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God is a forgiving God and He is willing to forgive us of all our sins as long as we truly repent and have a forgiving heart towards others.

But, sometimes we can wonder if we will ever recover from the consequences of our bad decisions.

Let me give you a quick reminder that God loves us and He is bigger than or bad decisions.

Any parent who has punished or disciplined their child will look on them in pity and remove the punishment or give them relief from the consequences if It’s in their power to do so.

God does the same thing…

Psalm 30:5 (NKJV)

⁵ For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for life;
Weeping may endure for a night,
But ^[a]joy comes in the morning.

Psalm 103:9-11 (NKJV)

⁹ He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
¹⁰ He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor punished us according to our iniquities.

¹¹ For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;

So if you’re living out the consequences or results of a bad decision and you have truly repented, pray that God deliver you from the consequences.

Pray that God gives you relief and peace. But, make sure you pray that He does so to his glory and for His names sake…

Psalm 25:10-11 (NKJV)

¹⁰ All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth,
To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.
¹¹ For Your name’s sake, O Lord,
Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

Psalm 143:11 (NKJV)

¹¹ Revive me, O Lord, for Your name’s sake!
For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.

Isaiah 48:8-10 (NKJV)

⁸ Surely you did not hear,
Surely you did not know;
Surely from long ago your ear was not opened.
For I knew that you would deal very treacherously,
And were called a transgressor from the womb.

⁹ “For My name’s sake I will ^[a]defer My anger,
And for My praise I will restrain it from you,
So that I do not cut you off.
¹⁰ Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver;
I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

Once I was driving at night and didn’t see a small ditch. I drove right into it! I had to drive IN the ditch for a while until I could find a place to drive OUY of it. Sometimes you have to remain in a ditch until you can find a place to be pulled out our pull yourself out.

Even though you may remain in a ‘ditch’ because of you’re a bad decision, God can pull you out.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

How many times have you said this, “I’m bored!”? How many times have you heard your kids say, “There’s nothing to do!”?

We live in a society with so many opportunities for entertainment and engagement that we can find ourselves in ‘paralysis by analysis’.

We expect our jobs to be entertaining. Our education to be entertaining, and even our worship to be entertaining.

Now, don’t get me a wrong. I’m by no means condemning being entertained. But, we do need to manage our expectations.

People also love ‘being busy’. We value hard work to the point that some people consider you a slacker if you ONLY want to work ‘9 to 5’…no over time. Since when did doing a hard days work and going home at a decent time become lazy?

Well, I’m saying all that to say this…

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The older I get, the more I appreciate moments of having ‘nothing to do’.

What some people call boredom, I call peace.

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I’m encouraging you to enjoy those times and places where there’s nothing going on.

While some people search for active tourist destinations there are others looking for that small, quiet country town with absolutely nothing to do.

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The next time you find yourself thinking or saying, I’m bored…stop, sit back and thank God for a moment free from chaos and a break in responsibility.

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It’s actually an ideal time to spend some quality time with God in His word.

The next time you hear your kid’s complain about being bored, take their smart phone and pull up a bible app for them.

The next time you’re bored, thank God for a moment of peace.

Remember that trouble, confusion and chaos are never boring!

In a world that’s always demanding our attention for something, learn to enjoy the mental and physical vacation of a moment of boredom.

Learn to appreciate and enjoy the blessing of being bored.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

How much are you worth? Can you really quantify your value to…

Your job?

Your family?

Your church?

Your relationships?

Your world?

God has created us and gifted all wonderfully and uniquely. No one else can be as good at being you than you!

Psalm 139:13-14 (NKJV)

¹³ For You formed my inward parts;
You ^[a]covered me in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I will praise You, for ^[b]I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.

It’s our responsibility to recognize, nurture and perfect what God has placed inside of us. And to use it not only to sustain our lives, but to build God’s kingdom and make the world a better place.

Luke 12:48  (NKJV)

⁴⁸ But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.

