I’m Not Good Enough…

The next time you are feeling down and low in confidence, think of Moses when God told him to lead the Israelites to the Promised Land. Moses constantly complained, “I’m not good enough”, but God uses him anyway. Just goes to show us that God knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows our limits. He knows our capacity for stress. He knows how hard we can push ourselves. And most importantly, He knows the outcome before it happens. All the reason more why we should trust Him. God does choose us to fail, He chooses us to accomplish His will. That should be enough to reignite His Spirit inside you, to recharge your battery, to get back out there and live out the Gospel. Shouldn’t it?

28 When the Lord spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt, 29 He said to him, “I am the Lord! Tell Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, everything I am telling you.” 30 But Moses argued with the Lord, saying, “I can’t do it! I’m such a clumsy speaker! Why should Pharaoh listen to me?” Exodus 6:28-30

Millstones Are Heavy…..

magine you’re on a boat, and you happen to fall over board. As you desperately try to swim back, you grab the chain to the anchor to pull yourself in. All of the sudden your hand gets caught in the chain and it begins to pull you under. You’re holding your breath as you struggle to get free as you continue to spiral down to the bottom of the lake. It’s a scary thought. But what’s even scarier, is the fact that Jesus said that if we cause people to stumble in their faith, we are “better off” having a millstone tied around our neck and being drowned in the depths of the sea. Wow!!! “Better Off”, really? The point here is that we need to be very cognizant of our influence on others, especially children. When our agenda leaves a bad impression on others, especially if it concerns doctrinal truths, we need to be aware of our presentation, and change our approach. Some times it’s just better to keep our mouth shut, than open it and lead someone away from Jesus. We may speak truth, but not do it in a way that turns honest, genuine thinkers down the wrong path, all because of “our way” of presenting it. The most obvious way is being “religious”. When we make our convictions a burden to others, everyone loses. Millstones are heavy.

1 About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”2 Jesus called a little child to Him and put the child among them. 3 Then He said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. 4 So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.5 “And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on My behalf is welcoming Me.6 But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in Me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea. 7 “What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting.8 So if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand or one foot than to be thrown into eternal fire with both of your hands and feet.9 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.10 “Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of My heavenly Father. Matthew 18:1-10

Sinners Are The Only Thing God Has to Work With….

I speak from experience when I make this bold statement: people do more to stand in there own way when it comes to serving the Lord, than others do. We make more excuses, and find ways to get out of not doing what we should be doing. We justify our actions when we should be turning around and doing what God expects us to do. Here in Exodus chapter 4, we read about Moses giving the “woe is me” speech to God. After God works two miracles, right in Moses’ presence, and tells him of a third miracle that he can perform to help accomplish the freeing of the Israelites, Moses still feels the need to tell God he is not worthy of the mission. What Moses didn’t realize is that if God chose him, then he is the one that God will equip to do the job. Think about it, sinners are the only thing God has to work with. God doesn’t call those to do a job that He doesn’t equip to complete it. As the saying goes, “God doesn’t called the equipped, He equips the called”. The only thing that holds us back is us. If God calls you to do something, do it. He will never call you to fail, unless of course “failure” is part of the solution to the problem. In Moses’ case, God had to “baby him”, along the way, due to his unwillingness to realize Who was asking him to go. Get out of your own way, especially when God prepares the way for you to do His will.

10 But Moses pleaded with the Lord, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though You have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.”11 Then the Lord asked Moses, “Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.”13 But Moses again pleaded, “Lord, please! Send anyone else.”14 Then the Lord became angry with Moses. “All right,” He said. “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he speaks well. And look! He is on his way to meet you now. He will be delighted to see you. 15 Talk to him, and put the words in his mouth. I will be with both of you as you speak, and I will instruct you both in what to do. 16 Aaron will be your spokesman to the people. He will be your mouthpiece, and you will stand in the place of God for him, telling him what to say. 17 And take your shepherd’s staff with you, and use it to perform the miraculous signs I have shown you.” Exodus 4:10-17

Grabbing A Snake By The Tail…..

Here’s an example of obedient faith: when Moses is told by God to pick up the snake by the tail and he does it. Everyone knows you never mess with snakes, especially grabbing them by the tail. Yet, Moses does it. Can you imagine the adrenaline rushing through his body? All because he questioned God’s proposal to him about being the one to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Sometimes, when we question God about something He wants us to do, and it’s met with greater faith-testing action, we must realize that faith is a response to what we see as impossible or we don’t want to do, and it must be received by action. The willingness to be obedient with God starts from the first request, otherwise, it might just raise the stakes by asking us out of our comfort zone sooner than we may have been willing. Moses learned to trust God before he left the mountain. God knew his heart, and exactly what it would take to gain his trust. It wasn’t until Moses grabbed the tail of the snake that his willingness to be obedient began to overcome his doubts and lack of confidence in God. Even though he reverencedGod, it wasn’t until he was taken through a temporary test of his own fear, that he learned God is trustworthy. What is your snake’s tail? What is holding you back from jumping right into the journey God has for us? Ask God today to bring you through a snake-tail moment to help get you going, by purifying your confidence in Him.

1 But Moses protested again, “What if they won’t believe me or listen to me? What if they say, ‘The Lord never appeared to you’?”2 Then the Lord asked him, “What is that in your hand?”“A shepherd’s staff,” Moses replied.3 “Throw it down on the ground,” the Lord told him. So Moses threw down the staff, and it turned into a snake! Moses jumped back.4 Then the Lord told him, “Reach out and grab its tail.” So Moses reached out and grabbed it, and it turned back into a shepherd’s staff in his hand.5 “Perform this sign,” the Lord told him. “Then they will believe that the Lord, the God of their ancestors–the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob–really has appeared to you.” Exodus 4:1-5

A Population Increase In His Kingdom….

