In the early to mid 1990’s a little girl bounced, pigtails swinging, into her first day of kindergarten. She insisted on going in alone. As her young parents watched her disappear in the door, both their eyes welled up with tears. This bittersweet day that they, both looked forward to and dreaded had finally come – and it was more bitter than sweet.

You see, this little girl had courageously overcome at least one surgery every year to correct birth defects. The doctors said she would be both blind and brain-damaged to her devastated, but faithful parents at birth. Each year, she would desperately reach back for her parents as staff took her from ‘The Bunny Room’ (where children could choose a toy before surgery) off to the operating room. God honored their faith and through the expert staff at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis TN., she was neither blind nor brain damaged – God worked a miracle in her life.

Her mind was sharp, and God blessed her with sight in one eye and a prosthesis that fit perfectly over the other eye that both looked and moved perfectly.

However, as beautiful as she was, there were still some minor, subtle features that made her feel uncomfortable…and we all know how cruel children can be in school.

This little girl walked in with the excitement and hope of all children to have the friends and normal school experience that all children deserve…and yes she did make good friends. But, there are always those children and some adults who love to amuse themselves and affirm themselves at the expense of others.

This sweet little girl was BULLIED.

This sweet little girl would have her expectations of a happy school year ripped from under her EACH year by a few other children who felt she didn’t deserve to be happy at school.

They weren’t there at the ‘Bunny Room’ before surgery…

They weren’t there for the pain as the scars healed…

They weren’t there as she looked in the mirror desperately wanting to just feel normal…

They weren’t there when she begged morning after morning to stay home from school…

They weren’t there when she looked her parents though tears asking “why don’t they like me?”

This constant emotional, physical and psychological abuse slowly chipped away at her self-esteem as her parents did everything they could to help their sweet child. There are few things worse than sending your child to a hostile environment…with little to no power to change it.

Sometimes as she put her head in her hands to escape to herself for a few moments, children would still poke her in the back of the head. WHAT IF, in a temporary moment of rage she raised her head and blindly lashed out with a pencil striking one of the bullies in the temple with a pencil…who would be made to look the villain in this situation.

She wasn’t the villain, and didn’t ask to be the victim.

As much as violence has no place in our schools, we must ask ourselves WHY when some students lash out.

When I watch some tragic news stories, I sometimes wonder what led to that point. It isn’t always violent video games and music that lead to such behavior…they sometimes provide the fuel for emotions that have been created through bullying.

Yes, some people come out on top after years of bullying, but everyone isn’t blessed with the same coping mechanisms…some just can’t handle it.

This young lady made it through school allowing herself to continue being hurt, without hurting someone else…but if she had, the last thing she deserved was to be portrayed as a villain and possibly imprisoned because she couldn’t take it any more.

I am in no way defending those children who violently attack their fellow students and teachers, but we must be honest enough with ourselves to realize that SOMETIMES…there is more to the story.

Unfortunately, bullying doesn’t stop in school. Adults do the same thing once they begin working. There are bullies in our offices, stores, factories…anywhere people can work. One of my greatest disappointments in ‘growing up’ in realizing how many of us don’t.

When someone is born with challenges that most of us don’t have to endure, let us not allow bullies to ruin their lives. Too many time our culture not only allows, but sometimes supports this behavior. Let us be sensitive to them, Let us embrace them, nurture them…they deserve to enjoy life as everyone else.

This young lady turned out to be a beautiful person both inside and out – to God be the Glory!

Just as the man born blind in John Chapter 9, many times God has special purpose to get glory out of their lives. Their lives are meant for PURPOSE and not PAIN.

John 9:1-3 (NKJV)

Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.

BE BLESSTIFIED

Listening to the news I was again amazed at a gentleman who says he’s a Christian who was proclaiming how passionate he is about keeping his OATH to defend the constitution.

I have absolutely no problem with defending the constitution…it’s our duty.

I do however have a problem with TAKING AN OATH rather than ‘affirming’ to do so.

Why?

Because Yeshua, The Messiah, (Jesus Christ) implicitly, unmistakably and irrevocably FORBADE it…

Matthew 5:33-37 (NKJV)

³³ “Again you have heard that it was said to those of ^[a]old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ ³⁴ But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; ³⁵ nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. ³⁶ Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. ³⁷ But let ^[b]your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

James 5:12 (NKJV)

¹² But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into ^[a]judgment.

It doesn’t get more plain that those two verses.

It’s amazing how some sins such as homosexuality and abortion are politicized, while swearing and taking oaths are not only ignored, but done blatantly in the face of God demanding that He accept it.

Article 2, Section 1, of the U.S. Constitution prescribes the oath of office.

From Senate.gov website:(https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/Oath_Office.htm)…”The Constitution contains an oath of office only for the president. For other officials, including members of Congress, that document specifies only that they “shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation to support this constitution.” In 1789, the First Congress reworked this requirement into a simple fourteen-word oath: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support the Constitution of the United States.””

Many people’s minds immediately go to looking for excuses and reasons to justify a tradition that clearly goes directly against what Jesus commanded, just like the Pharisees…

Mark 7:7-13 (NKJV)

⁷ And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

⁸ For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—^[a]the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”

⁹ He said to them, “All too well you ^[b]reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. ¹⁰ For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ ¹¹ But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban”—’ (that is, a gift to God), ¹² then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, ¹³ making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.”

Quite frankly, this tradition is directly from Satan (“³⁷ But let ^[b]your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.“) however, it continues for generations because, just like the ‘system’ during Jesus’s earthly ministry, the system excuses, justifies and expects it.

Is homosexuality a sin?

Yes.

Is abortion a sin?

Yes.

Is adultery a sin?

Yes.

Is idolatry a sin?

Yes.

Is taking an oath of office, or in court, or into public service as in?

Yes, just as much as those mentioned above.

So, why are Americans content with that? Where is the passion for removing the stain of this sin from our country?

Before you blame the the wrong in America on the two or three big sins you hate…God could be pissed off at the sins you accept, such as oaths and pride.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Most American’s are passionate and protective of their right to free speech…

Or are we?

How many people have willingly signed away their right to free speech because of their job or career.

Companies, school systems, municipalities, government agencies, and even religious organizations don’t want their employees making them ‘look bad’ or liable; so they make one of the conditions of employment a contract that ‘limits’ what they can say publicly if they are to remain employed.

I’m talking about speech that’s respectful and responsible, not reckless.

Ephesians 4:29 (NKJV)

²⁹ Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary ^[a]edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.

Colossians 4:6 (NKJV)

⁶ Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

Are you free to say what you want to say about your company and where they stand on issues?

Are you free to say how you feel about the culture of your organization without fear of retaliation?

Is there something that you want to responsibly express or share about your organization… about your faith… about what’s in your heart, but if you do so you know you could lose your job?

How many people endure toxic cultures, bullying, inequity, unfair policies, abuse of authority, basically from people who are merely ‘working for a living’ just like them because they fear losing their job…career…even their retirement?

Is that freedom of speech?

Restricting our ability to respectfully and responsibly be critical and hold accountable the leadership in our places of employment or our concerns about social or spiritual issues is quite frankly not allowed in many workplaces.

It can’t be equated to shouting ‘FIRE’ in a public place. That protects life. And there is some speech that is not protected by the constitution because it’s a threat to the ‘public good’ however, withholding what’s on our mind about our employers sometimes only protects egos, reputations and the threat of litigation.

Think about this, Americans are more free to say how they feel about their national, state and local leaders… their pastor… their loved ones… than their boss.

Many people even express their criticism to God Himself before the do so to their boss!

We are more free to tell God how we feel without fear of relaliation than the person for whom we work.

Psalm 142:1-2 (NKJV)

I cry out to the Lord with my voice;
With my voice to the Lord I make my supplication.
² I pour out my complaint before Him;
I declare before Him my trouble.

God is more willing to ‘reason with us’ than many of our places of employment.

Isaiah 1:18 (NKJV)

¹⁸ “Come now, and let us reason together,”
Says the Lord,
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool.

Is you freedom of speech that’s protected by the Constitution, surrendered in your contract?

