Never Get To Taste….

When people reject God, for whatever reason or excuse, they will never get to taste any of God’s banquet. They will not experience His eternal love, mercy, grace, or kindness. Even when unbelievers are subjected to God’s common grace, they don’t recognize that it’s God doing the serving. They will permanently be banned from His presence, only hearing “away from Me you worker of iniquity”. All for the same reason Lucifer was kicked out of Heaven, because of his pride. Is it really worth it?

15 Hearing this, a man sitting at the table with Jesus exclaimed, “What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet in the Kingdom of God!”16 Jesus replied with this story: “A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. 17 When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’18 But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.’19 Another said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.’20 Another said, ‘I now have a wife, so I can’t come.’21 “The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, ‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’22 After the servant had done this, he reported, ‘There is still room for more.’23 So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full.24 For none of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my banquet.’ ” Luke 14:15-24

People Believe Everything They Hear….

We live in a day when people believe everything they hear. This hasn’t changed since the fall of man in the garden. A simple headline is taken as truth and never read through. The reason people do this is simple, they are lazy. And when the headline agrees with people’s distorted agenda, the effect is intensified even more. People want easy, they don’t want to have to think for themselves. People want to feel rather than think. As this proverb calls them, they are simpletons. Prudent people research topics/issues. They find the sources behind the research, within the stories. They find out who is funding the cause. This way it’s easy to spot a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Satan wants to deceive and destroy anyone who follows God. He finds it rather easy to distract a simpleton. Don’t be one.

15 Only simpletons believe everything they’re told!The prudent carefully consider their steps. 16 The wise are cautious and avoid danger; fools plunge ahead with reckless confidence. Proverbs 14:15-16

Prepared When The Pop Quiz…. Happens…

Sometimes, our mistakes are tests from God. When we fail to do this or that, God uses it as a test to see how we will react. An example of this is when Israel, specifically Joshua, failed to drive out all of the pagan people living in the “Promised Land”. God did it to show the Israelites their ineptness to be fully obedient. Because of this, they lacked discernment and faithfulness to God. The Israelites were not any different from the pagans living in the land. How much are we like that? How often to we allow ourselves to get caught up in the busyness of the day and fail to do things we should do? Like witness to co-workers? Or comfort a hurting, lost soul? Or even give God credit for doing something incredible? Or even something as simple as pointing another to God? Every single morning a Christian wakes up, he faces a battle, or a “test”, and how he responds determines his grade. Start your day getting into to God’s word, and in prayer ask for discernment, and I’ll guarantee you’ll be better prepared when the “pop quiz” that tests your faith happens.

22 I did this to test Israel–to see whether or not they would follow the ways of the Lord as their ancestors did.” 23 That is why the Lord left those nations in place. He did not quickly drive them out or allow Joshua to conquer them all. Judges 2:22-23

Faith Can Be Easy And Hard…

There are easy things in life and their are hard things in life. Christianity includes both. Having faith can be easy and hard. Being obedient to God can be easy, but most of the time it takes hard work. It takes discipline. It takes dedication. It takes a commitment. It takes fortitude. When we don’t listen to God, or better stated, disobey His commands, the consequences are much more difficult to deal with. Here in Judges we see an example of this playing out. The Israelites were instructed to drive out all of the pagan people living in the Promised Land. God told them He would fight for them and drive them out. But, as we all know, they failed to do it. As a result, God tells them that these pagan people will be a thorn in their side, and their false gods will be a constant temptation to them. This thorn in their sides was probably the same “thorn in the flesh” that the Apostle Paul had to deal with. When we don’t listen to God, and do what He says, we end up dealing with consequences far more complex than we ever imagined. And worse yet, they become a daily reminder of the fact that we failed in doing what we should’ve done. Be faithful, be obedient, for no one wants to deal with constant turmoil that could’ve been prevented.

1 The Angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said to the Israelites, “I brought you out of Egypt into this land that I swore to give your ancestors, and I said I would never break My covenant with you. 2 For your part, you were not to make any covenants with the people living in this land; instead, you were to destroy their altars. But you disobeyed My command. Why did you do this? 3 So now I declare that I will no longer drive out the people living in your land. They will be thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a constant temptation to you.”4 When the Angel of the Lord finished speaking to all the Israelites, the people wept loudly. 5 So they called the place Bokim (which means “weeping”), and they offered sacrifices there to the Lord. Judges 2:1-5

When Your Source Of Joy Doesn’t….