Christians have always been told that if God is not in it, it will not happen. Here’s one example of this in Exodus chapter three. God tells Moses that He has heard the cry of the Israelites and is about to rescue them. But Pharaoh must be forced to abide in God’s plan. This shows us that unless God is in it, it’s not going to happen. It’s God’s sovereignty that makes the world work, for He knows every heart. If you try to witness to others, but you don’t prepare yourself beforehand, no matter what you say or do, won’t accomplish your goal of reaching the lost. God is the only One that can change a hard heart. Sometimes it takes ten plagues in a foreign land just to get someone’s attention. Start your day in God’s word and with prayer, and it just might end with a population increase His eternal kingdom.

19 “But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand forces him. 20 So I will raise My hand and strike the Egyptians, performing all kinds of miracles among them. Then at last he will let you go. 21 And I will cause the Egyptians to look favorably on you. They will give you gifts when you go so you will not leave empty-handed. 22 Every Israelite woman will ask for articles of silver and gold and fine clothing from her Egyptian neighbors and from the foreign women in their houses. You will dress your sons and daughters with these, stripping the Egyptians of their wealth.” Exodus 3:19-22

Proper View Of Who He Is…..

This verse in Matthew chapter 17 certainly doesn’t sound like the Jesus that society tends to paint a picture of: Jesus is love, Jesus hung out with sinners, Jesus loved everybody. Listen to the words he says to the man asking him to heal his son. Does this sound loving, friendly, tolerant, Or full of fairy dust? No, it’s the real deal. It’s God in human flesh. Jesus is so much more than what most people ever give Him credit for. And it’s not until we have a proper view of who He is, that we can have a healthy relationship with Him.

14 At the foot of the mountain, a large crowd was waiting for them. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said, 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son. He has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16 So I brought him to Your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.”17 Jesus said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to Me.” 18 Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well Matthew 17:14-18

Unless God Ordains Our Witness….

Here is one truth that most Christians easily forget: unless God ordains your witness, it won’t be effective. It is God who reveals his truth to people. Only he can open the eyes of the blind, and allow the ears of the deaf to hear His word. It is only God that can lift the veil of deception that Satan easily puts before us. Yes, we are to witness and to evangelize others, but we must go to Him in prayer first asking Him for the power to accomplish our duty.

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”14 “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”15 Then He asked them, “But who do you say I am?”16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”17 Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because My Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Matthew 16:13-17

An Every Day Promise We All Should Make….

Here’s a New Year’s resolution everybody should make. Actually, it’s an every day promise all people should make. It’s the only way to guarantee yourself from stumbling. The only way people stumble is when they take their eyes off what’s straight ahead of them, or if they’re walking in the dark.

25 Look straight ahead,and fix your eyes on what lies before you.26 Mark out a straight path for your feet;stay on the safe path.27 Don’t get sidetracked;keep your feet from following evil. Proverbs 4:25-27

If We Think We Measure Up….

If you think you measure up to be a sincere, honest, follower of Christ maybe you should read Psalm 15. It’s a dose of humility mixed in with reality aimed right at our pride. This is what the Lord wants from us. And to be honest, I fall short even though I strive to be faithful in my walk. I know what it feels like to keep a promise until it hurts. But that doesn’t even compare to what Jesus has done for us. Sure I want to stand forever, don’t you? But it’s not until we come to the foot of the cross that this is even possible. And it’s only possible because of Jesus, not anything that we will ever do. We must never forget this.

1 Who may worship in Your sanctuary, Lord?Who may enter Your presence on Your holy hill?2 Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right,speaking the truth from sincere hearts.3 Those who refuse to gossipor harm their neighborsor speak evil of their friends.4 Those who despise flagrant sinners,and honor the faithful followers of the Lord,and keep their promises even when it hurts.5 Those who lend money without charging interest,and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent.Such people will stand firm forever. Psalms 15

The Real Issue With Abortion…..

Recently, the state of New York passed a bill allowing women the right to abort their babies up till actual birth. This is more evidence of the world acting out on the deception of the devil. There’s nothing more strange and saddening than seeing women rally together, holding signs, demanding the right to kill their own children. Women fight for the right to breastfeed in public. They protest when children are separated from their parents in the “war on immigration”. They fight in the courts to prosecute murders when there’s a homicide involving a pregnant mother. But when it comes to abortion, their agenda quietly disconnects itself from common sense. Here in Exodus chapter one, we see God’s take on killing babies. If you want to argue it’s not a human until it’s born, then why don’t you start eating your steaks and burgers raw. It’ll prove to you that it’s still the same piece of meat. The only difference is that cooked meat tastes better. Whether meat is rare, cooked medium-rare, medium-well, or well-done, it’s still meat. A child in the womb is still a human being, it just needs a little more time to “be better” suited for the real world. Dr Ben Carson, a world leading surgeon, who specialized in pre-natal surgeries said, “As a surgeon, I have operated on infants pre-birth. I can assure you that they are very much alive”. God honored the Egyptian mid-wives for not killing the babies. Why? Because He hates the shedding of innocent blood. The core issue with abortion is not about arguing if the baby is fully human, that’s just an excuse to fight over. The real issue about abortion is the mentality of “Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do with MY body”. The Biblically proven principle of original sin, “Don’t tell me what to do”, is the real issue (that no one is addressing). A woman’s nature is to nurture, not harm. It’s built into their DNA (God given). Every single human being on earth knows murder is wrong (especially when it involves someone they are close to), and they know abortion is just that, wrong. If they didn’t why would pro-abortion people fight so hard (often reverting to violent acts) to try to eliminate the guilt that comes every time a baby is aborted? Why would they tell women there’s nothing to be ashamed of? Why did Pharaoh’s daughter keep and adopt Moses, rather than kill him, like she was supposed to? The real problem is there is no solution, aside from God, for them to find. It’s only forgiveness from God that can cover a multitude of sins. And abortion is one of them. There is room at the cross for anyone who has had an abortion; you just have to come on God’s terms, not your own. If you’re not willing to believe this truth, there is no real hope and healing for you. How we view life, our respect for it, matters, more than you think.

