Gift giving, did you give the perfect gift?

This is a time of season that we’ve deemed to be “The season of giving” so we go about being busy shopping and wrapping, giving and getting. Typically in support for doing these things some will say "it’s in line with the Word of God, when the wise men came they brought gifts to the Christ Child." Yet if we take a look at the scripture, we’ll see that the focus was not on the gifts it was on the worship of He who was Emanuel, God with us.

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” Matt 2:1-2

“And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him” Matt 2:11

Even Herod’s lie was based on the pretense of worshipping Christ;

“Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.” Matt 2:7

Finding the time to focus on what’s really important is key to a joy filled, prosperous life. What is that key? Worshipping God! We do a lot of praying and very little worship. What’s the difference? Prayer is when we're focused on all us or us and God, what He’s doing, what He’s done, what we’d like Him to do.

Worship is all God, who He is in the fullness of heaven and earth; Glory, Majesty, Dominion, Power, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, The Great I Am, Creator, Ruler of All, Ancient of Days, Our Heavenly Father, Mighty One, Our Banner, Healer, Provider,  The God Head-Father-Son and Holy Ghost, Our Shield and Fortress, Bright and Morning Star, Almighty and the list goes on and on. However the list of worship is not about us, it’s all about God.

It is better to give than to receive, we should learn to spend more time giving God what He deserves then asking Him for what we want. I believe the more we worship the less we’ll need to pray.

“Go out and feed some sheep today!”

Is your storehouse full? It's time to check

In this fast past world it has become hard to remember what we’ve accomplished today and yesterday is already drenched in a fog and has begun to fade far from our memories. No wonder we find it hard to place our faith in God sometimes. As soon as God has answered one prayer, we’ve got six more lined up for Him. Many times we’re so caught up in life we barely remember to say thank you Lord, or take the time to reflect on how faithful He has been to us.

King David the Psalmist reminds us that we should keep our mind stayed on Jesus and remember to thank God for all He’s done. I would suggest that this instruction would require a certain amount of reflection on a regular basis so we can remain mindful of all that God is doing and has done. Looking into our inner temples to see what God has placed within us, is one way to maintain that focuse.

God has developed miracles within us so we can become reflections of His greatness. During times of trouble and storms, we tend to dig deep reaching for our inner selves to survive, and yet the battle continues. If only we were aware of what God has placed in us, we could access His gifts which reside in our spirits, and we could boldly say “Peace Be Still!”

”Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—

who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,

who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel:

The LORD is compassionate and gracious; slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

God restores, rebuilds, strengthens, keeps, directs, honors, covers, and loves us. Spend some time today seeking what He has placed within you, you may be richly surprised.

“Go out and feed some sheep today!”

The Time Has Come

Many of us use this time of year to celebrate the birth of the gift which God placed inside of Mary, perhaps now is the time for us to also celebrate the birth of the gift which God has placed in us.

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.” James 1:22-25

"Go out and feed some sheep today!"

God, Are You Listening?

Ever wonder if God is too busy to hear your prayer? Or maybe because of your past He’s just not listening to you?

You’ve prayed and waited but heaven is silent and the chaos continues in your life. One mess after another, always bobbing up and down in the storm, hope somehow stays just out of reach. You quote scripture after scripture, “He’ll never leave me nor forsake me, No weapon formed against me shall prosper, the prayers of the righteous availith much, I have mustard seed faith, mountain be moved!” When you’ve done all you can do, the billows still role with a vengeance.

Somehow everyone is getting through to heaven but you, how long will it take, why won’t He listen to you? There are many who have found themselves at this place, lonely tired, drained. It’s like hitting a brick wall with a snowball.

Finding myself facing the immoveable and wondering why, caused me to be still and listen. It allowed me to see that I was always asking and never waiting for an answer. I couldn’t hear from God because I wasn’t listening, always getting off of my knees and trying the next thing hoping it would fix the problem. What would make the cycle spin faster was my propensity to blame God when my next great idea failed. I even used the same flawed method with fasting, giving up something as a sacrifice and filling that time with earthly business rather than with the Lord.

My lesson became clear, God heard me but I wasn’t listening to Him. I finally understood what the disciples must have felt like when they tried to cast the spirit from the little boy and failed. When they asked Jesus why they had failed, Jesus responded “This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.” Mark 9:29. Fasting is the intimate time that we spend with God so that we can hear what he has to say to us not to fill the time with things to keep us busy. “The steps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord.” Faith comes by hearing!

Clearly a lesson I needed to learn and I hope that sharing it will bless you!

“Go out and feed some sheep today”

Yes, I am different!

