get you down or you will be held in bondage. Mark 11:25 But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.” Make sure though that if they do that you let go and forgive them. Matthew 6:15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. Remember when Stephen was stoned in Acts and Jesus was hanging on the cross. They both said, "Father forgive them. They do not know what they are doing." This is the power of forgiving: John 20:23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” Removing unforgiveness from your life gives you a newfound freedom and joy. Any bitterness you may have will also go. Now you can do great things for Jesus because you will be released from bondage. 11/16/2023 We all know that Jesus Christ loves the entire world because he laid his life down for all of us. I firmly believe that Jesus Christ does not love one person more than another. I firmly believe though that once we give our lives to Jesus Christ and began the transformation to mimic him, we become special. When you read John 17:9, you will understand why: John 17:9-10 NLT 9 “My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. 10 All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory. God makes the first move before we can come to Jesus: John 6:44 NLT 44 For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up. God knows all of us who will not bring glory to his son Jesus. He will not let his son waste his time on those people. Revelations confirms these people exist: Revelation 16:9 NLT Everyone was burned by this blast of heat, and they cursed the name of God, who had control over all these plagues. They did not repent of their sins and turn to God and give him glory. Revelation 16:11 and they cursed the God of heaven for their pains and sores. But they did not repent of their evil deeds and turn to God. Revelation 16:21 There was a terrible hailstorm, and hailstones weighing as much as seventy-five pounds fell from the sky onto the people below. They cursed God because of the terrible plague of the hailstorm. Since Jesus was human on Earth. Just as we do, he had to rely on the Holy Spirit for his power. This is the same Holy Spirit that he has given us. That same Holy Spirit petitions for us if we're serving Jesus Christ and living like him. When we live like Jesus Christ, we bring glory to his name. Here are more verses that talk about God calling us to his Son: Ephesians 1:4 NLT Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. Galatians 1:15 NLT But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him. 1 Peter 1:2 NLT God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. May God give you more and more grace and peace. 1 Corinthians 1:2 NLT I am writing to God’s church in Corinth, to you who have been called by God to be his own holy people. He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus, just as he did for all people everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours. Romans 1:6 NLT And you are included among those Gentiles who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ. Jude 1:1 NLT Greetings from Jude This letter is from Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and a brother of James. I am writing to all who have been called by God the Father, who loves you and keeps you safe in the care of Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:3 Growing in Faith By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. Thes verses confirm we are special after we transform our lives to be like Christ. 2 Peter 1:10-11 10 So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. 11 Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. In the ministry God gave us, he only allows us to take care of ghetto families who are his. He only brings gangs to us who are willing to give themselves to his Son. It would be interesting to know when the Holy Spirit is communicating with our Father, how many of those prayers are just for our Kings immediate families. You are special when you serve out King. 10/29/2023 Refining our Walk to Look Like Jesus God has been having me collect silver for what he is about to do. When we are born, we are just like silver that has been just mined. The silver that he has me collect is 0.999 which is much more valuable than plain silver which has not been refined. To purify silver, you need to heat it hot to burn off the impurities. Many times, it has to be done more than seven times to get the impurities out. When we serve Christ, we have to have things in our life removed just like Isaiah said: Isaiah 48:10 I have refined you, but not as silver is refined. Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of suffering. Another thing I learned about silver is that it cannot be automated very well. Each pass has to be watched by the silversmith. The same thing happens with God. He is watching every trial that occurs in our lives. When the silver is refined enough the silversmith will see his reflection in the silver. The same thing happens to us when God sees the reflection of Jesus Christ forming in our own lives. The silversmith also knows that the furnace temperature has to be controlled to keep from damaging the silver which than has to be thrown away. God watches the furnace of suffering in our lives. He never lets us be tempted beyond our control. If he was not there to watch our furnace of suffering, we would fail. We need God to handle the big things in life, both physical and spiritual, that come against us. Only God can turn the heat down. When God gets through with us, we will become like what God told Zechariah: Zechariah 13:9 I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure. I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘These are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’” We all know God is purer than the purest silver and so are his promises that come after the furnace of suffering. Psalm 12:6 The Lord’s promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over. 10/27/2023 Worshiping our King Have you ever asked the question about the best way to worship our King? I know that when we come together as a body and sing praises to our King that it greatly pleases him. The worship he really likes and wants is how we present our bodies to him. Romans 12:1 NLT And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don't stop exalting our King but how we live our lives rates the quality of our worship to him. 10/04/2023 I watch How our judicial system is trying to take out Trump for the tiniest thing and quickly. Then I notice the opposite with Joe Biden with his son Hunter. They're trying to cover all that up. It seems like our judicial system only supports evil. It looks like we have to live with this because nothing can be done. Just because we see injustice in the land you need to read this from Psalms. It was written for what going on in 2023: Psalm 7:11-17 NLT 11 God is an honest judge. He is angry with the wicked every day. 12 If a person does not repent, God will sharpen his sword; he will bend and string his bow. 13 He will prepare his deadly weapons and shoot his flaming arrows. 14 The wicked conceive evil; they are pregnant with trouble and give birth to lies. 15 They dig a deep pit to trap others, then fall into it themselves. 