15 Then Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, gave this order to the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah: 16 “When you help the Hebrew women as they give birth, watch as they deliver. If the baby is a boy, kill him; if it is a girl, let her live.” 17 But because the midwives feared God, they refused to obey the king’s orders. They allowed the boys to live, too.18 So the king of Egypt called for the midwives. “Why have you done this?” he demanded. “Why have you allowed the boys to live?”19 “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women,” the midwives replied. “They are more vigorous and have their babies so quickly that we cannot get there in time.”20 So God was good to the midwives, and the Israelites continued to multiply, growing more and more powerful. 21 And because the midwives feared God, He gave them families of their own. Exodus 1:15-21

1 About this time, a man and woman from the tribe of Levi got married. 2 The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She saw that he was a special baby and kept him hidden for three months. 3 But when she could no longer hide him, she got a basket made of papyrus reeds and waterproofed it with tar and pitch. She put the baby in the basket and laid it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile River. 4 The baby’s sister then stood at a distance, watching to see what would happen to him.5 Soon Pharaoh’s daughter came down to bathe in the river, and her attendants walked along the riverbank. When the princess saw the basket among the reeds, she sent her maid to get it for her. 6 When the princess opened it, she saw the baby. The little boy was crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This must be one of the Hebrew children,” she said.7 Then the baby’s sister approached the princess. “Should I go and find one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?” she asked.8 “Yes, do!” the princess replied. So the girl went and called the baby’s mother.9 “Take this baby and nurse him for me,” the princess told the baby’s mother. “I will pay you for your help.” So the woman took her baby home and nursed him.10 Later, when the boy was older, his mother brought him back to Pharaoh’s daughter, who adopted him as her own son. The princess named him Moses, for she explained, “I lifted him out of the water.” Exodus 2:1-10

Guard Your Heart….

If there’s one thing that you should teach your children, aside from knowing God, it’s this: teach them to guard their heart. What I mean is teach then to use discernment in their thinking process. Have God Be the filter in which everything passes through. That way it will protect them (if they listen and follow) discernment’s path. It’s like a computer, garbage in, garbage out. What you put into your body, eventually comes out. It’s the same with the mind and personality. If you’re constantly allowing in filth, then eventually what comes out is filth. You can’t change the process. Likewise, if you focus on what is good, and right, and truthful, and pure, then that’s what will come out. As Romans 12:2 tells us, when you guard your heart, you transform yourself by the renewing your mind. What goes in, eventually comes out. There’s no better example of this than witnessing it within a family. Parents may teach their children right from wrong, and what’s good and bad, but if they don’t practice it themselves, it doesn’t become part of their children. Children become who their parents are, not what they preach. It’s not until it matches, that it becomes part of their lives. Guard your heart, for it determines everything.

23 Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Proverbs 4:23

The Power To Deal With Our Nature….

Regardless of what anyone says, the true nature of man doesn’t seek God. He seeks his own pleasure, and his own glory. Our selfish desires will always compete with our sense of right and wrong. Our selfish desires will always tempt us to justify our sins. The good news is that once we realize that our nature is to run away from God, instead of toward Him, it’s only then that solution (Jesus) makes sense. Once we repent and receive Jesus’ reconciliation, we have the power to deal with our nature. It never goes away, we are just given a way to deal with it. And because of this, all people are equal (exactly what the world strives for). And we have reason to choose humility, the reality of the Gospel.

Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good! 2 The Lord looks down from heaven on the entire human race; He looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God. 3 But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not a single one! 4 Will those who do evil never learn?They eat up my people like bread and wouldn’t think of praying to the Lord.5 Terror will grip them,for God is with those who obey Him.6 The wicked frustrate the plans of the oppressed, but the Lord will protect His people. 7 Who will come from Mount Zion to rescue Israel? When the Lord restores His people, Jacob will shout with joy, and Israel will rejoice. Psalms 14

Who Is Really In Charge?

At the core of every believer is the sense of knowing their place. When a believer receives the Holy Spirit, His soul is permanently branded with humility. A believer knows God is in control, and he himself, is not. He knows God’s role as well as his own. He doesn’t try to step into God’s role, by trying to be and do things he can’t. A great example of this is Joseph. His father dies, and afterwards his brothers make up a story to help keep Joseph from seeking retribution for their behavior earlier in their lives. Joseph reaction is a clear example of how we are to handle adversity and persecution in our lives. True forgiveness is giving up your right to get even. When you do this, it frees us from a thought life that would consume us for the rest of our lives. Instead of focusing on what’s happening, or what’s ahead, the person who refuses to forgive is consumed with thoughts and schemes of revenge. It dominates your thought life. Forgiving isn’t forgetting, it’s releasing the anger and stress by returning to God the act of retribution. For only He can judge 100% accurately, and carry out true justice. Joseph knew this, but unfortunately, his brothers didn’t. In the end, his example of the humility God blesses Joseph with, taught his brothers Who is really in charge. And it’s an example for all of us today. There will always be People that want to harm you, and we need to be cautious about it. But we must never forget, behind the scenes, is a sovereign God directing our path.

