A sign from God

I can remember a time when I used to pray and ask the Lord to send me a sign or something, to know that I am on the right path...But that was when I was a babe in Christ, now that I am older and wiser in the things of the Lord, I know longer look for signs and wonders, now I look for the promises of God but sometimes, even waiting on the promises to show up, can be a difficult task with our limited mind set. We let the world come and take advantage of us, as if we did not already know we were in a fight, and the catch us off guard. Almost like the fight the other day, we are so busy reaching out to the world with our arms open and chin up that the world is able to catch us with a right hook to the chin, and knock us out, and we get up stunned as if we should not have expected it. The Bible says that his word can not return unto him void and that it must accomplish the thing that was said, in that which it was sent, in other words, God has already spoken over your life and said what it is going to be, you need to line up your action with that word and seek it out daily looking for the promises of God, manifesting in the changes in your life. The time is over to seek and ask for a sign, it is now time to stand on his promises. (Isaiah 55:11)

Are you connected...

If you are like most people, you have at least three mobile devices you carry around on a daily basis. Your cell phone, which most of us say we can't leave without, your bluetooth, cause you want to be wireless, and possibly you ipad/pod for entertainment.  But as in touch and connect we are to the world around us, as your self this one important question, when it comes to your relationship with God, are you connected?  You see, your digital devices a a good reminder of how your relationship with the father should be. You cell phone represents your prayer life, you have an unlimited subscription giving you access to the father when ever you need him, or better yet, just to give thanks and be in his presence.  Your bluetooth represents what God wants in your life, which just like the bluetooth connection is a life with no limits and boundaries, for he wants you to live abundantly here on Earth in dominion power.  Lastly, the iPad/iPod that you use to access all different types of media streams, video, music, news, etc, represents what he wants you to be, which is all things to all people crossing all barriers to be able to deliver a timely word of God, to a much needed individual, but in order to achieve these things, you must be connect to the Father as he is connected to you as your source, and everything else around you a resource, for the Bible says in Matt 28:19-20, Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days (perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the [very] close and consummation of the age. Amen (so let it be). 

The Deal of a Lifetime

What if someone walked up to you and offered you everything you ever dreamed of, would you take it.  Picture this, the perfect spouse, the greatest children, the best house money can buy, and the job that everyone wants to retire from, would you accept it.  Unlimited power, right at your finger tips, as Rumpelstiltskin would say, "the deal of a life time."  Or would you be able to walk away, knowing that it would cost you more then you really wanted to give up?  Satan did exactly that to Jesus in Matthew 4:9, imagine the biggest problem you think you are facing and the solution being handed to you on a silver plater!  The devil knows what it takes to motivate you, but the problem is that you can only serve one God, and although Jesus was tempted in every way possible the bible says, he had the Courage to turn to the enemy, recognizing who he was and told him to get out of his way, because he knew that by obtaining the gifts from God instead of thru the devil, was the keys to the kingdom.  It is true that God wants you to have the desires of your heart, cause he put them there in the first place, but the process he wants you to go through, unlike in the case of the devil will build you up from the inside to have the character to maintain what he gives you and to sustain it for generations to come....

What are you chasing after......

I can remember a time, not so long ago, when I was trying to do everything I could at work to get ahead, I was working long hours, over time, and it never seemed like it was enough.  I took job, without the proper consideration given to my family, dealing with shift changes, and not knowing long term what my hours were going to be, and most of all, missing out on things with the kids and my wife, chasing after the "all mighty dollar." Boy did I have it all wrong...although my intentions were good, cause it is true the bible says money is the answer to all things, it is the way in which we go after it were we can find fault. (Ecclesiastes 10:19) See what happens over time as your relationship develops more with the father, and you become comfortable with him being your Daddy, you learn that you would rather have his righteousness by seeking his kingdom above all else. (Matthew 6:33) For it is in seeking his kingdom, that we don't fall short, it is seeking his kingdom that we don't miss the mark, for it is seeking his kingdom that we develop the Courage to stand up for your faith even in times when you don't feel like it, or when things on the outside are not matching up with the word you have on the inside of your heart, it is in seeking his kingdom we find the Conviction to know what is right and what is wrong for our lives, because just like you been praying and fasting and believing in God for such things the devil hears those prayers as well, and will do his best to railroad you off the course by sending exactly what you think you need, instead of you waiting for what God has for you, was it not Jesus that the devil came back at an opportune time to temp him and try to steer him of course.  You see in seeking the kingdom of God, you develop the Commitment you need to walk out your salvation, and there you will find that all those things, that you cared for he has already cared for and therefore all those things will be added unto you!

