The Peril Of

The Peril  Of False Teaching

“Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return? Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return. I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle.”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭8:4-6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

THIS is where we are today. 

“they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return. I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done?”

Compromise! We are in the world, but the world should not be in us; but it is. We have made excuses, we have winked our eyes. We refuse to deal with our sin and so we get comfortable with it, embrace it and make excuses. Like children whining to their parents: "Well everybody else is doing it!" We are indistinguishable from the unbelievers! We are not set apart. We are not a peculiar people, we are the same. We "talk the talk, but we do not walk the walk"! We are hypocrites and the world knows it.

“How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain. The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them? Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.” Jeremiah‬ ‭8:8-10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Our leaders; from the largest denominational mega church  to the smallest assembly; you shepherd -where is your heart? Do you get on your face and cry out to God to bless your flock, then get up and compromise The Word of God in your own life? Excusing yourself and your family, because it's easier that way, and anyway, "God understands", "He knows your heart", after all "He is a God of love". 

“For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the Lord.”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭8:11-12‬ ‭KJV‬‬

We are held to a higher standard! Our desire to be used of God, is not enough. 

As our country, because of our fallen leaders, is floundering, so is the church. 

Revival starts in our own heart, and spreads outward. If we examine our own heart and then look at our family and determine we are all "okay" with God; we are deceived! 

The hypocrisy in words preached and lives lived will be addressed from the likes of me, on up! God is no respecter of persons. Let's be quick to examine, confess, and repent! 

Let's seek The Truth and set the standard high! Extend mercy and grace where needed, but never compromise with sin. The cross made the way for us, but we have to get on it, or we, like the world, are just looking at it from afar, and THAT won't get us to heaven!

Even so - MARANATHA! 

From 6/20/14

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians‬ ‭2:20‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The Man That

“The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭21:16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

I love Proverbs?  Do I read them as often as I should? No!

Proverbs cut to the chase and point us back in the right direction! No mincing of words! It just says it like it is!  Keep'n it real!

“Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭20:11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Has anyone else noticed that people do not want to be told that they are wrong? Whether it be in what they think, say or do; they do not want correction!

“And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof; And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭5:12-13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts.” Proverbs‬ ‭21:2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

We desire a "pain free" society! We don't want to live with pain. We are insulated as much as possible from discomfort of any kind. We are sheltered and demand comfort on every level, even in our religion. 

No - especially in our religion!

“My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3:11-12‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The Word of God is supposed to point us back to the right direction when we have taken the wrong path. If we have sin, it convicts us and tells us to repent! There is no salvation without repentance.

Conviction hurts! Those who don’t want it, call it “condemnation!”

“The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.” (Heart)

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭20:30‬ ‭KJV‬‬

When we come face to face with our sin - it hurts! It is supposed to! Just like when you stick your hand in the fire, the pain teaches you not to do that again.  So the Word of God causes our heart to hurt when we see where we do wrong; so we won't do it again! 

Our rebellion is so ingrained in us that we seek to go to churches that make us feel good and pick and choose scripture that encourage instead of reprove!

And we question how our children; how our society has become so lawless!

We can't fix what's wrong in this world. It's too late!

All we can do is turn back (repent) to God and pray that He changes our own hearts - to make us worthy of spending eternity with Him. 

The desire for Him, and for Him to make you into the image of His Son has to come from inside you! Pray that He plants and waters that seed. 

Don't desire to be free of pain, desire to be free from sin; unforgiveness, worry, fear, lust, bitterness, envy, jealousy, gossip, grumbling and complaining, unbelief, lying, adultery, stealing, addictions . . .

For His Son is coming back for a Bride without spot or wrinkle and there's not much time left for Him to iron out those wrinkles! 

Wrinkle free requires heat. It requires pressure. It requires time spent with the Person holding the iron. Ironing is hard! That's why man developed "permanent press"! Again a short cut to the end, for our quick solution society!  

The only "permanent press" I want is "forever" under His heat! 

Oh Father, please don't let up until I'm fit to be worn - as Your Beloved!

Repent church!!!!!

Even so - MARANATHA! 

From 8/15/14

“And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:5-11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

For Thou Lord

“For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.” ‭Psalms‬ ‭86:5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

When your heart's desire is for God, and Jesus is your primary purpose, any separation from Him is intolerable! And that's what sin causes; separation from God! Mercy and grace is extended till you reach a point where the sin has to be addressed. The best way to explain how God cleans us up is the peeling of an onion. Each layer of the onion representing another hidden sin in our heart whose time is up for removal at its root. 