Think about it, but be careful what you say about it at work.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Pure love is supposed to be unconditional and priceless.

It is.

The problem is that none of us have achieved pure love. We haven’t perfected our ability to love.

Too many times we’re putting conditions and ‘price tags’ on the love we have for those who are closest to us. We all do it sometimes. Why? Because none of us have perfected love.

When we judge and measure by things that HAVE A PRICE we’re diminishing love. Never base your love on:

How much $ they spend on you.

Base love on…

How much FORGIVENE$$ they ‘spend’ on you.

How much KINDNE$$ they ‘spend’ on you.

How much GOODNE$$ they ‘spend’ on you.

How much FAITHFULNE$$ they ‘spend’ on you.

How much GENTLENE$$ they ‘spend’ on you.

How much $ELF-CONTROL they ‘spend’ on you.

Base it on how much JOY they give you for just being in your life, even if you have NOTHING.

And remember, when we fall short, it’s not because LOVE isn’t there, it just means our love isn’t perfect.

Only God’s is.

Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV)

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ^23 [a]gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)

⁸ And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”

Let’s pray that God helps us to love one another like He loves us, through peace.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Salvation is a precious free gift of God, that cannot ever be taken away by anyone. This gift provides us with eternal security…

Ephesians 1:13-14  (NKJV)

¹³ In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, ¹⁴ who^[a] is the ^[b]guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

This inheritance is reserved for those of us according to how we manage our walk on this earth.

 1 Peter 1:7-9  (NKJV)

⁷ that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, ⁸ whom having not ^[a]seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, ⁹ receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

Yes, we can never lose the gift of salvation. It is always available as long as we are alive on this earth no matter what we have done.

However, we must not allow the syntax of “once saved always saved” confuse us of its application.

Consider this…

Every day of our lives, God is preparing our spirits for eternity.

He’s conditioning us to freely surrender our free will to His will.

Matthew 16:24-25 (NKJV)

²⁴ Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. ²⁵ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

When our lives are over on this earth, our bodies will return to the dust of the earth, to be replaced with new spiritual bodies.

1 Corinthians 15:51-53  (NKJV)

⁵¹ Behold, I tell you a ^[a]mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— ⁵² in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. ⁵³ For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

Our bodies will be new, but our spirits will not be renewed when Jesus returns, they are being renewed right now.

 2 Corinthians 4:16  (NKJV)

¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.

We have a lifetime of refining our spirits for eternity. It’s our responsibility. He’s encouraging us to remove those things from our spirits that come between our relationship with Him. We are all born with ‘stuff’ that we don’t need. That’s what circumcision represented, the cutting away ‘flesh’ that we don’t need.

Romans 2:29  (NKJV)

²⁹ but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose ^[a]praise is not from men but from God.

2 Corinthians 7:1  (NKJV)

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

God is teaching us to allow our new nature to overcome our old nature.

2 Corinthians 5:17  (NKJV)

¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

God has kicked those who allowed their spirits to be corrupted out of His Kingdom once, but He’s not going to do it again.

Isaiah 14:12  (NKJV)

¹² “How you are fallen from heaven,
O ^[a]Lucifer, son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground,
You who weakened the nations!

Ezekiel 28:16  (NKJV)

¹⁶ “By the abundance of your trading
You became filled with violence within,
And you sinned;
Therefore I cast you as a profane thing
Out of the mountain of God;
And I destroyed you, O covering cherub,
From the midst of the fiery stones.

 Revelation 12:7-9  (NKJV)

⁷ And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, ⁸ but they ^[a]did not prevail, nor was a place found for ^[b]them in heaven any longer. ⁹ So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

If your spirit isn’t worthy, you just won’t get in.

Manage your health, manage your money, manage your relationships, manage your life, but please don’t neglect managing your spirit.

Now is the time to get resist all the filth that corrupts our spirits…

Galatians 5:19-21  (NKJV)

¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: ^[a]adultery, ^[b]fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, ²¹ envy, ^[c]murders, 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.

Your salvation is not a license to do wrong. Remember, the warning of Galatians 5:19-21 is not just for the sinner, but it’s for the church…

This is huge and often overlooked. Galatians, and all of Paul’s letters were addressing the church and all those who are ‘saved’ in the church (as well as both of Peter’s letters). Notice the greetings to each letter…

Galatians 1:1-5 (NKJV)

Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead), ² and all the brethren who are with me,

To the churches of Galatia:

³ Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, ⁴ who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, ⁵ to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

 1 Corinthians 1:1-3 (NKJV)

Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,

² To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are ^[a]sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

³ Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 2 Corinthians 1:1-2 (NKJV)

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

To the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in all Achaia:

² Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:1-2 (NKJV)

Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ,

To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the ^[a]bishops and deacons:

² Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 Colossians 1:1-2 (NKJV)

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

² To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father ^[a]and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 Ephesians 1:1-2  (NKJV)

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God,

To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:

² Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 1 Peter 1:1-2 (NKJV)

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To the ^[a]pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, ² elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ:

Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

 2 Peter 1:1  (NKJV)

Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who have ^[a]obtained like^[b] precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

Notice that the greetings to these letters address ‘the brethern’, the ‘sanctified’, ‘the saints’ ‘the elect’, ‘in sactification’, ‘those who have obtained precious faith’. And, every warning in each of those letters applies to them, not just the unsaved. I encourage you to go back and read through each one thoroughly.

And, remember this, no one can be an apostate to something that they were never a part of…

 2 Thessalonians 2:3 (NKJV)

³ Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of ^[a]sin is revealed, the son of perdition,

 Please never forget the warning that Jesus gave us…

Matthew 7:13-14 (NKJV)

¹³ “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. ^14 [a]Because narrow is the gate and ^[b]difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

So, honestly ask yourself this question, “Is my spirit ready for eternity?”

This may also bless you: WHY MOST PEOPLE WILL GO TO HELL…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Because God loves gay people. God loves everyone.

Don’t get it twisted. This is not just a self-righteous, judgmental platitude…it’s biblical truth.

Why is God anti-gay?

Because God is anti-adultery, but not anti-adulterer.

He’s anti-fornication, but not anti-fornicator.

He’s anti-murder, but not anti-murderer

He’s anti-malice, but not anti-malicious.

He’s anti-hate, but not anti-hater.

He’s anti-lie, but not anti-liar.

He’s anti-foolishness, but not anti-fool.

He’s anti-pride, but not anti-proud person.

He’s anti-greed, but not anti-greedy person.

I think you get the picture. God is anti-sin, but He is not anti-sinner. Even though there are those trying to now establish that homosexuality is not a sin. It still is. Even though many people are trying to say that that’s not what Sodom and Gomorrah was about. It still was (Genesis 19). Even though many people are trying to say that Jesus never addressed homosexuality, He still did (Matthew 19:4-6) FOR THOSE WHO SAY JESUS NEVER ADDRESSED HOMOSEXUALITY…. And even though people are refuting what Paul said about it, it’s still truth (Romans 1:24-27).

But, it’s also true that there are multiple other sins that are equally as wrong as homosexuality (Romans 1:28-32, 2:1-3). GOD HATES MORE THAN HOMOSEXUALITY & ABORTION (DON’T CHERRY PICK SINS)…

Calling out homosexuality, as well as any other sins, is not hate…it’s our responsibility (Ezekiel 33:1-11, Romans 6:23). But, we must always remember…

To do so in love (1 Corinthians 16:14).

To remember that we are all sinners saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8).

We are all born with innate desires that we must overcome with the help of God’s Holy Spirit (Psalm 51:5). JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE’S ‘BORN THAT WAY’ DOESN’T MAKE IT OKAY…

So no matter what your sin may be, God still loves you!

God is anti-sin, but He is never anti-you!

1 Peter 3:9 (NKJV)

⁹ not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

We’re Both Using Scripture, So Whose Right?mi mi

It’s undeniable that sincere, devoted Christians don’t always agree on the interpretation and application of God’s word…the bible.

How many times have you been in a discussion and someone uses scripture to support ‘their’ point and you think to yourself, “Ummm, that’s not what that means.

