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 09/11/2023 It is amazing how many people struggle with self-worth. This should not be a problem because God does not make junk. This is a trick of the enemy to causes us to want to give up. Just think about it, why would God send his son to die for worthless junk. Paul's letter to the Ephesians has something to say about this: Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT 8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. David even realized the workmanship that God did to create us: Psalm 139:13-16 NLT 13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. 15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. 16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. God has given us everything to maintain the masterpiece he made us to be. 2 Peter 1:3 NLT Growing in Faith 3 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. Expect fantastic things to happen when you do what he has called you to do. Romans 8:28 NLT 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. It is a fact that anytime you have a masterpiece, you are going to protect it at any cost. This is no different with God: Deuteronomy 31:8 NLT 8 Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.” He will even watch out for you for your enemies. Psalm 7:14-16 NLT 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. He has a vested interest in making sure that our path is remaining straight. Psalm 32:8 NLT 8 The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. When doubt tries to enter your mind, God many times will send someone to encourage you. Even the Holy Spirit can do this alone: Psalm 94:19 NLT 19 When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer. More proof we serve an awesome God and we know God does not lie. This is his desire if we do not abandon him to our selfish desires: Isaiah 43:1-4 NLT The Savior of Israel 43 But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. 2 When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. 3 For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I gave Egypt as a ransom for your freedom; I gave Ethiopia and Seba in your place. 4 Others were given in exchange for you. I traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you. Do not let your weak faith make you doubt that he cannot accomplish this. He wants to do this for you. After all you are a masterpiece. 08/30/2023 In order to truly serve God properly we have to know who we are: Romans 3:23-24 23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. 24 Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. Because of Jesus Christ we are now not guilty. Do not let the enemy use your past experiences to prevent you from being bold: 1 John 3:21 Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. Romans 5:21 So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Now that we know who we are, let's find out what God wants: 1 John 3:7-10 7 Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. 8 But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. 9 Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. 10 So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God. You see it does matter what we do after receiving God's grace through Jesus Christ. Like John says if we do not live properly or hate our neighbor the way we should, it sounds like the Lake of fire is our next destination. Grace is NOT fire insurance but is something that needs to be treated with respect just like the man who gave us this gift. I have noticed that those who have a good relationship with Jesus Christ have an easier time with living a righteous life. Develop that relationship with him. Read God's word, pray and ask the Holy Spirit for guidance. He is willing to help build it. Let's make Jesus Proud of us. 08/27/2023 Have you wondered how people who have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ begin to think and see things differently than others. People who call them Christians and who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ will see things as the world sees it and many times will behave just like they do. There are many verses that explain why God's children see things the way God sees them. Colossians 2:3 In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Isaiah 50:4 The Lord’s Obedient Servant The Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary. Morning by morning he wakens me and opens my understanding to his will Job 12:13 “But true wisdom and power are found in God; counsel and understanding are his Job 28:28 And this is what he says to all humanity: ‘The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.’” As you begin to accumulate this wisdom from God, you begin to see all the stupid things that people are doing. I always wonder if I am only one who thinks the way I do. I began reading a story on the telegram platform and I swear this lady was reading my mind. This is her writing that she quoted. I just added some Bible verses in between her writing to confirm what she was talking about. She starts here: It doesn’t seem fair… You look around and you see so many people completely oblivious to everything, happily going about their lives as if nothing had happened, was happening or will happen. I now get the saying ‘ignorance is bliss’, mind you, it’s only bliss until it’s not, by which time it might be too late. Jeremiah 10:21 The shepherds of my people have lost their senses. They no longer seek wisdom from the Lord. Therefore, they fail completely, and their flocks are scattered. Nonetheless, as the dial turns, as we transform and transcend, we are the ones that get to hear the static noise and the maddening dissonance. We are the ones that can see the chaos unfold, that get to feel the pain, the frustration and the anger, whilst the unaware plan their next holidays, enjoy the football match, watch their favorite soap opera, claim the weather has gone crazy and look forward to retiring. Luke 17:28-30 28 “And the world will be as it was in the days of Lot. People went about their daily business—eating and drinking, buying and selling, farming and building— 29 until the morning Lot left Sodom. Then fire and burning sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 