A friend at church Sunday described it as the difference of pruning back the sin, as opposed to digging it out by the root! She pointed out when you prune a plant it just grows in greater abundance; so does sin! 

That's what I had done with the sin of Anger! I had kept it pruned back to a manageable state and the root had gotten stronger, until this weekend it's existence was made very apparent! 

“Give ear, O Lord, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭86:6-7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

I did cry out to The Lord, to show me my sin; I cried for days! The attack of the enemy intense, yet all the while He was bringing me to the place of discovery. 

He showed me the buried anger from my childhood; the unforgiveness, resentment and judgements of my father's anger directed at me, and I confessed and repented! 

“Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name. I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore. For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭86:11-13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Living an obedient and repentant life is my heart's desire! Allowing Him to clean me and purify me as He deems necessary and in His timing, my aim. His satisfaction at the result displayed by encouragement from many avenues - delightful to my spirit man! 

“But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid. Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, Lord, hast holpen me, and comforted me.” Psalms‬ ‭86:15-17‬ ‭KJV‬‬

There is nothing sweeter than waking up in the middle of the night; feeling a warm gentle breeze on your face from an open window; carrying the fragrance of honeysuckle. It's as if you've been kissed on the forehead by God; and the impression, "Go back to sleep daughter, all is well!" 

No, nothing sweeter! 

Even so - MARANATHA! 

From 5/20/14

For What Glory

“For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.” ‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2:20‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Did someone wrong you yesterday? If not, someone will probably wrong you today? It seems the closer we get to the holidays, the more on edge people become. During a time when everyone should be thinking of others some only think of themselves. Shopping; in traffic; many, it seems are just looking to take their frustrations out on someone; anyone. 

So how do we respond? In the same manner or as Jesus did?

Kindness often defuses explosive situations. People expect a fight and are on the defensive, however, love covers a multitude of sins. We offer mercy in those times we will receive mercy when we need it; and who doesn’t need mercy?

I had a wrong done to me yesterday. It’s the second time this person has wronged me. The devil told me all night how I am “within my rights” to expect and demand restitution; how I could refuse further service to this person and would be “within my rights!” The choice is mine, to let this customer go, however, because of Who I belong to, the choice is His! 

I take my dilemma to Him and ask for wisdom!  I accept His advice/commandment based on His Word.  In other words, I have no choice in this matter! As His servant, I have no rights, and I am so okay with that! 

My mentor says: when you get your lemon squeezed, what comes out - is what’s in the middle of it! Lemon juice or honey? In other words, what’s in your heart?

Upon taking my situation to the Scriptures and inquiring “the right” thing to do in my situation; my peace was restored. I knew without a doubt I would rather please my Father than please my pocketbook! 

Turn the other cheek; give him my cloak too; whatever my LORD asks of me I am pleased to do, for I live for His good pleasure! 

Every time? 

Maybe - someday! 

Right now, I’m happy to say, I passed my test today! 

I will do my work as unto The LORD.  I will extend mercy and let The LORD fight my battles. I will walk in love; I will walk in forgiveness; and when I miss it, I will walk in repentance. I will be light in the darkness. 

What will your choice be today?

Even so - MARANATHA 

From 12/1/17

How Do You

How do you "Press on" when you are "hard pressed"?

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3:13-14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“We are troubled (hard-pressed) on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;” 2 Corinthians‬ ‭4:8-9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Put your eyes on (or back on) the prize, and leave them there! 

What you are going through (the storm, the trial, the test) is a distraction to get your eyes off of Jesus! "Pressing on" in these tests; keeping your eyes on Jesus, is how you endure the refining fires! These tests are for your own good!

“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭4:12-13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

When we take our eyes off of Jesus, the enemy's lies, will capture us. It's a choice of obedience; listen to God's Truth or devil's lies! (God: "Trust Me, keep your focus on Me, I've made a Way for you") OR ( devil: "look around you - this will never end"); Your choice who you "hear"!

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians‬ ‭4:17-18‬ ‭KJV‬‬

However, it is impossible to do this in the flesh! 

If you have unrepented sin in your life, like unforgiveness, bitterness, judgements, you have given place to the enemy and your resistance of him is futile! 