14 After burying Jacob, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had accompanied him to his father’s burial. 15 But now that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers became fearful. “Now Joseph will show his anger and pay us back for all the wrong we did to him,” they said.16 So they sent this message to Joseph: “Before your father died, he instructed us 17 to say to you: ‘Please forgive your brothers for the great wrong they did to you–for their sin in treating you so cruelly.’ So we, the servants of the God of your father, beg you to forgive our sin.” When Joseph received the message, he broke down and wept. 18 Then his brothers came and threw themselves down before Joseph. “Look, we are your slaves!” they said.19 But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. 21 No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them. Genesis 50:14-21

Those That Actually Read The Bible….

When you hear people talk about Jesus, those that actually read the Bible and know Him personally, can immediately spot a fake or a manipulator of the Word. What I mean by this is when you hear people say, “Jesus said not to judge”, or “Jesus said “love covers a multitude of sins”, or “Jesus hung out with sinners”, I can’t help but think, “that’s true, but finish the sentence”. He did say these things, but they had more on those topics. For example, He did say “not to judge”... hypocritically. We are to judge using the proper standard, but not condemn; for it is not in our power to do so. “Love covers a multitude of sins” is true, but forgiveness through repentance (stopping sinning) is the requirement. Yes, Jesus hung out with sinners, but most of them were repentant sinners, who knew what grace was. For the others, Jesus always gave them the “go and sin no more” speech too. The point I’m making is this: the Bible is for us. First, we are to examine the state of our own hearts, then to help restore the souls of others. It isn’t to be used as a manipulated weapon to control others. That’s what “religion” is all about. Religion is when a man takes his own convictions and makes it become a burden on someone else (who doesn’t have the same convictions). Jesus, here in Matthew chapter 15, calls out the “religious” pretenders called Pharisees. When you know God, and practice His ways, they are never a burden. They make us whole as people. The problem with Christianity is there are too many nominal Christians (in name only), that spoil the perception of unbelievers. Christians need to be more like Jesus, “politically incorrect”, unlike the popular view of Him, rise up, and call out those who honor Him with their lips, but whose hearts are far from Him. These spoils in the church need to be purged. And the world needs to see it. Maybe then respect can be restored for those that show their true allegiance to the God of the Bible. We need to get rid of the “WWJD” method, and actually do what Jesus did, not what we think He would do. Know God’s word, and you’ll come to know God Himself.

1 Some Pharisees and teachers of religious law now arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. They asked Him, 2 “Why do Your disciples disobey our age-old tradition? For they ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat.”3 Jesus replied, “And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God? 4 For instance, God says, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’ 5 But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’6 In this way, you say they don’t need to honor their parents. And so you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition.7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, 8 ‘These people honor Me with their lips,but their hearts are far from Me.9 Their worship is a farce,for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’” 10 Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “Listen,” He said, “and try to understand. 11 It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.”12 Then the disciples came to Him and asked, “Do You realize You offended the Pharisees by what You just said?”13 Jesus replied, “Every plant not planted by My heavenly Father will be uprooted, 14 so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch.”15 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Explain to us the parable that says people aren’t defiled by what they eat.”16 “Don’t you understand yet?” Jesus asked. 17 “Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer.18 But the words you speak come from the heart–that’s what defiles you.19 For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander.20 These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you.” Matthew 15:1-20

Why Do People Risk Their Lives To Help Others?

The other day I was in a classroom listening to a teacher lecture on The Diary of Anne Frank. One of the students asked the question, “why would the father risk his life and his children’s lives in order to protect some Jewish people he didn’t know that well?” I so wanted to stand up an give an answer, but it wasn’t my place. So here I am writing about it. Why do people risk their lives to help others? It’s a simple answer. It’s because God has placed a sense of justice inside all of us. Some act on it, while a few ignore it. This “help”, that the student questioned, was carried out, because deep down inside the man was a sense of justice. Justice always identifies wrong (or injustice), and does what’s necessary to make it right. During WWII, a grave injustice was taking place. All German citizens (as did the entire world) had three options. They could either do nothing, go along with it, or fight against it. Whatever the response, you have to realize this: in the end you are accountable for your actions. If you choose the first two options, you are just as guilty as the Nazi regime was. It’s only when you choose to “do justice” that you become part of the solution. When you decide to oppose evil, you’re telling God that you are on His side. His side always wins (even if the battle is lost, the war is still won). If you refuse to act, or do the right thing, your guilt will determine your livelihood. When tragedy strikes, like war, famine, natural disasters, and the like, you will always see this sense of justice and mercy rise up in the hearts of God’s chosen people. It’s how it works. Our sense of Godliness can never be stripped from us. God will not allow it.

 1 Help, O Lord, for the godly are fast disappearing!The faithful have vanished from the earth!2 Neighbors lie to each other, speaking with flattering lips and deceitful hearts. 3 May the Lord cut off their flattering lips and silence their boastful tongues. 4 They say, “We will lie to our hearts’ content. Our lips are our own–who can stop us?” 5 The Lord replies, “I have seen violence done to the helpless, and I have heard the groans of the poor. Now I will rise up to rescue them, as they have longed for Me to do. ”6 The Lord’s promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over. 7 Therefore, Lord, we know You will protect the oppressed, preserving them forever from this lying generation, 8 even though the wicked strut about, and evil is praised throughout the land. Psalms 12

The Day Death Comes Knocking….

Death is a scary thing, especially to those who don’t know God. For those that do, God grants them hope and peace in knowing it’s just a process from the body separating from its spirit. The best part is that God sends people to help you through the process. I’ve always thought one of the greatest blessings is for a man to be surrounded by his family and closest friends the day death comes knocking. God blessed Jacob with this very thing. The son he thought he lost, was at his side the day he gave up his spirit. God is good, even in death. What awaits on the other side won’t compare, and makes the transition seem trivial.

