Friday, March 18, 2011

Stay the Course!

Psalm 74:20
20 Have regard for your covenant,
because haunts of violence fill the dark places of the land.

Have you noticed that people can change like the wind? According to the NIV Study Bible, the purpose of the psalm was to ask God to come to the aid of his people because they were being mocked by their enemies. Have you ever been mocked? What did it feel like to you? Did you feed into the hype and begin to question why you committed to something? Fear not, it's a normal process to stop and ask oneself. But more importantly, have you asked God why? Rest assured, if you ask God for a reminder of why you committed to something, including him, he shall remind you. In the face of your enemies you may doubt who you are but they do not define you, God defines you. Once you make a covenant with God, he expects you to keep it. For he doesn't take it lightly. Do not be swayed and dismayed by those that lack understanding. For ignorance begets ignorance and people perish for lack of knowledge. Let it not be you!! There will always be those that do not understand, but that ought not change what you, God and whomever else agreed upon. Stay true and know that God will reveal whatever is needed when it is needed. Stay the course no matter what!!!

P.S. Also note, on Monday, March 21st at 8:30am my first internet radio interview promoting Get Your JOY In The Morning will air on V's Artist-2-Artist on www.QLiveOne.com. A special Thank You to my www.ChurchBeatRadio.com family!! God Bless You Tru for plugging Get Your JOY In The Morning on your show, Feel Good Fridays!!!

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Knowing the 'Why'

Romans 14:3-4a

3 The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted that person. 4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master they stand or fall.

Have you ever been sitting with a group eating burgers and fries while you ate a salad or vice versa? Did you feel like a fish out of water? Were you made fun of or received strange looks? The apostle Paul addressed the church in Rome because there was much division about customs. Many of the Jewish Christians kept to the mosaic law of not eating pork and other such foods that were considered the bottom of the food chain. While Gentile Christians did not have the same observances they were looked down upon as being weak. But to Paul's point each believed he was doing right in the eyes of God. Some may recall that Peter had an experience where God laid a spread before him and it consisted of the very food that was off limits, pork. And God spoke to Peter saying that everything he made was pure. So if one observes certain food practices and another doesn't, it doesn't make anyone less a follower of Christ.

We are in a season of Lent. And during this season the custom is to give up something, to sacrifice. But the question becomes is it because one understands what is being done or is it because it's a tradition? For those that are not aware, it's not just about sacrifice but as stated on www.catholiceducation.org, "Lent is a special time of prayer, penance, sacrifice and good works in preparation of the celebration of Easter." Lent is from Ash Wednesday to Easter. Whatever the reason, it is for God to judge whether that person's intentions are true.

P.S. Monday, March 21st at 8:30am my first internet radio interview promoting Get Your JOY In The Morning will air on V's Artist-2-Artist on www.QLiveOne.com.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Moving Out & (SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT)

Monday, March 21st at 8:30am my first internet radio interview promoting Get Your JOY In The Morning will air on V's Artist-2-Artist on www.QLiveOne.com.

Deuteronomy 8:2-3a
2 Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. 3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you

Have you ever asked God why you had to be in the desert? Indeed there is relevant revelation. In Moses recording of Deuteronomy he was nearing the end of assignment and about to turn leadership over to Joshua. Joshua and Caleb were the only two out of the twelve spies that agreed that if God said they could take possession of the promise land then it would be well. Moses was a great man in God's eyes. For God revealed himself to Moses in a way that he had not with most prophets.

The desert is a place of preparation. It's where God strips us of our pride and HUGE ego. It's where God strips us of our stubbornness to make do without him and becoming appreciative of walking with him step by step. Why the desert? There was absolutely no way the Israelites could go into the promise land with their state of mind. The Israelites could not walk into such a blessing that God has and be ready without first being cleansed of the slave mentality they obtained while in Egypt. The Egyptians had the Israelites convinced that without them they could not survive when in fact it was God that sustained them while they were in the enemy's camp. So guess what? Neither can we be ready without first being stripped to understand where we were and it's God that has sustained us even while we've gone through. Even Jesus had to go through the desert. If you don't know if you are in a desert experience then here are a few questions to ask God?

1. Am I still in the enemy's camp? 2. Am I about to enter the desert? 3. If I am in the desert, what do I need to learn so I can come out?

In the name of Jesus, eyes shall be opened this day!!

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Rejoice Don't Grumble

Matthew 20:15

15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’

Have you ever been upset because you worked so hard to reap something and someone who didn't work as long as you reaped what you felt you deserved? Jesus gave the parable of the workers in the vineyard. In the parable the land owner had workers in his vineyard. He realized that more should be working in his vineyard and he told them what he would pay them. At the end he paid all the workers as was the custom under mosaic law that a man's wages should not be held overnight. Some that had been working in the vineyard were upset because those that were new received the same benefits. One thing about God, it's by his grace that we have anything. And God's generosity, also known as favor, is unmerited which means one doesn't deserve it but he gives it anyway. We didn't deserve to be saved but he saved us through his son Jesus Christ anyway. We don't always deserve the blessings God gives but he gives them as he pleases.

What does this mean to you? There may come a time in your life where you are working extremely hard for a long time and someone who has worked hard but not as long has received the same reward as you or what you have not yet received. God shares blessings as he sees fit. It is not our concern as to why but when we rejoice for one another, we show that we have a heart to receive as well. Know that your time will come in some way as God sees fit. The more you grumble, the longer it may take because that means you have not yet learned the lesson he needs you to learn before he moves you to the next level.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Need An Idea?

1Kings 4: 29, 32

29 God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore.
32 He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five.

Did you know that the Lord our God is the giver of all good and perfect gifts? King Solomon is noted as the wisest man of the Old Testament that ever lived. Yes, he contributed to the Old Testament greatly but it was because God blessed him to do so. He asked for wisdom and God gave it to him. If you ask for wisdom God will give it to you. If you ask for a song to sing, he will provide. If God can give a bird a song to sing, he can give one to us. If you ask for ideas or concepts to draw, you will be amazed at what abstract concepts he will begin to show you throughout your day or night. Asking for something from God is easier than we think. Our problem is that we're often not ready to receive what we ask for unlike Solomon. But when we receive the good and perfect gift from our Lord, what then shall we do it? Like Solomon, utilize it!! Whatever God gives you, know that it is to be loved and shared. Others need to know that God can provide such wonderful ideas to us and that he is such a masterful and wonderful creator. God sees beauty in everything, including us. We are part of his masterpiece!!