It is impossible to forget your past if you are still holding on to unforgiveness! Because it is not past; it is still present! You can't just "put it behind you" if it is still in front of you!

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” 1 Peter‬ ‭5:8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Resisting your master, when you are a slave to sin, is to no avail! He owns you! 

Get rid of the hidden sins in your heart, by humbling yourself, confessing your sins to one another, forgiving, and repenting, and God WILL set you free! (James 5:16)

Then you can resist the enemy! 

Then you become a Child Of God! Then He fights your battles and corrects you in His Love to refine and purify, and make you into His image!

 

“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” ‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭1:13-16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Repent while there is still time.

Even so - MARANATHA!

From 6/1/14

And The Lord

“And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭22:31-32‬ ‭KJV

Have you ever felt like Peter?  

I often have!

Peter was always opening his mouth and saying something that (in retrospect,) you KNOW he would think, "I can't believe I said that!"  

Well, in this verse we see Jesus stating that Peter was getting ready to go through something that could ultimately affect his walk; seriously damage his faith! 

Then Jesus says, "But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not:”

Well the enemy is still sifting believers today; attempting to destroy our walk; trying to kill us! 

We are told to pray and we find great comfort when a friend says, "I'm praying for you!"

But just think - Jesus is still praying for us today! He is standing on the right side of the Father interceding for us, that our faith, also, fail not!

Do you think that God answers Jesus' prayers?

This storm you are going through; the sifting the enemy has purposed to derail your walk, is a part of God's plan to bring you to a realization of who He is! To make you admit and repent of the sin that is separating you from Him! To cause you to acknowledge that He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and that life without Him is nothing!  

Peter had walked with Jesus for 3 years but until the sifting; until he came to the end of himself; broken before the One Who would die for him, then and only then could he be used  for the Kingdom in all power!  

And you; when you come to the end of yourself  and realize there is no where else to turn,  you will find Him right there saying, "I've been praying for you!"

That's when the adventure begins!

Repent while there is still time!

Even so - MARANATHA!

From 9/24/13

Unto The Pure

“Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.”

‭‭Titus‬ ‭1:15-16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

How do you know? 

By the words they speak! 

So many profess to know God! Everyone believes themselves to be a Christian. 

“O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” Matthew‬ ‭12:34‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The things we talk about, all of the time, tells everyone what’s in our heart! (Or when our lemon gets squeezed and honey does not come out!)

Do you have a friend who always seems to side with the other person; who seems to make excuses for the person who wronged you? Who refuses to jump on the bandwagon in complaining about so ‘n so?

Well don’t take it personally! They are exhibiting Titus 1:15!  “To the pure all things are pure!” They see the good, not the bad! That is how we are supposed to live! 

“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” Matthew‬ ‭5:7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The devil is the accuser. When we start complaining about any person we come into agreement with him. 

One who is determined to walk in Titus 1:15 doesn’t even see the evil. It’s as if they look through the eyes of Jesus. 

When He called me and you out of darkness, He knew what He was calling us to, and saw us already perfected! 

“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭4:18‬ ‭KJV‬‬

It’s like having a dream! You believe in your dream, so much, you can see it as it will be; though everyone else thinks you’re  crazy! 

But it’s even more! 

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

‭‭John‬ ‭3:16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

He saw; He knew; He acted on our behalf. 

He is pure! (Titus 1:15)

And we are to walk in His ways! 

And when we fail, we repent and try again! (1 John 1:9)

THIS does not come easy! And when we have unrepented sin in our hearts (unforgiveness, judgments, bitterness, anger, etc) it doesn’t come at all! It’s the baggage we carry that keeps us bound to the enemy. His constantly reminding us of what so ‘n so did is torment. And that, unrepented sin, gives him the right to do so. If when you think about that person, or if you see them on the street (or in your mind) you remember what they did, it’s not forgiven! Which makes it sin! It must be repented of! 

When you forgive someone of an injury or injustice, it does not excuse the act; it just says that you love God more than yourself and you choose to obey Him; for He commands that we forgive! 

Listening last night to Geri McGee she related forgiveness to: being in a courtroom - you are the judge and jury. Then taking “the case” to God’s courtroom, where He sits on the bench; giving Him the case, and then walking out of His courtroom; in peace because you know He has the power; He has your back!

“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:19‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” John‬ ‭14:15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

When we refuse to forgive and repent we are telling God we love our sin more than Him.