God has created us all with great value!

So much so, that no one should ever be able to pay us what we’re worth.

How much money do you make? What’s your salary? What’s your hourly wage?

Do you feel that’s ALL your worth?

Do you feel that’s ALL you bring to the table?

We should all be irreplaceable…

Not only in our job descriptions but also in the intangibles. There should be a void any time we leave a workplace, relationship, church etc.

Your energy, positivity, love…your very presence should be missed. You should bring those things that can’t be trained or taught….

Those things that go beyond experience, such as being the person everyone looks to in a crisis.

Even if they can replace YOU, they should never be able to replace WHAT YOU DO!

Anytime you feel you aren’t bringing enough to the table…YOU AREN’T.

We’re placed here to be God’s representatives in every environment and relationship we occupy. God blesses us to bring glory to God through the anointing on our lives, the gifts He’s giving us and the seeds we sow.

And that’s priceless.

Now, are you being underpaid?

BE BLESSTIFIED!

I think we all want to be valued as a person. In our families…In our relationships…In our professional life…In our spiritual life…We all want to be valued.

We make room for what and who brings value to our lives. No one, and I mean no one avoids anyone who brings value to their lives. And, the greatest value is in the intangible things that money can’t buy. I like to call them intangible tangibles. You can’t see them, but they are so real.

But, I’m not going to talk about the typical intagibles that commonly first come to mind…you know love, joy etc. etc.

I’m talking about 3 intangibles that when you possess these abilities, people will always value you. And they all spring from a spiritual gift…exhortation!

Romans 12:6-8 (NKJV)

⁶ Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; ⁷ or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; ⁸ he who EXHORTS, in EXHORTATION; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

A good strong exhortation encourages and strengthens.

People with these attributes can even tend to be ‘used’, but no one uses anyone that they don’t value.

You will always be valued if you can ENCOURAGE, INSPIRE AND ENTERTAIN…

ENCOURAGE…

Everyone needs encouragement. The fact is, that not only do we need encouragement when we are down, but we also need encouragement when we are up. Think of the people in your life who are encouraging to you. Most of the time it’s the same person or people with whom you seek out to share both your good and bad news. It’s the one with whom you want to share your good days, and the one you know you can depend on to help you want to go on during your bad days. Now think of the people who you can depend on to discourage you. Who do you value more in your life?

INSPIRE…

Who inspires you? What inspires you? Who makes you want to be a better person? Who makes you want to pursue your purpose? Who makes you want to accomplish the impossible? Is it a family member? Is it a former teacher?  Is it a great leader? Is it someone that you have seen endure incredible odds? Is it someone who came from what we call ‘nothing’ to achieve greatness? That’s why we love heroes because they inspire us. Inspiration is so powerful that even evil people are inspired by other evil people. When you inspire people, they will want to be around you on their best day and worst day.

ENTERTAIN…

Even though we aren’t all entertained in the same way, everyone loves to be entertained. In this harsh world, we all need temporary breaks from reality to refresh ourselves.  Everyone loves being around someone who entertains them. It may be someone who always has an interesting story. It may be a gifted musician, singer, poet, artist or author. It may be someone who is very engaging to talk to…it may be someone who always makes us laugh and smile. I believe that comedy is an aspect of the gift of exhortation…what’s more encouraging than a good laugh? (Read this…ARE YOU A MINISTER OF LAUGHTER?

Proverbs 17:22 (NKJV)

²² A merry heart does good, like medicine,^[a]
But a broken spirit dries the bones.

Think about how David found favor with Saul because he was a skilled musician…

1 Samuel 16:23 (NKJV)

²³ And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him.

Everyone love being around someone who makes them laugh. Someone who makes them feel better. Nothing lifts one out of despair like a well-timed laugh. If you have the ability to entertain…sing, dance, speak, act, are you athletic…whatever makes the heart feel lighter…whatever helps us escape from reality, you will be valued.