Yes, it will be ‘business as usual’ right up to the day when the Son of Man is revealed. Sharing this insane world with the unaware is becoming increasingly difficult and irrationally unfair… Romans 5:4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. At times we feel the weight of the world on our shoulders, other times we feel the lightness of freedom within our souls and as we go through this rollercoaster of emotions, we must keep it to ourselves, knowing all too well, we wouldn’t be understood by those who think killing cows will solve climate change. Matthew 11:28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Their unconscious and unconcerned attitude gets on our nerves most of the time, whilst other times we envy the simplicity of their existence. This ride is exhausting, isolating and unnerving but there’s no way back, there’s no getting off, no stop button, no exit and no escape. One step after the other we must keep going, slowly learning ways to cope, to coexist and to enjoy each day as best we can, for these are days of our lives we are not getting back. 2 Timothy 3:12 Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. Many of us have lost a lot along this road, but there’s something we gained that will give us the advantage when the time comes; we gained strength, we realized our own power and we embraced the faith that keeps us going. It doesn’t seem fair right now, but let’s not forget, we don’t seek fairness, we seek justice, we seek freedom, we seek sovereignty and we seek LOVE like the world has never seen before. The pain, the suffering, the anger, the exasperation, the sorrow, the frustration and the rejection we feel, is the price we must pay for what is coming. Bliss will be in the hands of the conscious, the truthful and the faithful. The ignorant just have a limited time to wake up before it’s too late. I hope they do. ?????????????????? end quote https://t.me/LauraAbolichannel 2 Thessalonians 1:4-9 We proudly tell God’s other churches about your endurance and faithfulness in all the persecutions and hardships you are suffering. 5 And God will use this persecution to show his justice and to make you worthy of his Kingdom, for which you are suffering. 6 In his justice he will pay back those who persecute you. 7 And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power. Everybody needs to stand firm and not lose hope. I'm even telling myself that I need to do this also. We have a world today that desperately needs Jesus Christ to deliver us from this madness. The only thing that we can do is continue to stand up for godly principles in the way we pray, bind the enemy, vote for godly platforms (Many so called Christians voted for demonic platforms in the last two elections) and speak to our fellow man about the things of God. Oh, by the way GOD WINS!!! this last spiritual battle where Jesus will get his message sent to every nation on this earth. He will also remove the lukewarm from his church of today. This modified church will make the devil tremble and perform miracles in a magnitude that has never been seen before. 08/21/2023 I really believe that when we really begin to love God that our lives become this: Psalm 42:8 (New Living Translation) But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life. There are truly people who love God this much and live this kind of life. I myself am trying to work towards this goal of loving God like this. God does not do anything that harms us. It is just the opposite as Isaiah said: Isaiah 33:22 (New Living Translation) For the Lord is our judge, our lawgiver, and our king. He will care for us and save us. In fact, God would rather have us victorious in our walk with him as the Psalm says: Psalm 149:4 (New Living Translation) For the Lord delights in his people; he crowns the humble with victory. So, let us watch our attitude so we too may be victorious as we walk with our King. When we accomplish Psalm 42:8, we will want to do as Paul asks the Corinthian church. 2 Corinthians 10:17-18 (New Living Translation) As the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.” When people commend themselves, it doesn’t count for much. The important thing is for the Lord to commend them. Bring Glory to our King with a pure heart and actions and he may send you to amazing places that you never have dreamed it was possible. I have witnessed it firsthand what our King is capable of doing. 08/09/2023 One of the best ways to understand who God is by reading his word. Many of us, including me, have weak spots when it comes to thoroughly reading the word. Distractions and events many times keep us from reading that word in the Bible that we need to grow in God's Kingom. The word "grow" is an action. James has something to say about this: James 1:22 (New Living Translation) But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. If we are not fully versed in God's word, we will be weak in our walk. Samuel was well versed living in the environment of the priests. Even with all the exposure he had with the things of God, he still dropped the ball as recorded in this verse: 1 Samuel 16:7 (New Living Translation) But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” Samuel made his judgment by what man taught him. I even wondered if he even prayed before making his decision. After we learn from God's word, we still need to pray and ask to receive wisdom that the Holy Spirit wants to give us. Never forget that when you are serving God properly that he wants to do this: Jeremiah 33:2-3 (New Living Translation) “This is what the Lord says—the Lord who made the earth, who formed and established it, whose name is the Lord: Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come. Only a friend will share secrets with you. It is no different with God. When we develop that personal relationship with Jesus Christ, he wants to share with us what he knows. 