You see, it’s about your relationship with The Father! It’s about letting Him be GOD! It’s about surrendering to His will! It’s about obedience! It’s about eternity!

“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:14-15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Repent while there is still time!

“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” Matthew‬ ‭5:8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Even so - MARANATHA 

From 11/15/17

“And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” 2 Timothy‬ ‭2:24-26‬ ‭KJV‬‬

O Give Thanks

“O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭118:1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Let them now that fear the Lord say, that his mercy endureth for ever.” ‭Psalms‬ ‭118:4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This is where my reading began this morning! This is also where my heart beat with my first thought, awakening;  thanking my LORD for His mercies; amazed at the difference a day makes! Praise, peace, rest, and joy;  a wonderful way to start this day.

It was not so yesterday. I was tested. 

“I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place.” Psalms‬ ‭118:5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

It's funny how I sometimes do not realize I'm in a test until I'm almost through it! Did I pass? Well, I made it through, but not necessarily with flying colors! Oh, it could have been so much worse, but His mercy and grace held me up. I checked my heart and in repentance He saved the day. He always does!

“The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?” Psalms‬ ‭118:6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The lyrics from "The Eye of the Storm", playing through my head this morning: "when my sails are torn, Your love surrounds me, in the eye of the storm!" 

Torn sails; dead in the water, but saved by love!

I look back at a sequence of events, isolated incidents, strangely connected; like a string of natural pearls, odd but tied together. Upon examination, exposing what was in my heart; repentance required, repentance made, forgiveness received; rest!

“The Lord taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me.” Psalms‬ ‭118:7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Victory, not pretty,  but another lesson learned. ‬‬

“It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.” Psalms‬ ‭118:8-9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the Lord will I destroy them. They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about: but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them. They compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns: for in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭118:10-12 KJV

What the enemy meant for harm, God meant for good.‬‬

“Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall: but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and song, and is become my salvation. The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly. The right hand of the Lord is exalted: the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly.” Psalms‬ ‭118:13-16‬ ‭KJV‬‬‬‬

“I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.” Psalms‬ ‭118:17‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Giving glory to God! 

I cried out to Him and He answered all of my prayers, ALL DAY LONG! He rescued me when I needed rescuing. He comforted me when I needed comfort and He made away, where there was no way! He gets all the glory! ‬‬

“The Lord hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death.” Psalms‬ ‭118:18‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord: This gate of the Lord, into which the righteous shall enter. I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation. The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the Lord's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalms‬ ‭118:19-24‬ ‭KJV‬‬

And today, we do it all over again! For this IS the day, He has made for me & I WILL rejoice and be glad in it! 

Even so - MARANATHA! 

From 10/22/16

Submit Yourselves Therefore

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James‬ ‭4:7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This is one of the churches favorite scripture!

I see little signs on Facebook all the time about resisting the devil. 

Do you know that the flesh is incapable of resisting the devil, if a person is not submitted to God?  Oh, you might be able to stay him off for a bit, but he's just toying with you! Victory in the battle is only obtainable with submission to God! We have no power, to prevail in spiritual warfare, in and of ourselves!  (Acts 19:15)  

My favorite meme: "The wolf is not afraid of sheep, but he is afraid of The Shepherd!"

We find ourselves in these trials and tests and try and pray our way out! Our comfort is our only consideration. 

“Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” James‬ ‭4:3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The storms in our lives are there to turn us back to God! Instead of praying, "God heal me", we should pray, "God show me my sin, and I'll repent!"

“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” James‬ ‭4:4-6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

If you need healing in your body, then you need to humble yourself before God and be obedient to His Word! 

Obey His Commandments!

“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”  James‬ ‭4:10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This life we are living is not about how much we have; how successful we are in our careers; what kind of car we drive; this life is not about us! The time we spend here is all about eternity and The Kingdom of God! Our life is but a vapor and everyone knows it can end in a moment; with no notice! 

We live our life in an illusion; thinking we are our master and refusing to admit we have no control over our destiny! 

The only control we have is to whom we will submit!

If we are not submitting to God, then we ARE submitting to the devil, and resistance is a joke!

You may say Jesus is LORD, but if you refuse to obey God's Commandments then you are double-minded! 