These gifts are to be used to be a blessing to one another and bring glory to the God of our salvation.

So, how has God blessed you to encourage, inspire or entertain? Know your gifts because that’s where others will find your value.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

So many times we are told what we should do, but not told how to do it. It’s easy to teach and preach what the bible says, but it doesn’t do much good if you don’t give people the tools to do it.

One great example is when we’re told to love our enemies. We all know and acknowledge what Jesus teaches us…

Matthew 5:43-48 (NKJV)

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’44 [a]But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your [b]brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the [c]tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

But, we all know that can be easier said than done. Especially what he, she or they wish for and work to your harm. It’s difficult when they try to influence other people against you. God never said it was easy, just possible.

God has really dealt with me concerning this. One of the people who greatly encouraged me to create this blog eventually became a person who not only worked against me, but influenced other people against me.

We also know what God teaches us through the apostle Paul…

Romans 12:14  (NKJV)

¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

Romans 12:17-21  (NKJV)

¹⁷ Repay no one evil for evil. Have^[a] regard for good things in the sight of all men. ¹⁸ If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. ¹⁹ Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,”says the Lord. ²⁰ Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” ²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

I see other people on the news who hate me because of my race, my faith, my beliefs, and these are people I’ve never met.

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In fact, one of the people who greatly encouraged me to create this blog eventually became a person who not only worked against me, but influenced other people against me.

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So, how do you pray for people who hate you? It’s much easier said than done, especially when someone wishes for and works towards your harm, tries to influence others to hate or hurt your, or when someone hurts someone very dear to you.

HERE ARE 7 SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO PRAY FOR YOUR ENEMIES…

1. ASK GOD TO SHOW YOU IF & WHERE YOU’RE WRONG

Before you approach God about anyone you consider an enemy, make sure you first ask God to reveal to you if you are wrong in the issue, matter or paradigm. Even if you are 100 percent right, ask God to forgive you if you have allowed the enemy to harden your heart beyond God’s required love for your enemy. We must first consider ourselves before we begin to ‘judge’ anyone else…

Matthew 7:1-5  (NKJV)

7 “Judge^[a] not, that you be not judged. ² For with what ^[b]judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. ³ And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? ⁴ Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? ⁵ Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

2. PRAY FOR THEIR FAITH IN GOD TO BE ESTABLISHED & INCREASE

We must always remember that God doesn’t love our enemies any less than He loves us. They were created in His image too. God has called us all to be ministers of reconciliation. So, whether your enemy is an unbeliever or if they are a believer, if they are acting outside His will and character, it’s His desire that they be brought back into right relationship with Him. That’s where our prayers come in. God expects us to be ministers of reconciliation to Him…

2 Corinthians 5:17-20  (NKJV)

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

3. PRAY FOR THEIR REPENTANCE

If we aren’t careful, someone can hurt us or someone we love to the point that we can find ourselves not wanting them to repent. That will take away our excuse to be angry at them. But, it’s Gods will that everyone repent and turn to Him…

2 Peter 3:9  (NKJV)

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

4. PRAY FOR THEIR SALVATION

There are people that we can find so mean, evil and malicious that we don’t want them to be saved. Knowing that someone is in sin or evil is not judging them, but when we decide they are not worthy of salvation, that’s judgement and condemnation. What if God thought you not worthy of salvation when you were at your worst? And, as Matthew 7:1-2 reminds us, what ever judgement we are placing on someone else we are placing that same judgment on ourselves. Plus, if your enemy is a Christian and they are just in a hardhearted, backslidden, or weak moment, you may be placing condemnation on yourself as well…

Isaiah 54:17 (NKJV)

 

So, always ask God to forgive you for any judgment or condemnation you have placed on someone.

5. PRAY THAT THEY PRODUCE GOOD FRUIT

It’s also God’s will that we all lead fruitful and productive lives…

John 15:8  (NKJV)

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

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.