When your source of joy doesn’t come from God, the laughter will eventually end. The “fake it till you make it” mentality robs us of authenticity. When a person tries to fix things through worldly means, leaving God out of the picture, withholding truth, grief and sorrow can only be disguised for so long. God is the Ultimate, Permanent Healer of the soul. Go to Him, ask Him to heal you. He never disappoints, for He never fakes anything.

13 Laughter can conceal a heavy heart, but when the laughter ends, the grief remains. Proverbs 14:13

Both Are Eternal….

There’s two ways to live your life, your way or God’s way. They each have different outcomes. Both are eternal, but in opposing places.

12 There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death. Proverbs 14:12

God Speaks In The Still Moments….

Listening is such a lost art in modern times. Sometimes the simple act of stopping and listening makes all the difference in the world. God speaks in the still moments in life just as much, or more, than the chaotic times. Stop in listen, it may just help you.

10 “Be still, and know that I am God!I will be honored by every nation.I will be honored throughout the world.” Psalms 46:10

We Must Choose Every Day….

Love, walk, obey, and serve, these are words given to the Israelite tribes living on the east side of the Jordan River. Joshua, Moses’ replacement, told this to them. If we ever need to adhere to a set of principles, these are it. If we follow these commands, our lives will be enriched, enhanced, protected, and fulfilled by God. If He tells us what to do, and we do it, shouldn’t our lives turn out as He planned them to turn out? Learning to manage our selfishness is key. It’s God’s way or our way. We must chose every day. The trajectory of our lives is based on how well we adhere to these principles.

5 But be very careful to obey all the commands and the instructions that Moses gave to you. Love the Lord your God, walk in all His ways, obey His commands, hold firmly to Him, and serve Him with all your heart and all your soul.” 6 So Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went home. Joshua 22:5-6

Read Past The Headlines…

All people have an intellectual capacity, but some lack the will to know. How many people read past the headlines? How many research beyond the articles? Only those that use their intellectual capacity. And sadly, how many run the topic through the magnifying glass of scripture? The problem in today’s society people don’t listen, they don’t question things to find out its real purpose and meaning. They believe everything they hear. “If a doctor says it, it must be true.” The problem with that mindset is this, a doctor is a human being. Human beings are Fallible. Doctors practice medicine because of this very point. It holds true to all professions and designated titles. Learn to use the mind God has given you. You’ll be amazed at what you can achieve/create when you maximize your potential. Stop believing what you hear, your brain is worth training to reach its potential. With God, that’s way more than you think.

Then Jesus turned to the crowd and said, “When you see clouds beginning to form in the west, you say, ‘Here comes a shower.’ And you are right. 55 When the south wind blows, you say, ‘Today will be a scorcher.’ And it is.56 You fools! You know how to interpret the weather signs of the earth and sky, but you don’t know how to interpret the present times.57 “Why can’t you decide for yourselves what is right? Luke 12:54-57

Guilt Is A Complex Subject…..

Guilt is a complex subject. In modern times, guilt is treated as an enemy of the human spirit. Anything that brings it about is slandered and all attempts are to demolish it. Guilt is seen as a bad thing. To the believer (transcending time), guilt is a way back to God. You see guilt comes about when we violate God’s order. Guilt comes about when we sin. Sin is in our nature, we are born with it. When we sin, our God-given conscience is stirred up. We can either go with the guilt and respond accordingly, by repenting. Or we can suppress the guilt and continuously fight against it. We do this by justifying and rationalizing our sinful behavior. We have a choice in how we see guilt. We can view it as a good thing, as a way of turning us back to God. Or we can view it as a bad thing and fight it by trying to rationalize it away. The difference between the two will determine how long the effects of guilt will last. For the believer, through true repentance, it will immediately be forgiven, relieved of its heaviness. For the worldly viewer, it will linger on and on, burdening the soul until the conscience is completely seared and no longer able to serve its function of warning. Guilt is a good thing. Its a warning system to us. It’s just a matter of how we see and respond to it.

9 Fools make fun of guilt,but the godly acknowledge it and seek reconciliation. 10 Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can fully share its joy. Proverbs 14:9-10

True Prosperity….

These are the very words of Jesus, God incarnate. He calls a person a fool who puts things above God. There’s a purpose in creating savings, to help us in later years. But when we put our faith, security, and satisfaction in our wealth, we neglect our relationship with God. It’s a deception. “Wealth gives us the false notion that we can say ‘NO’ to God”. That’s foolish. Money won’t save anyone, it can’t. Imagine all those who pursue wealth. How many people they’ve trampled over in their pursuits? How many things they missed out on? How much they neglected their families? All for what? A bigger bank account? When they die, where is that wealth going? Not with them. It won’t make their destination any better. True prosperity is pursuing God. It’s knowing what really matters in life. It’s spending your time and efforts on investing in what will out last this life, what you will take with you after your time on this earth is up. Eternal things are worth our investment.