07/31/2023 The New Testament is full of references that talk about the power of the name of Jesus Christ. But have you ever thought about that man who laid his life down for us whose name is "Jesus Christ"? What kind of emotion do you feel when his name is mentioned? I've seen so many people get so excited about sports figures, actors in Hollywood, and even musicians. They will go nuts just to be part of the action. Will we show the same emotion for our Lord Jesus Christ when his name is mentioned? Why is the church not as excited about Jesus Christ as the world is about the individuals who we idolize. I can tell you that these individuals we idolize only care about what is in our pocketbooks while Jesus cares about our souls. He cared so much so that he laid it all down for us. The people we tend to idolize will never lay their lives down for us ever. I have seen people get excited about Jesus. There are people in the ghetto who give up their Saturday mornings just to worship Jesus Christ. They jump up-and-down and get excited. They live this verse: Philippians 2:9-11 (New Living Translation) Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. This verse describes those people who truly love the Lord. They understand what he did for us by dying on that cross. This should be an automatic reflex when we have that personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This next verse will never return void: Psalm 138:2 (New Living Translation) I bow before your holy Temple as I worship. I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name. There is a lot of cool things that come about because of the reverence of the name Jesus Christ: John 15:10 (New Living Translation) When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. Romans 1:16 (New Living Translation) For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. Psalm 18:30 (New Living Translation) God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. Psalm 119:7 (New Living Translation) As I learn your righteous regulations, I will thank you by living as I should! 07/22/2023 Jeremiah 32:17 (New Living Translation) “O Sovereign Lord! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you! One of the coolest things that Jesus did was when he walked on the water. Even as fascinating was when Peter asked to walk to him and actually started doing it. There are at least two things that can be learned from this story: Mathew 14:22-33 NLT Jesus Walks on Water 22 Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. 23 After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone. 24 Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. 25 About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!” 27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” 28 Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” 29 “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. 31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” 32 When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed. Have you ever thought about the phrase "little faith". The English language is dumb in the fact one word may mean many things. Check out the word "little" from dictionary.com. If you are like me, you automatically attach definition 1 to this phrase. It takes huge faith to be able to take that first step into the water. Jesus was referring to his faith as definition 2 calls it. Check out all the definitions that this one word has. When we read God's word it is important that we interpret each word with its proper definition, or we will receive the wrong message. little [ lit-l ] See synonyms for: little least lesser less on Thesaurus.com adjective,lit·tler or less or less·er, lit·tlest or least. 1. small in size; not big; not large; tiny: a little desk in the corner of the room. 2. short in duration; not extensive; short; brief: a little while. 3. small in number: a little group of scientists. 4. small in amount or degree; not much: little hope. 5. of a certain amount; appreciable (usually preceded by a): We're having a little difficulty. 6. being such on a small scale: little farmers. 7. younger or youngest: He's my little brother. 8. not strong, forceful, or loud; weak: a little voice. 9. small in consideration, importance, position, affluence, etc.: little discomforts;tax reductions to help the little fellow. 10. mean, narrow, or illiberal: a little mind. 11. endearingly small or considered as such: Bless your little heart! 12. amusingly small or so considered: a funny little way of laughing. 13. contemptibly small, petty, mean, etc., or so considered: filthy little political tricks. adverb,less, least. 14. not at all (used before a verb): He little knows what awaits him. 15. in only a small amount or degree; not much; slightly: a little-known work of art;little better than a previous effort Now that we understand how the meaning of a word can change God's message, the moral of this story is that faith and fear cannot exist together. One will override the other. When Peter saw Jesus, he had no problem walking on the water. When he took his eyes off of Jesus, he could see only wind and waves which cast fear into his life. His faith was immediately taken from him by fear. God is looking for long duration faith. Life continually plays tricks on us by making us think we do not matter, or we say "too much time has passed. I must have heard it wrong." This can also be a faith killer. You have not had your faith tested until you walk in Noah's shoes. He waited 120 years to see it happen. He did have one advantage that he knew that God would not flood the earth until the boat was finished. If Noah lived with fear of being ridiculed by others and even the fact that nothing like this ever happened before he never would have completed the boat. It is no different today. Fear is given by the enemy. We need to bind him up and get rid of his fear. This will allow for the "long duration" faith that God wants in our lives to build. Having reverent fear for our King is something we do not want to lose. This can actually build our faith. 