Acts 14:8
8In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked.
The
crippled man had never known what it was for his feet to be flat on the
floor and to take steps. He never knew the sensation of walking yet the
Word says that he listened to Paul speak. The Word says that Paul
looked directly at him and saw that he had faith to be healed. There was
absolutely NO EVIDENCE for the crippled man that he could walk. Yet
deep down he believed it to be possible. And because he believed, it was
made so. That's the definition of faith! There's no evidence but to
believe in your heart of hearts that God can do it though you can't see
it is faith. How many really have that kind of faith? Were you ever told
that you would never walk again? Were you ever told that you wouldn't
live? Were you ever Were you ever told that you would have no use of
your arms again? Were you ever told that you would never have something,
be something or the like? Where are you now? What has God done? What
you receive, what you are able to do will be according to the faith you
have that Jesus can do it. Believe it is possible.
P.S. Remember to check out my girl Stubbs on the Leap of Faith Show on the Leap of Faith Network Monday-Friday from 6am-9am ET on www.leapoffaithshow.com and listen for the Get Your JOY In The Morning segment!
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
It's All About God's Wisdom
Proverbs 16:16
16How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver!
Many would not agree with King Solomon's statement. But within his own life, King Solomon demonstrated the principle. When King Solomon took over the thrown from his father David, he prayed to God and asked for what? He asked for wisdom on how to lead the kingdom. And what was the Lord's response? Because this is all you have asked for I will grant you even greater. God's wisdom expands beyond money and wealth. Many people, including Queen Sheba were impressed with the wisdom given to King Solomon by the Lord. And because of the wisdom, men and women gave generously of their own wealth to King Solomon. In Proverbs 17:16 the Word states Of what use is money in the hands of a fool, since he has no desire to get wisdom? So if you do not seek God's wisdom's, running after money will do you no good. You will loose it all anyway. But if you seek the wisdom of the one who possesses everything, the Lord Almighty, then He will teach you what you need to know, how to live a peaceful and loving life in Him, equip you to help others and give you the ideas that will generate wealth in and for the kingdom of God. Anything apart from the Lord is temporary. So if anyone has obtained money without God's wisdom, rest assured, just as the Word says, it's in the hands of a fool.
P.S. Remember to check out the Tuesday Top Ten Countdown with DJ Ambermay on Church Beat Radio on www.live365.com!
16How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver!
Many would not agree with King Solomon's statement. But within his own life, King Solomon demonstrated the principle. When King Solomon took over the thrown from his father David, he prayed to God and asked for what? He asked for wisdom on how to lead the kingdom. And what was the Lord's response? Because this is all you have asked for I will grant you even greater. God's wisdom expands beyond money and wealth. Many people, including Queen Sheba were impressed with the wisdom given to King Solomon by the Lord. And because of the wisdom, men and women gave generously of their own wealth to King Solomon. In Proverbs 17:16 the Word states Of what use is money in the hands of a fool, since he has no desire to get wisdom? So if you do not seek God's wisdom's, running after money will do you no good. You will loose it all anyway. But if you seek the wisdom of the one who possesses everything, the Lord Almighty, then He will teach you what you need to know, how to live a peaceful and loving life in Him, equip you to help others and give you the ideas that will generate wealth in and for the kingdom of God. Anything apart from the Lord is temporary. So if anyone has obtained money without God's wisdom, rest assured, just as the Word says, it's in the hands of a fool.
P.S. Remember to check out the Tuesday Top Ten Countdown with DJ Ambermay on Church Beat Radio on www.live365.com!
Monday, November 12, 2012
Will You Do It?
Matthew 8:19
19Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."
As the NIV Study Bible notes, a teacher of the law was one who taught tradition. Many say they are followers of Jesus. So what about when Jesus tells you to break from tradition? Will you do it? Many like the tradition or ritualistic routines they have come to know. But Jesus was not about tradition. He let the Pharisees and Sadducees know this whenever they questioned Him. What about when Jesus tells you to take the road no one else wants to travel? Will you do it? What about when Jesus says you must lay something down that everyone else thinks you must pick up? Will you do it? What about when Jesus sends you into the desert? Will you go? There is a cost to following Jesus. The cost means that your life is no longer your own. It means your life really belong to God to do as He chooses. It means that your future is not just a hit or miss but that you begin to live in purpose on purpose as God has destined. Most people like the purpose part but there's a lot you have to do and go through to get to the purpose. Getting to purpose means shedding the junk, the tradition, the fear, the reluctant and disobedient behavior that caused you to be on the wrong road or the road you thought you were supposed to be on in the first place.
P.S. Remember to check out my man V of the Artist to Artist Show on Monday's on www.Qliveone.com and listen for the Get Your JOY In The Morning segment!
19Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."
As the NIV Study Bible notes, a teacher of the law was one who taught tradition. Many say they are followers of Jesus. So what about when Jesus tells you to break from tradition? Will you do it? Many like the tradition or ritualistic routines they have come to know. But Jesus was not about tradition. He let the Pharisees and Sadducees know this whenever they questioned Him. What about when Jesus tells you to take the road no one else wants to travel? Will you do it? What about when Jesus says you must lay something down that everyone else thinks you must pick up? Will you do it? What about when Jesus sends you into the desert? Will you go? There is a cost to following Jesus. The cost means that your life is no longer your own. It means your life really belong to God to do as He chooses. It means that your future is not just a hit or miss but that you begin to live in purpose on purpose as God has destined. Most people like the purpose part but there's a lot you have to do and go through to get to the purpose. Getting to purpose means shedding the junk, the tradition, the fear, the reluctant and disobedient behavior that caused you to be on the wrong road or the road you thought you were supposed to be on in the first place.
P.S. Remember to check out my man V of the Artist to Artist Show on Monday's on www.Qliveone.com and listen for the Get Your JOY In The Morning segment!
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Speeding Up the Inevitable
1Samuel 31:4
4 Saul said to his armor-bearer, "Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and run me through and abuse me." But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it, so Saul took his own sword and fell on it.
King Saul had been in battle with one of Israel's nastiest enemies, the Philistines. King Saul was at an important place of decision for both him and his people but had no clue what to do. He sought the Lord but no matter where he looked, he could not see God. When God was speaking to King Saul previously, he didn't want to listen. God was tired of talking and not being heard and obeyed. So He remained silent. Do you ever want to be in a place where you cannot hear from God? The Philistines were known for their vicious and tortuous ways. King Saul was already warned that he and his entire family would be defeated at the hands of the Philistines and would die. At the time King Saul was struck during battle, he already knew his end was near. Instead of dying at the hands of the enemy, Saul was prepared to speed up his own death. He charged his armor-bearer, one sworn to protect the king, even to the point of death, to kill him. But how could his armor-bearer kill the one he swore to protect? The only way out from being humiliated by the Philistines was to do the job himself. King Saul opted for self-destruction rather than the unsightly acts he would endure from the enemy. King Saul refused to give his enemies more of the upper hand than they already had. So Saul decided to speed up the inevitable. God wanted Saul off the throne and Saul did all he could initially to keep it from happening including attempts on David's life. His disobedience set that in motion.
When God has made up His mind that your actions will cause a definite end, what would you do? Would you fight God's choice even at the hands of harming the innocent? Or would you do what God desires of you that will still cause an end to what God wanted you to end? Either way, God will cause an end to what he wants ended. It will be done the easy way or the hard way. The choice of which way is always put in your hands.
P.S. Remember to checkout my girl Stubbs of the Leap of Faith Show Mon-Fri from 6am-9am ET on the Leap of Faith Network at www.leapoffaithshow.com and listen for the Get Your JOY In The Morning segment!
4 Saul said to his armor-bearer, "Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and run me through and abuse me." But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it, so Saul took his own sword and fell on it.
King Saul had been in battle with one of Israel's nastiest enemies, the Philistines. King Saul was at an important place of decision for both him and his people but had no clue what to do. He sought the Lord but no matter where he looked, he could not see God. When God was speaking to King Saul previously, he didn't want to listen. God was tired of talking and not being heard and obeyed. So He remained silent. Do you ever want to be in a place where you cannot hear from God? The Philistines were known for their vicious and tortuous ways. King Saul was already warned that he and his entire family would be defeated at the hands of the Philistines and would die. At the time King Saul was struck during battle, he already knew his end was near. Instead of dying at the hands of the enemy, Saul was prepared to speed up his own death. He charged his armor-bearer, one sworn to protect the king, even to the point of death, to kill him. But how could his armor-bearer kill the one he swore to protect? The only way out from being humiliated by the Philistines was to do the job himself. King Saul opted for self-destruction rather than the unsightly acts he would endure from the enemy. King Saul refused to give his enemies more of the upper hand than they already had. So Saul decided to speed up the inevitable. God wanted Saul off the throne and Saul did all he could initially to keep it from happening including attempts on David's life. His disobedience set that in motion.
When God has made up His mind that your actions will cause a definite end, what would you do? Would you fight God's choice even at the hands of harming the innocent? Or would you do what God desires of you that will still cause an end to what God wanted you to end? Either way, God will cause an end to what he wants ended. It will be done the easy way or the hard way. The choice of which way is always put in your hands.
P.S. Remember to checkout my girl Stubbs of the Leap of Faith Show Mon-Fri from 6am-9am ET on the Leap of Faith Network at www.leapoffaithshow.com and listen for the Get Your JOY In The Morning segment!