3 “I am God, the God of your father,” the voice said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make your family into a great nation. 4 I will go with you down to Egypt, and I will bring you back again. But you will die in Egypt with Joseph attending to you.” Genesis 46:3-4

29 Joseph prepared his chariot and traveled to Goshen to meet his father, Jacob. When Joseph arrived, he embraced his father and wept, holding him for a long time. 30 Finally, Jacob said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die, since I have seen your face again and know you are still alive.” Genesis 46:29-30

The Perpetual Grace of His Hand….

When you strip away all the veneer of life, and look at it from the proper perspective, it’s God Who gives you your next breath. It’s God Who gave you your family. It’s God Who orchestrated your life. Everything that happened, happened under the guidance and control of the Almighty. Regardless of the bad or good, it was determined in advance. Your bad decisions, or even other’s poor decisions have happened in order for you to move along this predestined path God has set before you. It’s not enjoyable at times, but necessary for you to grow into the mature believer, follower of Christ, that you are. The sanctification process is what it’s called. The main thing we must all know about it is that it takes time. Sometimes years for us to realize what’s happening. But the good news is we can trust God in the midst of it. We may not know what’s happening next, or why we are going through this or that, but we can know Who’s in charge of it all. Joseph learned this in his 17 year journey from slavery and prison to His leadership in Egypt. His dreams revealed to his brothers started the process. And his dreams were remembered when he was in charge of Egypt. God is the conductor of life, so pick your instrument, and learn to follow the path of the perpetual, grace Of His hand as it glides through the air generating beautiful music that delights the soul.

5 But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. 6 This famine that has ravaged the land for two years will last five more years, and there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7 God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors. 8 So it was God who sent me here, not you! And He is the One who made me an adviser to Pharaoh–the manager of his entire palace and the governor of all Egypt. Genesis 45:5-8

What Jesus Commands, He Enables….

What Jesus commands us to do, He enables us to do it. The Christian life is like walking on water, impossible. God loves it when we have faith, keeping our eyes on Jesus, allows us to do the impossible and be more than conquerors.

22 Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that His disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while He sent the people home. 23 After sending them home, He went up into the hills by Himself to pray. Night fell while He was there alone.24 Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. 25 About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. 26 When the disciples saw Him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” He said. “Take courage. I am here!”28 Then Peter called to Him, “Lord, if it’s really You, tell me to come to You, walking on the water.”29 “Yes, come,” Jesus said.So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt Me?”32 When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 Then the disciples worshiped Him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.34 After they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret. 35 When the people recognized Jesus, the news of His arrival spread quickly throughout the whole area, and soon people were bringing all their sick to be healed. 36 They begged Him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of His robe, and all who touched Him were healed. Matthew 14:22-36

Don’t Tell Me What To Do….

When people tell you not to judge, what they are really saying is, “don’t tell me what to do”. Their pride will not allow them to see their sinful behavior, and without proper diagnosis, there’s no hope of restoration. When Jesus talked judging, He never told us to “wing it”, not to make examined decisions. He told people to not judge hypocritically. We make judgements every day. Judgements are good. The point He’s making is this: we are not God, we don’t have 100% of the evidence to condemn anyone. But that doesn’t mean we can’t use His standard of discerning right from wrong. Throughout scripture it’s clear that we have the standards that God has set in place to help, convict, and discipline those whom God has called to be witnesses for Him. This standard is what we are to use in aiding someone in need. But before we apply any of these standards to others, we are to apply them to ourselves first. “Pull the log out of your own eye first, then you can clearly see to remove the splinter from your neighbor’s eye.” When people get angry and tell you not to judge, you kindly tell them that you are abiding in God’s kingdom by using the standard properly, in order to help them see the error of their ways. If they still refuse to listen, shake the dust off your feet and move on. Remember, we are not God, so our judgements shouldn’t condemn, for we do not know their final destiny. But if we love them, then we will tell them the truth (in love), in order to keep them from condemning themselves. Don’t judge doesn’t mean keep your mouth shut. It simply tells us that the person expressing those words to us, doesn’t think his behavior needs any altering. Why would the Bible tell us to develop good judgement and treasure wisdom?

7 Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment. 8 If you prize wisdom, she will make you great. Embrace her, and she will honor you. 9 She will place a lovely wreath on your head; she will present you with a beautiful crown.” Proverbs 4:7-9

Never Turn Your Back On Wisdom….

Never turn your back on wisdom, for it’s God’s knowledge. The difference between wisdom and knowledge is wisdom gives knowledge purpose. Wisdom gives you the proper application of knowledge. It’s God’s way of preparing us for future events. You can gain knowledge anywhere, but wisdom only comes from God, through people. Love her (wisdom) and she will guard you. Whenever you’re around wise people, do your best to listen, take it in and process what’s important. The best place to start is with your own parents.

1 My children, listen when your father corrects you.Pay attention and learn good judgment,2 for I am giving you good guidance.Don’t turn away from my instructions.3 For I, too, was once my father’s son,tenderly loved as my mother’s only child. 4 My father taught me,“Take my words to heart.Follow my commands, and you will live.5 Get wisdom; develop good judgment.Don’t forget my words or turn away from them.6 Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you.Love her, and she will guard you. Proverbs 4:1-6

You’ll Never Regret Fleeing From Evil….

Any time I get an evil thought in my mind, I always think, “Satan is tempting me”. He is responsible for all evil. It’s his schemes that mingle with our freewill, that eventually lead us away from God, down a regretful path. Once the thought gives birth to an idea, people lose sight of reality. They think, “God is not watching. He won’t see what I do.” After a while God becomes dead to them. Then, restraint from evil isn’t even an after thought. Never let yourself entertain evil thoughts, stop them before they begin to run their course. You will never regret fleeing from evil. Never.

