Luke 22:37-38  (NKJV)

37 For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’[a] For the things concerning Me have an end.”

38 So they said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.”

And He said to them, “It is enough.”

As Jesus faced betrayal He stood in the company of His disciples…His armed disciples. But, not all of them were armed. As the scripture states, there were two swords. He didn’t say get rid of the them, but He also let them know two swords were enough.

Jesus didn’t say, “We need more swords”, and when Peter used one of them to cut off the ear of one of the soldiers confronting them, not only did Jesus rebuke Peter, He also made a Holy and profound statement that also holds true for guns and all weapons (since of course they had no guns then)…

Matthew 26:47-52  (NKJV)

⁴⁷ And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people. ⁴⁸ Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.” ⁴⁹ Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. ⁵⁰ But Jesus said to him, “Friend, why have you come?” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him. ⁵¹ And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. ⁵² But Jesus said to him, “PUT YOUR SWORD IN IT’S PLACE, FOR ALL WHO TAKE THE SWORD WILL PERISH BY THE SWORD”.

Notice verse 52…all who take the sword will perish by it! Jesus warned of the consequence of putting too much faith and confidence in weapons. But, that’s not the only place the bible issues that warning. There’s no conjecture in saying that Jesus was exercising ‘sword control’.

Psalm 44:6  (NKJV)

⁶ For I will not trust in my bow,
Nor shall my sword save me.

Psalm 33:16-18  (NKJV)

¹⁶ No king is saved by the multitude of an army;
A mighty man is not delivered by great strength.
¹⁷ A horse is a vain hope for safety;
Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength.

¹⁸ Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope in His mercy,

2 Corinthians 10:4 (NKJV)

⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,

Ephesians 6:17 (NKJV)

¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

However, Jesus also uses the illustration of a man defending His home in a parable…

Luke 11:21-22 (NKJV)

²¹ When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. ²² But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils.

So here’s the thing. Our Lord permits and expects us to defend ourselves, but He is very clear in the fact that we should never, ever, ever put OUR faith in our weapons.

People love saying that “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.” Well, God addressed that too. He is the creator who created the person who makes the weapons as well as the heart that uses the weapons to kill, so what did He say about that?

Isaiah 54:16-17  (NKJV)

¹⁶ “Behold, I have created the blacksmith
Who blows the coals in the fire,
Who brings forth an instrument for his work;
And I have created the spoiler to destroy.
¹⁷ No weapon formed against you shall prosper,
And every tongue which rises against you in judgment
You shall condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
And their righteousness is from Me,”
Says the Lord.

 I don’t care how big or powerful the weapon, God owns the fight based on what is in the heart of those involved. Who is your ultimate trust in…your God or your weapon.

Okay, for those who claim to be believers and live by the bible, go to 1 Samuel Chapter 17 and read how David, a young shepherd boy kills a trained, well-armed military giant named Goliath with a sling shot.

If you need more biblical evidence, go to 2 Chronicles Chapter 20 and read how Judah didn’t even have to fight even when they were out-numbered and ‘out-gunned’.

2 Chronicles 20:15-23  (NKJV)

¹⁵ And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. ¹⁶ Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel. ¹⁷ You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.”

¹⁸ And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. ¹⁹ Then the Levites of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with voices loud and high.

²⁰ So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.” ²¹ And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying:

“Praise the Lord,
For His mercy endures forever.”^[a]

²² Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated. ²³ For the people of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.

So, even though the bible permits weapons, it is clear that God expects our ultimate trust to be in Him.

Either you believe Him or you don’t.

Either you trust Him or you don’t.

Either you believe His word or you don’t.

Again, Jesus told His disciples two swords were enough. He permit them to have them, but it was clear that He exercised ‘sword control’ as well.

The truth is both sides of the gun control argument have merit. The issues are not mutually exclusive.  One side says, yes civilians should own weapons, but there should be limits to the type. The other side says, guns don’t kill people, so civilians should be able to purchase what they want with few to no limits.

Based on what the bible says, moving your passions and feelings out of the way, and fully putting your faith in God…where do you think Jesus stands?

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Ephesians Chapter 5 is one of the most powerful scriptures that gives the true meaning for good preaching beyond salvation…

Ephesians 4:11-16 (NKJV)

¹¹ And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, ¹² for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, ¹³ till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; ¹⁴ that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, ¹⁵ but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— ¹⁶ from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

In short, good preaching not only saves the soul, but equips God’s people to be mature, productive, in agreement and not easily swayed.

The scripture above defines ‘good preaching’, but unfortunately the opinion of ‘good preaching’ depends on the church culture. And, unfortunately, good preaching to many isn’t defined by the content, but by the delivery.