16 The trouble they make for others backfires on them. The violence they plan falls on their own heads. 17 I will thank the Lord because he is just; I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High. It is OK to remind God what he placed in his word to him. Just believe these words are real and God is going to do something. But the last thing is the dirty word "patience" that I hate. God does things in a way to give people the chance to repent. Definitely do not forget verse 17 "I will thank the Lord because he is just; I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High." while God is judging the evil in the land. 10/01/2023 One question I hear quite often is to be able to hear from God. I notice that those who hear from God unusually have a strong walk with our King. It is interesting that almost every letter written in the New Testament talks about us striving to live a life like Christ. But have you thought about what that means? When Christ was resurrected, he sent us the same Holy Spirit that controlled his life while he walked on this earth. When we are living like Christ, we should feel the same things that he felt. Your thoughts will become like his thoughts. That same Spirit that Jesus used should reside in us after we become born again. That same Spirit speaks to us guiding our thoughts as we go about our day. John 3:3 NLT Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” That Spirit will open things up for us to be able to begin to hear from God. It is hard to hear from God if we cannot do these things Christ accomplished on earth: LOVE Even though we may not be able to love like he loves us, our love for our fellow man should increase as we grow in him. Any hatred you have for a person or family member will hinder God's communication with you. WICKEDNESS When we encounter wickedness how do we respond? This will also affect us from hearing from God. Jesus, at the beginning and end of his ministry went into the Temple and started throwing the tables of the thieves in the Temple. If wickedness does not get us into action, we are not living like Christ. I am not advocating the destruction of property like Jesus did, But I know that his Father told him to do that. The wicked use hardcore violence against everyone. We are not wanting to imitate them directly. But indirectly, we have things that we can do that please God. Voting can be an action that can be used to attack the wicked. God made it easy in the 2020 election to test us. He put up a godly platform on one side and a satanic platform on the other. He gave us the option to choose wisely. Many so-called Christians voted for the satanic platform which proves that they are not living like Jesus Christ. Jesus would never do such a thing. Remember there will never by a person who is perfect. Always support those who serve Satan the least. Matthew 12:26 NLT And if Satan is casting out Satan, he is divided and fighting against himself. His own kingdom will not survive. (You cannot mix God's platform with Satan's platform without dividing his Kingdom either.) Matthew 6:24 NLT “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. (You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money (this includes free government handouts and your pocketbook). If you are controlled by money, you need to let go: Matthew 6:33 NLT 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. (God does care about you finances but his values come first. You will never receive the blessings he wants to give and to be able to hear from him unless you put his values and desires first.) FORGIVENESS One thing that Jesus did was to forgive those with sin. Many times, he would come to their defense as the woman who they were going to stone. When he asked the crowd for the man without sin to cast the first stone, everyone left. But Jesus did not leave it at that. Even after they all walked away, he looked at her and said, "Go and sin no more." I know that we do not have the power to forgive the sins of those who do sins against other people like Christ can. But we are able to forgive those who do wrongs against us. And we are to accept those who have asked God to forgive their sins into his body. GOD NEVER SAID THAT Our biggest enemy in hearing from God is the human filter. Human thoughts can pollute the things that God is trying to reveal to us. I have heard that many of the people who prophesy have to be careful about what they watch on TV because it can influence the meaning of what God is trying to say. It is important that we only fill our mind with godly things. As Christ like followers, we should never be in a job situation that does not honor what God believes. You cannot tell me that working at a strip club would please God. This would also pollute our thoughts. GOD WINS One thing I began to realize is that when Roe versus Wade was thrown out by the Supreme Court, I thought it was cool. If Jesus would've been human today, he would have celebrated. Because that is one of the greatest victories that Christianity ever experienced in this country is by preventing the abortion of the young. As a body of labor's following Christ, we should have followed suit. All of these things determine how Christ like we are and can explain why sometimes we cannot hear from God. Always remember this: Matthew 7:7 NLT Effective Prayer “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. Ask God and believe that he will answer. When I am hearing from God, I am never sure if it is from him. If it contradicts his word, it is NEVER from God. This requires you to know his word to make this decision. Even Gideon tested what he heard by giving God the two challenges to confirm what he was asked to do: Judges 6:36-40 Then Gideon said to God, “If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised.” And that is just what happened. When Gideon got up early the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out a whole bowlful of water. If you still are not sure, get close to someone else who knows God. Use each other to confirm what you heard from God. After a while, you will get more comfortable hearing from God. Just remember to keep your mind clean and let the Holy Spirit guide you in your walk with our King. 09/20/2023 I don't like what is going on with today's world and it is tempting just to stay at home to separate myself from this insane world. The problem with this is we will cheat ourselves from the joy God has for us. James mentioned this right away as he began writing: James 1:2-4 Faith and Endurance 2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. Running away from sin is a good thing but we should face troubles head on. We do not have to do it alone. James had an answer for problem solving. It is: James 1:5-8 5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. Even after doing all this, the long battle can begin to weigh down our spirit to the point we lose our enthusiasm serving our King. Paul has an encouraging word for us as he wrote to the Galatian church: Galatians 6:9 NLT 9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. God will give us great harvest of blessing if we keep our eyes on him and continue to do the things he asks of us. When we serve our King with our focus to please him, the world's problems seem so much smaller.