O Lord, why do You stand so far away?Why do You hide when I am in trouble?2 The wicked arrogantly hunt down the poor.Let them be caught in the evil they plan for others.3 For they brag about their evil desires;they praise the greedy and curse the Lord. 4 The wicked are too proud to seek God.They seem to think that God is dead.5 Yet they succeed in everything they do.They do not see Your punishment awaiting them.They sneer at all their enemies.6 They think, “Nothing bad will ever happen to us!We will be free of trouble forever!” 7 Their mouths are full of cursing, lies, and threats.Trouble and evil are on the tips of their tongues.8 They lurk in ambush in the villages,waiting to murder innocent people.They are always searching for helpless victims.9 Like lions crouched in hiding,they wait to pounce on the helpless.Like hunters they capture the helplessand drag them away in nets.10 Their helpless victims are crushed;they fall beneath the strength of the wicked.11 The wicked think, “God isn’t watching us!He has closed His eyes and won’t even see what we do!” Psalms 10:1-11

Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife….

Here’s an interesting take on the Joseph and Potiphar’s wife incident, found in Genesis chapter 39. Potiphar knew God was with Joseph. Potiphar believed Joseph was a righteous man. When Potiphar heard of the news that Joseph tried to rape his wife, he was furious. Here’s the interesting part, Potiphar put Joseph in prison not because he knew he was guilty, because he knew Joseph’s character. The reason he put him in prison was because he had to “save face”. His wife’s story was certain to have spread throughout the community. Potiphar knew his wife’s character, but he needed to save his own reputation. If his wife was lying, it would reflect on him, degrading his reputation. He could’ve easily just excuted Joseph, for that’s what they did to rebellious slaves, but instead (knowing He was innocent) placed him in prison. Potiphar was probably more upset of losing God’s blessing, that he received because of Joseph, than trying to cover his own butt, due to his wife lying about the incident. The fact that Joseph prospered in prison is evidence of this theory. Never let pride dictate your actions, especially when it causes someone else harm. We have to let go of feelings and do what we know to be true and right. It’s why we have a conscience, our friend that returns us back to God.

1 When Joseph was taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelite traders, he was purchased by Potiphar, an Egyptian officer. Potiphar was captain of the guard for Pharaoh, the king of Egypt.2 The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. 3 Potiphar noticed this and realized that the Lord was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did. 4 This pleased Potiphar, so he soon made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned. 5 From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished. 6 So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing–except what kind of food to eat!Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man, 7 and Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully. “Come and sleep with me,” she demanded.8 But Joseph refused. “Look,” he told her, “my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. 9 No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.”10 She kept putting pressure on Joseph day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible. 11 One day, however, no one else was around when he went in to do his work. 12 She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, “Come on, sleep with me!” Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house.13 When she saw that she was holding his cloak and he had fled, 14 she called out to her servants. Soon all the men came running. “Look!” she said. “My husband has brought this Hebrew slave here to make fools of us! He came into my room to rape me, but I screamed. 15 When he heard me scream, he ran outside and got away, but he left his cloak behind with me.”16 She kept the cloak with her until her husband came home. 17 Then she told him her story. “That Hebrew slave you’ve brought into our house tried to come in and fool around with me,” she said. 18 “But when I screamed, he ran outside, leaving his cloak with me!” 19 Potiphar was furious when he heard his wife’s story about how Joseph had treated her. 20 So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king’s prisoners were held, and there he remained. 21 But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him His faithful love. And the Lord made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden. 22 Before long, the warden put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in the prison. 23 The warden had no more worries, because Joseph took care of everything. The Lord was with him and caused everything he did to succeed. Genesis 39:1-23

Nourishes the Soul…

Here is a truth in the Bible that is crystal clear. Those that pursue God, eventually get to know Him and gain understanding of the Bible. Those that ignore God, and not pay any attention to Him, will never understand any of the Bible, for they remain spiritually blind. God’s word nourishes the soul of those who hearts are drawn to Him. They will continue to grow in grace and wisdom by understanding God’s truth. Those who are spiritually blind, will never see God (apart from judgement day), because they don’t have the ability to see. They will remain blind and ignorant, while resisting His truth. Jesus made this very clear here. Your effort (or lack of) in pursuing God will determine your ability to interpret scripture. Look around you and see if this holds true.

10 His disciples came and asked Him, “Why do You use parables when You talk to the people?”11 He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. 12 To those who listen to My teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.13 That is why I use these parables, For they look, but they don’t really see.They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand. 14 This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says, ‘When you hear what I say, you will not understand.When you see what I do,you will not comprehend.15 For the hearts of these people are hardened,and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes–so their eyes cannot see,and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to Me and let Me heal them.’ 16 “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. Matthew 13:10-16

Teach Your Children To Not Envy Others…..

If there is one thing parents can do for their children, aside from teaching them about God and loving them, that would benefit them greatly, it is this: teach them to not envy (evil) people. God gives to each person exactly what they need. If you are not rich (in worldly terms) or successful (in worldly ways), it’s because God knows you can’t handle it. When we see successful people, we usually envy them. We want what they have. Yet we don’t realize the truth: God either gave them these things to bless them, or to curse them. Usually success gained through evil means won’t last. It is actual punishment or a curse. God knows the outcome, and He knows your heart. When it’s for Him, you learn to hold everything loosely, because your treasure is not in the things He gives, but it is in Him. When your heart is not for Him, all the things and successes are a burden, occupying all your thought-life, trying to figure out how to maintain it. Teach your children not to envy others, especially those that sell there souls to gain fame and fortune. They will eventually learn that things don’t make you happy. Only God can satisfy the soul. And He does it eternally.