One of the main reasons that there are so many different groups  or denominations within Christianity is because sincere Christians don’t agree on what was meant by what God said in His inspired word.

“Once Saved Always Saved”

No music instrumental music in worship service

Speaking in Tongues

Proper dress for men or women

Female ministers and pastors

Proper day to worship

Should we celebrate holidays

Tithing

Clean and unclean foods

Should there be priest in church

Is it a sin to drink alcohol

These are just a few of the points in which sincere Christians disagree, unfortunately sometimes to the point of contention. Whether it be huge doctrinal issues or individual disagreements in navigating ‘real life’ situations, too many times Christians are at odds when the word of God clearly said…

1 Corinthians 1:10 (NKJV)

¹⁰ Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

Jesus Christ Himself was continually called a devil because He challenged how the religious elite interpreted and viewed the scriptures.

So, how do you know who is right and who is wrong?  NO ONE!

It’s not about US being right or wrong, but who is in harmony with God’s truth. We must be careful not to fall into the mindset of trying to prove we are right. We didn’t create the world. We didn’t die on the cross. We have no authority to be ‘RIGHT’.

So our goal isn’t to be right, but to be in agreement with God’s truth. We can only have unity in the body of Christ when we adopt this mindset. Here are a few ways to tell who is in harmony with God’s truth.

Those who are willing to…

ACCEPT NO GROUP HAS IT ALL RIGHT

It’s interesting how groups and denomonations are so different, but each thinks they are ‘the closet to the truth’. As we grow in our faith, we realize that God doesn’t change, but our theology evolves and changes. That’s what Jesus did. He challenged their theology. Look at some of Jesus’ statement I Matthew 5…

Matthew 5:17(NKJV)

17 “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill…”

27 “You have heard it said…”

31 “Furthermore it has been said…”

33 Again you have heard it was said to those of old…”

We have to mature and secure enough to realize that we can challenge our theology, grow and change our thinking without implying that the word or God has changed. Every group, just as the religious leaders in the New Testament has to be willing to accept that they are currently believing and practicing some things that ARE NOT in harmony with God’s truth.

HOLDING ON TRADITION

TRYING TO JUSTIFY WHAT WE WANT TO BELIEVE

One of the most beautiful gifts from God is His gift of forgiveness. When we repent and confess our sins to Him, He will forgive of all our sins, even those we call great.

1 John 1:9  (NKJV)

⁹ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

That’s good news for someone struggling with guilt. But, we must be very careful to not get it twisted. Many people have unintentionally taken Hebrews 8:12 and Micah 7:19 out of context and taught people the wrong thing.

Hebrews 8:12  (NKJV)

¹² For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins ^[a]and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

Micah 7:18-19 (NKJV)

¹⁹ He will again have compassion on us,
And will subdue our iniquities.You will cast all ^[b]our sins
Into the depths of the sea.

Many people have taught and teach that God FORGETS our sins, and that He can no longer remember what we did wrong.

According to Strong’s Concordance, ‘REMEMBER’ here means: (through the idea of fixture in the mind or of mental grasp); to bear in mind, i.e. recollect; by implication, to reward or punish:–be mindful, remember, come (have) in remembrance.

Notice that part of that definition states, “to reward or punish”.

Bearing that in mind, and also knowing that our all-powerful, all-knowing cannot ‘forget’ anything, we can conclude that when God ‘doesn’t remember’ our sins means that He doesn’t bring them back up against to condemn us or hold against us as long as we have truly repented.

God is too powerful to simply, ‘forget’

Think about how many times in the Old Testament God reminded Israel of sins He had forgiven after they had backslidden. For more on this subject, read…YES, EVEN GOD SOMETIMES BROUGHT UP THE PAST AFTER HE FORGAVE…

He reminded them of what they had done. You can’t remind someone of something that you don’t remember.

Also think about the fact that even when we truly forgive one another it doesn’t mean we don’t remember what they did…we just don’t hold it against them anymore. Now, if we don’t forget, are we more powerful than God?

Yes, God casts our sins into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19), but that doesn’t mean He doesn’t remember where He cast them. The beautiful thing is that if we truly repent, He will NEVER let those particular sins ‘rise’ to hold them against us ever again.

I hope this short piece sets someone free of their guilt.

Repentance DOESN’T mean that you’ll never think of your sin anymore.

But, it DOES mean that you won’t linger on those thoughts when they enter your mind.

Repentance DOESN’T meant that you won’t desire the sin anymore…Because the enemy will continue to use any temptation or weakness to provoke you to backslide.

Repentance DOES mean that you WILL NOT PUT YOURSELF to hard testing by tempting yourself from that which you’ve turned away. You won’t intentionally put yourself in the position to do it again.

Repentance DOES mean that you have Godly sorrow and regret of your sin…it DOESN’T mean you don’t remember it.

2 Corinthians 7:9-10 (NKJV)

⁹ Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. ¹⁰ For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

If you’ve totally rejected your sin and you’re doing everything else to avoid it…that’s repentance.

If you don’t want it to be a pleasant memory anymore…that’s repentance.

If you ‘don’t want to want it’ anymore…that’s repentance.

But, just the way that the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness, and though he fled, the bible said he would return at an opportune moment…

Luke 4:13 (NKJV)

¹³ Now when the devil had ended every ^[a]temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.

Jesus was tempted in all points just like us…

Hebrews 4:15 (NKJV)

¹⁵ For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Jesus understands. Yield not to temptation, and…

Through time, it will become less and less of a temptation.

Repentance DOES mean you’ve turned away from the sin, it DOES mean the sin has turned away from you.

As the song says, “Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin. Each victory will help you some other to win”.

God can help you get to the point that is isn’t a temptation anymore.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Psalm 127:2 (NKJV)

² It is vain for you to rise up early,
To sit up late,
To eat the bread of sorrows;
For so He gives His beloved sleep.

Are you tired? You went to bed. You had time away from work, but you’re still tired? Is your mind always racing? Are you either trying to get ahead? Stay ahead? Or, catch up? Maybe you’re just trying to hold it together.

So many of us our so busy. So many of us are either worried, stressed or obsessed.

Then what do we say when someone transitions from this life…”Rest in Peace!”

I want to encourage you today to learn to rest in peace BEFORE you die!

One of the enemy’s greatest manipulations is to keep us spiritually weak because we don’t rest. He wants us too tired to read and study God’s word. He wants us too tired to take the time to pray before we eat our food, before we go to bed at night. He wants us too tired to go to worship.

How many times have you said, “I’m not going to church today…I’m too tired!”

Rest is so important to God that He commanded we rest one day every week (Exodus 20:10). He told us to do no work! But, I’ve noticed that in some church cultures people will go to morning worship, then they will leave and go to another church and worship having what’s called ‘afternoon services’ or ‘special days’….Men’s Day, Women’s Day etc.  Then some will even have another service in the evening.

Just as much as it is God’s will that we don’t forsake the assembling of ourselves together and that we worship regularly, it’s not His will for us to spend all day in church to the point that we don’t rest at all. That is establishing our own righteousness (Romans 10:3).

I have to admit when it comes to not getting enough rest. I’m guilty. I’m guilty of sometimes letting life’s problems weigh too heavy on my mind. I’m guilty of not stopping to just do nothing and rest my mind, body and spirit

I encourage you to learn to rest in peace before you die. Learn to rest your body. Learn to rest your mind. Learn to rest you spirit. Learn to refresh yourself in God’s word and prayer. Learn to say NO. Learn to say I can’t do that. Learn to say I need some time to myself. Think of how Jesus would withdraw to Himself (Luke 5:16).

The Lord has promised to help us with our ‘rest problem…’

Matthew 11:28New King James Version (NKJV)

²⁸ Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Learn to get yourself some rest because if you don’t…you’re being disobedient.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Many people have a distorted perspective of strength and leadership. Unfortunately, some equate being hard, unyielding, and difficult to strong leadership and assertiveness. In fact, many of the attributes that define God’s spirit and character are considered by many to be weakness…

Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV)

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ^23 [a]gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

James 3:17 (NKJV)

¹⁷ But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

Oftentimes, leaders will pride themselves on being ‘NO-NONSENSE’ making assertions such as…

“People know better than to come to me with foolishness!”