Yes, a good preacher has to be able to engage the audience and keep their attention, but there is a thin line sometimes between PREACHING and PERFORMANCE.

I’m also a firm believer that charisma helps a preacher be effective in delivery…

BUT,

We must not confuse charisma with anointing. Some people can get up and recite “Mary Had a Little Lamb” with such passion and exuberance that they can have a room full of people shouting…at nothing.

Here are 4 quick ways to tell PREACHING from a PERFORMANCE

SCRIPTURE

Have you ever heard a sermon that didn’t have a scriptural foundation? A text? What was that? It was nothing more than a motivational speech or a pep talk.

Beware of sermons that either have…

No scripture…

Not enough scripture…

Or, twisted scripture…

Remember, a sermon without a strong scriptural foundation is nothing more than a motivational speech or a pep talk…which have their place. But real preaching…

Saves us…

Challenges us…

Corrects us…

Convicts us…

Sometimes upsets us…

Encourages us…

Inspires us…

Teaches us…

It doesn’t JUST make us feel good and entertain us…ALL the time.

CLICHES & CONJECTURE

As I said in a previous post, that a well-placed cliché can enhance a sermon and really help engage the listeners. However, be very careful when you’re listening to a sermon that is…

FULL of clichés…

Full of the popular religious catch phrases of the time…

Full of language that is only intended for emotionalism and not edification.

You have to read the bible for yourself so you can know what’s scripture and what’s a cliché. I once heard someone say, “Like the bible says, give them their flowers while they live”…uhhh, that’s NOT in the bible.

You have to study the word for yourself so you can watch out for putting too much of personal opinion into how the scriptures are interpreted.  To make sure the sermon is not full of conjecture and conclusions based on the preachers opinion rather than inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

DID IT APPEAL TO YOUR FLESH OR YOUR SPIRIT?

 Yes, God wants us to have a good life on this earth. Yes, God wants us to enjoy ourselves according to His will.

But, be careful about sermons that ONLY appeal to ‘the good life here’. Be careful of sermons that only appeal to please your flesh and not strengthen your spirit. Many prosperity preachers have congregations full of weak and ineffective believers because they never hear…

The consequences of sin…

The consequences of bad decisions…

The necessity of self-denial and denial of flesh…

The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross…

LEAVE OUT/ OR MISREPRESENT JESUS

Have you ever sat through an entire message only to not hear the mention of Jesus Christ once? That’s not preaching. In fact, the Apostle Paul warned the Galatians of those who come preaching “another gospel”…

Galatians 1:8-9  (NKJV)

 ⁸ But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. ⁹ As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.

 Again, as sermon that leaves out Jesus Christ is nothing more than a motivational or inspirational speech…not preaching. Sometimes this is meant to entertain, or convey what the preacher wanted to say…rather than what God wanted the people to hear.

Listen carefully at how Jesus is presented. Jesus is the Living Word, the Son of the Living God…He and the Father are One.

Be very careful about those who present Him as a ‘genie in a bottle’ who is on standby waiting to do what you want. Again, those messages are meant to appeal to your flesh.

I AM NOT CONDEMNING CHARISMATIC PREACHERS…

There is nothing wrong with a preacher who can with great energy and charisma deliver a message in a matter that the congregation is entertained as well as edified is fine…but real preaching has substance.

Never confuse charisma with anointing.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

God exists outside of time. He is not bound by it. It is a continuum that He uses to measure our lives and fulfill His will…

However, because He is so gracious, God makes it clear in His word that He is willing to ‘wait on us’…

Isaiah 30:17-18 (NKJV)

¹⁷ One thousand shall flee at the threat of one,
At the threat of five you shall flee,
Till you are left as a pole on top of a mountain
And as a banner on a hill.

¹⁸ Therefore the LORD WILL WAIT, that He may be gracious to you;
And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you.
For the Lord is a God of justice;
Blessed are all those who wait for Him.

2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV)

⁹ The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us,^[a] not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

But, the bible is also clear that we don’t need to take advantage of His patience.
Hebrews 3:15 (NKJV)
¹⁵ while it is said:

The bible is clear that God has an appointed time for all things…

Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NKJV)

A time for every purpose under heaven:

Galatians 4:4 (NKJV)

⁴ But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born^[a] of a woman, born under the law,

John 2:4 (NKJV)

⁴ Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.”

Esther 4:14 (NKJV)

¹⁴ For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

God had an appointed time for everyone He used in His word to fulfill His will and their purpose. God has an ordained time for things to take place, and we must be sensitive to His timing…

He told Noah to build an ark (Genesis 6:12-14).

He told Abraham to leave (Genesis 12:1-2).

He told Joseph to go to Egypt (Matthew 2:13).

He knocked Paul down on the road to Damascus (Acts Chapter 9).