31 Don’t envy violent people or copy their ways. 32 Such wicked people are detestable to the Lord, but He offers His friendship to the godly. 33 The Lord curses the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the upright. 34 The Lord mocks the mockers but is gracious to the humble. 35 The wise inherit honor, but fools are put to shame! Proverbs 3:31-35

Back Onto Themselves…

When God carries out His justice, those who do evil eventually fall into their own trap. The irony of evil behavior will always be met with the justice of God. He tends to not waste much thought on retribution; He just turns around the evil schemes of those who initiate them back onto themselves.

15 The nations have fallen into the pit they dug for others.Their own feet have been caught in the trap they set.16 The Lord is known for His justice.The wicked are trapped by their own deeds.  17 The wicked will go down to the grave. This is the fate of all the nations who ignore God. Psalms 9:15-17

Just As Guilty….

There are two clear points that jump out in the story of Judah and Tamar. Blatant hypocrisy (being religious), and the proper response to it when called out. Judah wanted to kill Tamar for becoming pregnant, for she acted as a prostitute. This double-standard was clearly an act of hypocrisy. Being “religious” is when your convictions become a burden to someone else (often times, who doesn’t hold the same ones). This isn’t how God wants us to behave. Judah’s participation in the sexual act, made him just as guilty as Tamar, and deserved the penalty he was trying to carry out with her. The second point about this story that’s commendable, is how Judah reacted when he was called out. He admitted his part in it; how it was just as wrong, and he did right by not killing her. I know some of you are thinking, he deserved to die. You’re right, he did. His offense was greater than hers. Although he didn’t allow his 3rd son to marry her, he probably ended up taking care of her, or at least providing for her and his sons, Zerah and Perez. He admitted his guilt. How many of us would do this? How many of us have ever called someone out on a behavior that we do ourselves? Didn’t Jesus talk about this in the gospels? Something about a log in your own eye? Humility is having the right response to the wrong behavior. It usually comes in ways we don’t necessarily like, but our response reveals the true status of our heart. And when we respond in the right matter, we are restored, and made right with God.

1 About this time, Judah left home and moved to Adullam, where he stayed with a man named Hirah. 2 There he saw a Canaanite woman, the daughter of Shua, and he married her. When he slept with her, 3 she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and he named the boy Er. 4 Then she became pregnant again and gave birth to another son, and she named him Onan. 5 And when she gave birth to a third son, she named him Shelah. At the time of Shelah’s birth, they were living at Kezib.6 In the course of time, Judah arranged for his firstborn son, Er, to marry a young woman named Tamar. 7 But Er was a wicked man in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord took his life. 8 Then Judah said to Er’s brother Onan, “Go and marry Tamar, as our law requires of the brother of a man who has died. You must produce an heir for your brother.”9 But Onan was not willing to have a child who would not be his own heir. So whenever he had intercourse with his brother’s wife, he spilled the semen on the ground. This prevented her from having a child who would belong to his brother. 10 But the Lord considered it evil for Onan to deny a child to his dead brother. So the Lord took Onan’s life, too.11 Then Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, “Go back to your parents’ home and remain a widow until my son Shelah is old enough to marry you.” (But Judah didn’t really intend to do this because he was afraid Shelah would also die, like his two brothers.) So Tamar went back to live in her father’s home.12 Some years later Judah’s wife died. After the time of mourning was over, Judah and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went up to Timnah to supervise the shearing of his sheep. 13 Someone told Tamar, “Look, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.”14 Tamar was aware that Shelah had grown up, but no arrangements had been made for her to come and marry him. So she changed out of her widow’s clothing and covered herself with a veil to disguise herself. Then she sat beside the road at the entrance to the village of Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. 15 Judah noticed her and thought she was a prostitute, since she had covered her face. 16 So he stopped and propositioned her. “Let me have sex with you,” he said, not realizing that she was his own daughter-in-law.“How much will you pay to have sex with me?” Tamar asked.17 “I’ll send you a young goat from my flock,” Judah promised.“But what will you give me to guarantee that you will send the goat?” she asked.18 “What kind of guarantee do you want?” he replied.She answered, “Leave me your identification seal and its cord and the walking stick you are carrying.” So Judah gave them to her. Then he had intercourse with her, and she became pregnant. 19 Afterward she went back home, took off her veil, and put on her widow’s clothing as usual.20 Later Judah asked his friend Hirah the Adullamite to take the young goat to the woman and to pick up the things he had given her as his guarantee. But Hirah couldn’t find her. 21 So he asked the men who lived there, “Where can I find the shrine prostitute who was sitting beside the road at the entrance to Enaim?”“We’ve never had a shrine prostitute here,” they replied.22 So Hirah returned to Judah and told him, “I couldn’t find her anywhere, and the men of the village claim they’ve never had a shrine prostitute there.”23 “Then let her keep the things I gave her,” Judah said. “I sent the young goat as we agreed, but you couldn’t find her. We’d be the laughingstock of the village if we went back again to look for her.”24 About three months later, Judah was told, “Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has acted like a prostitute. And now, because of this, she’s pregnant.”“Bring her out, and let her be burned!” Judah demanded.25 But as they were taking her out to kill her, she sent this message to her father-in-law: “The man who owns these things made me pregnant. Look closely. Whose seal and cord and walking stick are these?”26 Judah recognized them immediately and said, “She is more righteous than I am, because I didn’t arrange for her to marry my son Shelah.” And Judah never slept with Tamar again. Genesis 38:1-26

Pride, Arrogance, and Jealousy….