21 “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” Luke 12:21

These Are Jesus’ Words….

I’ve never understood the purpose of holding Mary, the mother of Jesus, above all other Saints. She does not need to be held in higher esteem than those who hear God’s word and obey it. These are Jesus’ words. How can you argue against them?

27 As He was speaking, a woman in the crowd called out, “God bless Your mother–the womb from which You came, and the breasts that nursed You!”28 Jesus replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.” Luke 11:27-28

ASK…..

ASK, seek, knock….. these are the words of Jesus. If we continually ASK, because of our persistence, God will meet our needs. I’m not talking about asking for things like a pay raise at work (unless of course you need it to happen). What I’m saying is aligning your will with God’s will (Matthew 6:33). When we align our will with God’s will, we find our wants and desires to be His wants and desires. God’s will is always done. Instead of having a “me” mentality, we should have a “we” mentality. We should always be looking out for each other. How do we know God’s will? It starts with asking. God speaks to us mainly through His word. Get into God’s word, and His word will get into you. God is a God of mercy and grace. If we seek Him whole-heartedly, we will find Him. We just have to ASK.

8 But I tell you this–though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.9 “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.11 “You fathers–if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead?12 Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not!13 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.” Luke 11:8-13

If God Is Truth…..

Is it possible to walk in truth and despise the Lord? Is it possible to follow truth but not listen to the Lord? If God is truth, then it isn’t possible to walk in something you despise. Maybe for a short period of time, but it won’t last. You’ll end up hating it more. It is possible to follow truth, but not listen to God, again, for a short period of time. You’ll either be convicted and repent or the truth you believe you’re following really isn’t of God, it’s your own made up truth. God is truth, so if you love truth, you love God. If you love God, you love truth. If you love truth, then you’ll live truth out. God and truth are the same. You can’t love one and despise the other. If you try you’ll discover the misery you’re living in was self-inflicted. Pretending, acting out your false truth, leads you down the wrong path, you’ll not only despise God, but you’ll end up despising yourself in the process.

2 Those who follow the right path fear the Lord; those who take the wrong path despise Him. Proverbs 14:2

The Practice Of Acceptance…

There’s a huge difference between parents that love their children and those who don’t. A big misconception these days is the practice of acceptance, and the lack of discipline. People think by accepting a person it equals loving that person. This is far from the truth. A loving parent disciplines their children because of that love. If a child starts behaving in a manner contrary to the Truth, opposing God’s ways, a parent must show the child that this pattern will eventually lead to their demise. Not only that, it may also hurt others in the process. A parent who doesn’t discipline their children, shows contempt towards them because they are not showing them that certain behaviors are bad. These consequences only grow in intensity as we age. Not showing our children, is like lying to them. When they get on their own, and consequences happen, they’ll hate their parents for not teaching them the truth about it. Love always gives us a choice, but it also warns us when we are in the wrong. Discipline is the process in which this concept takes place. Just as a parent disciplines a child, God disciplines us as well. When society tries to tell us to accept certain behaviors, and if we don’t, it tries to call us names and even punish us; we know it’s not out of its love for us, rather straight from Satan himself. Love does the hard things. It’s hard to speak the truth when someone is walking a path towards destruction, but love helps us warn them, and in the case of parenting, discipline our children, in order to show them true love cares enough to point you back to the right path. So the next time someone tries to tell you that acceptance is “love”, tell them “real love cares enough to tell you the truth”. And the truth is you’re walking away from God not towards Him. Lack of discipline tells us there’s a lack of love. Society today lacks true love. It’s our job to show the world where true love comes from, point them to Jesus, that way they at least are aware of their problem.

24 Those who spare the rod of discipline hate their children. Those who love their children care enough to discipline them. Proverbs 13:24

Decisions That We Don’t End Up Regretting….

The only way to know truth is to ask God. Even if we are believers, we can still be deceived. Unless we ask God to guide us and protect us, deception can still play a role in our lives. This is exactly what happened to the Israelites when they entered into the Promised land. They were told to destroy all the people there. The Gibeonites feared for their lives, so they concocted a plan to deceive Israel into making a peace treaty with them. And it worked. The reason it worked was due to Israel’s lack of consulting with God. They didn’t ask Him for guidance in the matter, and thus ended up making a peace treaty with an oath. When they found out they had been lied to, they were furious. However, since they swore an oath, they couldn’t break it. They ended up making the Gibeonites wood cutters and water carriers for them. This is just a reminder that we should go to God in all of our decision-making, especially with people we don’t know. God is omniscient, so going to Him with these matters gives us exactly what we need to make confident decisions that we don’t end up regretting.