He told Esther through her cousin to appeal for the lives of her people (Esther Chapters 5-10).

He allowed His Son, our Savior, to be sacrificed for our sins…

John 12:23 (NKJV)

²³ But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.

And, it was crucial that everyone who God used be sensitive to God’s timing and obedient because their purpose, their assignment did not ONLY affect them…

The lives of Noah’s family depended on his timely obedience…

Israel’s existence depended on Abraham’s timely obedience.

Israel’s survival depended on Esther’s timely obedience.

Baby Jesus’ life depended on Joseph protecting Him by taking Him to safety in Egypt.

Both the early church and today’s church depended on Paul’s timely.

Our salvation depended on the timely obedience of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus.

WHO BESIDES YOURSELF IS DEPENDING ON YOUR TIMELY OBEDIENCE?

Other people are connected to our mission, our anointing, our blessing, our purpose – our sensitivity to God’s timing and obedience.

THERE’S TOO MUCH AT STAKE FOR GOD TO BE WAITING ON US!

God’s will is going to be accomplished one way or another, even if He has to use someone else to do it. We have many single parents who are holding down the ‘role’ of mother and father because the other parent isn’t. But that’s NOT God’s will. There is always baggage that comes from doing things outside His will and His timing.

God has lives He has assigned you to touch…influence…protect…bless at each and every season and assignment of your life. In your family…on your job…in your community…in your church.

Too many times we are so focused on the tangible blessings, influence, recognition, and even vindication that we think and hope comes with our purpose… OUR TIME…OUR SEASON… that we forget our purpose is HIS purpose (Romans 8:28), and it’s connected to the GOOD FRUIT or others we influence for God…help or bless through our purpose.

When God told us to go forth and multiply physically through the fruit of our lions… could that not have been an allusion for us to multiply spiritually through the fruit of His Spirit.

God has an appointed time for you to begin your purpose. He has an appointed time for you to progress your purpose.

Is God waiting on you to do something? To begin something? To birth something? To take what you’ve already begun to the next level.

Stop making God wait on you.

More lives and souls are at stake than just your own.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Too many people are allowing their focus on…

MAKING BIG DOLLAR$$$$$…

to distract them from being…

THE SMALL ¢¢¢HANGE…

that God created them to be. Don’t allow your pursuit of CASH allow you to abandon, ignore or neglect your CALLING!

1 Timothy 6:10 (NKJV)

¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds ofevil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

We all know there are millions of children born into poverty putting them at an undeniable disadvantage in getting ‘ahead’ in the world. However, there are those who still overcame the ‘curse’ of poverty. I don’t know why some are born rich while others are born into deep poverty. I do know that Jesus affirmed that the poor will always be with us (Matthew 26:11).

Sometimes those born into generational poverty can feel they are, and very well may be living under a curse, but I want to talk about an often overlooked ‘curse’. Those who are…

CURSED WITH EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED

Just as there are those born into generations of poverty, there are also those born into generations of wealth. Wealth that they didn’t have to earn for themselves. This unmerited wealth can be just as much a ‘curse’ as deep  poverty.

Some people call it SPOILED…

It’s when your so-called BLESSINGS have become a BURDEN and stumbling block…spiritually, morally and hindered the development of Godly character.

They are cursed with no real concept of need, lack, or sacrifice.

They are cursed with a mindset of entitlement…that they deserve everything they have and more with no sense of compassion for those with less.

They were denied the opportunities for the disappointments that are designed equip us to deal with the real world.

And here’s the thing, you don’t have to have extravagant wealth to have this CURSED mindset. There are plenty of middle and lower-income people who feel just as entitled because they really haven’t suffered lack in our prosperous society.

Simply because they weren’t told, “NO!”

After all, God tells us “NO!”. He has the wisdom to NOT give us everything just because we ask or it. WHEN GOD USES THE ‘N-WORD’…

We must be careful that we aren’t raising a cursed generation that feels they DESERVE not only everything that they want, but also INSTANT GRATIFICATION. Parents must be careful not to focus ONLY on making sure their children have…

Smart phones and tablets at younger and younger ages…

The latest brand name shoes and clothes…

The latest video games…

Every extracurricular sport and activity as if it were a job…

While neglecting to give them a spirit of contentment, thanksgiving as a strong sense of responsibility.  We must be careful that we don’t neglect their spiritual development while nurturing their carnal development.

This may be what led to the attitude of the young ruler in…

Matthew 19:16-22 (NKJV)

 ¹⁶ Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good  Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” ¹⁷ So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.  But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” ¹⁸ He said to Him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ¹⁹ ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”  ²⁰ The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?” ²¹ Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” ²² But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

Remember, children don’t have to be rich to be ‘cursed with everything they want’…they only need parents that refuse to say, “No!”