When you read the story of Joseph and his brothers, you find pride, arrogance, and jealousy sprouting their heads. Joseph’s dreams made the brothers’ pride and jealousy rise up. And Joseph was somewhat arrogant in his presentation of these dreams, for this it says his brothers’ hatred rose up towards him during his presentations. The Bible even tells us that Jacob, Joseph’s father, scolded him for telling everyone about these dreams. I know how young men like to tell stories, and how they go about presenting them. I once was a young man myself, and I have 3 sons, so I’ve experienced this firsthand. Joseph probably meant no I’ll-feelings by telling his family about his dreams, for He was excited. He probably wondered why he kept having the same reoccurring theme. He knew that God spoke to people in dreams, so he was in the process of piecing it all together. In his excitement it probably came out in an arrogant manner, which was proven to be accurate the way his family reacted, especially by his father, Jacob. The point I want to make here isn’t about arrogance or hatred; it’s about pride. Joseph’s brothers allowed their pride to get in the way. They let it turn their anger into hatred. What they eventually did to him was wrong. They never overlooked this “misinterpreted offense”. Now Jacob, Joseph’s father, first scolded him, but soon began to wonder what these dreams meant. Jacob didn’t allow his pride to keep him from pursuing truth. Jacob knew dreams meant something, for He had many dreams in which the Lord revealed truth to him. The point here is this: pride will always keep you from doing right, unless you stop it in its tracks. Joseph’s brothers allowed their pride to run its course, and thus did evil. Their father, Jacob, at least began to wonder about these dreams, which would’ve eventually had him intervene in the turmoil (if it had continued, and Joseph wasn’t sold into slavery). Pride will always prevent you from doing what is right (and cause you to do what is wrong). Having the proper fear of God helps prevent this. Dennis Rainey makes it clear what humility does for us, “Fearing God is what helps us keep our promises. It's what makes our word good. It's what builds faithfulness into our lives. Fearing the Lord helps us stay true to Him, true to others and true deep down within ourselves.” Walking with God daily, opens our eyes to prideful behavior and helps keep pride in proper restraint. Humility is a virtue that only God can give you, and even though it’s not very popular, it’s effects are more beneficial than you might think.

1 So Jacob settled again in the land of Canaan, where his father had lived as a foreigner.2 This is the account of Jacob and his family. When Joseph was seventeen years old, he often tended his father’s flocks. He worked for his half brothers, the sons of his father’s wives Bilhah and Zilpah. But Joseph reported to his father some of the bad things his brothers were doing.3 Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other children because Joseph had been born to him in his old age. So one day Jacob had a special gift made for Joseph–a beautiful robe. 4 But his brothers hated Joseph because their father loved him more than the rest of them. They couldn’t say a kind word to him.5 One night Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him more than ever. 6 “Listen to this dream,” he said. 7 “We were out in the field, tying up bundles of grain. Suddenly my bundle stood up, and your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before mine!”8 His brothers responded, “So you think you will be our king, do you? Do you actually think you will reign over us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dreams and the way he talked about them.9 Soon Joseph had another dream, and again he told his brothers about it. “Listen, I have had another dream,” he said. “The sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed low before me!”10 This time he told the dream to his father as well as to his brothers, but his father scolded him. “What kind of dream is that?” he asked. “Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow to the ground before you?” 11 But while his brothers were jealous of Joseph, his father wondered what the dreams meant. Genesis 37:1-11

The Only Way to Salvation….

The unpardonable sin. What exactly is it? It’s not believing Jesus is God. It’s not trusting Him to be your Savior. How can Jesus rescue you from your sin, if you see no need of rescue? How can a doctor heal a sick patient if he doesn’t think he’s sick? He won’t even go see a doctor. Refusing to accept God’s only way to salvation, is the unpardonable sin. How can God forgive, when you see no need to ask Him?

22 Then a demon-possessed man, who was blind and couldn’t speak, was brought to Jesus. He healed the man so that he could both speak and see. 23 The crowd was amazed and asked, “Could it be that Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah?”24 But when the Pharisees heard about the miracle, they said, “No wonder He can cast out demons. He gets His power from Satan, the prince of demons.”25 Jesus knew their thoughts and replied, “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart. 26 And if Satan is casting out Satan, he is divided and fighting against himself. His own kingdom will not survive.27 And if I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcists? They cast out demons, too, so they will condemn you for what you have said.28 But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you.29 For who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man like Satan and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger–someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house.30 “Anyone who isn’t with Me opposes Me, and anyone who isn’t working with Me is actually working against Me.31 “So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven–except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven.32 Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come.33 “A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad.34 You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say.35 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart.36 And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak.37 The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.” Matthew 12:22-37

When You Have The Ability To Act….

If only every believer took this proverb to heart.... maybe there would be less and less self-inflicted sorrow in the world. Maybe people would see God in our behavior and be drawn to want to pursue Him. When you have the ability to act, to make right a wrong, to bless another human being, don’t hesitate, don’t delay. The good you can do will be immeasurable. And it will have eternal rewards.

27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them.28 If you can help your neighbor now, don’t say, “Come back tomorrow, and then I’ll help you.” 29 Don’t plot harm against your neighbor, for those who live nearby trust you. Proverbs 3:27-29

Wanting Exactly What God Promises….

If you spend any time watching the news, it’s very clear what people want. They want justice, mercy, and grace. They want peace and satisfaction. They want.... exactly what God promises us when we fully pursue Him with our eyes set on Him. What the world truly wants can only be gotten from God. Yet, the world pursues everything else in hope of finding it. This is proof that Satan is behind the desires and pleasures of the world. The world is deceived and believes it’s achievable without God. And Satan is happy that his transient plans are achieving his goal of keeping people away from God.

6 The enemy is finished, in endless ruins;the cities You uprooted are now forgotten. 7 But the Lord reigns forever,executing judgment from His throne.8 He will judge the world with justice and rule the nations with fairness.9 The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed,a refuge in times of trouble.10 Those who know Your name trust in You,for You, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for You. Psalms 9:6-10