Excuses

If we were to be honest, sometimes we just make excuses.  We make excuse on why we were late.  We make excuses on why we don’t exercise.  We make excuse on why we just had to have the latest thing in style.  Excuses are all over our world, even in the church.

We use excuses on why we didn’t pray.  We use excuses why we didn’t spend any personal time in His word.  Yes, we even make excuses with the way we dress.

Excuses, it sounds like an innocent word, but it can be causing so much damage in our spiritual life!

Just like we can die within a period of time without food or water, our spiritual man can die as well.  When was the last time you fed Him God’s word?  When was the last time you dedicated time of devotion with Him?  Oh, and I’m talking pass our Sunday morning services….selah

Saints, let’s stop allowing the devil to use what appears to be such an innocent word to devastate our spiritual lives. Remember our spirit man is depending on us!

Deception

You standing on a grocery store line and decide to browse through a magazine.  For some of us women, by the time we finish looking at these women who look so perfect in the picture, you pick up the woe is me spirit through the why can’t I look like that syndrome.

You’re on a fast because you realize there’s some crucifying of the flesh need and yet you can smell those McDonald fries a mile away.  You start thinking about them golden arches and how good those fries are, and the thought even comes to your head how you can just fast tomorrow because you gotta have those fries.

Let’s even take it back to Adam and Eve and how Satan made that piece of fruit look so appealing to Eve.

Deception…it’s everywhere!  It shows up on our TV’s, it shows up in our magazines, it can show up in our food, and it can even show up in our churches.

Jeremiah 17:9

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Saints, we have to guard ourselves from the spirit of deception, as it makes things appear to be more pleasurable than they really are. That spirit assists Adam and Eve’s fall from the Garden of Eden.  That same spirit can cause a spouse to commit adultery. That same spirit can make you think it don’t take all that with your spiritual walk. Deception…it can assist you straight to hell.  Selah.

The Power of Consistency

Sometimes my life can appear to be like a roller coaster. One day I am up, the next day I can be down.  In dealing with life’s hiccups, we can be tempted to get off track.  We KNOW who we are in Christ, but are we consistent? Selah

When we see a rainbow in the sky, we all marvel at its beauty. It’s interesting to see how the different colors all unite as one to create that rainbow.  Yet when we see that very same rainbow, it is a reminder of God’s covenant He made with us so many years ago.  We all can say that God has been consistent with that agreement!

I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Genesis 9:13.  (NIV)

Since we as His people strive to be Christ-like, part of God’s character is consistency. He expects us to be consistent in our obedience, our faithfulness, and even in our personal life. Imagine if our Savior wasn’t consistent, where would we be? Selah

The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. Psalm 33:1

I will be the first one to repent of my inconsistencies and ask God to grant me more grace in this area.  He’s calling for us to be consistent, especially in times when it may appear not to be so popular!  Stay encouraged!

I

When You Know

What does the characters Neil from the Matrix or Aragorn of the Lord of the Rings had in common?  They both started out not fully knowing who they really were!  They were toss to and fro due to their lack of knowledge.  Yet what happened once they came to know the truth about themselves?  They no longer had to run, they no longer had to fear because they came to know who they were-one was the chosen one while the other was a king.

Now I know these are fiction characters and these are movies some of us enjoy on our personal time, yet there is a vital message we as children of God can learn from.  See we too started out in our walk with God not knowing who we really are in His kingdom. We too find ourselves running from the enemy, walking in fear, being tossed to and fro.  This private war of a saint can cause some to walk away from the faith or walk around not fully being happy. Yet ask yourself is depression, sickness, lack, or unhappiness part of God’s kingdom? Marinate

Ecclesiastes 3:1

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

See there is a season to act like a baby where everything is done for you by your parents.  Then there is a season of growth with childhood and adolescence. Finally we grow up to be adults.  Just like in the natural, there is a process in the spirit realm.  There is a season of not knowing, but then there comes that season where by consistent seeking Him; we come to know!

Romans 8:17

And if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, so that we may be also glorified together.

We are heirs of God; therefore we have the right to all the benefits of his kingdom.  In his kingdom there is peace, joy, strength, health, prosperity, authority, correction, and revelation.  When we know who we really are in Christ, we don’t have to fear the enemy. He no longer has dominion over us!  Saints, it’s time for us to come to the knowledge of who we are in Christ.  Notice when Neil of the Matrix came to the knowledge that he was the chosen one, he didn't have to even dodge bullets anymore and barely use up energy to fight. Guess what, neither do we in the spirit realm for we have our Heavenly Father backing and Jesus name for our power!  So enjoy your inheritance of your Father and walk in your victory!