And, yes there are various reason that parents don’t say, “No!”

Sometimes they want their children to have what they never had…

Sometimes they’re living vicariously through their children…

Sometime they are using their children as a symbol of their own status…

Whatever the reason. We must be careful that we aren’t raising a ‘cursed’ generation. In fact, some of the children born poor are better equipped to deal with the real world than their spoiled contemporaries.

These spoiled children grow up to lead and cause chaos and dysfunction in…

Families…

Companies…

Churches…

Countries…

So when you see that poor child in need, don’t feel sorry for them…help them if you can.

When you see that person who was clearly ‘cursed with everything they wanted’, send up a sincere prayer for God to give them a humble heart and His Spirit.

And, if you’re blessed with children, make sure you aren’t cursing them with everything they want.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Most of us clean up really well. We put on our public faces. We play the role. Some people go about their daily tasks with such a level of confidence, professionalism and excellence that you would think they are close to faultless.

They are always perfectly groomed…

Their credit score is 800,000,000…

They always know the right thing to say…

Their focus is surgical…

Their anointing is nearly biblical.

They are never shaken by anything.

Do you know someone like that?

Watching these people can make you feel…

Unqualified…

Inadequate…

Ugly…

Weak…

Unproductive…

Unfocused…

Insecure…

Naked.

But God sees ALL of us as we really are.

We all stand NAKED before God.

Even the most fit person has some physical imperfections that they don’t want anyone to see when they’re naked.

God sees us all spiritually NAKED.

Jeremiah 17:10 (NKJV)

10 I, the Lord, search the heart,
I test the mind,
Even to give every man according to his ways,
According to the fruit of his doings

He sees our heart and our motives of WHY we do what we do.

He sees our secret anxieties and insecurities.

He knows when we’re second-guessing ourselves.

He knows those thoughts that make us most ashamed.

He knows our secrets that we hope are never revealed.

He sees us as we REALLY are when we aren’t ‘cleaned up.

He sees us NAKED.

That’s why we should NEVER take the fact that God sent the Living Word as His Son to serve as PROPITIATION for our sins for granted.

1 John 2:2 (NKJV)

2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

Propitiation means that Jesus covered our guilt and our sin. It means that Jesus served as a substitute, appeasing the wrath of God for all of our sins.

God knows on our best day we mess up and stand NAKED before Him.

Stop right now and thank the Lord Jesus Christ for covering your spiritual nakedness.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Even though we may not all be Pastors, every disciple of Christ is a minister. We are all called to serve and represent the glory of God in everything that we do…

Proverbs 3:6  (NKJV)

⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct^[a] your paths.

Colossians 3:17  (NKJV)

¹⁷ And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

There are some things that God expects of every believer. We must remember that even though we aren’t always in church, we are always in worship…

Romans 12:1 (NKJV)

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

 Acknowledging God and honoring Him in everything that we do is a ministry in which we serve Him and worship Him daily. Here are 4 ministries that we all share as believers…

1. MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION

Anyone who loves his or her parent wants to see their siblings be in good relationship with their mother and father. If they have an estranged brother and sister, they will do all they can to convince them to be reconciled to their parent(s). That’s the responsibility that God gives us as disciples of Christ…to convince our brothers and sisters to be reconciled to our Heavenly Father through our Lord and Savior, Yeshua, Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 5:18-20 (NKJV)

¹⁸ Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, ¹⁹ that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. ²⁰ Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.

2. MINISTRY OF FAMILY

Our roles in our families could also be defined as our responsibilities in our families. God has defined our family responsibilities in His word…

Colossians 3:18-21 (NKJV)

¹⁸ Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

¹⁹ Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them.

²⁰ Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord.

²¹ Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.

 1 Timothy 5:8  (NKJV)

⁸ But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

God expects us to not only be led by Him in how we relate to and manage our family relationships, He wants us to define to those who don’t believe how families deal with both the good and bad situations and challenges of life.

3. MINISTRY OF WORK

The word lets us know from the Old Testament to the New, that God expects us to work to sustain our lives and families…

Genesis 3:19  (NKJV)

¹⁹ In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread
Till you return to the ground,
For out of it you were taken;
For dust you are,
And to dust you shall return.”

2 Thessalonians 3:10  (NKJV)

¹⁰ For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.

He goes on to let us know that we our to honor Him as we do our jobs. That we represent His very presence while we are there, and that we are to do our jobs as if we our serving Him…

Colossians 3:22-23 (NKJV)

²² Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. ²³ And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,

Remember that the bible uses the term ‘servants’ interchangeably for both slaves and ‘hired servants’.

