Friday, October 14, 2011

Making the Crooked Road Straight

Jeremiah 31:2
2This is what the Lord says:
"The people who survive the sword will find favor in the desert;
I will come to give rest to Israel."

Through the prophet Jeremiah, the Lord gave to the people of Israel hope when there could've been no hope. Israel had committed many sins as a country which landed them captive to Babylon for 70 years. They had been warned over and over with every sin, with every betrayal against God. However; God had already planned their deliverance! He had already planned to strike against those that treated Israel harshly during Israel's lesson. Israel's lesson was to TRUST in God and not the "so called" allies who did nothing but plot Israel's destruction. Israel was to appreciate the gifts God had given  them and what HE did for them not what they thought they could for themselves or at the hands of "so called" allies. The Lord gave hope to Israel in the sense that once they survived their judgement, He would come and rescue them. He would eventually restore them but even in the transition, the Lord would be present. When we have committed sins against our Lord, does He not seek to teach us as He did Israel? We have to go through the judgement period so we get the lesson, but THANK YOU JESUS for mercy! The Lord doesn't keep us there if we're willing to admit to our mistakes and SUBMIT TO HIS WILL. When we do, He begins to heal our wounds from the judgement and bring us back into right relationship with Him. What have we done, individually that we need to admit to and ask God to forgive? What is the lesson we need to get? Are we finally ready to submit to GOD'S WILL for our lives? This question is not just for a few areas, but to GIVE IT ALL TO HIM so HE can make every crooked road behind us straight when we look in front of us and take each step.  IN JESUS NAME!

P.S. Remember to check out my man V of the Artist to Artist Show on www.Qliveone.com and listen for the Get Your JOY In The Morning segment at 8:30am CT, 2:30pm CT and 8:30pm CT! Be sure to catch my girl Stubbs of the Leap of Faith Show on www.leapoffaithshow.com and listen for the Get Your JOY In The Morning segment Sunday from 6am-10am ET and Monday-Wednesday 6am-9am ET!

Thursday, October 13, 2011

In An Instant

1Peter 5:8
8Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

The apostle Peter addressed Christians in Asia Minor about ways of life. We now live in the "instant" society. We can get a meal and coffee/tea in an instant. Doctors' visits have been narrowed down to 15 minutes per patient and we have the "minute-clinic". Drive-thrus and pre-packaged products are the way of life. In an instant means we don't need to wait or don't have to if we decide not to. The more of an instant society we've become the less self-control we seem to have. When  we know we can get or have anything right now, we see nothing wrong with it. But what the apostle Peter has said is the in an instant and not having enough control to WAIT is an easy way for the enemy to take up residence in our lives. As long as we have no self-control we can become food addicts, alcohol addicts, etc. These addictions lead to problems in other areas of our lives. And remember, the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy. What better way to destroy us then with our own addiction to having everything in an instant or right at our fingertips. Did you know that self-control is a fruit of the spirit that the apostle Paul mentioned? Exhibiting self-control whether in one's temperament, speech, eating, etc is all part of the way God imparts wisdom. Self-control allows one to be alert. As Peter said, lacking self-control puts us in danger of destruction. Lacking self-control allows us the continued justification for the "babe in Christ" stage when many of us have been sitting on the pews and fed the Word of God for years. And if we are so bound by our addictions, it's nothing that God can help us overcome through consistent prayer. He can do the impossible!! Next time any of us has an opportunity to have something in an instant, let's stop and think, "do I really need it?" Need and want are two different things. Instant isn't always better.

P.S. A special thank you to the Church Beat Radio family on www.churchbeatradio.com for all you do!!

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Are You Praising Him Yet?

Psalm 13:6
6I will sing to the Lord,
for he has been good to me.

King David was facing an illness that was considered deadly. He cried out to the Lord because only the Lord could heal him. His enemies were taking delight in his illness. But no matter what, David decided that he would give praise to the Lord. Even in his illness, he knew the Lord had been good to him. He knew that no matter what he was facing, the Lord deserved honor. When things aren't going right for you, do you still praise the Lord or do you curse Him? Some of us are fair weather lovers of the Lord. We only love the Lord if we are healthy, have money in the bank and are well liked. But what if none of these were true at the moment? Would you still praise the Lord? Could he still count on you to be faithful to Him? The Lord is faithful to us even in our sickness like he was to David. He still heard David and continued to sustain him though he hadn't brought him out of his trial, YET. We must learn to praise God before he brings us out of a trial, whatever it maybe. Simply because, he is the only one that can bring us out and he supplies our every need. Are you praising Him yet?

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Rebuking the Storm

Mark 4:39
39He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

A fierce squall came over the sea of Galilee. What is a squall? A squall is a violent storm. Jesus was tired and laid in the boat sleep. When the storm broke over the sea and dumped water in the boat, the disciples were scared. But Jesus simply got up and rebuked the wind and told the waves to quiet. What awesome power Jesus displayed that put the disciples in awe!! What does it mean to rebuke? Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary defines rebuke as:

1a : to criticize sharply : reprimand b : to serve as a rebuke to
2: to turn back or keep down : check
re·buk·er noun

The storm over the sea that dumped the water into the boat is representative of the storms that come into our midst. Jesus allows them to come close enough for growth but they don't take us out. It may "appear" that way but it's only an optical illusion. Jesus is still in control. Just as he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, so he can rebuke or force back the storm that hovers over you at this moment or the one soon to come. He has been given "all power and authority" not just over the natural realm but the spirit realm as well. He sees the storms coming long before they ever hit our radar screen. Jesus has already settled you in the right spot in the boat where you will see the storm front and center but you will also see Him work front row and center to bring you out. Keep your eyes and your faith fixed on Jesus, not the storm.

Monday, October 10, 2011

When You Call

Psalm 20:1
1May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.

The king was on his way to battle and well wishes were given to him especially that God would answer Him in a time of distress.  The charge was that no matter what's happening during battle, the Lord would be His protector. The psalm was of David who was a man after God's own heart. What if the Lord stopped listening to us like we often stop listening to Him when he's telling us the things we don't want to hear? If God stopped listening to us, how many of us would be able to survive our own follies? If the Lord had the same attitude many of us do, none of us would be here. The Lord answers us out of love. Even when we're at a place in our lives that is due to our own folly, he will hear our cry for mercy. But why do we not answer in him love? Why do we turn a deaf ear to Him when His pleas are loudest? The maker of heaven and earth makes pleas to us on a regular basis through the Holy Spirit yet we do not listen. But when we are in trouble we call on Him. Are we part-time lovers of the Lord? Will we only love and listen to him when we want Him to do something for us? When you call, God answers as a loving parent does. When God calls, will you answer?