07/09/2023 I do not get a thrill going through pain and suffering. If you think that you are the only one with problems, you are wrong. There are people in the bible who have experienced and support my views: Jabez did not like pain and suffering either: 1 Chronicles 4:10 He was the one who prayed to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and expand my territory! Please be with me in all that I do, and keep me from all trouble and pain!” And God granted him his request. {Could this mean that prayer is a good start to relieving pain and suffering} I have to admire Job for the pain he endured. Is there another man who could do what he did without rejecting God? Unlike you and me who have Gods written word and Jesus Christ, he did it without both. He was never excited to go through this period either: Job 6:10 At least I can take comfort in this: Despite the pain, I have not denied the words of the Holy One. Job 6:25 Honest words can be painful, but what do your criticisms amount to? Job 7:15 I would rather be strangled— rather die than suffer like this. Job 9:28 I would still dread all the pain, for I know you will not find me innocent, O God. Job 14:22 They suffer painfully; their life is full of trouble.” Job 15:20 “The wicked writhe in pain throughout their lives. Years of trouble are stored up for the ruthless. Job 30:17 At night my bones are filled with pain, which gnaws at me relentlessly. Job 30:27 My heart is troubled and restless. Days of suffering torment me. Job 33:19 “Or God disciplines people with pain on their sickbeds, with ceaseless aching in their bones. King David did not like the pain either: Psalm 25:18 Feel my pain and see my trouble. Forgive all my sins. Psalm 38:6 I am bent over and racked with pain. All day long I walk around filled with grief. Psalm 38:17 I am on the verge of collapse, facing constant pain. Psalm 48:6 They were gripped with terror and writhed in pain like a woman in labor. Psalm 69:26 To the one you have punished, they add insult to injury; they add to the pain of those you have hurt. Psalm 69:29 I am suffering and in pain. Rescue me, O God, by your saving power. It always looks like the bad guy gets a pass to pain: Psalm 73:4 They seem to live such painless lives; their bodies are so healthy and strong. Malachi 3:15 From now on we will call the arrogant blessed. For those who do evil get rich, and those who dare God to punish them suffer no harm. Always remember this that if you are serving the enemy, he will leave you alone because you are ineffective to God's Kingdom. This does not honor our King. Psalm 73:14 I get nothing but trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain. Psalm 90:10 Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty. But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we fly away. Psalm 109:22 For I am poor and needy, and my heart is full of pain. Jesus wanted a way out of pain and suffering if possible: Matthew 26:39 He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Many of God's Children have had their lives shaped by pain and suffering. Even their salvation has come from it. This happened in the first letter of Paul the church in Corinth: 2 Corinthians 7:8-9 I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful to you for a little while. Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way. Acts 5:41 The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus. Will anyone get into the Kingdom of God without some sort of pain or suffering? Acts 14:22 where they strengthened the believers. They encouraged them to continue in the faith, reminding them that we must suffer many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God. Romans 8:17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. Our actions can cause pain in the life of others: Philippians 1:17 Those others do not have pure motives as they preach about Christ. They preach with selfish ambition, not sincerely, intending to make my chains more painful to me. Serving Jesus is a discipline: Hebrews 12:11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. 1 Peter 4:1 Living for God So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin. Everything may seem negative up to this point, but this is what you will see if you endure: Romans 8:18 The Future Glory Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. Romans 8:23 And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. 2 Corinthians 1:5 For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:7 We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us. 2 Thessalonians 1:5 And God will use this persecution to show his justice and to make you worthy of his Kingdom, for which you are suffering. Hebrews 5:8 Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. (True for us also.) 1 Peter 2:20 Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you. James 5:13 The Power of Prayer Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Now for the Big Finish: Hebrews 2:18 Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested. James 5:11 We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy. Take heed of this last verse. We need to turn our lives over to Jesus now to reap the full benefits of what he wants to offer us. This is a promise from our King himself: Matthew 11:28-30 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.” 07/02/2023 It is quite a privilege to be a child of God. but we also have to remember that we have been commanded to live like Jesus Christ did. I know I have areas in my life where I do not mimic what Jesus does. These areas can be changed. Paul talks about us being over confident in our walk with the Lord: Romans 12:3-5 NLT 3 Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. God checks out our hearts to see what's in there. He makes the final decision on how we are living our lives. His talk withe Jeremiah says it all. Jeremiah 17:9-10 (New Living Translation) “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.” Even if we never love like Jesus does, we do not need to be discouraged. Just realize that we need to continue working in those areas that need improvement. Prayer can weaken strong holds in our lives that we fail to remove on our own. The Holy Spirit can develop our thinking and living so that people will see characteristics of Christ in our lives. It is amazing what Jesus can do if you release your entire life to him. 06/22/2023 We know that Jeremiah 29:11 talks about God having a plan for lives: Jeremiah 29:11 NLT 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. As we begin to do things for our King, the enemy does everything in his power to get us to go somewhere other than where God put us. He knows that going against God's plan will either cause failure or complete