“I can’t stand and will not tolerate incompetence!”

“Your emergency isn’t my problem!”

Many even brag that, “My people don’t like me!”

The truth is that every NO-NONSENSE leader is sometimes guilty of NONSENSE themselves.

They too need compassion.

They too need grace.

An unapproachable leader limits his or her ability to lead if people are afraid to come to them with mistakes or problems trying to avoid ‘their wrath’.

Limits are placed on leadership when people are afraid to tell the truth.

When people are afraid to come to you with their mistakes, they hide problems and even protect themselves with lies…setting up a ‘time bomb’ that will definitely explode in the future.

An unapproachable leader is the main ingredient in the recipe for a toxic culture, denying himself or herself of vital information because people don’t feel comfortable being honest about what they’ve done or how they feel.

Real servant leadership isn’t about daily feeding one’s ego and reputation, but making those whom you serve feel comfortable enough to come to you with their NONSENSE.

From president to principle to pastor to parent…it makes no sense to be no-nonsense.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

There are countless people who have used drugs, alcohol and other forms of personal abuse to help them cope and ‘escape’ from the severe storms of life. And, we find ourselves often celebrating those who have climbed out of the abyss of personal abuse successfully…as we should. Doing so is a great accomplishment.

Disappointment…

Depression…

Betrayal…

Loneliness…

Chronic Pain…

Abuse…

There are countless factors that have led people to turn to drugs and alcohol to both confront and avoid the demons that are attacking them emotionally, spiritually, and physically.

This piece is not meant to belittle or diminish those who have conquered their drug and alcohol demons, but to ALSO celebrate those who have gone through life’s darkest days without turning to drugs or alcohol.

Do you know anyone like that? Has it been you? Is that you now?

Rather than turning to drugs or alcohol, many have turned to the therapy of…

Good memories…

Good music…

Creativity…

Family…

Friends…

And of course their faith in God through Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ).

It’s easy to say, “Just give it to God”, but how do you do that?

1 Peter 5:7 (NKJV)

⁷ Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Part of growing in relationship with God is learning to…

1. First tell Him, “I can’t handle this alone, please help me!”

2. Pray for the strength to carry the emotional, physical and spiritual load that God has assigned to you.

3. Realize that you may never truly have ‘closure’. Accept that you will have to deal with the physical and emotional pain for the rest of your life.

4. Accept that some thoughts will never stop making you feel horrible, even decades in the future.

5. And most of all realize that your real battle isn’t physical. It’s bigger than the disappointments, depression, betrayal, loneliness, abuse, and sometimes chronic pain. Those demons aren’t just figurative, but literal…

Ephesians 6:12 (NKJV)

¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of ^[a]the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

2 Corinthians 10:4 (NKJV)

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

Sometimes we find ourselves trying to have closure… trying to get past ‘it’… trying to erase the memories and pain…

When we should be asking God for the strength to deal with those dark moments.

Is it easy? No!

Has everyone mastered it? Of course not. Even many of the ‘spiritually mature’ haven’t.

But, to those who have decided that they would not succumb to the temptation of drugs, alcohol, promiscuity, or other forms of personal abuse to deal with their personal ‘hell’…

You lay awake at night…

You cried tears that no one saw…

You went to work…

You cooked dinner…

You smiled through your pain…

You ignored phone calls…

You put one foot in front of the other…

You prayed…

You studied His word…

You cried out to Him…

You trusted Him more than yourself…

You discovered what, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” really means.

If that’s you…

WE CELEBRATE YOU!

Please share this with someone you know who has overcome their dark days without turning to darkness.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).

 We have all done some things of which we are ashamed…at least I hope so.

Why?

Because our shame is what leads to godly sorrow…which leads to true repentance…

2 Corinthians 7:10 (NKJV)

 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

 Remember that repentance isn’t simply just asking God for forgiveness, but a made up, resolute mind to completely turn from the sin that we’ve committed or have been practicing. Repentance according to Strong’s Concordance literally means “a change of mind”. All sin, no matter how spontaneous, begins with a thought.

Repentance is a legal U-Turn in your mind…

God wants us to REPENT and not REPEAT!

So, it’s good when we have regret of what we did. In fact, we should make the most of our regrets to be better people. Find out more about this in my article, “How to Make the Most of Your Regrets”.

But, what about when we don’t have regrets? What about those things that we’re glad we did?

It may have given us pleasure…

We may have felt vindicated…

We may have ‘gotten even’ with someone…

It might have given us glory…

We may have gained wealth and prominence…

Whatever the reason…you know in your heart that it was WRONG, but you’re still GLAD (sometimes even proud) you did it.

I remember when I was a teenager, I used to have older men come to me and brag about how they used to ‘run the women’ when they were younger…but not in a shameful, “Don’t make the same mistakes I made” type of way. No, they were bragging. They were trying to impress me. It was clear they were still proud of if. Well, if they’ve asked God to forgive them…the sin is still there.

God only forgives us when we repent. Yes, we’ve all gone back and done some things that we had not only asked forgiveness for, but also promised God that we would not do again. He knew when we said it.

But, God knows the difference in a changed mind that really worked hard, and sometimes even struggled not to go back…And, when someone is actually proud of what they did.

God knows when we unexpectedly end up in tempting situations…And, when we actually position ourselves to commit the same sin again.

Think for a moment. Is there a sin in which God hasn’t forgiven you?

If you’re still glad that you did it…

If you know in your heart that you would do it again…

If you think back on it fondly…

If you sometimes brag about it…

If you have no shame…

Then it’s a good chance that you haven’t repented, and if not…that sin is still there.

Think of how you feel when someone has hurt you, and even though they say they’re “sorry”…they continue to do it over and over, or they don’t show any remorse.

That’s evidence that we’re made in God’s image, the fact that we can hurt just as He hurts when done wrong.

You see…we’re like our Father in heaven…

We want people to REPENT and not REPEAT too.

Examine yourself today. If there is sin in your life that you don’t regret. Pray for a repentant heart. Make an effort to have a total change of mind about that sin.

If you don’t regret it because it gave you pleasure…think of how that pleasure hurt God.

If you don’t regret it because you felt vindicated for got even…forgive.

If you don’t regret it because it gave you glory…think of the fact that you were sharing that glory with the devil and not God.

If you don’t regret it because you gained wealth or prominence…use your resources and influence to give glory to God.

Be ashamed enough of what you did that it hurts you to think of yourself doing it again…

Make a legal U-Turn in your mind.

REPENT and don’t REPEAT

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Have you ever heard a father brag about paying the bills? Putting food on the table? He may even say, “I deserve to run around with the fellas or hang our because he’s holding it down for his family. Have you ever heard a mother brag about taking care of her family? About being at home for her children? Have you heard a father or mother brag about not ‘running the streets’, about dealing with the difficulties of life without turning to drugs or alcohol?

How about this one? ” I’m faithful to my spouse!”

Have you ever heard a child brag about doing their homework and staying out of trouble?

 Have you every heard a Christian brag about regularly attending church, being faithful in giving or studying their bible?

 This is all good, but it is absolutely nothing to brag about.

 Why?

 Because they are all doing what they are supposed to do. They are all doing what’s expected of them.

What’s unfortunate that we live in a society where so many people are not doing what they supposed to do, that those who are may seem beyond the norm, or even special…feel they deserve a pat on the back.

One of my favorite movie scenes is in the movie, “Guess Whose Coming To Dinner” when Roy Glenn’s character who played Sidney Poitier’s character’s father was lecturing his adult son about how hard he worked to make sure he had everything he needed, as he objected to his son dating a white woman. He told him this as if his son owed him something for providing for him. Sidney Poitier’s character quickly rebuked his father for making him feel obligated for doing what he was supposed to do. He then lovingly acknowledged his love and respect for him.

 In an age absent and distracted parents and rebellious children, those doing their duty can begin to feel special…when they actually aren’t.