Run Your Race......

There is nothing like looking back over my old track and field stuff. Those were some good times, from back when Chopticon won the Regional Title, to taking second place at states as a team with only four people going( that is when you actually had to qualify to go to the state meets), Those were the days....It took a lot of planning and preparing to run those races, not unlike the spiritual race that is set before you! The Bible says, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us (Hebrews 12:1-2). You have to learn how to prepare yourself and run your race, But the most difficult thing with that is playing to the crowd, see the on lookers, those watching your life on fold, because you will be on display, can unkowningly steer you of course but you have to hold fast and focus on the finish line, Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

This is a true story of Mother’s Sacrifice during the Japan Earthquake....God loves you just the same!

This is a true story of Mother’s Sacrifice during the Japan Earthquake.

After the Earthquake had subsided, when the rescuers reached the ruins of a young woman’s house, they saw her dead body through the cracks. But her pose was somehow strange that she knelt on her knees like a person was worshiping; her body was leaning forward, and her two hands were supporting by an object. The collapsed house had crashed her back and her head.With so many difficulties, the leader of the rescuer team put his hand through a narrow gap on the wall to reach the woman’s body. He was hoping that this woman could be still alive. However, the cold and stiff body told him that she had passed away for sure.He and the rest of the team left this house and were going to search the next collapsed building. For some reasons, the team leader was driven by a compelling force to go back to the ruin house of the dead woman. Again, he knelt down and used his had through the narrow cracks to search the little space under the dead body. Suddenly, he screamed with excitement,” A child! There is a child! “The whole team worked together; carefully they removed the piles of ruined objects around the dead woman. There was a 3 months old little boy wrapped in a flowery blanket under his mother’s dead body. Obviously, the woman had made an ultimate sacrifice for saving her son. When her house was falling, she used her body to make a cover to protect her son. The little boy was still sleeping peacefully when the team leader picked him up.The medical doctor came quickly to exam the little boy. After he opened the blanket, he saw a cell phone inside the blanket. There was a text message on the screen. It said,” If you can survive, you must remember that I love you.” This cell phone was passing around from one hand to another. Every body that read the message wept. ” If you can survive, you must remember that I love you.” Such is the mother’s love for her child!!

It's not about you, it's about Jesus

Sometimes, we tend to take things so personal, that we actually hurt our  self in the process. Sure, if you live long enough, you are going to have ups and downs, good days and bad days, but that is just life, Don't take it personal. We get frustrated when things are not going our way, disappointed when we have not accomplished what we sat out to do, and sadden when we don't have what we think we should have, but all these mindsets, selfish in nature takes us as far away from the truth as we can be. The truth of the matter is, it is not about you, its about Jesus! Take for instance, John the Baptist. In his day he was highly respected, and know throughout the land. People would come from all over to be baptized by him, yet his entire ministry, was not about him, instead it was about preparing the way for Jesus. It was not about him, it was about someone yet to come. The Bible says in Mark 1:7-8, And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. He was speaking of the coming of Jesus. It was not about him. It really does not matter what you are facing right now, the loss of a job, a child gone astray, problems in your marriage, remember this, how you go through it is as important as going through it because in the end result, is for someone else, so in all that you do, give thanks and press through, because it's not about you, it's about Jesus!!!!

Breaking Up is Hard to do...

Dear Sin,

It seems like I have know you most of my life and I have felt good being with you but not whole, complete, lacking nothing.  But as you well know, you never really had my best interest at heart, only your own.  I will never forget that time you had me feeling all alone and with no place to turn, or the time you invited your friend over, Lust, Jealousy, Envy, and Strife, and they was not trying to leave.  And then of course there are the mixed messages because of the way you make me feel physically.  Which has made it difficult to move on, but I must.  And yes, there is someone else.  Someone who walks beside me and not behind me, Someone who responds to my needs before I even know I have them, as if he put them there, and he is someone who never, let’s me down!  Don’t take this the wrong way Sin, but I am proud to be associated with this person, and there is no point in you asking me their name because you already know them, their name is above all other names, but let me just say, the out look for us is glorious. 

Even as I am writing you this letter, I am sure it comes as no surprise to you.  Communication is the key to a healthy relationship and ours has not been well.  You have kept me in the dark for so long, I thought I would never see the light!  Please don’t make this any more difficult then it has to be, you have played a major roll in my life, and I am sure you will try to continue to be, but you are not equipped to do so.  I have given my life to this person, and he has given his life up for me.