“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” James‬ ‭4:8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” James‬ ‭1:8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

We go to church, twice a week, but never pick up our Bibles! We "know" we are forgiven, but refuse to forgive! We accumulate wealth, and watch our brothers do without. We claim Jesus to be our Friend, then use His name in vain!  Then we pray for healing, and deliverance, and wonder why our prayers go unanswered!

Examine your heart and be honest with yourself! You are farther from God than you admit! 

Wake up church! 

Tomorrow may be too late!

Humble yourself!

Repent of your sins!

Become obedient!

“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” James‬ ‭5:16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Even so - MARANATHA! 

From 6/7/14

Brethren I Count

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3:13-14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Now - more than ever, press on!

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:6-7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Personally, politically, economically, globally; the ONLY way we can be anxious for nothing, in these dark days, is to keep our focus on The LORD Jesus Christ!

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Remember - God IS in control! From the most insignificant to the most insurmountable; there is absolutely nothing that is out of His reach or influence! 

He has you and me right where He wants us, to refine us in His fire! And trusting Him is most important! 

The devil will paint pictures in our  minds of everything that can go wrong and doubt and unbelief will try and take up residence! Don't give in! We must repent of our sins so as not to give him a foothold! We must walk in love. Walk in forgiveness. Walk in repentance! 

“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians‬ ‭4:18‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Now more than ever, we must discipline ourselves.

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew‬ ‭6:33‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Set time aside daily to read your Bible and fellowship with Him! Fall back in love with The Lover of your soul! Pray for a hunger and a thirst for His Word; that it may come alive in you! 

“Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭9:24-27‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Now, more than ever, make Him the Principle Purpose of your life, for time is short!

Even so - MARANATHA! 

3/2/16

But I Will Hope

“But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more. My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof. I will go in the strength of the Lord God: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.”  ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭71:14-16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Here once again David is encouraging himself in The LORD! 

When circumstances are beyond your control do you praise Him? Do you remind yourself and Him of the times before, when He has rescued you? You must!! It builds your faith. Looking at what He has done for you, in the past, instead of only what you see before you, is imperative in reducing your wounds in this battle! And it is a battle; a spiritual battle, between light and darkness! These skirmishes are how we are taught to trust and rely on Him and Him alone. Time will soon come when He will be all we have and learning these lessons well today, will insure our success, in the upcoming major encounters!

“Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man. For thou art my hope, O Lord God: thou art my trust from my youth. By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee. I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge.” Psalms‬ ‭71:4-7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

David knew God had been with him all along! He knew Whose he was and understood the importance of praise and worship! 

We, on the other hand, have been taught to try and stand alone, do it ourselves! That's not what God wants! He wants us to totally rely on Him for everything in our lives! 

Contrary to popular belief: NOWHERE in the Bible does it say, "God helps those who help themselves!"  THAT is a lie from the enemy! 

“Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.” ‭Psalms‬ ‭71:3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

He is all you need!

And He wants to be ALL you want!

Each little encounter we trust Him in, builds our relationship and strengthens our belief in His ability; which is without measure! We just don't know it! 

“Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee! Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth. Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side. I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel. My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed. My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt.” Psalms‬ ‭71:19-24‬ ‭KJV‬‬

What the devil means for harm, God means for good! (Genesis 15:20) You WILL get through this trial! He WILL sustain you as you trust in Him! Then you WILL have one more victory under your belt, to remind yourself of, when the next challenge arises!

“O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.” Psalms‬ ‭71:17-18‬ ‭KJV‬‬

I don't know what you are going through, but He does! Believe me, even if the outcome is not how you want it, He knows what's best! Often times in retrospect we find that which was the worse thing that ever happened to us, in His hands becomes the best thing that ever happened to us! 

“In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion. Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me.

"Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.”  Psalms‬ ‭71:1-2, 8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

He is our escape! He is our refuge! Only in Him do we find salvation!

He gets ALL the glory!!!

Even so - MARANATHA! 

From 1/13/16

Hear Ye Therefore

“Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭13:18-23‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Who's your gardener?

What are you allowing to be sown in your heart! 

I have been every kind of dirt there is, and am happy to report, I am now good soil. The hard places, for the most part, have been removed. The big dirt clods broken up; rocks removed! My field is not fallow! 

For the longest time I tried to tend my own garden, weeding and planting so many hours on my knees in bad soil. A great fail!

Then, a couple of years ago, I did some digging (pardon the pun) and got some good knowledge on gardening and found out soil and seed make a big difference! I found the right Gardener! 