 Notice what Jesus had to say about simply doing our duty…

 Luke 17:7-10 (NKJV)

7 And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’? 8 But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’? 9 Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not.[a] 10 So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’”

 Be thankful if God has blessed you with a mind and the discipline to hold down your role as father, mother, son, daughter, employee, citizen, disciple, Pastor as expected. Yes, we all make mistakes, but you haven’t gotten ‘caught up’ or distracted to the level of some others…but we should never think we deserve a pat on the back, are ‘special’,  or ‘owed something’ for doing our duty as God expects.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Years ago I used to do nursing home ministry. I would visit two nursing homes, once each month. As I walked down through the halls I would see the same faces. There were some residents who had regular visits from family and friends, but unfortunately, there too many who never got a visitor…ever.

There were also varying levels of mental health. One lady in particular at one of the nursing homes would say the same thing during every visit. She would sit in her wheelchair in the entrance to her room as I walked by…smile and say, “I’m going home today”. No, she wasn’t going home. She was one of the residents who never had visitors, and her family had moved on with their lives. At first I felt sorry for her because her situation seemed so hopeless…but then God gave me an awesome revelation.

In her hopeless situation…her dementia was a blessing!

Blessing? How was her dementia a blessing?

In reality, she woke up every morning WITHOUT hope of going home.

But through her dementia, she woke up every morning WITH hope of going home.

God gave her a reason to smile EVERY DAY.

God gave her something to look forward to EVERY DAY.

God gave her HOPE in a HOPELESS situation.

She spent her last days with HOPE.

What many may think of as a CURSE, was actually a BLESSING to her.

God’s wisdom is amazing!

He can can pull HOPE out of HOPEless…

FORTUNE our of unFORTUNALTE…

Stop and give God praise for His unfathomable wisdom. Paul was right in Romans 11…

Romans 11: 33-36

33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! 34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord?

Or who has become His counselor?”

35 “Or who has first given to Him

And it shall be repaid to him?”

36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

No matter how many problems you have. No matter how many issues you’re struggling with. No matter how little money, influence or resources you may have. God has still given you the solution to someone else’s problem.

Even if your meal is free, God has equipped you to bring something of value to the table.

It may not have a dollar $ign…

Encouragement…

Inspiration

Entertainment

Education

Strength

Support

A shoulder…

An ear…

A voice…

To the friendship…

To the marriage.

To the team.

To the organization.

To your church.

To a stranger.

Even if you’re broke, you can be the key to someone’s breakthrough.

Not only no matter your situation, but BECAUSE of your situation, God is strategically positioning you with the people and places where you can be a blessing.

Remember this…

James 2:5(NKJV)

5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

Now…Get out there and bless somebody today!

BE BLESSTIFIED!

People are constantly looking for answers to crime. I hear cries for police and politicians to find solutions. The truth is that police and politicians can’t stop crime.

Politicians and leaders can ONLY MAKE laws.

Police can ONLY ENFORCE the law.

But neither can make anyone obey the law. Neither can instill the character, integrity, self-control, discipline, respect for the lives, property and opinions of others necessary to reduce or cure crime. Even God Himself watched His people struggle with trying to live up to the standards of the Law, but the Law’s purpose is define right and wrong, to give us boundaries and God’s standards. God Himself gives us the responsibility and power to ‘do the right things’. God has a cure for crime, and it’s really simple…
1. Submit to His will
2. Let His love rule in your heart (let love be the filter for your decisions)
3. Walk in His Spirit
4. Learn to Control Our Emotions

(1) God’s will always puts what’s best for us first, so submitting to His compels us to always do what’s best for one another…

Philippians 2:3 tells us to…

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit and to esteem others better than himself. It’s God’s will that we put others first.

(2) When we allow love to be the filter through which every decision is made, we will not do anything to harm our neighbors…

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 eloquently describes the behavior and character of love…

4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;[a] 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

(3) When we walk in the Spirit, it makes it more difficult to follow through on the urges of our flesh that can lead to crime, as Galatians 5:16 makes very clear…

Galatians 5:16  (ESV)

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

(4) I feel that EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE is the most powerful tool God has given us to cure crime. Psychology Today defines Emotional Intelligence as the ability to identify and manage your own emotions and the emotions of others. This is behavioral science that is in perfect harmony with scripture…

Colossians 3:5-7 (NKJV)

5 Therefore PUT TO DEATH your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. 8 But now YOU YOURSELVES ARE TO PUT OFF all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth

1 Peter 2:1 (NKJV)

So PUT AWAY all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.

Ephesians 4:31 (NKJV)

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander BE PUT AWAY from you, along with all malice.

Hebrews 12:1 (NKJV)

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, LET US LAY ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

God commands that WE OURSELVES lay aside, put away, put off, and put to death those things that cause us to stumble.

Most crime comes from a failure to control emotions…

Anger

Lust

Jealousy

Depression

Boredom

Greed

Even apathy leads to sins of omission. Stop and think of various crimes and how they can be linked back to an emotion. We must facilitate cultures of emotional control for crime to reduce. Police can’t do it, Politicians can’t do it, Marches can’t do it…only submitting to God will solve our crime problem. Laws makes our MINDS aware of ‘right and wrong’, but change comes from the HEART.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Them: When’s your birthday?

Me: September 26th.

Them: So you’re a Libra!

Me: Nope.

Have you ever heard anyone make this statement, or have made it yourself?

“You won’t go to Hell for doing it.”

Too many Christians feel as though as long as they are paying their tithes and going to church regularly that, ‘they’re good’.

Sometimes times there will be an issue or behavior that is questionable or vague, or maybe not even addressed directly in the bible. Many times there will be an issue or behavior that we really enjoy, but there is reason to believe it might be displeasing to God. Then there are issues that are addressed, but many people either don’t make the connection, or don’t care about how those issues relate to us today.

There are many Christians who don’t only define themselves as children of God, they also define themselves by ‘their’ zodiac sign.

How does God feel about someone asking, “What’s your sign?”

Zephaniah 1:5-6 (NKJV)

5.“Those who worship the host of heaven on the housetops; Those who worship and swear oaths by the LORD, But also swear by Milcom (or Molech) 6.Those who have turned back from following the LORD, And have not sought the LORD, nor inquired of Him.

“I’m a Gemini so you better watch our for me….”

“I’m a Pisces so you can trust me…”

You get the picture?

Most of us know that it became very popular in the latter part of the 20^th Century to refer to zodiac signs to determine if two people were compatible in relationships.

Some people will even check out their daily horoscope for guidance for the day. How many Christians have you seen post the daily horoscope on their timeline?

Have you ever taken the time to research the origin of zodiac signs. Think about this…zodiac signs are treated as proper nouns.

Check this out…

Deuteronomy 4:19 (NKJV)

And take heed, lest you lift up your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the LORD your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage.

Remember, worship is beyond ‘going to church’. Think about Romans 12:1…

Romans 12:1 (NIV)

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Our worship extends into how we live our lives on a daily basis. God expects us to get our guidance from Him and Him alone. He has given us His Holy Spirit to lead us, guide us, convict us, to help us make the right decisions.

Isaiah 47:13 (NKJV)

13 You are wearied in the multitude of your counsels;
Let now the astrologers, the stargazers,
And the monthly prognosticators
Stand up and save you
From what shall come upon you.

One of the beautiful things about the Old Testament is that it gave us extreme examples of what behavior God loves and what behavior He hates. Even though Jesus fulfilled the law, we can gain great insight looking at the behavior of ancient Israel and how God reacted to it.

Think about this. When Moses was given the task of going into Egypt to free the children of Israel, God told Moses to tell them, “I AM has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:14). I AM is God’s name. It’s who He is. It’s His essence. It’s what He does. And so are you. Be very careful what you say behind your, “I am”. Check this out…BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SAY BEHIND YOUR, “I AM…”

“I am a Virgo.” “I am a Libra.” Do you feel comfortable defining yourself as something God has forbidden?

Do you feel comfortable getting guidance from something God has forbidden?

Do you feel comfortable choosing a mate based on something God has forbidden?

Do you feel comfortable basing your personality on something God has forbidden?

Or, do you enjoy it so much that right now you are reasoning within yourself how I’m wrong and looking for verses or justification to keep doing it. That may be a ‘sign’ that you are too connected to it.