destruction if we do our own thing. If we do not stay where God put us, it makes us vulnerable to the cause of the enemy. There is protection and blessing when we serve God where he wants us to be. When God took Israel out of Egypt, they began complaining and moaning about things and they ended up walking in the desert for forty years. During that time God did take care of them with the manna, quail and water from the rocks. That was the period of time for that generation to die off. But it was also true that there were no blessings given during that period of time because God did not want them there. They were supposed to be in the promised land already. When they finally did go into the promise land then the people begin to see God's blessings manifest. Even my buddy experienced the temptation to work with gangs in New York City. They would have paid him well with excellent accommodations. Before he said yes, God said, "Moving to New York glorifies you. You were called to serve where I sent you in Denver. " My buddy gratefully accepted what God had to say. Because he obeyed God, we both are witnessing miracles and blessings of what God is doing in Colorado. God is expanding things beyond our wildest dreams. He has expanded the gang ministry to include families in the ghetto, feeding and saving the homeless, prostitutes giving their lives to Jesus, and relationships with all those cool people in law enforcement. Finally, the last thing is the wonderful college students God has us minister to just to keep us young. If he would have disobeyed, God would probably have killed the ministry that we would have tried to change to glorify ourselves. We would have given up everything God had planed for us. Always remember this verse: Mark 8:36 NLT And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? This is a promise if we serve where God wants us to be: Psalm 91:1 (New Living Translation) Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty Even with the long weekends, my buddy always experiences the rest that David is talking about. Live where God wants you to live and you will begin to experience his abundance. Also never seek a church for what it can do for you but ask God to show you a church where you can both serve and glorify our King Jesus Christ. 06/13/2023 Have you ever thought about when God created us that he created us with everything we need. There is one room in our bodies that he leaves empty. This room was designed to bring glory to our King. We have the free will to decide what we want to put in there. It is a fact that if we decide to worship the devil that He can give us wealth, fame, and the life of luxury. All of this was not designed to fill this empty spot. Oh, don't kid yourself we can try alcohol, sex, and drugs to fill this area. We are still left with an empty depressed feeling. God calls it our heart. This is how he designed it: Ecclesiastes 3:11 NLT Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. This is proof that our heart brings glory to Jesus: Isaiah 26:8 NLT Lord, we show our trust in you by obeying your laws; our heart’s desire is to glorify your name. This is what happens when you give your heart what it desires: Jeremiah 15:16 NLT When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies. Your heart is like the stones. If you do not let your heart worship our King, it will cry out: Jeremiah 20:9 NLT But if I say I’ll never mention the Lord or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It’s like a fire in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can’t do it! This is what happens when you put the right thing into your heart: John 14:27 NLT “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. When you have Jesus living in your heart, do not do anything to make him leave: 1 John 5:21 NLT Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts. A heart filled with Jesus is true freedom: Galatians 5:13 NLT For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. This is what happens when Jesus is replaced with sin: Galatians 6:8 NLT Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. A defiled heart is asking for these two things: James 5:5 NLT You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter. Jude 1:16 NLT These people are grumblers and complainers, living only to satisfy their desires. They brag loudly about themselves, and they flatter others to get what they want. It is not easy to keep your heart clean, but we must start by being obedient to our King: 1 Peter 1:14 NLT So, you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. This verse fits 2023 in America: Jude 1:18 NLT They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. As a church we need to unite and stand against these evil people. A compliant church will always lose to the power of the devil because we never take a stand. As men and women, we can vote and speak up. On the spiritual side we can pray and bind the enemy. In order to live this life of power, Jesus must be residing in that once empty room. On a final note, do not ever doubt what you can do for God. Paul says it well: 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 NLT 26 Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. 27 Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 28 God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. 