Thank God for my enemies!

Our lives can hit a stall because of someone who has hurt or harmed us in our past. The pain we suffer is because we spiritually relive the event and it can cause us to choose and react to the darker side of our being. We tend to hold onto the pain and it gives birth to hatred and/or lack of forgiveness that can block our blessings and place us in a state of rebellion.

Some how it may seem unfair to be the one harmed and considered to be rebellious. But if we are aware of what scripture says and we willfully fail to come in line with it then it is rebellion.

Luke 6:27-28 "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”

Matthew 5:44 “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you”

Depending on your focus, forgiving your enemy can be very difficult, however if we look at the 23^rd psalms, we may find some comfort to this dilemma.

You prepare a table before me
   in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
   my cup overflows.

God prepares us a table in the presence of our enemies, for two reasons, first so that we can know how special we are to Him that He would choose to honor us before our enemies. Secondly so that the enemy might know that God has chosen us as we have chosen Him and there’s a price to pay when you try to destroy the anointing on His people.

“Do not touch My anointed ones,
      And do My prophets no harm.” 

Remember, “Blessed are you when men revile you for my sake”

Ask your self; If it were not for my enemies, would God need to prepare a place at the table for me? Thank God for my enemies.

Tomorrow will look at “Anoint my head with oil.” Don’t forget to check in!

“Go out and feed some sheep today.”

What a Year!

What’s at the top of your list for this New Year? New car? New clothes? New relationship? New job? Or perhaps you’ve said “I’m not making any plans, I’ll just let it happen!”

If you’re like me, your focus is growing and becoming more Kingdom minded. I’m thinking about developing the ministries that God has entrusted to me, so I’m trying to get things in order. As I began to list the things I needed to consider I felt the Holy Spirit say “what about the temple?” My mind began to review the list and I began to say “I’m not ready for that yet,” because I’ve got more work to do on the web site, then there’s the blog site, the twitter site needs more followers, and maybe I need to advertize the face book page, and of course there’s the book and the AM radio station broadcast that have to be setup. Once again I heard, “What about the temple?”

I knew that I was missing something and needed to be still, it was then it became clear to me; “Know ye not that your body is the temple of God?” My temple needs work! More rest, better eating habits, more exercise and care. Fortifying my mind and my spirit will keep me walking in righteousness, but my temple has a weakness for the walls are weak and leave a stronghold for the enemies attack.

I thank God for keeping me through this past year, and as He continues to keep me throughout this New Year I’ll be repairing the walls to the temple. Being kingdom minded means I have to be a good steward of what God has entrusted to me which includes keeping this temple in the best condition possible until it’s time to relocate to my mansion.  

Anybody else need to do a little house keeping?

“Go out and feed some sheep!”

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!”