God expects us to define to unbelievers His integrity on the job. He expects us to define how to deal with the difficulties of the workday, office politics, unfairness in His Spirit and character without complaining of grumbling. It’s not always easy, but it’s possible…

Matthew 20:1-16  (NKJV)

 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. ² Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. ³ And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, ⁴ and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. ⁵ Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise.⁶ And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle,^[a] and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’ ⁷ They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.’^[b]

⁸ “So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’ ⁹ And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. ¹⁰ But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. ¹¹ And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, ¹² saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’ ¹³ But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? ¹⁴ Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. ¹⁵ Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’¹⁶ So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”

God expects us to recognize when our job or career is coming between us and Him, and to be able to choose which is most important. He expects us to not allow our jobs and responsibilities to our employers to provoke us to sin. DOES YOUR JOB PROVOKE YOU TO SIN?

  4. MINISTRY OF FUN

All lives need balance. God expects us to laugh and have fun. It is our responsibility to set the example of how to have fun.

Ecclesiastes 3:4  (NKJV)

⁴ A time to weep,
    And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
    And a time to dance;

But we have to be very careful of how we entertain ourselves and realize that we are setting the standard…

Ephesians 5:4  (NKJV)

⁴ neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

There’s nothing wrong with music that is not necessarily Gospel, but celebrates life and fun, as long as it’s doesn’t contain ungodly lyrics. There’s nothing wrong with romance as long as it is within God’s will… GODLY MARRIAGE: YOU CAN’T GET ROMANTIC WITH A HYMNAL… Again, we are setting the example to let the world know that you don’t have to give up laughter and fun to be a disciple of Christ.

Remember that when you leave the four walls of your church building, that worship doesn’t end, but the ministry of LIFE begins.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Daniel 12:4 (NKJV)

4 “But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”

The bible says that in the last days there will be a great increase in knowledge.

That same knowledge that gives us the amazing technology we enjoy…

That same knowledge that gives us the wondrous advances in medicine…

That same knowledge that sends humans into space…

Is the same knowledge that is now trying to say there is no God…

Is the same knowledge that says the bible isn’t God’s word…

Is the same knowledge that says Yeshua, Jesus Christ, is not the Son of God…

Is the same knowledge that’s using the bible against itself, saying, “That’s not what it really means when it says…”

God wants intelligent Christians to “contend for the faith” as mentioned in Jude verse 3.

God wants knowledgeable Christians to reason with unbelievers and skeptics to plant good seeds.

God wants smart Christians to reason with people of other religions, so they can come to know the one true and living God.

God wants intelligent Christians to reason with other believers to bring about more unity in the Body of Christ.

We need to be able to talk to people, not just preach to them.

We need to be willing to hear what they have to say.

We need to know some of what they believe to have an intelligent conversation with them.

We need to know God’s word…history…culture…so we can intelligently share what we believe, and why we believe it.

Notice how the Apostle Paul reasoned with the Epicureans and Stoics, Jews and Gentiles with respect. (Acts 17:16-34)

Notice how the Apostle Paul reasoned with unbelievers without putting them down or disparaging what they believed. (Act 17:22-23)

Notice how not everyone, but some returned to hear more of the Gospel. (Acts 17:32)

Yes, God wants us to be anointed.

Yes, God wants us to have faith.

Yes, God wants us to be virtuous…

But He wants us to be knowledgeable too…

2 Peter 1:5-7 (NKJV)

5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,

When the bible says “Study to show yourself approved…”(2 Timothy 2:15) that means study the bible and beyond so we can be INTELLIGENT BELIEVERS.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

If you believe in God, then you have to believe in the devil. We have seen many movies such as The Exorcist that dramatizes demonic possession. I believe that demonic possession is real, and is the explanation for many heinous acts throughout history.

Matthew 12:43-45 (NKJV)

⁴³ “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. ⁴⁴ Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. ⁴⁵ Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So, shall it also be with this wicked generation.”

In the movies, the help of a Catholic priest is usually enlisted to confront and get rid of the evil spirit.

With the reality of demonic possession, I also know there is a difference between mere demonic influence and being possessed by an unclean spirit. I do however believe that God has not reserved the Holy power to rebuke unclean spirits out of individuals for those of one denomination, and quite frankly to those of an office that no longer exists because God only reserved the priesthood for the sons of Aaron, the brother of Moses.

Exodus 28:1-3 (NKJV)

28 “Now take Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister to Me as priest, Aaron and Aaron’s sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. ² And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. ³ So you shall speak to all who are gifted artisans, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments, to consecrate him, that he may minister to Me as priest.

Hebrews 7:11-12 (NKJV)

¹¹ Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? ¹² For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law.