If I were a painter, I would have an eye for colors, shades, hues, textures, blends and brush strokes because it would be a part of who I am. Perhaps you are a carpenter:  you would notice a door hung slightly off track, molding that does not butt quite together, the counter top that should have been planed a bit more to make it level or maybe you would offer advice to me about the type of wood needed to cover my basement floor. As a doctor, you would probably feel compelled to suggest something for the nagging cough I have, or share a thought about the pain in my back which seems to point to my herniated disk.

Why is it then, as Christians, we shy away from sharing the Holy Word, laying on of hands for healing or praying with authority for the manifestations of those things needed in the body of Christ? Why do we have a difficult time studying and sharing the Word? What is the reason we can meet for a movie, go shopping or spend 20 to 30 minutes on the phone talking about people and things which add nothing to our lives and can’t get together for a Bible study?

I confess to being a believer and I can quote passages from scripture so well that you will raise your eyebrows in amazement. But step on my foot or hurt my feelings and watch your hair stand on end as my head begins to spin around while I spew forth glimpses of my past pre-saved life!

I should be different… what I say I am should permeate from deep within and radiate around me.  My actions should be loud and my voice gentle.

“You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.” James 2:21-24

I am a believer; look into my eyes and see my compassion, hear my voice speak the essence of life into your situation, touch my hands and feel the anointing of healing power that flows through them, feel my Spirit for the abundance that is offered to all of us by the Holy Spirit dwells within its depths, allow my heart to surround you with the agape love of Him who sent me for it is a just a small glimpse of what He has in store for you.

Yes, I’m different because He who holds me in the palm of His hand is different and He’s waiting for you, come and you’ll never be the same.

"Go out and feed some sheep today"

Looking the other way

In what category do we place the word of God that we’ve just receive?

Just a lesson to consider?

A great message from Pastor? Can’t remember all that was said, but it sure was good.

Do you hear the message and focus on what you’re not doing and how much more work you need to do on yourself?

Acts 12 tells about Paul and Silas’ visit to Berea.

As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men. Acts 17:10-12

The first lesson from this passage I’m sure many of us have heard even though we may not practice it. Bereans examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. We take what was said and run with it, many times failing to check it first, which allows us to sometimes harbor and spread false doctrine. We've heard it many times so we belive it to be a true statement and when look for it sometimes it's not even biblcal.

The second message in this passage say’s that they received the message with “great eagerness” a sense of excitement I guess you could say. Are you excited by the word or does your focus make the word hard to receive? If you’re looking backwards it will be hard, but if you’re looking forward eagerness has an opportunity to grow.

I once was lost but now I’m found, doesn’t matter that I was lost, today I’m found. There is no good in this flesh, Christ died that my flesh may be buried with Him so that I am risen in the law of the Spirit. There is no good thing in man, because of the resurrection of Christ, God has created a dwelling place within me where the Holy Spirit resides so now there is greatness in me. Christ has restored us to kinship, we are sons and daughters of the King and through Him we’re seated in high places. I’m feeling some eagerness coming on! We receive new mercies each day, this means if we get it wrong we have another chance to get it right. Now I’m eager to examine the word, and I can’t wait to hear what it says about me next because I’m looking forward.

"Go out and feed some sheep today"

What Are We Waiting For?

We’ve heard the story of Peter’s walk on water many times, but I wonder if this view has ever been considered? First the story;

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid. Lord, if it’s you, Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water. Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” Matt 14:25-33

I wonder what it might have been like to view the minds of those who were watching? If we could listen in, maybe it would sound something like this;

·         That boy done lost his mind, he is not Jesus and he’s going sink like a rock!

·         If I was you I wouldn’t go out there, that might not be Jesus.

·         Why is he always gotta be the one to prove something. Show off!

·         Shucks wish I’d been the one who thought of that.

·         You go Peter, I wish I had your faith.

It’s true, no one knows what was going through their minds at the time. As a matter of fact no one knows what thoughts we’re thinking right now.

When you think about Peter’s choice, faith is what it boiled down to. The same can be said for us, just how much do we trust God? Enough to risk stepping out of the boat? It’s a very personal question that no one can answer that but you; the bible tells us “Each man is given the measure of faith.” How far are you willing to stretch yours?

Is it your turn to step out the boat?

“Today, go out and feed some sheep!”

Thank you Lord for Home Depot…

Let me start by saying “Don’t be quick to judge!” I know some of my friends will say “Come on now, really?” But remember, the Bible does say “in everything give thanks!”