29 As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God. 06/08/2023 God has given us a wonderful family ministry in the ghetto of Denver. What makes the families so cool is how they see God: Psalm 90:2,4 (New Living Translation) Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God. There is a lot of gun fire and violence in the ghetto. But when God sends us, this is how the families survive there and how we get things done: Habakkuk 3:19 (New Living Translation) The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights. This is so true. I have heard how the families come together to worship God on Saturday morning. Saturday morning is dedicated to worshipping God and blessing the new families in the middle of the danger. They totally understand the strength of God. This is something we should all strive for. The families understand what happens when Jesus is allowed to make a home in their hearts. This verse demonstrates what they all strive for. We should also do the same: Ephesians 3:17-19 (New Living Translation) Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. I have heard about the families fullness of life and power that comes from the real God. The families that God has asked us to bless in the past are looking for new specific families in the ghetto who are in need. Even though they do not have a lot themselves, it does not stop them from sharing in their own homes with the new families who have even less. They are deeply rooted into God's love. My goal is to be as deeply rooted into God's love as they are to the point we live for what God wants and turn every aspect of our life over to him. I am thankful that God uses this ministry to restore the faith of each family that is blessed. God get the Glory and the Victory on this one. 06/05/2023 Have ever thought about how well God did when he created everything including us. He even did it without my advice. When he finished creating us, he wanted us to become part of his plan. God gives us all talents and special abilities. These things were designed to bring us money to live on and to do things for the kingdom of God here on earth. Everyone of us have some talent that will benefit the Kingdom of Heaven. The problem we may develop is pride if we think God cannot do things without us. Even worse is believing that we can do everything on our own. David had something to say about this pride: 1 Chronicles 29:11-15 “O Lord, the God of our ancestor Israel, may you be praised forever and ever! 11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. 12 Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength. 13 “O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name! 14 But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us! 15 We are here for only a moment, visitors and strangers in the land as our ancestors were before us. Our days on earth are like a passing shadow, gone so soon without a trace. Really, life is a gift from God. We need to humble ourselves when we begin to realize how fragile we are. I am alive today because God has a purpose for my life. There is no other reason. If we and our children are willing to continue to serve God with our whole hearts, the Lord will remain amongst us for a long time: Ps 103:17-18 NLT But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments! We all need Jesus Christ and to develop a relationship with him. The Holy Spirit will help in this area. Let's not forget how we fit into God's plans. 06/01/2023 If you are like me troubles can wear us out. This can make us tired and sometimes wanting to give up. I do not see many verses from Lamentations, but this caught my attention when my buddy sent it to me. It makes me appreciate the foundation of our God. This verse was written centuries ago but God has not changed. Everything holds true for us today. We even have the Holy Spirit to strengthen us. He was sent by Jesus Christ when he returned to the Father. Our ancestors did not have the access to him like we do. He makes these verses even more powerful. Our God stands with us each morning. He is always excited to walk with us each day. Only our stubbornness will make him fall back but He never leaves us. Lets give thanks each morning and believe that this is what God wants to do for us: Lamentations 3:22 NLT 22 The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. 23 Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. 24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” Our traits should be depend on him, quietly wait which can be tough, and submit to him at an early age: 25 The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. 26 So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord. 27 And it is good for people to submit at an early age to the yoke of his discipline: I feel that the KJV version really paints a picture of who God is. It is like getting up early in the summertime in the morning. With our high altitude the air is crisp and fresh early in the morning. This energizes me and makes me want to start the day in a positive note: God is like that! Lamentations 3:22 KJV 22 It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. 24 The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. 25 The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. 26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. 27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. Use the Holy Spirit and continue to look for the things God. He will reveal more things to us as we develop that personal relationship with Jesus Christ. 05/25/2023 One of the greatest challenges in life is getting along with other people. James has a good start on how to improve our people skills: James 1:19 (New Living Translation) Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. This verse is a must if you are trying to get along with people. It is interesting that when you listen to what people or God has to say, you are demonstrating interest. God loves it when you interested in what he says. People are no different. The next step with people is our response. What they are saying may be totally stupid or even demonic. Sometimes people do this to get a reaction. By controlling our our anger we throw water on their fire by remaining cool. By being slow to speak gives us time to say a quick prayer and process the situation. Stupid replies many times will cause negative results. Always stick to the truth and never forget about the concept of love. Jesus applied this last statement and was crucified. Just as he did, never compromise the truth. This is how God's children should do it to get along with his other children. This brings unity to the church: Romans 12:10 (New Living Translation) Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. After all the above occurs, we are learning to work within God's people. Now we are ready for this step: Romans 15:2 (New Living Translation) We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. Now we have formed a powerful and spotless church. The next step requires a powerful church to accomplish: Mathew 24:14 NLT 14 And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come. After this step is