1 Peter 2:9  (NKJV)

2 Chronicles 11:14-16 (NKJV)

¹⁴ For the Levites left their common-lands and their possessions and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them from serving as priests to the Lord. ¹⁵ Then he appointed for himself priests for the high places, for the demons, and the calf idols which he had made. ¹⁶ And after the Levites left,^[a] those from all the tribes of Israel, such as set their heart to seek the Lord God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord God of their fathers.

God has given all of us power over the enemy through the authority of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus and the power of His blood.

2 Corinthians 10:3-6 (NKJV)

³ For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. ⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, ⁵ casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, ⁶ and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

James 4:7 K(KJV)

⁷ Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

The only power that the enemy has is that allowed Him for a season and for a purpose by The LORD God Almighty…

Job 1:9-12  (NKJV)

⁹ So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? ¹⁰ 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. ¹¹ But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!” ¹² And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

Now let me be clear. We are only to confront the devil ONLY through the authority of the powerful name of Jesus, and NEVER on our own. And not just mentioning His name, but while walking in the Spirit and anointing of God…

Acts 19:13-16 (NKJV)

¹³ Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We^[a] exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” ¹⁴ Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. ¹⁵ And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” ¹⁶ Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered^[b] them, and prevailed against them,^[c] so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

Jude 9 (NKJV)

⁹ Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

God has given us the tools to avoid and rebuke demonic influence and possession.

We must be very careful that we don’t make our bodies ‘habitations’ or comfortable places for the enemy to thrive…

Revelation 18:2 (NKJV)

² And he cried mightily^[a] with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!

We must avoid behavior and mindsets that leave our bodies and spirits vulnerable to the devil’s influence…

Galatians 5:16-25 (NKJV)

 ¹⁶ I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. ¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery,^[a] fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, ²¹ envy, murders,^[b] drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. ²⁴ And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 7:1-2 (NKJV)

7 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Ephesians 4:26-27 (NKJV)

²⁶ “Be angry, and do not sin”:^[a] do not let the sun go down on your wrath, ²⁷ nor give place to the devil.

And, we must remember the power that’s available to us through our Lord and Savior…

Matthew 17:17-21  (NKJV)

¹⁷ Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.” ¹⁸ And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour. ¹⁹ Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” ²⁰ So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief;^[a] for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. ²¹ However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”^[b]

Matthew 18:18  (NKJV)

¹⁸ “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

1 John 4:4  (NKJV)

⁴ You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

Power over the enemy is not just reserved for those with a specific office, but with a specific anointing, and level of sanctification. It’s available to all of us through our risen Savior.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

1. Your expression

2. Your mind/thoughts

3. Your perspective

4. Your emotions

5. Your mood

6. Your attitude

7. Your intentions

8. Your desires

9. Your words

10. Your reaction

11. Your response

12. Your direction

Psalm 145:18 (NIV)

18 The Lord is near to all who call on him,
    to all who call on him in truth.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

How do you know when you’re doing what God created you to do? Well here you go in about :30 seconds…

1. It comes naturally to you.

2. You feel alive when doing it.

3. It’s therapeutic to you.

4. It’s rewarding to you, even if it’s in difficult circumstances.

5. It blesses someone else besides you.

6. It brings glory to God.

7. You would do it for free.

1 Peter 4:10-11 (NKJV)

¹⁰ As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. ¹¹ If anyone speaks, let him speakas the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Have you ever had someone get angry or aggravated at you for absolutely no reason? I mean, you haven’t done anything to them.

Or, have anyone ever gotten extremely angry at you for trying to do the right thing. For doing something good? For be a blessing to someone? For speaking the truth?

Why?

Think about the times that those who were being led by the enemy got angry when Jesus came around (Mark3:1-6, Luke 13:1). When He healed people. When He did good. Think of the opposition He encountered. They even sought to kill Jesus and Lazarus because Jesus raised him from the dead and they didn’t want people to believe in Jesus because of that miracle…

John 12:9-10 (ESV)

 ⁹ When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus^[a] was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. ¹⁰ So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well,

Think of the reactions of the demons inside those they were possessing when Jesus came around. They were afraid, they were worried, they were restless, they were uneasy.

Matthew 8:29(NKJV)

²⁹ And suddenly they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”

 Mark 9:20  (NKJV)

²⁰ Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.

Why were they angry, uneasy or afraid.

Because of the presence of Jesus! Demons tremble in the presence of Jesus…at the very mention of His name. The enemy gets upset in the presence of Jesus and those in whom He lives.

So, I encourage you…

Do something to piss the devil off today!

Here are 7 things you can do to please God while upsetting the devil.

1. WALK IN THE SPIRIT

Galatians 5:16-17 (NKJV)

¹⁶ I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

2. GLORIFY GOD  WITH PRAISE

Psalm 22:3 (KJV)

³ But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

3. FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD IN PRAYER

John 14:13-15 (NKJV)

¹³ And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If you ask^[a] anything in My name, I will do it.

