A Heart Issue

Luke 9:56

 

For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them. And they went to another village.

 

Before Jesus went into a Samaritan village He sent messengers ahead announcing His arrival. If you know anything about the relationship between Jews and Samaritans during that time then you will know they did not associate with one another at all. The Samaritans did not receive Jesus because He was determined to go to Jerusalem. The disciples James and John were astonished. Their response was to punish the Samaritans because they were thinking based on other factors. But Jesus said no and simply moved on. Jesus' message was and is all about love. So they did not want to see Him, fine. Jesus also knew that in due time either they would accept the message of Jesus or reject it. The choice was theirs but they could not say He did not attempt to enter. If Jesus was not received at the time of their death, then that would be handled by God accordingly.

 

The same goes for you. Jesus gives you opportunities to receive Him through His messengers. Those messengers are the men and women of God He chooses to send. If you do not receive the message, then that messenger is simply to move on. They have more work to do just as Jesus and the disciples did. if the messenger was obedient in delivering the message of Jesus yet you choose not to receive and act on it, then it is not their fault. Their hands do not have blood on them. If God sends you with the message of Jesus to another, there is no need to beat them over the head or argue them down. If the person does not want to receive Jesus, simply move on. It's hard to do sometimes because it may be your own blood family who has rejected Jesus or someone you know. You cannot force feed someone who will not open their mouth to eat the bread of life. The person has to want Jesus for themselves. It's a heart issue.  He gives us all time because He loves us. You and I just don't know how much time we have which is the real twist. A life can be gone in a blink of an eye with no time for a deathbed confession which Jesus does accept.

A Blessed Nation

Psalm 33:12

 

12Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.

 

The world looks at Israel as a blessed nation because their entire history has been based on them being the people of God. The world sees the United States of America as a blessed nation. Guess what? That blessing is not based on being a super power as all would believe. How can one be a super power unless God allows it? The blessing comes from this country being founded on a nation under God. The founders of this nation were Christian.  The founders of this nation wanted everyone to know, "In God we trust." The founders of the nation created in our pledge, "One nation, under God"  The founders of this nation understood that for them to be blessed in a new place, they must remember that God is Lord. What about those who do not recognize our God as Lord? They are still being covered and benefiting because they are in a land who pledged to make God its Lord. In Joshua 1:3 God said to Joshua, "Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses." In the NKJ Study Bible translation of the verse it says, "Treading upon the soil symbolized acceptance of property ownership; handing your shoe to another symbolized the transfer of land. The transaction bound the new owners to the law, the land and the god of the region." 

 

Just above in verse 10 the word states, "The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect." Are you wondering if God can do that? He sure can.  Egypt thought it was going to recapture those that God set free so they could once again prosper. Did God not destroy them for going after the people of God? He did it to Ephraim. Ephraim hosted the descendants of Esau. They had been destroyed. They had planned to rebuild and to be greater than they were before.God let them know that no matter what they attempted to do that He would knock it down. Babylon thought it was going to continue in its arrogance and riding on the backs of God's people. God destroyed Babylon. God always has the last say.

Respect the Fight

Good Morning,

 

No, this is not a typical message. Many of you in the United States are celebrating this Memorial holiday weekend with cookouts, vacations and pool visits. But I challenge you this weekend to respect the fight. Many men and women have lost their lives, limbs or even peace of mind fighting in wars. Some have fought wars and served this country though they may not have always been respected as citizens in this country. Both my biological parents served in the U.S. military and I respect their service to this country. I have aunts, uncles, cousins and a late grandmother who willingly served this country. Some are buried on military soil. I respect high school/college friends and acquaintances who have served this country. I respect every man and woman who has served this country past and present. When I was in college one year, I made arrangements with one of my high school friends to visit her on the island where she was stationed. I never told her how proud I was of her for serving for a country that she wasn't even born in but became her home. Another high school bestie of mine became a U.S. citizen so that he could serve in the military. I respected the fight. When I was in college, I was encouraged by both my mom and aunt to take the test for the Air Force upon graduation to go in as an officer. I did not succumb to the encouragement because I grew up hearing their stories and was convinced I could not stomach what they endured. But I respected the fight. Many people do not understand that the remaining spouse and children make a sacrifice as well. Respect the fight.

