Friday, July 20, 2012

Two Faced

Psalm 62: 4
4They fully intend to topple him from his lofty place; they take delight in lies. With their mouths they bless, but in their hearts they curse. Selah

Out of everyone in the Bible, Jesus knew the most about betrayal. David was next in line. He endured so much from King Saul who feared losing his kingdom to David. But Saul forgot, the kingdom and it's people belonged to God, he was only entrusted with them. When God saw that Saul would rather please man, God immediately had his eyes on one who desired to please Him. That man was David. Saul tried everything to rid himself of David. But when David was present and served him he did bless him but his jealousy of David in his heart would overtake him. This doesn't sound like anyone you know does it? We used to call that "being two-faced".  A person that seems to be so interested in encouraging you to your face may be really cursing you in their heart. For Saul, jealousy was the culprit. And in a lot of cases, the root of the cursing is jealousy. What's in the heart is what counts most to the Lord. You can say all the right things and even "appear" at first glance to be doing the right things but sooner or later, what's in the heart will surface. the surface scratches off. For Saul, it came out in violent rage where he would hurl things at David and even send men to murder him. That's some serious hatred. David was accused of plotting to take his place as king but David actually wasn't doing anything but serving Saul. It was God who chose David. David endured but he, like many, got tired. Have you ever been tired of the insults, accusations and raw treatment? David pressed harder into the Lord. He continued to bless the Lord and seek Him for strength. He was weary but did not give up on God to show up. Have you been in this situation? Are you in it? Are you being assaulted with words? Are plots being concocted to harm you? Rest assured, the Lord knows and is waiting for you to pour your heart out to Him as a REAL best friend. He will expose those who claim to bless you but are cursing you. The Lord will take care of your enemies according to His timetable. Rest in the Lord.

Remember to check out my man V of the Artist to Artist Show on www.Qliveone.com now on Mondays and listen for the Get Your JOY In The Morning segment!

Thursday, July 19, 2012

At a Crossroad Among the Wolves

Matthew 10:14-16
14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. 15I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgement than for that town. 16I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

Jesus sent the disciples out to do His work and He gave specific instructions on anyone who didn't receive the message He charged them with giving. Interestingly enough, a character in a movie quotes the last verse and it's repeated within the film. The scripture was repeated by the man who plays John Milton. The movie is Devil's Advocate with Al Pacino, Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron. This movie is a prime lesson in why it's not good to go against what the Holy Spirit is giving you in your gut and when given the opportunity to tell the truth, why you should take it.

The movie starts with Keanu playing Kevin Lomax. He's a popular defense attorney in Gainsville, FL. Kevin has never lost a case. He's right in the middle of  his 64th trial. But it's a test. The young girl on the stand is a student in his defendant's math class.  The young girl was on the stand testifying to how the math teacher molested her after school. As she described what he did with his hands, the camera turns to the defendant's table. The teacher is caressing the underside of the table while looking at his student as if to be reliving the memory of what he had done. Kevin caught the teacher in mid caress. It was at that moment Kevin knew what the young girl was saying was true. He immediately asked for a recess. When the teacher realized he may have just compromised his own case he pleaded with Kevin. Kevin confronted him yet he still had a choice to make. He would either violate the client/attorney privilege and tell the truth or continue on with the case to keep his zero loss reputation. What do you think Kevin did? He continued down the slippery slope and won the case. He was then approached by a firm from New York. His mother was a woman of God and taught him the Bible very well. He knew scripture and all. The problem, he felt that he was in jail with it. His response to John Milton when asked if it rubbed off, "I'm on parole. Early release for good behavior." He didn't know that again, it was a test. He and his wife eventually moved to NY as he took on this law firm. He had no idea that he was actually working for evil. He continued down the same slippery slope. He would feel in his gut that things were off, he was being lied to and folks were guilty but he continued so he could keep "his good name." Eventually he heard from the Justice Department. By then, the pressure of everything around was causing his insides to twist. The Justice Department informed him that the math teacher he helped set free escalated his child abuse activity until he was pulled over by the cops with a dead girl in the trunk of his car.  John Milton also tried to get hold of his wife, Meredith played by Ms. Theron. She began to see the demonic activity everywhere. She said to him at least twice, "it's like it was one big test!"