Take care of your self, cause I know he will be faithful to take care of me.

Forever His,

Me  

Can you handle your invoice...

Imagine if today, your invoice came due for all the wrong you have ever done, all the sin you have committed, all the times when God told you to go left and you went right.  Would you be able to foot the bill?  So here you are sitting in front of the Devil that is the IRS agent, telling you that your bill is due, and he is not just going over what you have done the past four months, this year, or even five years ago, he is going over your entire life from front to back, the time you cut that person off, the time God told you to forgive and you said you could not, even the time he told you to ask for a promotion and you were too scared!  Could you pay the debt.  If you are asking yourself these questions, then you know you can't, thus the reason sin is our debt, cause we don't have the ability to pay.  But our God gave us an accountant, to audit our financials for us. He sent his son to pay the ultimate price for our sins, both yours and mines, and we have the nerve to turn our back on him at times, as if our credit is just that good.  Trust me, no matter what you think your credit score maybe, it still ain't enough to think you can ever walk away and do this on your own with out him, because by default, your debt will become due.  By the grace of God, and his mercy you never really get what you deserve, instead you get what he knows you can handle.....and for that God, I thank you for all you have done for me!

He will direct your path...

My son loves to go camping.  At least twice a year he gets to go away for 3-4 days at a time, and when he comes back he always shares with me how rough the trip usually starts off, but at the end, he has a great time!  Like wise is the path of the righteous.  You will have your good days and bad days and with the way the world is, it is impossible to avoid all the strife.  But even in the mist, we can have his peace, knowing that we are never alone when facing those difficult times.  When we become devoted to the Lord, our entire attitude changes from the inside out.  We become more steady and stable knowing that God is there to help us, to comfort us, and lead us as the Holy Ghost guides us.  The Bible tells us to achieve this is simple, just keep your mind focus on him, and he will direct your path. (Isaiah 26:3-8)  If you fell off the path, no need to get unbound, just pick your self back up, center in on him, and watch as the path becomes clear, God is the director of all that we do, and it is in him and his purpose for us, not our own, that we find ourself.

You have a choice...

I remember growing up I used to ask my parents, whats for dinner?  And usually they would go into detail and tell me, but on some occasions, I was not feeling what we were having for dinner, and I wanted something like McDonald's instead so I would ask why can't we have McDonald's, and the response was " this is what is for dinner tonight, you can either eat that or, not at all, it's your choice....was it really a choice...lol.  It was not until having my own kids and being put through the same thing that I understood this, because it actually was a choice, and I could have chosen not  to eat what was for dinner!  The Bible tells us in John 3:15 that if we believe in Christ Jesus, then we will have eternal life, but first we must make the choice to believe....So what do you believe? Eternity is no laughing matter, and you have a choice on how you would like to spend it, in Hell or Heaven?  You see I have made up my mind I want to be in Heaven, and not Hell, so I have made my choice, but some of you may be still on the fence, wondering if there is a such thing as Heaven or Hell, well, look at it this way, suppose I am right and there is a Heaven to gain and Hell to loose...for us Christians that have made the choice to fellow Jesus, our life on earth will be the closest that we will ever get to Hell.  Now for those of you who have not made that choice, or have chosen to reject God, then the life you are living now on this earth, is the closest you will ever get to Heaven....I call Heaven and Earth to witness against you today: I place before you Life and Death, Blessing and Curse. Choose life so that you and your children will live. And love God, your God, listening obediently to him, firmly embracing him. [Deuteronomy 30:19 (MSG)]

Persistent Threat Level

Two days ago our country visited the 10th Anniversary of one of the most tragic events in the history of the United States of America.  But amazingly, that even brought the US closer together then ever before.  Homeland Security created an alert system, to help us become more aware of the ever present danger surrounding us as a result of that day.  The Director of National Security said that we face a Persistent Threat that at any given time can be acted upon, and we should always be alert to the ever present danger before us.  Like wise, the Bible tells us the same thing about our enemy in 1 Peter 5:8; "Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You're not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It's the same with Christians all over the world." So keep a firm grip on the faith.  We have to be on our guard at all times, when it is good, and when it is bad, when we are doing well and it seems like everything is going our way, and when we are at our lowest point, and feel like we are all alone.  As the word says, you are never alone, that is unless you isolate your self from those around you, God has given each of us our own Threat level alert system, the Holy Ghost, so just like the terrorist system, even when it is green, there is still an ever present enemy seeking to devour you, be alert, and vigilant with your faith because as the passage goes on to say, " The suffering won't last forever. It won't be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does." 