Monday, November 5, 2012
The Stakes Are High
John 11:49-50
49Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was a high priest that year, spoke up, 'You know nothing at all! 50You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish."
The high priests were the final decision makers in the plot to kill Jesus. Just a few short verses above, the high priests admitted to Jesus performing the miraculous signs. But the fear was that everyone would believe in Jesus and then they would lose their good standing with the Romans. Rome was the ruling government of the area the Jews occupied. Per the Zondervan NIV Study Bible, Caiaphas had no concern for Jesus' innocence. His main quest was to get the group to see that Jesus needed to be scapegoat to keep their own agenda afloat. But Caiaphas really didn't not understand the words which he spoke. Yes, Jesus was indeed to be sacrificed so that no one else would perish but not for the reasons he assumed. The agenda of the high priests was to keep their political standing and position. The stakes were high for the high priests. They were high because to go on with their charade of "power" someone had to look guilty. But later, scripture says Jesus withdrew. Jesus still went to death on the time frame that God had designated, not man.
Many people have agendas but when an agenda consists of finding a scapegoat for the sake of saving face like the high priests, it's a dangerous mission. Especially if the scapegoat is innocent. How many times have missions such as this backfired? The high priests' own greed for power led them to do what they did. But in the end, they still lost. One's own agenda of power at the cost of others is not only setting the stakes high but also a sure way to fall.
P.S. Remember to check out my man V of the Artist to Artist Show Mondays on www.Qliveone.com and listen for the Get Your JOY In The Morning segment!
49Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was a high priest that year, spoke up, 'You know nothing at all! 50You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish."
The high priests were the final decision makers in the plot to kill Jesus. Just a few short verses above, the high priests admitted to Jesus performing the miraculous signs. But the fear was that everyone would believe in Jesus and then they would lose their good standing with the Romans. Rome was the ruling government of the area the Jews occupied. Per the Zondervan NIV Study Bible, Caiaphas had no concern for Jesus' innocence. His main quest was to get the group to see that Jesus needed to be scapegoat to keep their own agenda afloat. But Caiaphas really didn't not understand the words which he spoke. Yes, Jesus was indeed to be sacrificed so that no one else would perish but not for the reasons he assumed. The agenda of the high priests was to keep their political standing and position. The stakes were high for the high priests. They were high because to go on with their charade of "power" someone had to look guilty. But later, scripture says Jesus withdrew. Jesus still went to death on the time frame that God had designated, not man.
Many people have agendas but when an agenda consists of finding a scapegoat for the sake of saving face like the high priests, it's a dangerous mission. Especially if the scapegoat is innocent. How many times have missions such as this backfired? The high priests' own greed for power led them to do what they did. But in the end, they still lost. One's own agenda of power at the cost of others is not only setting the stakes high but also a sure way to fall.
P.S. Remember to check out my man V of the Artist to Artist Show Mondays on www.Qliveone.com and listen for the Get Your JOY In The Morning segment!
Thursday, November 1, 2012
A Grandstand Affair
Luke 15:29
29But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.
I love how God does not waiver when He says there's a message. The brother was jealous of the wonderful treatment his younger brother received. Understand that anger may be the first emotion but there was something else there. Jesus gave the parable of the Lost Son or Prodigal Son. Jesus was also talking about the older brother's anger as a metaphor to the anger the Pharisees had. They "obeyed" the laws of Moses but were not receiving the same welcome Jesus was receiving or at least no longer receiving it. God does not like "grandstanding." A couple of weeks ago God had me watch an episode of the Justice League cartoon. The episode was called Chaos at Earth's Core. One superhero was jealous of Supergirl's popularity and gifts while they were in Japan fighting an enemy. So instead of working together, the superhero decided to "show off" what she had. Yes, the enemy was defeated but the Justice League members were not working together as a team. She later commented to Green Lantern, much like the older son, why Supergirl had all the fans, people wanting her autograph, etc. Instead of looking at what gifts she was given, she focused in on Supergirl's status and why she didn't receive the same favor.
God gives what He decides to give and when He decides to give it. He is sovereign. He can do what He wants to do. To focus in on why you are not where someone else is gives exactly the same level of contempt the Pharisees had for Jesus and what the superhero had for Supergirl. The Pharisees' jealousy turned to plotting what they thought was Jesus' demise. The superhero taking delight in watching Supergirl suffer. Same spirit. The spirit is jealousy. It's the same spirit the older brother had toward the prodigal son. There is no place for a grandstand affair in the kingdom of God and neither is it of God. Just like Green Lantern pointed out to the other superhero, it actually takes energy away from fighting the real enemy.
P.S. Remember to checkout J. Black for Black Friday every Friday on Church Beat Radio on www.live365.com!