completed, Jesus will return for his church. So let's become bold and become that church that he will be proud of. 05/22/2023 There is one party in specific in our government who is constantly pushing racism and division in our culture. The love of money influences both parties in the desire to get money at whatever cost the public may face. Our government uses the selfish influence of the have nots to take things away from those who work and earn their wealth. They will take it even if it means destroying a section of our society. I have even noticed that the selfishness each one of us will make us support those committing evil if there's a free lunch involved. These people do not get their ideas from God's word. It is the contrary. James said it well: James 3:17-18 NLT But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. Another man Paul said basicly the same thing: 1 Corinthians 1:10 NLT I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. Which one are you? Do you live and think as the world or do your thoughts follow these verses? You cannot please God unless you think the way these two men do. Jesus Christ is the solution to all of this. When Jesus begins to rule our lives, we begin to think exactly as these two verses quote. Jesus Christ has always been the answer to everything since the beginning of time. 05/12/2023 I like to go to biblegateway.com to see what the verse of the day is. It was fitting that being mother's day weekend that this verse would appear: Proverbs 31:10-31 NLT A Wife of Noble Character 10 Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies. [ I have seen many successful marriages because of Who You women are. You are to be commended on all the hard work that you've done to not only bring up a family but to keep your marriage intact. I do have to admit many times us husbands have not always been there for you. You are worth your weight in rubies. ] 11 Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. [This is a gift of peace that every husband should appreciate. We need to be exactly the same to our wives.] 12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. [ How many of us husbands are successful just because of our wives. We also should support our wives to make them feel good about who they are. It doesn't hurt that she become successful also. ] 13 She finds wool and flax and busily spins it. [ She is definitely creative in all the things she does.] 14 She is like a merchant’s ship, bringing her food from afar. [ Luckily for us she only has to go to the Costco store to get food.] 15 She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plan the day’s work for her servant girls. [I see this happen by the ladies more than I see men doing this. Again ladies thank you for your sacrifice in doing this. Men we should greatly appreciate our wives who do this.] 16 She goes to inspect a field and buys it; with her earnings she plants a vineyard. [Definitely sounds like a farmer's wife to me. Women can make the same decisions that men do.] 17 She is energetic and strong, a hard worker. [This definitely makes the husband's life easier. We should appreciate the sacrifice our wives do for us.] 18 She makes sure her dealings are profitable; her lamp burns late into the night. [I know my wife always got up in the night when the kids needed stuff while I slept. This is another thing to not be taken granted of.] 19 Her hands are busy spinning thread, her fingers twisting fiber. [This one also goes for you wives who are cooking meals and cleaning the house for the family. This job is very important and usually pays little. If you do this job not complaining it definitely pleases God because you are being a servant to all. Husbands do not take advantage of your wife's servant hood. We are also to be servants to our wives as Jesus was a servant to us.] 20 She extends a helping hand to the poor and opens her arms to the needy. [ This is another thing that our wives do better than us men.] 21 She has no fear of winter for her household, for everyone has warm clothes. [ Another great service that women do for us husbands. Most of us men couldn't care less about shopping for clothes for our kids.] 22 She makes her own bedspreads. She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns. [We should remember this because our wives do want to look good for us if we only appreciate them. We need to love our wives just as Jesus Christ loved the church.] 23 Her husband is well known at the city gates, where he sits with the other civic leaders. [ Husbands make sure that this is true. Our actions can reflect on our wives and we want them to look good to everyone else.] 24 She makes belted linen garments and sashes to sell to the merchants. [ Even though our wives may not make clothing but I have seen how creative they can be with coming up with ideas to make money. Make sure that we encourage our wives in anything godly that they do.] 25 She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. [Anyone who has turned their life over to Jesus Christ will experience this. We as husbands should experience the same thing.] 26 When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness. [Our wives are capable of coming up with good advice. As husbands we should listen to what they say so that we may catch things that we would otherwise miss. Our wives were meant help us make our lives better. As husbands we should also do the same for them.] 27 She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness. [She definitely can't be too lazy if she's going to keep up with those kids. It is amazing to watch what some of the wives do for their families. As husbands we should not be just lazing on the couch, we should also be apart of what our wives are doing.] 28 Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: [Pay close attention to this verse husband's. It was only put here in the Bible because it is true.] 29 “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!” [I pray that all of you hard-working wives could experience this verse. This would make you feel like you're on top of the world.] 