He's in charge and directs me in my part! I help to maintain though the plants! I watch for the weeds. I have to make sure that any new plantings I receive are not "GMO"s by unscrupulous or even well meaning dealers! I run everything by my Gardener.

If there is pruning to be done, He does it, in the right season, to insure the best and biggest fruit. I trust my Gardner! 

My Gardner has a huge operation and many helpers! He gives them good instructions however, sometimes they don't listen, or sometime they get sloppy. Sometimes they are late or don't even show up. But I trust my Gardner, because He knows what's best for my garden and it will be a beautiful garden when He's done, regardless of the workers.

I leave it in His capable hands. I trust that as long as I am willing to do my part, and yes I am involved in the maintenance of my garden, that it will be perfect in the end! What I love most about Him is that He is not above getting His hands dirty; He gets right down in the dirt next to me! That's when I learn so much. He is a wealth of knowledge and is so tender in His care of the plantings.

I know as long as I give Him my resources; as long as He is in control and I don't try and usurp His authority; as long as I believe in Him and His power to make it happen, my garden will produce enough fruit for, not only me and my family but for many, many others too! 

My Gardner is awesome!

I would never trust another!

So if you need a replacement for who does your gardening, I heartily give recommendation for Mine! He planted the first garden, so His résumé extensive, His credentials are flawless and to top it off, He only uses heirloom plantings, because He knows I only want the best stock, the best seed, the best fruit; as should you too!

So, my friend do not trust your garden to renegade helpers that say they work for Him. If they belong to Him, He will be with them! His seeds will always have The Maker's seal of approval! 

You get what He paid for!

Even so - MARANATHA! 

From 7/28/14

We Experience More

"We experience more broken promises in life than we do kept promises. When someone breaks a promise they've made to us, we feel disappointed and hurt. With each promise that is broken, we grow more wary of the next one, skeptical of its fulfillment. We become calloused and distrusting." Chris Tomlin

This came across my newsfeed yesterday. It's true, but it stops short. It presents a problem but does not give the solution. Most go through life with the results; never knowing there's an answer. 

The truth is that holding onto the hurt and disappointments of broken promises causes bitterness and ultimately leads to a cold, hard heart which is the result of unforgiveness.

When someone hurts and disappoints you, you must forgive him.

 Unforgiveness is a very serious sin and must be repented of, in obedience to God's Word. 

After The Lord's Prayer, Jesus says: “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew‬ ‭6:14-15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

That means if we want forgiveness for our sins, we must forgive! So when someone hurts and disappointments us, we must forgive, every time! We must never stop forgiving.

“Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭18:21-22‬ ‭KJV‬‬

When we don't forgive or if we haven't forgiven, then we have sinned and we must repent.

Matthew 18:23-32 speaks of debts not forgiven, and the following verses says quite clearly, what happens when we refuse to forgive.

“Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭18:33-35‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The debt the servant owed and was forgiven, was charged back to him. In other words, the debt he could not pay - he once again owed!

Jesus described a frightening aspect of disobeying His Word. 

Yes, He died so that we may be forgiven a debt we could not pay.

We have no choice in the matter but to forgive and repent, if we want forgiveness for our sins. In that parable, He spells it out quite clearly what happens if we refuse!

Thank God for His promise of mercy and grace. 

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” ‭‭1 John‬ ‭1:9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

It's repentance that softens cold, hard hearts. It's the only way! 

Obedience to God's Word shows our love for Him. 

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” ‭‭John‬ ‭14:15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

We must love Him more than we love being right.

Give up your right to be right. 

Ask God to show you the unforgiveness hiding in your heart; the hurts that are still tender; then forgive and repent. 

Then you will find healing for the hurt and freedom from the torment.

Even so - MARANATHA! 

From 9/3/17

And The Lord

“And the Lord said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you. Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the Lord God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.” Joshua‬ ‭7:10-13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Do we, like the children of Israel, fall on our face before God, crying "Why O LORD?"; when faced with disappointments and failures?  Do we examine our hearts and let Him expose the accursed things hidden there? Or do we, in unbelief, just blame Him for not being powerful enough to perform as we think He should? 

How many of us are willing to admit that it is our sin that stays His hand?

Still today, we cannot stand before our enemies when we have accursed things hidden in our hearts! We must repent of the unforgiveness, bitterness, anger and unbelief we have buried beneath the  treasures of the world we have coveted! The value of its abundance pales in comparison to the peace that comes with obedience to God's Word!