The Five Minute Syndrome

In the world of downloads, microwaves, Google, and a where a person can get a divorce within seventy-two hours, we have all gotten accustom to speedy results. Yes we have all enjoy this 21^st century lifestyle, but do this same quick fix mentality a reality in the spirit realm?

We pray for a healing and don’t receive it right away, what do you do?

We ask God to work out a situation and it seems to be pending, what do you do?

We want God to answer a question now but His response is wait, what do you do?

Truth…I was use to the quick answer responses from God.  The family I come from has no choice but to walk by faith.  So I will confess I got use to by His stripes I’m healed and bam, or I need this and bam. Yet came a time when my mother was in the hospital.  Several things were going on all at once.  Some prayers were the bams, and then came her situation with her leg…no bam.  We were praying, praying, and praying…no bam.  As a matter of fact there wasn’t even a release with it.  As the doctor called to tell me how they will have to amputate, my thoughts were did we sin, did we do something wrong, where’s the bam that I have gotten use to.  In the middle of me crying a river moment, you would think the Holy Spirit would say weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.  To my surprise the Holy Spirit said to me either you are going to believe God’s word or not.  I had to stop crying and marinate on that when it happened.  I decided to believe God’s word.  Yes, my mom had to proceed with the amputation, but I also watched how God delivered her out of that.  She is yet independent today.  She said something so valuable in the hospital one day.  She said you can touch my body, but you can’t touch my spirit.  Talk about a praise break right there.  God is yet a healer!

Ephesians 6:12

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

The highlighted word there is wrestle.  The word wrestle means to take part in a fight, to struggle with a problem.

 

Truth…not every prayer is going to have that bam response.  Something’s we got to wrestle with!  So I encouraged my brother or my sister to roll your sleeves up and fight the enemy.  Get your helmet of salvation. Get your shield of faith. Get your feet shod in the preparation of the gospel of peace, and don’t forget your sword which is the word of God!  Believe the word and stand!  Satan’s kingdom is already defeated, so use your authority Christ died for you to have!   I encourage those that maybe discouraged by not seeing that bam response in their prayers to YET stand.  It could be He just wants to see will you yet believe. Selah…

Is This A Tare or Wheat?

Matthew 13:24-30 is a parable talking about the tare and the wheat.  For many years I’ve read this passage and kept it moving, but verse 30 has caught my attention:  Let both grow together until the harvest….

It made me reflect on “church hurt”.  Instead of seeing it as how this brother or sister can hurt my heart so, I now view it from a different level.   I now say to myself is this saint or a tare?  In reviewing The Handbook of Bible Applications, the characteristics of believers are:

1.      Imitate Christ’s merciful, forgiving attitude

2.      Let love guide their life

3.      Let peace of Christ rule in your heart

4.      Always be thankful

5.      Keep God’s word in you at all times

6.      Live as Christ representative

These characteristics are even to be viewed within our churches.  How do we treat one another?  How do we treat outsiders?  A true saint will not lead someone to go contrary to God’s word.  A true saint won’t let someone feel bad if God is taking them from carnality to spiritual mind set.  A true saint will not cause division or strife.  A true saint will not be so controlling.  These are not fruits of God’s kingdom.  So what are they….a tare.  When you think about it, what better place for tare to be then in church?

Matthew 7:6

Ye shall know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles?

“Church hurt”, let’s look at this from a different point of view.  If a person in church shows you fruit that is contrary to God’s kingdom, then note he or she is a tare and pray for their deliverance. Unfortunately, not everyone saying Lord, Lord in church is of God.  I have decided moving forward there is no such thing as “church hurt”, for those of the church don’t do such things due to the love of God within us.   Instead call it for what it is, “tares”…pray and keep your mind stayed on the one that can keep you in perfect peace.  

Stay encouraged!

Had I Known...

Someone tells you, particularly women, there was a fifty percent off sale at your favorite department store and you missed it…had I known.

Men, your friend had an opportunity to go to the game but he can only place the tickets for a particular day and you don’t have the money for it…had I known.

You didn't take heed to a warning in reference to a relationship seriously and it ended up hardening your heart...had I known.

Three simple words with such a profound thought behind them.

As Christians, we are enjoying the blessing of God’s kingdom so much that we have become a bit selfish.  We have forgotten our main purpose, to share the gospel!  Have we been hearing about Christ coming back for so long that we ourselves have become numb? Selah

Imagine the same three words:

I would have listened when the preaching was available had I known.

I would have repented and gave my heart to Christ had I known.

A deep thought is "had I known" can be too late.

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 10:9

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Some say only God can judge me.  Ok, then what?

Matthew 24:36

But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.

The truth is Jesus will come back!   Those three words will be too late.  Give your heart to Him; it will change your life!  Not just for this life, but also for eternity.