Well if God forbids it, why do the personality traits seem so on point sometimes? We all know that the enemy disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14).

But, here’s the number one reason I think that people of God should ignore the horoscope…

BECAUSE IT HURTS GOD!

Even if He won’t send you to Hell for it. Even if you think it’s harmless. If God said don’t do it, that means it hurts Him. When you love someone, there’s some things you don’t do not because you think they will leave you, but because you know it hurts them.

Have you ever noticed that before God got angry, He was always hurt first? Have you noticed how God sometimes pleaded with and appealed to Israel like a hurt lover?

Micah 6 1:3 (NKJV)

“Oh My people, what have I done to you? And how have I wearied you? Testify against Me.”

The #1 reason we should ignore the horoscope is because it hurts the God of our Salvation.

Please think about this before you ask someone, “What is your sign?”

BE BLESSTIFIED!

The crisis and calamities going on globally today are of a biblical proportion. As many people struggle to understand why, I ask you to consider this…

When and where did it become acceptable for those who believe in God through Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) to have pride?

God has made it very clear that pride is one of the deadliest sins… That He hates it…and that He resists it!

Proverbs 6:16-19  (NKJV)

¹⁶ These six things the Lord hates,
Yes, seven are an abomination to ^[a]Him:
¹⁷ A^[b] proud look,
A lying tongue,
Hands that shed innocent blood,
¹⁸ A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that are swift in running to evil,
¹⁹ A false witness who speaks lies,
And one who sows discord among brethren.

James 4:6  (NKJV)

⁶ But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:

“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”

God resists THE PROUD and He resists THAT OF WHICH WE ARE PROUD OF!

God has not given us permission to be proud of ANYTHING!

Race,

Nation,

Accomplishments,

History,

Heritage,

Children,

Family,

Education,

Any monument,

Any statue,

Any flag,

ANYTHING!

From pride comes arrogance, hatred, racism, exclusion, supremacy, and the idolatry self-worship or worshipping the institutions we have established.

God does not allow us to be proud to be Black, White, Latino, American, European, or African. He doesn’t give us permission to be proud of any institution that we have established.

Pride is the source of many of the problems in our society today. You do know it’s the devil that’s convinced us this is okay…right?

The problems we are TOO PROUD and NOT THANKFUL enough. Think about it, God has commanded that we be thankful and not proud…

1 Thessalonians 5:18  (NKJV)

¹⁸ in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Anytime we use the word ‘PRIDE’ or ‘PROUD’, the word ‘THANKFU’L is always more appropriate! Try it!

“I’m proud of my race”…. “I’m thankful for my race.”

“I’m proud of my country”…”I’m thankful for my country.”

“I’m proud of my accomplishments… “I’m thankful for my accomplishments.”

“I’m proud of my heritage… “I’m thankful for my heritage.”

“I’m proud of my children,,,”I’m thankful for my children.”

Once we claim we are proud, we’ve opened the door for the devil to pervert that pride into idolatry. Remember, you don’t have to bow to a graven image to commit idolatry…that’s why God said that covetousness (greed) is idolatry…

Colossians 3:5  (NKJV)

⁵ Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

Israel was exiled from their land and lost their freedom, not because of the sinners in the land, but because of their own PRIDE, ARROGANCE, COMPROMISE, COMPLA ASSIMILATION, and SPIRITUAL ADULTERY! That’s why God said…

2 Chronicles 7:14  (NKJV)

¹⁴ if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Many Americans are afraid of losing their freedom and pointing their fingers at many causes. Before you blame the potential loss of your freedom on anything…look at your own pride.

If you don’t agree, just look at what God said Himself…

Proverbs 16:18 (NKJV)

¹⁸ Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before ^[a]a fall.

Maybe, just maybe God is tearing down the idols of our hearts (Economy, Sports, Politics, Heritage). The real enemy ‘within’ is the enemy within us.

WHY GOD’S JUDGEMENT CAN’T BE BLAMED ONLY ON UNBELIEVERS & ‘SINNERS’…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

An intangible is something with no physical substance. It can’t be touched or seen…it’s immaterial.

God is intangible…we can’t see Him, but His creation is evidence of His presence…everywhere.

Romans 1:20

20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,

It’s interesting that it’s the intangibles in life that are so valuable, that those things that hold so much value can NEVER…

Be bought, but are yet so valuable…

Be seen, but are most real…

Be held, but fill you up…

Be touched, but touch you…

They’re God’s TANGIBLE INTANGIBLES.

They’re like God..not physical, or material…Just like God, they can’t be seen, but they leave so much evidence of their presence. Think about it…

Love…

Faith…

Joy…

Hope

Peace…

Patience…

Kindness…

Self-control…

I’m sure you can think of more.

They’re nouns that can’t be seen…

They’re verbs that pack so much power…

They’re from God, and He transfers them from His spirit to ours.

It’s a gradual, but sudden transfer as you feel yourself going from…

Unloved to loved…

Faithless to faithful…

Sad to Joyful…

Hopeless to Hopeful…

Chaos to peace…

Impatience to patience…

Mean to Kindness…

Undisciplined to disciplined…

You can’t see it, touch it, smell it, buy it, or sell it…

They change you…

They change your world…

They change the world of everyone around you…

They allow the world to see God in you…

They’re God’s TANGIBLE INTANGIBLES…

AND THEY’RE MORE REAL THAN ANYTHING YOU CAN SEE OR FEEL!

Galatians 5:22 (NKJV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

1 Corinthians 13:13

13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

The bible makes it clear forbids ANY kind of pride. Individual… Family… Racial… National etc.

SO BE CAREFUL!

NO MATTER WHAT YOUR RACE, CULTURE, FAMILY OR ORGANIZATION…

Pride allows confidence to morph into arrogance.

Pride allows what should be thanksgiving, to morph into idolatry… worshiping what you should be thankful for.

Pride will have you celebrating what you should be ashamed of.

BE CAREFUL. PRIDE WILL HAVE YOU THINKING THAT…

Only your causes are NOBLE…

Only your opinions MATTER…

Only your reasoning is VALID…

Only your ancestors are HEROES…

Your research is BETTER…

Your decisions are FINAL…

Your sin is ACCEPTABLE…

THAT YOUR SUBJECTIVE IS OBJECTIVE.

Isaiah 23:9 (NLT)

⁹ The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has done it
to destroy your pride
and bring low all earth’s nobility.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

So many times the bible is explicit, clear and ‘preaches & teaches itself’. We sometimes mess up by twisting and perverting it to fit our desired agendas, beliefs, denominations and personal theologies.

When it comes to sin, many Christians ‘cherry-pick’ through the bible selecting the sins that bother them the most while making excuses for, justifying or totally ignoring those which they have decided aren’t as bad.

There are several sins that anger God just as much as homosexuality that are quite frankly ‘practiced’ by many people who call themselves believers in God through Jesus Christ (Yeshua the Messiah).

The Apostle Paul does an excellent job of after calling out the sin of homosexuality, providing a list of sins that are equal abominations that qualify us all for the wrath of God. That’s why His grace and mercy are so valuable.

Read the verses below from Romans Chapters 1 & 2, and notice the sins that are listed after Paul addresses homosexuality. Think about which of those sins you are personally guilty of.

Notice it’s our attitude about these sins…

Whether or not we commit them…

Condone them…

And, judge those who struggle with sins different than those that we do…

Notice how those attitudes and behaviors are what qualify us as worthy of God’s wrath.

Romans 1:24-2:5 (NKJV)

²⁴ Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, ²⁵ who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

²⁶ For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their ^[a]women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. ²⁷ Likewise also the ^[b]men, leaving the natural use of the ^[c]woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

²⁸ And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; ²⁹ being filled with all unrighteousness, ^[d]sexual immorality, wickedness, ^[e]covetousness, ^[f]maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, ³⁰ backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, ^31 [g]undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, ^[h]unforgiving, unmerciful; ³² who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

God’s Righteous Judgment

2 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. ² But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. ³ And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? ⁴ Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? ⁵ But in accordance with your hardness and your ^[i]impenitent heart you are ^[j]treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,

Did you notice sins such as strife, deceit, backbiting, pride, boasting, disobedient to parents, unloving, unforgiving and unmerciful. Many of those sins are characteristic of many people who claim to be believers.