Once your enemy is sincerely leading a fruitful life, they can no longer truly be your enemy. You are then on the same team working for the same kingdom goals. Even if you aren’t necessarily friends, you will no longer be enemies.

6. PRAY SINCERELY, NOT TRYING TO MANIPULATE GOD TO GIVE YOU REVENGE

It’s a dangerous thing asking God to give someone what they deserve: SO YOU THINK THEY GOT WHAT THEY DESERVED…REALLY??? Again, that’s judgment, especially when God hasn’t given any of us what we deserve. Too many times people take Romans 12:20 out of context. They merely want to pray for their enemy or even help them to ‘heap coals of fire on their head’. That is the wrong motivation. Sometimes people can even say, “I’m praying for you as an insult, rather than in sincerity: NEVER LET YOUR “GOD BLESS YOU” REALLY MEAN “F*** YOU”…

7. PRAY THAT GOD FORGIVES YOU FOR BEING SOMEONE’S ENEMY

We all have situations in our lives that we have been or are someone’s enemy. Not because they just don’t like us, but because we have done them wrong. We have worked against them. We have spoken evil against them. This could even be someone who we don’t know or doesn’t know us…It could be a public figure. Even though it’s wrong for them to do so, we have given some people good reason to hate us. Always ask God to forgive you for when you’re someone else’s enemy.

Romans 3:23  (NKJV)

²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Praying for our enemies in sincerity isn’t easy, but it is possible.

 

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

 

 

 

 

 

God intends for marriage to be a lifelong commitment between a man and a woman, no matter how much our modern society makes and accepts excuses to ‘get out of it’. Especially what we call ‘irreconcilable differences’ or ‘we’re just growing apart’.

Malachi 2:16  (NKJV)

¹⁶ “For the Lord God of Israel says
That He hates divorce,
For it covers one’s garment with violence,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
“Therefore take heed to your spirit,
That you do not deal treacherously.”

 Matthew 19:4-8  (NKJV)

⁴ And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who ^[a]made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ ⁵ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? ⁶ So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let not man separate.”⁷ They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?” ⁸ He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.

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God knows that no matter how much you love one another, that no two people will be the same after 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 plus years of marriage. It’s impossible. Yes, you will grow apart in some areas of your lives. But, that doesn’t have to come between you.

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Think about this. If God expected the arranged marriages to last in the bible days, He expects us to stay with the spouse that we choose.

How can we be ministers of reconciliation for God’s Kingdom if we can’t even reconcile the differences in our homes?

2 Corinthians 5:18-19  (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 ^[a]imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

In the words of Al Green, “Let’s stay together”

Here are a few more of my articles on Godly Marriage:

THE REAL, BOTTOM-LINE REASON MARRIAGES FAIL…

MARRIAGE: 3 WAYS TO TELL YOU WERE MEANT TO BE TOGETHER…

WHEN GOD EXPECTS US TO FORGIVE ADULTERY (CHEATING ON GOD)…

IS GOD IN AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU?

MARRIAGE ADVICE: IT’S YOUR DIFFERENCES THAT MAKE YOU A PERFECT FIT…

Godly Marriage: THE BLESSING IN WHEN YOU’RE NOT ‘IN THE MOOD’ AT THE SAME TIME…

THE HOLINESS OF WELL-TIMED ROMANCE IN MARRIAGE…

Godly Marriage: THE BLESSING IN WHEN YOU’RE NOT ‘IN THE MOOD’ AT THE SAME TIME…

THERE WILL ALWAYS BE THINGS YOU HATE ABOUT THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE…

GODLY MARRIAGE: HOW SEX IS SUBMISSION AND HONOR PERFECTED (Graphic but Holy)…

ONLY ‘GODLY SEX’ IS GOOD SEX…

PROOF THAT GOD DOESN’T FORBID ‘RACE MIXING’, BUT DOES FORBID FAITH MIXING (in case you missed it)…

GODLY MARRIAGE: YOU CAN’T GET ROMANTIC WITH A HYMNAL…

(1) ONE AMAZING, POWERFUL, SIMPLE TIP TO REJUVENATE YOUR MARRIAGE…#30yearsstrong

IF THE ‘BIG O’ WAS TOO BIG (GOD’S WISDOM)…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

In His darkest moment, those closest to Him abandoned Him…

Matthew 26:31(NKJV)

 Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written:

‘I will strike the Shepherd,
And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

But, I think that Jesus was cool with that. I know He wasn’t surprised. It was prophesied and He knew they would all scatter.