Those of you who know me, or who have read my book (What Happens After the Hoop?) know me to be a worshiper at heart. For those of you who don’t know me please allow me to share this excerpt from the book so that we may become acquainted;

“Finding the quiet time to get into position with Him has become a challenge for many of us because of our busy schedules. For others, it is the complexity that we have attached to the ritual concerning personal worship. Yet there are some who just don’t know how to get started, because they feel that there is some kind formula or that they have to become a twenty-minute prayer warrior like Deacon Jones.

Keep it simple, in both deed and place. Some of the best times I’ve spent with God have been in the shower! Worshiping Him for who He is in the comfort of early morning peace—tears streaming down my face, feeling His presence in the warmth of the water’s spray—what a wonderful way to start the day with the dew of the “morning rain” falling down upon me. It’s about simple conversation with Him.  Honor Him for who He is and for what He’s done in your life.”

Yes, I’m a shower worshiper.  Before you begin to analyze this consider the benefits: the shower is the one place where you don’t worry about others; the flow of water is comforting and if you cry, so what! The anointing can wash over you with the warmth of the water until they feel like one, and the echo makes your worship sound like it’s bouncing off the ceiling of heaven!

Now that you have the picture, let me share a bump in the road with you. In our master bath, the showerhead was up high and I liked it that way, however (ladies I’m sure you’ll understand) when I say high, it’s just high enough that it always wet my wife’s hair, which is why she tends to like the hand held option more.

So, as I’m walking through Home Depot, I see a shower head that has my big sunflower design where the middle comes out and is a handheld! Ok, I’m thinking problem solved, but little did I know just how solved it was. After installing it, I took it for a test drive and found that I could set the outer ring at one speed and the inner ring at another. Can you say Latter Day Rain come now! Thank you Lord, my worship felt as if it kicked into another gear.

If you still don’t get it, then the next time you get in the shower just take a moment to exhale and began to worship God and just let it all go. Then blog me back and tell what you think. I’ll be right here waiting.

(Go out and feed some sheep)

“Beware of doubt; it’s the hole in your bucket”

I remember a whimsical song from my childhood that said there’s a hole in the bucket dear Liza, and it told the story of a man who wanted to complain about the hole in his bucket but had an excuse for everything related to fixing it.

It is simular of the way we are sometimes during our Christian walk. Praying out of need but doubting out of lack of relationship. Believing in God requires that we spend enough time in study and prayer to develop a foundation that will support our belief.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.”  James 5:5-8

 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11: 22-24

It doesn’t matter what the request is because God allows us to petition Him for the desires of our heart, however the qualifier is that the request be void of doubt. Doubt is the hole in the bucket of faith which creates a zone of weakness.

The word teaches us that each of us is given “the measure of faith” which would imply that we’re all given the same level of faith. Why then can we find ourselves questioning the depth of the faith that we possess? I don’t that there is one complete answer to that question but I do however believe that trust has a lot to do with it.

How can develop a deeper level of trust in God? One way would be to spend time reflecting at the end of each day and use that opportunity to reflect on the things that God has done for you. Know that there’s no such thing as luck! Review that accident you almost had, two seconds more and it would have been fatal.

The promotion? God’s favor!

The person you ran into that set the stage to open doors for your business? God!

That friend that came your way to give you an encouraging word when you were feeling down, alone, or out of it? God!

That person who came your way just when you were about to blow up and stick your foot in your mouth, who distracted you long enough for you to calm down? Definitely God!

It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4: 13-18

What’s the best way to fix the hole in your bucket? Trust in the Lord with all your heart!

“Go out and feed some sheep today!”

I Hear Voices

How many times have we gone in the wrong direction because we listened to something or one who sounded convincing but was filled with tainted information?

The spoken word released into the atmosphere has the power to persuade, direct and call into existence many aspects of life. It is important that we are careful not only of what we speak but also what we listen to. The things that we listen to get into our spirits and eventually will come across our lips.

Looking through scripture at Israel and their journey there is one lesson that we see occurred in almost every aspect of every segment, it was their propensity to listen to the wrong voices. God would answer their cries and show His sovereignty, and Israel would become complacent, finding themselves indulging in the habits of the lesser gods of the occupied land. Even Saul who was appointed king by God Himself lost his position of honor, disobeying God because he was afraid of what the people would say.

Then there’re those who held on tightly to God’s word in spite of all that went on around them like three men named Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. We’re probably more familiar with the names given them by King Nebuchadnezzar which were Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. These three refused to bow before anyone but their God, The Great I Am, and were thrown into the fiery furnace which was made ten times hotter than it ever had been.