14 So the Israelites examined their food, but they did not consult the Lord. 15 Then Joshua made a peace treaty with them and guaranteed their safety, and the leaders of the community ratified their agreement with a binding oath. 16 Three days after making the treaty, they learned that these people actually lived nearby! 17 The Israelites set out at once to investigate and reached their towns in three days. The names of these towns were Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. 18 But the Israelites did not attack the towns, for the Israelite leaders had made a vow to them in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.The people of Israel grumbled against their leaders because of the treaty. 19 But the leaders replied, “Since we have sworn an oath in the presence of the Lord, the God of Israel, we cannot touch them. 20 This is what we must do. We must let them live, for divine anger would come upon us if we broke our oath. 21 Let them live.” So they made them woodcutters and water carriers for the entire community, as the Israelite leaders directed.22 Joshua called together the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you lie to us? Why did you say that you live in a distant land when you live right here among us? 23 May you be cursed! From now on you will always be servants who cut wood and carry water for the house of my God.”24 They replied, “We did it because we–your servants–were clearly told that the Lord your God commanded His servant Moses to give you this entire land and to destroy all the people living in it. So we feared greatly for our lives because of you. That is why we have done this. 25 Now we are at your mercy–do to us whatever you think is right.”26 So Joshua did not allow the people of Israel to kill them. 27 But that day he made the Gibeonites the woodcutters and water carriers for the community of Israel and for the altar of the Lord–wherever the Lord would choose to build it. And that is what they do to this day. Joshua 9:14-27

When We Speak Truth…..

Why do we tell the truth? Because it honors God. When we speak honest accounts of what happened, we show God to be right. We imitate His character, for God cannot lie. We bring God Glory when we speak truth.

19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, by telling the truth. Make your confession and tell me what you have done. Don’t hide it from me.” Joshua 7:19

The Key To Serving God..

One of the greatest sections in all scripture. Learning to manage our selfishness is the key to serving God. Imagine all the people who pursue the things of this world: riches fame, power, or prestige. That will be their reward. The little satisfaction those pursuits can bring, will be all they get. Then at the end of their life, they will exchange their failed pursuit of joy, peace, and purpose for regret, guilt, and dissatisfaction. And worse yet, they will have to live with that forever. Jim Elliot re-paraphrased Jesus words when he said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose”. The great exchange, Jesus’ life for my life. There’s no better way of learning to manage our selfishness than The way Jesus taught. Trust me on this one.

23 Then He said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow Me. 24 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for My sake, you will save it.25 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?26 If anyone is ashamed of Me and My message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when He returns in His glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels.27 I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Kingdom of God.” Luke 9:23-27

Sin Causes A Lot Of Grief….

Sin causes a lot of grief. Anyone who thinks he can continue to sin and still be able to achieve righteousness is foolish. Unfortunately, our selfish, sinful nature makes us learn this truth the hard way, through trial and error.

19 It is pleasant to see dreams come true,but fools refuse to turn from evil to attain them. 20 Walk with the wise and become wise;associate with fools and get in trouble. 21 Trouble chases sinners,while blessings reward the righteous. Proverbs 13:19-21

A Time Where Uncertainty Rules…

We live in a time where uncertainty rules. Worry, fear, and cases of depression are skyrocketing among us. With all this uncertainty, how do we deal with it as believers? First off, uncertainty is part of life. It’s always been here. Jesus said in His time, “we don’t know what tomorrow brings, today has enough trouble of its own.” James stated that “we are foolish to make plans without God.” God will provide. He will meet our needs. Look what He did for the Israelites during their 40 year wondering in the desert. He provided manna to eat. When they reached the Promised Land, the manna stopped, and was replaced with the crops from the land. God is trustworthy. He will provide for our needs. The solution to society’s worry and fear of uncertainty is to focus on the One Whom we should fear, and know we can trust to provide. In God we trust. Isn’t that the textbook definition of what Christian faith is?

10 While the Israelites were camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, they celebrated Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the first month. 11 The very next day they began to eat unleavened bread and roasted grain harvested from the land. 12 No manna appeared on the day they first ate from the crops of the land, and it was never seen again. So from that time on the Israelites ate from the crops of Canaan. Joshua 5:10-12