Father, I come before you this morning with a heavy heart, aware and convicted of my failure to obey Your Word! I have hidden the accursed things of the world amongst my stuff and repent of my sin! I have coveted its treasures and ask for forgiveness, again! Please LORD, continue to shine Your light on the areas of my life that are not pleasing in Your Sight! Make me able to stand before my enemies as I submit to You!

Even so - MARANATHA! 

From 11/7/15

The Eyes Of

“the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭11:12‬b ‭KJV‬‬

This seemed to be an appropriate word for this day and I’m sure no coincidence my reading would begin here in this New Year!  

Continuing:  “And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil. And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full. Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;” Deuteronomy‬ ‭11:13-16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Deceived people do not know they are deceived! And true worship is obedience. If we are not obedient to The Word Of God then we are worshiping a different God who says it’s okay NOT to do those things written in The Bible; it’s okay NOT to read His Word! Because if you don’t obey God, by default you are obeying His enemy! 

“And then the Lord's wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the Lord giveth you.” Deuteronomy‬ ‭11:17‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Hearken! (heed, obey) Do you do that? 

Does the Word guide your every step? It’s supposed to! 

Does God speak to you throughout the day? He will if you seek Him with your whole heart!

“Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates: That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth.” Deuteronomy‬ ‭11:18-21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The enemy is whispering in your ear, “that’s O.T!”  Don’t let him deceive you! 

Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” ‭‭John‬ ‭14:15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Are you diligent in your obedience?

“For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him; Then will the Lord drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves. Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be. There shall no man be able to stand before you: for the Lord your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon, as he hath said unto you.” Deuteronomy‬ ‭11:22-25‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The reward? A blessing!

“Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day: And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.” ‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭11:26-28‬ ‭KJV‬‬

And a curse if you do not obey!

When God opened my eyes, I realized the church preached the blessings of God but that the curse was all over it! (Deuteronomy 28)

But when we love The LORD with our whole heart we don’t obey for the reward of blessings, we obey because we love Him and want to please Him! Pleasing Him is the desire of our heart! Disappointing Him almost an unbearable thought! 

Praise God for His mercy and His grace! Repentance sets us in good standing again, when we miss it! But the church refusing to acknowledge its sin has, by and large, done away with repentance! If you don’t sin, you don’t need to repent! THAT’S the biggest lie the devil has sold the church! And because repentance hurts it was quick to be believed! That’s how you obey another god; refuse to repent!

Jesus said to the church, “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” ‭Revelation‬ ‭2:4-5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Jesus is still calling the church to repentance! 

Repentance is a walk! God set it up so in our walk of obedience, when we fall down we can get back up! It’s part of the walk of sanctification!

“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” ‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” ‭‭1 John‬ ‭1:9-10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

When we don’t read our Bible we don’t know what sin is, because The Holy Spirit uses the Word to open our eyes to the sin in our lives! That’s why you don’t read it! The devil keeps you so busy,  you put it off! He knows if you get a hold of the fact that unrepented sin hardens your heart and that you would be set free if you turned! He wants to keep you captured! He doesn’t want you to know that fear and worry (unbelief) are sin. So is grumbling and complaining! So is gossiping! “Those are just “little ones” “everybody does it”; he won’t even use the word “sin!”

We are told the biggies are “murder, stealing, adultery” when the true “biggie” is unforgiveness!

“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:14-15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Unforgiven people will not be in heaven! So no matter what your denomination preaches, if you are holding onto unforgiveness in your heart, you WILL NOT see The LORD!

God spoke to a friend and said: “When you forgive _________ you are most like Me!”  

The devil holds a grudge!

You have a choice who you will serve this new year! 

You have a choice who you will follow! 

“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua‬ ‭24:15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Happy New Year!

“He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭22:20‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Even so - MARANATHA 

From 1/1/18

That Is Where

That is where I am today, September 14, 2018.

I came to the conclusion this morning I, cannot do this thing called being a Christian! I do not have it in me. I am unable to go on.

If I am going to make it - God is going to have to do it in me; for me; to me!

I have repented, I’ve confessed; I’ve taken up my cross; I’ve followed as closely as any human can! I’ve made Him Lord and I still fall short. My besetting sins are still there; and more darkness is revealed daily in my heart. 

The dry, heaviness is almost oppressive.