4. READ AND STUDY THE WORD OF GOD

Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV)

¹² For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

5. SHARE THE WORD OF GOD

Matthew 28:19-20  (NKJV)

¹⁹ Go therefore^[a] and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.^[b]

6. SHARE THE LOVE OF GOD

 John 13:34-35 (NKJV)

³⁴ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. ³⁵ By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

7. RESIST AND IGNORE THE DEVIL

James 4:7(NKJV)

⁷ Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Think of how aggravating it is when you know someone is intentionally ignoring you when you are trying to get their attention. Ignore the devil when he tries to get yours.

Don’t be surprised, upset, disappointed or discouraged when your good is met with opposition. Let it be confirmation that you are pursuing your purpose and pleasing God.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

.

As I ran an errand today, the person behind the counter was very rude to me. I tried to lighten the mood, but they weren’t having it. I told them I was just trying to make them smile, and they said, “I smile all the time!” ….Uhhhhh, but they weren’t smiling. I don’t know, maybe this person was going through something.

We all have those days…you know, days that we don’t even want to be bothered with ‘encouraging’ words! Right?

Some days you don’t want to hear, “It’s going to get better!”

Some days you don’t want to hear, “It won’t always be like this!”

Some days you don’t want to hear, “This too will pass…”

Some days you don’t want to hear, “It’s gonna be alright!”

Some days, you just don’t want to hear it…even when you believe it…you just aren’t in the mood!

We all get frustrated and aggrevated sometimes…

People will get on our nerves and try our patience…

People will be rude and disrespectful to us…

Sometimes we will have every right to be upset…

Our challenge as Christians is to respond in the SPIRIT OF LOVE. We can’t allow the worst in people, or situations to bring the worst out in us…to leave behind a bad testimony.

As Galatians 6:1 says we are to restore others in the spirit of meekness.

We are to be humble, long-suffering and patient. Yes, there will be times that we are to be assertive, but we are to remain in God’s character and love in that assertiveness.

1 Corinthians 13:4-5 says it best…

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs”.

Even if you don’t want to hear this today, put it in your pocket for later…

We must remember that even in our frustration, we always represent God, and it’s our responsibility to always operate in His love.

BE BLESSTIFIED!!!

Jesus was often criticized for His close association with sinners, and yes, sometimes that can be spiritually dangerous for us…

1 Corinthians 15:33 (NKJV)

³³ Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”

But, notice why the tax collectors and sinners were drawn to Jesus in Luke Chapter 15…

Luke 15  (NKJV)

Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. ² And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.” ³ So He spoke this parable to them, saying:

There were many occasions when Jesus attracted crowds of people for what He could do for them…

John 6:26  (NKJV)

²⁶ Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.

But, in Luke Chapter 15 they were drawn to Jesus to hear Him. The sinners were seeking the word of God. Not food. Not healing. Not things…but the word. Either way, it was God doing the drawing…

John 6:44  (NKJV)

⁴⁴ No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.

This prompted me to ask myself a question. Why are the people who are drawn to me…drawn to me? What is it about me that attracts people? Here’s the real question. Is it what is holy about me, or what is unholy about me?

So I challenge you to examine and ask yourself…

WHAT IS IT ABOUT ME THAT ATTRACTS THOSE WHO ARE DRAWN TO ME? IS IT WHAT IS HOLY, OR UNHOLY?

You can also flip this question and ask ourselves, “Why am I drawn to those to whom I’m drawn?” What is it about them that attracts me? Is it what’s holy or unholy.

Remember this…peoples’ perception of you is their reality. The reasons that people are drawn to you speaks to how and why they value you. It speaks to what value you can add to their lives.

And the value that you are to others, can be the value that you are to God…

John 15:16  (NKJV)

¹⁶ You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

Matthew 5:16 (NKJV)

¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

 Matthew 7:18-20  (NKJV)

¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

 Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV)

¹⁰ For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

It is critical that we continue to refine our walk with God and our usefulness to Him in His Kingdom, especially before we take the Lord’s Supper.

1 Corinthians 11:28 New King James Version (NKJV)

²⁸ But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

We always want to make sure that it’s the God in us that draws people and not the enemy.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

One morning back in 1999 while getting ready to go to church I received a phone call from a young friend of mine from jail…

He said, “Brother Al, I need to talk to you brother! I can’t do this! This is my third time being locked up, and I know that I will be away from my family for a very long time. I really need to talk to you!”

I responded, “Okay, I will stop by to talk to you as soon as I get out of church”.