Two things about this story make my hear jump for joy every time I read or think about it. The first is the fact that God allowed Nebuchadnezzar himself to look inside the furnace and see the miracle of His faithfulness to Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So much so that Nebuchadnezzar was able to identify the fourth person who was in the furnace as looking like the Son of God! Now that’s amazing when you realize that Jesus had not come yet and Nebuchadnezzar worshiped a false god. This means the one true God had to remove the scales from his eyes on behalf of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who were the believers so that Nebuchadnezzar would know the true power of their God.

Then there’s the second half when God allows Nebuchadnezzar to call them out of the furnace so that he may examine them close up making sure that there was no mistaking His handy work! Nebuchadnezzar saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them. Praise the Lord!

Which voice will you listen to today?

Psalm 37:23 " The steps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord..."

We can’t respond to the Lord’s order if we're not listening to Him!

Go out and "Feed Some Sheep”

If you wote God a psalm what would it be?

David was a man after God’s own heart, he loved to communicate through poetry, and music. No matter how perilous his circumstances, he never lost faith. His psalms are a rock of inspiration to all of us. Though he was wandering alone as a young man, word of his special harp playing became known far and wide. Eventually, it reached the ears of the servants of King Saul.

“Now the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him. Saul's attendants said to him, "See, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. Let our lord command his servants here to search for someone who can play the harp. He will play when the evil spirit from God comes upon you, and you will feel better."  I Samuel 16: 14, 15

As I began to review many of the things that David wrote about, I came to realize that the writings helped to keep him focus on who God was and what He was to David. No one has to tell you how much you love and trust God if you make a habit of telling yourself. This prompted me to write a psalm of my own to God, and I was amazed at what came out of me. However it was wonderful to look at how far I’d come in my relationship with God. Please allow me to share the Psalm of Jerome with you.

My God, You allow me to awaken each day with the gentle breath of life.

My spirit arises in your Grace.

I worship you and I feel the glory of Your Essence as it fills the tabernacle and the heavens bow before you.

You alone are my God and my keeper. My soul rejoices at the mere thought of the sound of Your name. I am grateful for you honor me with a cool drink in a thirsty world.

You stilled me during the billows of my storm; you were my judge in the trials of my enemies.

In my joy I have loved you.

In my weakness I have loved you.

In my laughter I have loved you.

In my tears my love for you overflows Oh Thou Great Jehovah!

Behold the wonder of the Lord in all the earth, the splendor and majesty of the world’s colors testify with boldness to His greatness. I shall bow before His throne and sing of my love for Him, for He is worthy of all I have to give.

I am forever yours; mold me Father for Your purpose and glory that I may be a testimony to your greatness. In you alone I trust.

What if you wrote to God? What would it look like? Try it; write a love letter, poem, sonnet or song to God today. It will bless you!

“Go Out and Feed Some Sheep Today”

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Colossians 3:1-4

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

We work so hard trying to make a living that we forget to live. More, more, more, always needing something more. The more we make the more we need things which are just out of reach. God tells us where our focus should be, for only that in which He’s given us will we find  joy and satisfaction.

Let’s look at what Paul says that we should focus on in Philippians 4:4-9;

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

What peace can we find when we sit back and share family and laughter, or a sense of accomplishment when we complete the things God has placed in our hearts? Maybe our joy is in feeling the earth in our hands, putting up that shelf, or the uncontrolled laughter that comes from a well-tickled child. Whatever that Joy is, will always fall within the measure that Paul describes as true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. If it's excellent or praiseworthy you'll find the joy which lies within!

Perhaps the time has come when we need to re-evaluate what’s important in life that we may live it rather than exist in it.

“Feed Some Sheep!”

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send?

One of my favorite scriptures is Isaiah 6 because it speaks to who God is and who we can become in Him. It reminds us of God’s majesty as it describes Him as being high and lifted up with a flowing robe that fills the temple. As I close my eyes I can picture Him sitting on the throne as the seraphim enter and cry out “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” What a glorious sight that must be.

I can’t speak for anyone else but when I look over my life and all that has happened, I often find myself tearing up because I can identify all too well with Isaiah’s statement “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips” But the one thing that causes my emotions to rise is the fact that God loves me enough to sanctify me so that my guilt is taken away and my sin is atoned for, in spite of my past!

So when God asks the question “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” I can honestly have but one answer “Here am I, Send me!”

What will your answer be?

“Feed Some Sheep”

Do You Get Upset When People Talk About You?

Luke 6: 22  “Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.”

Have you ever found yourself hurting because you’re being talked by those around you even though your only goal is to serve God and walk in kingdom mindedness?

Don’t be consumed by the your emotions because it’s only a trick of the enemy. He’s trying to keep you upset so that you’ll remain unforgiving, which allows him to maintain a stronghold in your life.