 

Whenever I see a soldier I greet them with a smile and say, "Thank you for your service." I do that because many of them do not hear thank you where they are sent, especially if in a war zone. I challenge you from this day forward, to greet and thank every U.S. soldier you meet. You may not agree with the war they may have had to fight, but at least respect the fight and their willingness to die or lose limbs if necessary to save the lives of others. You can always have a cookout, a vacation or swim, but a life is precious. One who is willing to lose it so others might live and enjoy freedoms is to be respected.

The Battle for You

1Samuel 22:13

 

Then Saul said to him, "Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread and a sword, and have inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as it is this day?"

 

King Saul was furious because his own servants did not cater to his jealous rage against David. Saul was so furious that the entire time he spoke with the priest he would not call David by name but referred to him as "the son of Jesse." That's some serious anger. Many of Saul's servants knew that his anger against David was illogical. David was a faithful servant. Saul's anger was because he knew God was going to eventually give the thrown to David. Saul's rage was at the point of desperation and out of control. It was so out of control that he was angry with the priests who went to God on David's behalf, to the point of ordering they be killed.  Anyone who did anything for David that helped to push him forward into what God had for him. Do you remember that the Spirit of the Lord left Saul and God allowed an evil spirit to torture Saul? It was David whom God sent to soothe Saul. What does this have to do with you?

 

Did you know that the very people God may send you to help, may one day turn against you if there is a spirit of jealousy? Do you know that enemy of your soul, Satan, like Saul, does not like it when anyone goes to war on your behalf? Remember, Satan was angry that Jesus went to battle for us and he attempted to ensnare Jesus. But God! Jesus triumphed! Jesus was the ultimate intercessor on our behalf. The men and women of God who He sends to battle in prayer on your behalf become targets for you. Their love and desire for God, love for you, as God's people, cause them to war on your behalf no matter how high the stakes. They put on the whole armor of God as detailed in Ephesians 6. They war and battle on your behalf by the direction of God through the Holy Spirit against principalities and rulers of darkness. They war on your behalf so that what God has for you and desires for your life moves forward. Just like the evil within Saul that brought him to desperation, so Satan works in desperation against you when you desire to be faithful to God. He, like Saul, wants allegiance and soldiers. These men and women of God are under the direction of Christ as intercessors on your behalf. Do not take lightly the battle for your soul. Do not take lightly those who love you enough to war on your behalf in the spirit realm. Like the priests who had to face Saul and the evil spirits within him, they face Satan and the evil spirits in those who do not mean you well.

Identity Theft

Acts 8:9-10

 

9But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great 10to whom they all gave heed, from least to the greatest, saying, "This man is the great power of God."

 

There are some people who claim to be great that really are not who they claim to be. There mission is to deceive people. Unfortunately, the people of Samaria experienced this with a man called Simon. And for this, Christ left behind the Holy Spirit to help discern. In 1John 4:1 the Word says we are not to believe every spirit, but test the spirit, whether they are of God. The people of Samaria were unfortunately not educated on this, But God! He sent one in the five-fold ministry, an evangelist, Philip. Please refer to Ephesians 4:11-16.  Philip was sent to preach about Christ.  Simon was amazed, confessed that he believed and then was baptized. However, his heart was not delivered from his former ways. Simon again was amazed. This time by the apostles Peter and John as they did the laying on of hands and Simon attempted to "buy" a position that can only given by God. Why is this so important?