I had ministered to this brother by phone and letters while he was in prison before. My phone would ring and I’d hear… “You have a call from ____________ at the ____________ Center for Corrections.” I would quickly respond, “Yes”.

He was very sincere, and He told me that he had been brought back to Christ while in prison. Not only that, He felt God had called Him to be a minister.

After being released he, came to church and was given the opportunity to preach his first sermon, “Are You Lame” from Acts Chapter 3. His sermon was very good. He then told me he was anxious to go and witness to the people he used to ‘run with’. Those who were his ‘partners in crime’…both figuratively and literally.

I told him, “I admire your passion to reach back and grab them, but PLEASE don’t do it until you’re strong enough, so you aren’t drawn back in. I then reminded him of the warning in the bible…

Galatians 6:1

 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 

 And also,

1 Corinthians 15:33 (NKJV)

 Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”

He did in fact try to reach back, and unfortunately, he got drawn back in. That’s why he was calling me from jail.

Well, as I said…He asked me to come and talk to him that morning, and I told him that I would as soon as I got out of church.

While I was in church, he hung himself and died.

My church should have been at the jail that morning.

I let him down…

I let God down…

For religion…

For duty…

For tradition…

For ‘a form of Godliness’…

I missed the entire purpose of what church equips us to do. (Ephesians 4:12)

I missed an opportunity to save a life.

This is one of the reasons Jesus said…

Matthew 9:13 (NKJV)

 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’^[a] For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”^[

This is one of the reasons the bible says…

James 2:15-17 (NKJV)

 ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? ¹⁷ Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

This is one of the reasons the bible says…

1 John 3:17 (NKJV)

 ¹⁷ But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

 And most definitely why Jesus said…

Matthew 25: 31-40 (NKJV)

 ³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy^[c] angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. ³² All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. ³³ And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. ³⁴ Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:³⁵ for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; ³⁶ I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? ³⁸ When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? ³⁹ Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ ⁴⁰ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

God told me to move that morning and I ignored Him, because I felt I was doing the right thing. But, had I looked closer at the word of God…I would have quickly gone to the jail.

If you feel God is placing it on your heart to move, to do something, to bless someone, to pray for someone…test it by His word…pray for wisdom, guidance and protection…and do it.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

History didn’t take place in black and white…

It wasn’t experienced in 8mm…

A lifetime wasn’t lived out in a chapter that records it.

The past can’t be contained in a book or scroll…

The past was it’s past’s future.

Those before us days and nights were just as long as ours.

They had hopes and dreams just as we do.

History was influenced by names we will never know, and countless others whose lived and died in anonymity, but were still important to those in their lives.

Today, you’re younger than you will ever be again….enjoy it.

Psalm 118:24 (NKJV)

This is the day the Lord has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.

BEBLESSTIFIED!

If you like flowers…

Or plants…

Or fruit…

Or breathing…

Then you should thank God for BEES.

God uses them to pollinate plants so the plants can reproduce. As you probably already know, God uses plants to produce the oxygen that we need to breathe.

So, God uses BEES to multiply.

To make more plants…to make more fruit…to make more oxygen, so we can live.

God uses bees to fill the earth.

In the beginning one of the first things God told man to do is multiply…

Genesis 1:28(NKJV)

28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

God also told us to bear fruit…

John 15:8 (NKJV)

8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

When we bring others to Christ…

When we make disciples…

We’re bearing fruit for God’s Kingdom.

Fruit isn’t WHAT you obtain, but WHO you obtain.

When we plant the seed of God’s word, we’re pollinating God’s Kingdom.

When we’re doing what God told us to do, we’re BEEING what He created us to BEE.

BEE BLESSTIFIED!

You may not be able to see viruses or bacteria with the naked eye, but when you catch a cold or get sick you acknowledge their existence.

You may not be tech savvy, you may not have a computer or smart phone, and you may renounce the internet, but YOUR information is not only on the internet, but it affects your life daily.

There are many who claim that there is no God. They don’t believe in Him, and they make every effort to provide empirical ‘proof’ He’s not there, but…

Even the atheist acknowledges God’s is real when…

He or she takes shelter from storms, heat or cold.
Jonah 1:4-5 (NKJV)
⁴ But the Lord sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up.
⁵ Then the mariners were afraid; and every man cried out to his god, and threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten the load.^[a] But Jonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship, had lain down, and was fast asleep.

He or she enjoys His creation…
Matthew 5:45 (NKJV)

Romans 1:20 (NKJV)

Our science, our medicine and our knowledge can’t heal us or save our lives…
Luke 8:43 (NKJV)
⁴³ Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any,

But the greatest evidence of God’s existence and His love is His mercy, and giving those who don’t believe in Him time to do so.
2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV)
⁹ The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long suffering toward us,^[a] not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

BE BLESSTIFIED!