When the anointing of God is on your life, those who are outside of that anointing will be uncomfortable around you. It’s not you they have a problem with, it’s the conviction they feel in the spirit because of the anointing. It makes them uncomfortable and they just can’t seem to put their finger on it.

In your mind you may be asking; “So why do they hang around?”

Because the Spirit of God which dwells within you and drives your anointing is calling to that which is lacking in them. The enemy is using gossip and your unforgiving nature to keep the two of you at bay from one another, for if you come together the anointing will take hold and elevate both of you.

How do we survive through this time of gossip and false statements?

Change our view about what it means to be talked about, come in line with the blessing of it.

Matt 5:10-11 “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.”

I’m blessed when you’re uncomfortable with my anointing, and I love you in spite of what you think you feel about me. I know if I remain open to God’s blessing on me, the anointing will spill over to you and you’ll become blessed. Once you become blessed I will be blessed again for sharing my blessing! A double portion! God is great isn’t He!

Remain open, keep love in your heart, bless others as you have been blessed so that you might be blessed!

"Feed Some Sheep Today!"

The Words of My Mouth

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalms 19:14

If we want our words to be pleasing in God’s sight then we have to be careful of the words we choose, for it is the meditation of our hearts that get offered up to the focus of the Lord. Just because we are not in the act of prayer or worship does not mean that we are not in the act of meditation.

The word “Meditate” means to engage in thought or contemplation; reflect.

We must be careful because when we’re angry, hurt, emotional, envious, sad, rebellious, or gossiping; we are in different levels of contemplation. When subject to these moods our offerings are not pleasing to God.  In fact it renders our true acts of faith to a useless stage.

“Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.” James 1:26

Being careful of what and how we focus on life is important, for what comes from our mouths is life and death.

Lord please help me to keep my mind stayed on you so that the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart will be pleasing in your sight. Amen

“Go out and feed some sheep!”

The Key Of God Ministries: What time is it?

The Key Of God Ministries: What time is it?: "Ecclesiastes 3 Shares all the different seasons that life tends to take us through, what we refer to many times as the highs and lows. We’re ..."

What time is it?

Ecclesiastes 3

Shares all the different seasons that life tends to take us through, what we refer to many times as the highs and lows. We’re trying traverse the uncharted waters at the helm as captain of our ship when the truth is we need to let go of the wheel.

When we let go of the controls and give them over to the Master, life becomes a journey of achievement for we can be certain that our course will lead us through the rough seas to calm shores. Our relationship with God allows us to maintain joy even in sadness for it is His will that we find beauty in all things in their time.

Ecclesiastes 3: 9-13

"What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race.  He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.  I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live.  That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God."

What time is it? Time to trust God and move forward in Him and the seasons that He’s set forth that we may find satisfaction in our toil—for it is His gift.

Be Blessed! And be a blessing—go out and Feed Some Sheep!

Believers Who Are Caught In Unbelief

I remember a whimsical song that said there’s a hole in the bucket dear Liza, and it told the story of a man who wanted to complain about the hole in his bucket but had an excuse for everything related to fixing it.

Kind of the way we are sometimes during our Christian walk. Praying out of need but doubting out of lack of relationship. Believing in God requires that we spend enough time in study and prayer to develop a foundation that will support our belief.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.”  James 5:5-8

 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11: 22-24

It doesn’t matter what the request is because God allows us to petition Him for the desires of our heart, however the qualifier is that the request be void of doubt. Doubt is the hole in the bucket of faith which creates a zone of weakness.

The word teaches us that each of us is given “the measure of faith” which would imply that we’re all give the same level of faith. Why then can we find ourselves questioning the depth of the faith that we possess? I don’t that there is one complete answer to that question but I do however believe that trust has a lot to do with it.

How can develop a deeper level of trust in God? One way would be to spend time reflecting on each day and use that opportunity to reflect on the things that God has done for you. Know that there’s no such thing as luck! Review that accident you almost had, three seconds more and it would have been fatal.

The promotion? God’s favor!

The person you ran into that set the stage to open doors for your business? God!

That friend that can your way to give you an encouraging word when you were feeling out of it? God!

That person who came your way just when you were about to blow up and stick your foot in your mouth, who distracted you long enough for you to calm down? Definitely God!

It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4: 13-18

What’s the best way to fix the hole in your bucket? Trust in the Lord with all your heart!

“Go out and feed some sheep today!”

Unauthorized use

Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?
The seven sons of Sceva paid a dear price for trying to use an anointing which they were not authorized to use, I wonder if some of us who are using the "A little dab a do ya" type Christianity are finding ourselves in the same boat?
What do you think?