He knew Peter would follow, but far away. He knew he would deny Him three times to the point of cursing…

Matthew 26:74

Then he began to curse and swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!”

Many times, in the comfort and conveniences of our 21^st Century lifestyles, we will read about or hear in a sermon about the disciples scattering and deserting Jesus just before He went to the cross. We may even think to ourselves, “What a shame”.

We may wonder what we would have done had we been in that situation. I can quickly and confidently answer that…we would have done the same thing.

How do I know that?

Because it was God’s will that they scatter.

What could they have done to prevent Jesus’ crucifixion? Nothing…because it was God’s will.

What good would it have done if they had died with Him, because that’s exactly what would have happened had they stood with Him.

Had they stood with Jesus at that time and were crucified with Him, how would we have gotten the Gospels? Who would have told us of what they experienced while they were with Him?

He was preparing them to spread the Gospel, not to die with Him.

He was preparing them to GO….not DIE….at least not yet.

Matthew 28:19 (NKJV)

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Think about it like this…

Jesus could have stayed here longer. He could have put off the cross until His disciples were stronger…but He didn’t.

Jesus left them while they were WEAK enough to scatter and desert Him, but STRONG enough to get it back together and continue.

I believe that Christ was glad they scattered.

So, stop worrying about those who have…

Left you…

Abandoned you…

Deserted you…

Ignored you…or

Betrayed you.

Stop and look for God in it.

The next time that someone leaves you…look for God in it.

And, remember, that sometimes we must share in His sufferings…

Romans 8:17 (NKJV)

 And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

Yes, they scattered and deserted Him, but that’s not how the story ended…And, that’s why I believe that Jesus was glad they left Him alone.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

I wonder how many people in the Body of Christ…how many ‘church’ people…how many Christians really care about those who are lost.

He told us to bear much fruit…

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.

To make disciples…

Matthew 28:19 (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,

It’s His will that ALL come to repentance…

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.

He told us to pray to the Lord of the Harvest to send laborers into HIS harvest…

Matthew 9:36-38 (NKJV)

³⁶ But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary^[a] and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. ³⁷ Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.³⁸ Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

Do you care about the lost, or only about what you may have lost?

Do you share your faith with those who don’t believe or only with those who already do?

Do you hope those who are lost…especially those guilty of the sins that bother you the most, or those who have hurt you, or those who hate you…do you hope they come to repentance?

Do you regularly pray the Lord or the Harvest to send laborers into His Harvest? Are you a laborer for His Harvest or a Laborer for yours only?

It’s easy to sincerely love God, have faith in Him, share our faith and testimony with others who are already ‘saved’ – its’ easy, if we aren’t careful, to serve, give and do Kingdom work with selfish motives…pursuing our own prosperity, health and blessings. It’s easy to approach God, but approach Him selfishly. APPROACHING GOD SELFISHLY…

We all want a bountiful harvest in our lives and there’s nothing wrong with that, unless we totally ignore our responsibility to bring others into the Kingdom of God

The LORD wants us to have a heart for those who are lost, just as He did in 9:36. He looked at the multitudes and felt moved with compassion on them. Have you ever looked at those who don’t believe in God through our Lord and Savior Yeshua, Christ Jesus, or those who are caught up in practicing ungodly lifestyles and felt…Contempt? Anger? Rage? Or, just didn’t care at all? Don’t let the sin of self-righteousness or apathy corrupt your faith.