30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised. [All of you women who live this verse are extremely powerful. You have kept marriages together and saved the lives of your children. This is one of the greatest things you have ever done.] 31 Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise. [Husbands really pay attention to this verse. This will encourage your wife Beyond her wildest dreams. Also do it because she deserves it.] 05/03/2023 I have watched people including myself trying to outdo the next guy. There is nothing wrong with this. Paul in his letters talks about running the race to win. The question that I am about to ask does this make you exalt yourself above everyone else? Or is it your attitude to tell your secret to someone else to help them to succeed. This all makes a difference. That's the reason why Paul wrote to the Philippians church about having the attitude of Jesus Christ: Philippians 2:5-8 (New Living Translation) You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Once are attitude becomes like Jesus Christ, we'll be raising our petitions up to God that will please him. John has something to say about that in our prayer life. 1 John 5:14-15 (New Living Translation) And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for. Again, Paul covers his basis. If our prayers are not answered right away, we are not to give up. He talked about this to the Romans: Romans 12:12 (New Living Translation) Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. What does it mean by "keep on praying". Jesus had something to say about this: Luke 18:1-8 NLT 18 One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. 2 “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. 3 A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ 4 The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, 5 but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’” 6 Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. 7 Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man[a] returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?” Why would God allow this in his word if it was not true? If it is valuable enough to you, you will want to continue praying daily. Do not expect to get an answer from God if you have selfish desires. This does not honor the Lord and can jeopardize your salvation. Do not expect God to answer you if you are a doubter. James has something to say about this: James 1:6 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. 04/27/2023 Have you ever thought about how much emphasis Jesus puts on the individual. Jesus would have come to this earth just for my sake to save just me. That is how much he loves us. The parable of the Sheep tells us his dedication to locate us and bring us back into the fold: Luke 15:1-7 NLT 15 Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. 2 This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them! 3 So Jesus told them this story: 4 “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. 6 When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away! Unlike the Sheep though, Jesus will not drag us back like a Shepherd for the Sheep would do. We still have the choice to reject him and he would leave us alone. But he never really leaves us alone. He still hopes that we will decide later to let him bring us back into the fold willingly. Always remember though that tomorrow is never promised and if you do not make that choice before that day you will be separated and sent to the Lake of Fire. Zacchaeus is proof of one who accepts the offer of Jesus Christ: Luke 19:8-10 (New Living Translation) 8 Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!” 9 Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.” Just remember every time that person returns to the fold of Jesus Christ, the angels in heaven rejoice. This shows you how valuable you are that they would do this. It was hard to fathom that this is the whole purpose of Jesus Christ coming to Earth in the first place. 04/17/2023 We should know by now about the only place in the bible that God commands us to test him: Malachi 3:10 NLT 10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! I firmly believe we are going to see in this decade the largest transference of wealth from the wicked to God's people who tithe because of God's plan. Have you ever thought about what that would be like? Sounds pretty cool but remember what Timothy said about the power of money: 1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. I have thought about this and have talked it over with my prayer partner asking these questions about wealth: 1. Am I going to change my friends? This will be the first sign of trouble in your life. You are beginning to exalt yourself. 2. How are planning on using it? If you use it all on your own pleasures you are on the path to trouble. I believe one should spend money on yourself to prove to everyone that God can bless people financially to have some cool stuff. Do not forget about contentment though or it can ruin you. Remember Malachi 3:10 where you cannot out give God. Invest his money back into his Kingdom to be blessed even more. Have fun doing it. I have seen how investing money into God's families in the Ghetto has changed the community forever. Those who have received God's blessing have experienced large increases in faith and are coming together to worship God in a King Soopers parking lot. It is the type of worship that make me envious on how well they worship God. Nothing fancy at all but they are totally focused on pleasing God putting the clock out to pasture. God deserves this Kind of worship. The people in the ghetto greatly appreciate blessings. The first thing they do is put you on their prayer list. Could you imagine that if everyone who is blessed by your obedience is praying for you? You could have 100's of prayers going up into the heavens lifting you up. Now, that is a lot of prayer power. I believe Jesus Christ is going have the greatest outpouring of the Holy Spirit ever. He needs us and our resources to accomplish his great plans. God's desire was to have the families protected in the Ghetto. I was given the privilege to help fill his desire. I do not want to have great wealth deviate me from seeing and filling God's desires. I believe as long as you heart stays in God's Kingdom, you will use great wealth wisely.