If Kevin had told the truth and risked losing his "perfect name" a young girl may have lived. How many children suffered? (Sounds like the Sandusky case I know but this film is old). Kevin helped so many demonic forces around him though he knew things were not right. John continued to play on the weak areas of Kevin's personality. He hit many crossroads. Are you at a crossroad like Kevin? Watch the rest of Devil's Advocate (no, i didn't tell you the whole plot) and see what happened to Kevin and Meredith and you'll understand even better Jesus' words to the disciples.

Remember to check out my girl Stubbs on the Leap of Faith Network on www.live365.com and listen for the Get Your JOY In The Morning segment!

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

As the Wind Blows

John 3:8
8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.

Nicodemus, a member of the Pharisees, waited until it was dark to seek Jesus (seeking the light). He went during the night because in general, the Pharisees hated Jesus because he performed miracles and had a huge following. Nicodemus knew Jesus to be from God and admitted it in secret. During his lesson with Jesus, Jesus explained  the difference between flesh and spirit and how the Holy Spirit works. As it's been said many times before, God is sovereign. He does as He pleases. And the Holy Spirit is of the same essence therefore it too does as God pleases. The impact the Holy Spirit has on one's heart is just as He desires. We've grown to be a tech savvy society gauging the direction the wind blows but with all our neat devices, we still cannot plan when the wind changes. We can only see it after it takes place. So it is with the Holy Spirit and how it operates on you, me or anyone else. The Holy Spirit will change the course of things yet you and I will only know after it has taken place. God already knows the direction but when He allows the Holy Spirit to operate in a person, it changes their thoughts, their heart and their direction. So what you and everyone else may think is going to be the outcome, God says, it's not so but no one else sees until it has happened. It's the same with the wind, you and I never know it's changed, until it's happened. Has the Holy Spirit changed direction in your life? Are you being moved in a new direction? Do you even notice the Holy Spirit in your life? If you don't know then the question is, have you been born again?

Monday, July 16, 2012

The Impact

Acts 27:41
41But the ship struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow struck fast and would not move, and the stern was broken to pieces by the pounding of the surf.

Paul and the other prisoners had been put aboard a ship headed to Rome. Paul had already been on trial and asked to appeal to Caesar. He could've been set free as was determined by the king but Paul's assignment was to go to Rome. The ship had made several stops and Paul was allowed to visit with friends though he was a prisoner. Truly a sign of favor.  With all the stops it was determined that the group had lost a great amount of time and needed to make up for it in order to get to Rome. When the ship set sail again, Paul had received revelation from God that they were all in great danger. There would be damage to the ship and lives may even be lost. But no one listened. When the storm came and things got rocky, the crew finally accepted that they were going to wreck and prepared for the impact. The Lord warns of many things. Not in an effort to scare you but to get you to a position to brace for the impact. Some things are unavoidable. However, if you refuse to listen to God when He provides the warning, the impact will be much greater because you didn't prepare for it. Preparing for impact with life's circumstances can be as simple as prayer or as complex as establishing a plan of action as directed by God. But to simply ignore God as if to say there will be no impact, is as foolish as saying there is no God.  When God gives a warning that the impact is coming, listen and believe. When God gives a plan of action to prepare for it, listen and believe. When God says you will come through it, listen and believe. The impact may be unavoidable only because God wants everyone to know, especially you, that He is sovereign and can keep you in the midst of it.

 P.S.  Books-A-Million event is postponed for a future date. But God! I will be at Family Christian Bookstore on Saturday, August 25th from 12pm-4pm in the Gateway Overlook Shopping Center in Elkridge, MD just off Rt. 175 near the Beltway. I hope to see you as you come out and show your love for the Word of God and the woman of God He's been delivering messages through!!!!