Let us always pray for a heart for those who are lost, and follow up that prayer with genuine effort.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

God demands that we walk in the Fruit of His Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)

²² But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Unfortunately, our Western culture considers these qualities to be weakness, and too many Christians conform to that foolish thinking.

When we exemplify the characteristics stated above in our behavior…we are conforming into the image of the Son of the Living God. .

Romans 8:29  (NKJV)

²⁹ For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

The Fruit of His Spirit, just as fruit identifies the type of tree, identifies whose spirit lives in us. There are only two, God’s Holy Spirit or the enemy…and they are mutually exclusive, both can abide in you at the same time.

1 Corinthians 6:19 (ESV)

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,

However, in our society today everybody seems to wants to be..

BAD,

TOUGH,

“DON’T TAKE NO SH**!”

Too many Christians are too quick to tell you…

“You better be glad you didn’t know me before I was saved!”

“Don’t make me go back to my old self!”

” I’ll pray for forgiveness!”

“I would do it all over again!”

“You don’t want this smoke!”

Taking glory in the flesh, instead of the Fruit of the Spirit.

In movies and television shows we celebrate the “Alpha” male or female who beats up the enemy. We celebrate when the so-called ‘nerd’ finally gets fed up and beats up the bully. But, when a character backs down from a fight we are disappointed.

Even in politics, too many people in the Body of Christ are impressed by strong words, profanity, threats and aggressive language from our leaders instead of holding the leader accountable for that behavior…because the devil has convinced them it’s strength.

To make a long story short…if it’s not The Fruit of the Spirit, it’s from the devil, and Yeshua called it out, not in the sinners, but in the religious leaders.

John 8:44  (NKJV)

⁴⁴ You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

Remember this, time after time God punished His people for facilitating a culture that spread violence throughout the land. This wasn’t because of ‘sinners’, heathens, or pagan, but His peoples’ spiritual compromise…

Ezekiel 8:17 (NKJV)

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.

Clenched fists can’t receive blessings like open hands.

Threats and curses should not come out of the same mouth that was created to bless.

James 3:10 (NKJV)

¹⁰ Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.

Don’t let the devil convince you to conform to his image instead of that of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

5 CATASTROPHIC IMPLICATIONS OF WHEN CHRISTIANS ‘CUSS’…

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).

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

BECAUSE IT HURTS GOD!

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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!

It happens every New Year. Many preachers giving promises of peace and prosperity from the pulpit. First of all let me say that sometimes God does send prophetic proclamations of good news to His people, but not every year.

There are many preachers out there who make the same promise every year…

“This is your year!”

“This is your season!”

But, the prophets in the bible didn’t always deliver good news. In fact, many times they were tasked with warning the people of what was to come. God is loving enough to not let His people be caught off guard without warning.

But, beware of preachers who deliver only good news.

Promising prosperity and good news every year plays on the emotions and hopes of those who God has entrusted to watch over their souls.

Unfortunately, many preach through their flesh whether than God’s Spirit…

Some to feed their egos…

Some to keep members engaged…

Some to manipulate money out of the people…

How is EVERY YEAR GOING TO BE YOUR SEASON?

Remember what God told Ezekiel…

Ezekiel 33:1-9  (NKJV)

Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ² “Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their watchman, ³ when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people, ⁴ then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be on his own head. ⁵ He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But he who takes warning will ^[a]save his life. ⁶ But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.’

⁷ “So you, son of man: I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me. ⁸ When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you shall surely die!’ and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. ⁹ Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have ^[b]delivered your soul.

Think of all the pride, arrogance, curses, blasphemies, abominations, insults that are released daily. Much of this behavior comes from those who call themselves believers.

How much it comes from you?

So many times we expect to give our worst and receive God’s best.

This type of preaching is like quenching your thirst with cola or alcohol. It may feel refreshing, but it’s actually dehydrating you.

I pray that God grants you a year of peace and prosperity…but I can’t promise it.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

There are as many internal church and denominational church cultures as there are churches and denominations.