Dear Lucifer D. Satan

Today's Word: Job 1:6-22

Dear Devil,

Thank you for sending your entire army after me.  I appreciate the fact that you found my purpose to be of such great importance that you could not take the chance of me keeping my faith.  I just wanted to write you this thank you note to let you know that I am still here, and not only that, I'm still standing and I owe it all to you for letting me know I am on the right path, and you know my name.  Keep up the good work and it maybe a bonus in it for you!  Yours truly leaning on the Word of God, Me

Now imagine if we would have this attitude day in and day out as we go through life.  The trouble with most Christians, as we go through our walk with the Lord, is that we assume that it will be drama free, when in actuality, God said that there would be trouble. (John 16:33).  So if that is the case, why would we as Christians judge another member of the body, or put them down in anyway thinking they are doing bad, or questioning their character because they maybe going through something, when in fact that maybe a sign that they are on the right path.

" Have you considered my servant, Job?"  In our reading we find that a meeting is taking place before the Lord, which included Satan.  Satan and the Lord begin to have a conversation with God asking Satan, "what have you been up to?"The conversations goes on further with Satan attempting to attack the character of Job, stating "does Job fear God for nothing, Have you not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side.  You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land."  Now at this point, most of us would love to be in this position.  Right standing with God, flowing in his purpose for our lives, with the confidence to have dominion over everything in our lives and to see the fruits of our labor.  What a great place to be in right?

But what if your heart is not in the right place?  What if you had all of that what would your mind set be?  Would you still be focused in on God, so focused in fact that if he took all that away from you, would you still praise him? Would you continue to pray?  Would you still lift his name on high?  Moreover, would God himself trust you to do so?  See this is the type of connection he had with God.  This is the relationship he walked in daily, not just in the public view but also behind closed doors, so much in fact that the devil knew of him and envied his relationship so he wanted to make a example of him.  See the enemy wants to get you in a place where he knows you been waiting on some things from the Lord that you have not gotten yet.  Then he tries to convenience you to have your own understand of how things should be, by sending you false profits, people, places, and things that are not of the Lord and though they seem to be just right for you, they were merely used as another distraction to draw you away from the Lord.  The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy, so I ask you, what is in your life that is doing such a thing, if it is, then it maybe your Job moment, so will you praise the Lord, and thank satan for what he was trying to do, will you press on toward the mark of the high calling.  Or will you curse the Lord and use his name in vein.  If you are in your Job moment, remember the Lord is good all the time, not part of the time.  His is the one true and sovereign God!

In the past 30 days or so, the east coast has been hit with an earthquake, tropical storms, hurricanes, and flooding causing nearly 100,000 from Maryland to New York to leave their homes with the rising waters of the Susquehanna River. How would you feel if that was you? Just like in life, somethings that happen create circumstances beyond our control, but what is in our control is how we react or respond to it. The earthquake stopped, the storms and hurricanes passed through and eventually the flood water will recede, and what this tells us is instead of getting out of character, angry, or upset with the things we are not able to control, be thankful that you serve a living God, who has everything in control. You may not be able to alter the weather, or the circumstances of life, however God can give you the peace and strength to endure them. So know this, no matter what it is you are facing, or trying to move past, eventually the waters will recede and you will be above them again for the bible says, I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:12-13)

In God We Trust...

Have you ever heard the ole saying, if you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything? I am sure you have, so if that is the case tell me this, when was the last time you stood up for what you believed in? You call your self a Christian, but when the time comes, are you denying you faith, or are you standing on the word of God as Jude did? (Jude1:17-22) He was writing to the Jewish Christians at the time who like us were living in a time of increased apostasy. They were vulnerable to temptations toward immoral living and tempted to give in to sin because they were not willing to stand up for what they believed in. We are closer then ever before to the last days, and although much false teaching is around us, we need not be afraid. Stand up for what you say you believe in and trust in the word of God, who can keep us from falling, and he has assured us, that if we remain faithful, or stand up according to his word, he will bring us into his presence and we will have peace, for it is in God we trust!!!!!!!

Are you watching what you eat...