29But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.
I love how God does not waiver when He says there's a message. The brother was jealous of the wonderful treatment his younger brother received. Understand that anger may be the first emotion but there was something else there. Jesus gave the parable of the Lost Son or Prodigal Son. Jesus was also talking about the older brother's anger as a metaphor to the anger the Pharisees had. They "obeyed" the laws of Moses but were not receiving the same welcome Jesus was receiving or at least no longer receiving it. God does not like "grandstanding." A couple of weeks ago God had me watch an episode of the Justice League cartoon. The episode was called Chaos at Earth's Core. One superhero was jealous of Supergirl's popularity and gifts while they were in Japan fighting an enemy. So instead of working together, the superhero decided to "show off" what she had. Yes, the enemy was defeated but the Justice League members were not working together as a team. She later commented to Green Lantern, much like the older son, why Supergirl had all the fans, people wanting her autograph, etc. Instead of looking at what gifts she was given, she focused in on Supergirl's status and why she didn't receive the same favor.
God gives what He decides to give and when He decides to give it. He is sovereign. He can do what He wants to do. To focus in on why you are not where someone else is gives exactly the same level of contempt the Pharisees had for Jesus and what the superhero had for Supergirl. The Pharisees' jealousy turned to plotting what they thought was Jesus' demise. The superhero taking delight in watching Supergirl suffer. Same spirit. The spirit is jealousy. It's the same spirit the older brother had toward the prodigal son. There is no place for a grandstand affair in the kingdom of God and neither is it of God. Just like Green Lantern pointed out to the other superhero, it actually takes energy away from fighting the real enemy.
P.S. Remember to checkout J. Black for Black Friday every Friday on Church Beat Radio on www.live365.com!
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Stretch
Luke 6:10
10He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He did so and his hand was completely restored.
It was the Sabbath and the Pharisees wanted to know if Jesus would heal anyone. The Sabbath is a day of rest and to recognize the rest the Lord took even in His own work to create the world and everything in it. The Jews were to adhere to the commandment to keep the Sabbath holy and to do no work. We as followers of Christ are to do the same but often do not. The Pharisees were looking for an excuse to accuse Jesus of not following the law. Jesus already knew and therefore decided to heal a man anyway. What is important to note is that Jesus gave the man specific instructions. He told him to "stretch." Why is stretching important? The man had to do something in order to receive his healing. The man had to make a conscious effort to take action in order to receive the result Jesus wanted to give him. Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines 2stretch as 1) an act of extending or drawing out beyond ordinary or normal limits 2) a continuous extent in length, area or time 3) the extent to which something may be stretched 4) either of the straight sides of a racecourse. Drawing out beyond ordinary limits is what Jesus used to push the man to what he desired which is healing. If you want to be healed, you still have to do something. What is it that you want? More importantly, what is it that Jesus wants to give you? The only way you can receive it is if you stretch toward Jesus.
P.S. Thank you for patience over the last few weeks as I was working on rewrites for my second book, Shh...Don't Tell: Journey of Survivors. Remember to check out my girl Stubbs on the Leap of Faith Show Monday-Friday 6am-9am ET on the Leap of Faith Network at www.leapoffaithshow.com and listen for the Get Your JOY In The Morning segment!
10He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He did so and his hand was completely restored.
It was the Sabbath and the Pharisees wanted to know if Jesus would heal anyone. The Sabbath is a day of rest and to recognize the rest the Lord took even in His own work to create the world and everything in it. The Jews were to adhere to the commandment to keep the Sabbath holy and to do no work. We as followers of Christ are to do the same but often do not. The Pharisees were looking for an excuse to accuse Jesus of not following the law. Jesus already knew and therefore decided to heal a man anyway. What is important to note is that Jesus gave the man specific instructions. He told him to "stretch." Why is stretching important? The man had to do something in order to receive his healing. The man had to make a conscious effort to take action in order to receive the result Jesus wanted to give him. Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines 2stretch as 1) an act of extending or drawing out beyond ordinary or normal limits 2) a continuous extent in length, area or time 3) the extent to which something may be stretched 4) either of the straight sides of a racecourse. Drawing out beyond ordinary limits is what Jesus used to push the man to what he desired which is healing. If you want to be healed, you still have to do something. What is it that you want? More importantly, what is it that Jesus wants to give you? The only way you can receive it is if you stretch toward Jesus.
P.S. Thank you for patience over the last few weeks as I was working on rewrites for my second book, Shh...Don't Tell: Journey of Survivors. Remember to check out my girl Stubbs on the Leap of Faith Show Monday-Friday 6am-9am ET on the Leap of Faith Network at www.leapoffaithshow.com and listen for the Get Your JOY In The Morning segment!
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