I have a moment between clients, and I review my memories on Facebook; and EVERYTHING changes. Today is my 4 year Anniversary and I almost missed it! The encouragement the post brings floods my heart with joy!  My Father fills me with its His love and I know I’m right where I’m supposed to be. 

This morning, 9/15 - my Scripture reading begins with:  “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”Philippians‬ ‭1:6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Yes, He’s doing His work in me! And there will be other days, like yesterday, when I will feel the darkness encroaching and the enemy will whisper how futile my efforts are. Then God will once again remind me, through His Word that the devil is a liar; he’s already defeated and I’ve been bought with a price! I’m no longer my own - I’m His! 

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.” Psalms‬ ‭23:1-6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Even so - MARANATHA 

Who Is Wise

“Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.” Hosea‬ ‭14:9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

"for the ways of the Lord are right,"

Do you believe that? 

Truly?

We say we believe, but if pressed, do we really believe; have confidence in Him? Trust Him? His Word? 

Or do we trust our ways more?

“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.” Proverbs‬ ‭12:15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

We like Israel, do what is right in our own eyes. (Judges 17:6 & 21:25)

“All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits.” Proverbs‬ ‭16:2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.” Proverbs‬ ‭28:26‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Examine your heart!

Listen to the words you speak! They tell you what resides there! We often talk the talk (we think) but do we walk it out? Do you only talk about your afflictions? Your illnesses? The doctors you visit and the medicines you take? How bad life is? Then add churchy talk? Do you worry to everyone? Worry denotes a lack of trust in God! It's unbelief; yet it's the sin that is acceptable in every congregation. 

We pray for help from a god, made in our own image, that does not require obedience or repentance! 

We have an unrealistic image of Who God Is because we do not read His Word! The reason we don't read His Word, is because it makes us uncomfortable! It shines light on the sin in our heart and we love our sin more than we love God! We don't want to be exposed for the frauds we are! 

Time and time again, in our lives, we have cried out to God in our crisis, vowing to live for Him, then when the crisis has passed we have forgotten our promise. But He hasn't! Time is soon coming when we won't have the opportunity for repentance! It will be too late! 

That time is now! Today is the day of Salvation! We are not promised tomorrow! Seek The LORD while He may be found! Repent for the evil you have done! Turn with your whole heart to Him and follow Him the remainder of your days! 

I did (when I came to the end of myself) and my only regret is that I waited so long!

Don't wait! Time is short! There is coming a day . . . 

“For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind:” Hosea‬ ‭8:7‬a ‭KJV‬‬

“I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord: They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.”  Proverbs‬ ‭1:26-33‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Even so - MARANATHA! 

From 12/23/16

I Hear People

I hear people say they love The LORD, all the time, but their actions and conversations do not testify to that!

People love puppies, coffee, movies, chocolate, and good books! They love being outside working in their yard. Or watching scary shows on TV, or shopping (even online) for things! They love being with family and friends - just talking about old times, new ideas or sports! 

“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.” Luke‬ ‭6:45‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Music, TV, radio, movies. Noise to fill the silence and anything to keep us from looking at our heart!

Racket to keep us from hearing the voice of God! 

“And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.”  ‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭19:12‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Oh, yes, we love God and we show Him by giving Him two hours a week - if we wake up in time;  or if we don't have something else we HAVE to do, like run a marathon; or if it's not raining! 

Oh, yes, we pray all of the time to God, asking Him for His blessings; protection, provision, healing! 

But do we spend time with Him?

Do we read His Word? 

Do we obey His Commandments?

Do we listen for His voice?

Do we "follow" Him or is He something else we "do"? 

“This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.” Matthew‬ ‭15:8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Is He the first and last thing we think about everyday? Do we talk about Him to others or are we uncomfortable when a radical friend brings His name up in conversation? 

“Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” Matthew‬ ‭7:20‬ ‭KJV‬‬

When we put that big cross around our neck does it symbolize all we hold dear, or is it a fashion accessory? 

Hopefully these questions and observations make us feel a bit uncomfortable! 

Hopefully they cause us to examine our heart! 

Do we indeed have a relationship with God or are we just acquaintances! 

Are we a "fan" or a "follower"?

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”  Matthew‬ ‭6:33‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Even so - MARANATHA! 

From 2/7/15

“Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:” Ephesians‬ ‭5:1-8‬ ‭KJV‬‬