In the last month, I have lost 20.8lbs.  Several people have asked me how, and it was a simple answer portion control.  I have been watching what I eat and how much of it I eat.  Same thing can be said for your spiritual life.  Are you watching what you feed your spirit man and how much of it you are feeding them?  There is truth in the saying you are what you eat and likewise the bible tells us in Jeremiah 15:16 what it is like to eat of the word of God, it is liken to a feast so imagine pulling up to the table and all your favorite foods are there.  That is what the word of God is, all the things your spiritual man could ever need.  Just like in the natural sense to take care of your body you have to watch what you eat, and maintain a healthy life style, and the same could be said for you spirit.  Do you want to grow in the things of God and have the power to operate in the Earth, dominion power to dominate in whatever area in life you choose to?  Then ask yourself this, what are you eating?  Is it doubt and fear, or is it the word of God, Why not begin today, a spiritual diet and dine on the word of God, it will surly fill you up!

Got Salvation?

If you were going to be stranded on a island by yourself, what is the one thing you would want to have?  I have visited this question over and over again, as a child, I can remember in grade school, they would always ask you who would you want to be with, and of course the answer was whom ever you had a crush on at that moment, they as an adult, we had an answer more based on the resources and things we thought we would need to survive.  But, now as a Christian, how would you answer this?  For me, it is easy, my salvation, the greatest gift that mankind has ever received.  To say it is all you need would be an understatement.  God gave his most precious gift in order to make your salvation even possible (John 3:16) and because of your salvation, you are assured certain things, such as an abundant life,wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, and piety just to name a few....all of which would be invaluable in trying to maintain your existence.  Does not matter if you are on an island by your self, or just dealing with everyday life, the most important tool in your arsenal is your salvation!

Happiness is....

How would you define happiness? Better yet, would you allow God to define it for you? Often times with the pursuit of happiness, we forget the substance of that happiness is the things we are hoping, praying and believing God for, but we tend to get ahead of ourself and out of him. Hope means going beyond our unpleasant daily experiences to the joy of simply knowing God. We live by trusting in the Lord, and not in the benefits, happiness, or success we may think we have and are experiencing in this life time, but instead our hope comes from God, and in placing our faith in him for the things that are hoped for and believed in because he will grant you the true desires of your heart, after all, he put them there in the first place and in the Lord our God is where you will find your happiness!!!!

Dwelling in the shelter of the Lord...

Have you ever taken the time to sit down and write a list of all your fears? I know I have not, and is much is we all try to hide it, each and every last one of us has some fear. It may be of an insect, or bug, it may be from insecurities, or of regret, but what ever it is, that is your fear and we own it, cause usually in most cases it is fear that drives us in our decision making and thought process, but that should not be the case. Psalm 91 says that God is our shelter, a refuge or fortress even, when we are afraid. That word refuge comes from the greek word asulon, or in other words inviolable. So, what God is saying to you in Psalm 91 you have the ability to take all those fears and give them to him because God is our asulon or he is our invincible fortress that must not or cannot be transgressed, dishonoured, or broken; and has to be kept sacred. How many times have your fears lead you to be broken, dishonoured out side the will of God, well you have the ability for God to keep you in his invincible fortress to protect you from all of your fears...isn't it time you dwelled in the shelter of the most high?

Reaping the Harvest...

Galatians 6:9 (MSG)

So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don't give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.

Sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming to do what is right in the sight of God as compared to what goes on in the world today. It can even be discouraging to continue to do so and not receive any thanks, recognition, promotion or advancement, but in Galatians, Paul gives us a much different approach. See as Christians, we are supposed to live by faith if we are just, and in doing so, like Paul, we are supposed to keep on doing good and trusting in the Lord our God for the results, and lead not to our own understanding or interpretation of what they should be, because in due time, God's perfect timing, we shall reap a harvest of blessings if we faint not!

Make good of your natural resources....

Did you know that God never intended for you to be broke in any area of your life?  So the question is, if you are broke or lacking in any areas of your life, what are you doing with the resources God has given you (Ezekiel 7:19-20) God has given you all the resources you will ever need,  which we often equate to money, wealth, gold and silver, and all those things are great, but what about your spouse, your children, your church, your Pastor, your friends, and even your job...God has given you these things also as resources, but too often we look to them to satisfy our own desires, or selfishly miss use them.  When we abuse the resources of God, we miss the real purpose they have in our lives and can become shortsighted as idolatry, instead look to those resources and pray to the Father, what would you have me do with these resource today that he might get all the glory from them....because if you don't just like all other natural resources, the will dry up!