Pride and boasting have become accepted sins in today’s society, even in the church.

Now is a good time to repent of our ‘sins of choice’ and thank God for His goodness, forbearance, longsuffering, abundant grace, and mercy.

FOR THOSE WHO SAY JESUS NEVER ADDRESSED HOMOSEXUALITY IN THE BIBLE…

HOW PRIDE HAS BECOME THE ACCEPTED ABOMINATION…

7 REASONS THAT PRIDE MAY BE THE DEADLIEST SIN…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

While many Christians are conscious of ‘politicized’ sins and feeding conspiracy theories, there’s 3 sins and conspiracies that have slipped through their radar and been accepted.

Yes, abortion is sin. Yes, homosexuality is sin. Many people who identify as Christians are passionate about rebuking and rejecting these sins, as they should be. However, these aren’t the only abominations in the bible. The fact is that many evangelicals reject some sins while excusing those that either don’t bother them, or that they want to continue committing.

So, if you want liberals to accept that abortion and homosexuality are sins, are you willing to accept…

1. Allowing your children to participate in Halloween is symbolically sacrificing them to idols?

God became very angry at Israel for adopting the customs of the heathen and sacrificing their children to Molech and allowing them to ‘pass through the fire’. Halloween’s roots are undeniably pagan. Either a Google search or scholarly research can easily prove that. The devil knows he can’t get Christians today to ‘sacrifice’ their children literally, so he does it symbolically to spite God. The easiest way for the enemy to allow sin to continue through generations is to make people feel as though their children are missing out on something, and that’s what he does. God made it clear that we are not to ‘learn the way of the heathen’…

Jeremiah 10:2-5 (KJV)

² Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them?

If you want liberals to accept that abortion is wrong, are you willing to accept that Halloween is a pagan practice that should immediately be removed as a National holiday (holy day)?

2. Calling our celebration of our Lord and Savior’s resurrection ‘EASTER’ is blatant blasphemy?

It’s undeniable that the name EASTER has absolutely nothing to do with Jesus Christ, (Yeshua the Messiah). It is derived from the name of a pagan goddess named Eostre, who is the same goddess as Ishtar, and Ashtoreth who God continually rebuked and punished Israel for worshipping. The devil has allowed this worship to continue by defiling the celebration of Yeshua’s death, burial and resurrection. Notice what God told His people before they entered the promised land…

Joshua 23:6-7 (New King James Version)

⁶ Therefore be very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, lest you turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left, ⁷ and lest you go^[a] among these nations, these who remain among you. YOU SHALL NOT MAKE MENTION OF THE NAME of their gods, nor cause anyone to swear by them; you shall not serve them nor bow down to them,

God is very clear here. DO NOT MAKE MENTION. But, the devil has convinced Christians to do exactly that EVERY TIME they refer to a day set aside to celebrate the Lord’s resurrection. Putting any name where God’s name belongs is BLASPHEMY. Look at how angry God was at His people acknowledging idol Gods when they were rebuked for worshipping Tammuz who is directly associated with Ishtar…

Ezekiel 8:14-18 (NKJV)

¹⁴ So He brought me to the door of the north gate of the Lord’s house; and to my dismay, women were sitting there weeping for ^[a]Tammuz.

¹⁵ Then He said to me, “Have you seen this, O son of man? Turn again, you will see greater abominations than these.” ¹⁶ So He brought me into the inner court of the Lord’s house; and there, at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs toward the temple of the Lord and their faces toward the east, and they were worshiping the sun toward the east.

¹⁷ And He said to me, “Have you seen this, O son of man? Is it a trivial thing to the house of Judah to commit the abominations which they commit here? For they have filled the land with violence; then they have returned to provoke Me to anger. Indeed they put the branch to their nose. ¹⁸ Therefore I also will act in fury. My eye will not spare nor will I have pity; and though they cry in My ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them.”

These are the abominations that got His people exiled into Assyria and Babylon. It’s amazing how Americans who are so concerned with losing their freedom ignore the sins that actually made Israel lose their freedom — the Spiritual adultery, not the actual heathens in the land themselves.

If you want ‘sinners’ to accept that abortion and homosexuality is sin, are you willing to accept that calling our Savior’s resurrection celebration ‘Easter’ and continuing the customs of hunting eggs, especially in church is blasphemy and an abomination?

NAMES MATTER: WHY WE SHOULD CELEBRATE JESUS’ RESURRECTION WITHOUT CALLING IT ‘EASTER’…

3. Celebrating our Savior’s birth by erecting a tree in your home is setting up a shrine to an idol in your home?

It is also clear that the origin of Christmas trees is pagan as well. I myself had vacillated about this for years. But, notice what Encyclopedia Britannica says concerning Christmas trees…

“according to the Encyclopædia Britannica, “The use of evergreen trees, wreaths, and garlands to symbolize eternal life was a custom of the ancient Egyptians, Chinese, and Hebrews. Tree worship was common among the pagan Europeans and survived their conversion to Christianity in the Scandinavian customs of decorating the house and barn with evergreens at the New Year to scare away the devil and of setting up a tree for the birds during Christmas time.”

It is clear what God told His people in Jeremiah when referencing how they harvested trees to carve idols…

Jeremiah 10:2-5 (NKJV)

² Thus says the Lord:

“Do not learn the way of the Gentiles;
Do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven,
For the Gentiles are dismayed at them.
³ For the customs of the peoples are ^[a]futile;
For one cuts a tree from the forest,
The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax.
⁴ They decorate it with silver and gold;
They fasten it with nails and hammers
So that it will not topple.
⁵ They are upright, like a palm tree,
And they cannot speak;
They must be carried,
Because they cannot go by themselves.
Do not be afraid of them,
For they cannot do evil,
Nor can they do any good.”

Too many Christians are perfectly comfortable telling their children that Santa Claus is watching them all year. They are comfortable letting their children think that Santa Clause “knows when they are sleeping, and knows when they are awake…knows if they’ve been bad or good.” Only God can do these things! This again is blasphemy. The devil has convinced Christians that it’s harmless, but notice that God states in Ezekiel 8:17 that God doesn’t see anything as trivial…”Is it a trivial thing to the house of Judah to commit the abominations which they commit here?” Again, one of the enemy’s strategies to allow sins to go on for thousands of years is to convince people that their children are missing out on something.

The fact is that if God forbade all of the three practices above, they are symbolically very much like the ‘accursed things’ that Achan coveted from the heathen people of Ai. He took it and hid it bringing the wrath of God on himself and his family. Please go back and read Joshua Chapter 7.

If you find yourself searching for excuses to prove the above statements wrong, if you’re ‘pushing back’, then you’re no different than the ‘sinner’ who supports abortion or homosexuality — they are all equal abominations to God.

Too many people, as the Apostle Paul said, have a zeal or passion for God, but not according to knowledge. And, just like the people of that day, we have gone about to ESTABLISH OUR OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Romans 10:2-4 (NKJV)

² For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. ³ For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. ⁴ For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Too many people politicize the sins that bother them, while excusing those that don’t. They excuse the sins they wish to continue. Many of these sins are the very sins that provoked God to enough anger to send them into exile.

I have heard so many people give the reason for their political choices based on ‘sins’ as ‘the lesser of two evils’. In God’s eyes sin is sin, so there is no lesser of two evils.

WORRIED ABOUT LOSING YOUR FREEDOM? LOOK AT YOUR OWN PRIDE FIRST…

HOW PRIDE HAS BECOME THE ACCEPTED ABOMINATION… 7 REASONS THAT PRIDE MAY BE THE DEADLIEST SIN…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

I like to define science as humans’ attempt to give a physical explanation for spritual things.
Every thing that exists was spoken into existence by God, so everthing is a physical expression and extention of our invisible and spiritual God…

Romans 1: 20 (NKJV)

“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse…”

I’m not against science, we have benefited greatly through scientific and medical discoveries and research. But, rather than disprove God…I feel it proves Him.