 

Anyone that is who they claim to be in Christ, God will not allow them to "buy" their position. That is stealing an identity that Christ did not give to them. Identity theft is not only a serious crime in the world, but it is a serious crime in the kingdom of God. The NKJ Study Bible refers to it as "simony", the unworthy buying and selling of ecclesiastical offices. You cannot buy your way into a position and expect that God will not expose you to those who see with the Holy Spirit. And you cannot buy your way into heaven. Grace is a gift given by God paid for by the blood of Christ. God appoints those He has called to particular offices through the Holy Spirit. There has to be an experience with Christ. It may not be as deep as what the apostle Paul experienced on the road to Damascus, but there certainly has to be to "a defining moment." Test the spirit by the Holy Spirit.  Do not allow identity theft to steer you from the true heart of Christ and the kingdom of God. Those who claim to teach the Word are judged more harshly as the Word says and you and I shall know them by their fruit.

Preceding with Goodness

Ecclesiastes 7:1

 

1A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of one's birth;

 

 

What do people think when they hear your name? What word most commonly describes who you are? Are you known for standing up for righteousness? Are you known as a kind and loving person? Does the reputation you have precede you with goodness? Or are you known simply by self-seeking deeds and half-heartedness?  Why would a person's death be more celebrated than their birth? Because by their death, there should've been plenty of time to impact those around them with the love of God. When someone says that dead person's name, does a smile, laugh and warm heart follow?

 

Earlier this year my family lost a great elder. I knew he was great but the testimonies at his memorial were so wonderful that I was SO proud to be his grand niece. My uncle, a man who served this country, his city and loved not only his children but the children in the community as well. He was a well-known business man in the city were I am from. If you mentioned the name of his business, anyone in town would've known it. He spent a lot of time mentoring children. I knew he was a role model in our family but that day, to hear all the stories of the lives of the children he touched, I felt honored to be related to him. Our family shared stories online as to the man he was. I gave a personal testimony of an event that occurred 33 years ago. At the last family reunion we both attended, he still remembered that event like it was yesterday. For me, it was the first time I realized how others saw the color line. See, my uncle wasn't the same color as me. To me, that didn't matter. All that mattered was that he was a family member. My first grade classmates didn't believe he was my uncle when he walked in the lunch room. But when I called him Uncle by name and he turned and waved, they all looked in amazement. My uncle was a jokester and loved to laugh but he also had a big heart. The kind of home going service he had, was just as amazing as my late stepfather's, A man of distinction, known by his heart and wonderful deeds. Even if a person didn't know God, they were exposed to Him because the love of God existed in a man.

 

How will you be remembered? It's something to think about.

The Balance

Ecclesiastes 4:8a

 

8There is one alone, without companion: he has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end to all his labors, nor is his eye satisfied with riches;

 

The society we live in today applauds overworking and more so greed. There is no balance. How so? Men and women are suffering more heart attacks and strokes at younger ages. Stress and worry are in the top slots along with diet. Some eat right but the stress overtakes the body. Conditions in the natural have a spiritual root. Jesus said that worry does not add a day to one's life. Some are overworking to make ends meet. Others already have an abundance and are either working out of greed or to avoid the issues in life itself. Proverbs 23:4 is clear that you and I are not to overwork to be rich because riches can fly away. There is nothing wrong with hard work nor having money. But work/life balance is a real issue. King Solomon referred to the man who has no friend, no companion not even family. His labor is in vain because it is for no one other than himself. And the man is so consumed with himself and riches that he doesn't take notice. Our Lord wants a balance in our lives. He only gave you a certain number of years on this earth. You can easily shorten those days by stress, worry and competing to "keep up with the Jones." Yes, you and I are to work hard. However, Jesus said in Matthew 6:31-33 not to worry about what we shall eat or drink or wear. That our Heavenly Father knows we have need of all these things. "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."  In other words, God's priority-His will for you is top priority and He will make provision according to His glorious riches. God owns EVERYTHING so you will never out do/make more than what He has for you.