Notice the chronology in Genesis 1 is the same as what science claimes…

1st water…

Then the creatures in water…

Then plants and vegetation…

Then the creatures on land…

Then humans.

Physics…

Chemistry…

Biology…

Astronomy…

All Medical Science…

Can explain many things…

BUT,

Science can NEVER explain the invisible attributes of God that define how we are made in His image…

Those NON-PHYSICAL attributes He shares with us…

Those NON-PHYSICAL ELEMENTS that make us ‘look’ like Him.

Think about it…

Love…

Joy…

Peace…

Faith…

Kindness…

Hope…

Consciousness…

Science can NEVER isolate our spirits entering our bodies at the beginning of life…

Or, leaving our bodies at the end of life.

I call them GOD’S TANGIBLE INTANGIBLES…

Those things that your senses can’t exerience…

You can’t see, touch, taste, hear or smell love…

Only your spirit can experience it.

There’s no telescope or microscope that can see it…

No microphone thar can hear it…

No device that can measure it…

No computer that can create it…

Because LOVE IS OF GOD.

Love is even of God in the ungodly.

This proves God’s existence and sovereignty to me more than anything else.

God will never allow science to PROVE everything.

First of all because then man would claim he is God…

But most of all…then there would be no need of faith.

Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV)

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Presented with a dilemma with eternal implications unknown to him, and with Jesus before Him, Pilate asked a poignant question…

John 18:38 (NKJV)

³⁸ Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all.

The TRUTH is absolute independent of how we view it… just like God.

We defile it…

We pervert it…

We skew it towards our own point of view or agenda.

We make the truth subjective.

This is why the key to finding truth when two people are using THE SAME SCRIPTURE to justify their perspective is totally removing how we WANT to view the scripture and seeking to see it as God intended. WE’RE BOTH USING SCRIPTURE SO…HOW TO TELL WHO’S ‘RIGHT’?

For example, Yeshua the Messiah clearly says we should “turn the other cheek” if someone strikes us, and He gave us that example just before He was crucified…

Matthew 5:39 (NKJV)

³⁹ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

Luke 22:63-65 (NLT)

⁶³ The guards in charge of Jesus began mocking and beating him. ⁶⁴ They blindfolded him and said, “Prophesy to us! Who hit you that time?” ⁶⁵ And they hurled all sorts of terrible insults at him.

However, Christians read the truth in the above scripture, and then reason for themselves how it’s okay to strike someone back when it’s not in self defense. They see turning the other cheek as a sign of weakness. If your life isn’t truly in danger, striking someone back is pride.

In our heated social, historical and political climate, people ‘research’… ‘fact check’… read history and filter the absolute facts we find through our subjective perspectives.

In both the Old and New Testaments the bible makes it clear that homosexuality is a sin just the same as fornication and adultery. However, people who want to justify what they want to do, but also claim to be Christian will say, “That’s not what the scripture means.” WHY IT’S STILL A SIN EVEN IF YOU WERE, “BORN THAT WAY”…

Another example…Benedict Arnold led the British army in battle to the very men that he had previously commanded.

That’s a fact.

But, how history views him is subjective. America views him as a traitor, while people from Britain might not think so. Calling him either a traitor or a hero creates a narrative, so he truth is filtered through perspective.

One last example…a zebra is black and white, however subjectivity creates a narrative when say the zebra is ‘black with white stripes’ or ‘white with black stripes’. Science has determined that their skin is black and their stripes are white per the website LIVESCIENCE.COM…https://bit.ly/3xjAqeA.

We make the truth subjective through our perspective.

When people say they’re LIVING THEIR TRUTH, give them this gentle reminder… “The truth doesn’t belong to you.”

John 14:6 (NKJV)

⁶ Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

per·vertverb/pərˈvərt/

1. alter (something) from its original course, meaning, or state to a distortion or corruption of what was first intended.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Most of the good you do will go…

Unnoticed…

Unappreciated…

Unreciprocated…

Undeserved…

And, MISUNDERSTOOD!

Remember, you’ve got to be cool with that.

John 1:11  (NKJV)

¹¹ He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.

1 Corinthians 10:34 (NKJV)

³³ just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Standing in the hot sun or cold winter air with a sign in your hand isn’t easy. The fact is that it can be humiliating begging others for help — it’s hard work! If I learned one thing from my experience doing homeless ministry is that many of the people on the street never thought they wold be there.

Many of those people had careers and families…then life happened. Others are mentally ill. And the fact always remains that it could happen to any of us.

Remember this…

Luke 16:19-21

19 “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. 20 But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, 21 desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table.

The beggar Lazarus – He probably got on people’s nerves just as beggars do today. People probably questioned how he lived and his choices. People probably wondered why his family didn’t help him.  They most likely made excuses and justified ignoring him when Jesus clearly said, Give to them who ask and don’t turn them away… 

Matthew 5:42 (NKJV)

42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

Jesus also told us to give looking for nothing in return…

Luke 6:35New King James Version (NKJV)

35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.

We all run into Lazarus today…at the gas station…on the street…asking you for spare change…the crumbs that fall from your table. What is your reaction? Do you react as the rich man did and turn them ALL away? 

Jesus knows there are scammers and liars. He knows there are those who will use what you give them on things they don’t need. He knows there are  those who will try to take advantage of your kindness. Many people refuse to give money to people who beg because they’re afraid they will use it on alcohol, drugs, cigarettes or will waste it on something wicked. I feel that’s one application of the scripture…”And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold”(Matthew 24:12), because so many people can’t be trusted, the love that many people would ordinarily show has grown cold and withheld. We must therefore not withhold God’s love, but share it with wisdom.

If someone who’s begging is lying, that’s between them and God. God expects us to be obedient, compassionate, wise and plant seeds of His love. Purchase a meal for them. Buy them medicine. Pay for them to have shelter for a night or two, while letting them know that you are sharing the love of God. All it takes is the ‘crumbs that fall from your table’. Sacrifice the cost of a lunch, coffee for a week, sodas…whatever it is that you don’t necessarily need to help someone who begs from you.  I guarantee you won’t give away enough to break your, but you can hold on to enough to do so. Some times God places these people in our paths for a reason…so they can have an encounter with Him through us. So you can ask them if they have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. So we can be the answer to their prayer to God for help. You can be someone’s confirmation that God hasn’t forgotten them. You could plant a seed in someone who witnesses your act of kindness….God always has a purpose for every encounter.

Remember that  God warned us about turning away those who ask of us….be careful when you do because many times, just as in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus…Christians and the church are the RICH MAN.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Years ago, I remember hearing, and reading Richard Pryor say after a trip to Africa, “ I ain’t never gonna call another Black man ni**a”. Now I’m in no way bringing this up to disparage Richard Pryor, but to make a point. He passionately made this statement and changed his behavior. He stopped using the N-WORD, which offends many people, but continued to use profane and vulgar words such as G-D, that offend God.

Colossians 3:8 (NKJV)

⁸ But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.

 Ephesians 4:29 (NKJV)

²⁹ Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers

 Ephesians 5: 3-4 (NKJV)

But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; ⁴ neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks

There are many words that offend us. Some more than others. Which words offend you, in many cases has much to do with who you are.  People CHOOSE to use the words for various reasons.

It’s interesting to me how many Christians are MORE offended by…

• The N-Word
• The Fa-Word
• The Hon-Word
• The Ho-Word
• The B-Word
• The K-Word
• The Sp-Word
• The Ch-Word

…than they are offended by other profane, offensive, vulgar or even blasphemous words that offend God. Some even seem completely comfortable using the GD-WORD.

Jesus made it very clear in Matthew 12..

Matthew 12:36 (NKJV)

³⁶ But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.

The words that we use and that offend us give great insight into what is in our hearts. Yes, some words are offensive racially, but God expects us to put Him even above our race.

 Galatians 3:28 (NKJV)

²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

What’s more important to you? What offends you? Or what offends God?

Let us be careful not to put what offends us above what offends God.

BE BLESSTIFIED!!!