And, there are several denominations that feel dancing before God is an acceptable form of worship…

2 Samuel 6:14 (NKJV)

¹⁴ Then David ^(A)danced^[a] before the Lord with all his might; and David was wearing ^(B)a linen ephod. ^{15 (C)}So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.

Psalm 149:3 (NJKV)

^{3 (A)}Let them praise His name with the dance;
Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp.

This article is for those who feel dancing is an appropriate part of worship, not to debate whether it is or, not to judge those who do or don’t.

So, here’s the question…in many of the churches that DO incorporate dance into their worship, there are a few specific ‘dance steps’ that are often done during worship. These steps are typically called THE HOLY DANCE.

My question is when and where did these particular steps become the designated HOLY DANCE, and why are any other dance steps that ARE NOT sexually suggestive considered taboo and inappropriate for worship?

What do you think?

BE BLESSTIFIED!

There’s an unexplainable, intangible anxiety that sometimes troubles a creative spirit craving a connection with the eyes, ears and attention of the millions who will appreciate and be blessed by what God has placed inside them.

A fervent frustration…

A relentless restlessness…

A chronic concern…

A sudden sadness…

For those who will admit it…it’s an occasional inner storm of anger, jealousy, and envy of those who have a huge audience and squander it on foolishness or their own ego.

IT’S WHEN YOUR CREATIVITY IS CRYING.

Writers…

Bloggers…

Artists…

Songwriters…

Musicians…

Singers…

Actors…

Inventors…

Chefs…

Photographers…

Painters…

Preachers…

Ministers…

Speakers…

Does your creativity ever cry?

Keep sharing what God has placed inside you!

Appreciate the audience that God has given you!

God will make sure your gift reaches everyone whom He intends.

Trust Him and be faithful, even if your audience is just one person.

Ecclesiastes 11 (NKJV)

11 Cast your bread ^(A)upon the waters,
^(B)For you will find it after many days.

ARE YOUR RESPONSIBLE WITH YOUR AUDIENCE?

FOR THOSE WHO FEEL IT’S TAKING TOO LONG FOR THINGS TO ‘TAKE OFF’ FOR THEM…

STOP WHINING & DO WHAT GOD CALLED YOU TO DO!

BE BLESSTIFIED!

The fun and rush of the holiday season can be intoxicating. The trill of seeing someone open a gift that they really wanted can provide quite the emotional high. If this one done within our budget, then all is well but…THEN comes December 26th..

If we spent money we couldn’t afford…used money for our bills…borrowed money for gifts or simply over spent, we can come down hard off that high straight into anxiety, worry, buyers remorse, stress and even depression…You’ve got a HOLIDAY HANGOVER.

When the real world comes calling…we remember that bills, obligations and commitments didn’t stop for Christmas.

If you do have a holiday hangover, I offer the same remedy as for a hangover from alcohol…time.

And just as someone whose been drunk with liquor…next year remember how you feel right now when you’re tempted to drink from the same bottle of HOLIDAY SPIRITS next year.

Proverbs 23:29-35 (MSG)

Who are the people who are always crying the blues?
    Who do you know who reeks of self-pity?
Who keeps getting beat up for no reason at all?
    Whose eyes are bleary and bloodshot?
It’s those who spend the night with a bottle,
    for whom drinking is serious business.
Don’t judge wine by its label,
    or its bouquet, or its full-bodied flavor.
Judge it rather by the hangover it leaves you with—
    the splitting headache, the queasy stomach.
Do you really prefer seeing double,
    with your speech all slurred,
Reeling and seasick,
    drunk as a sailor?
“They hit me,” you’ll say, “but it didn’t hurt;
    they beat on me, but I didn’t feel a thing.
When I’m sober enough to manage it,
    bring me another drink!”

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have you taken a close look at your circles?

You know…

The people who are closest to you. The people who you enjoy being around most, and who most enjoy being around you.

Our circles really say quite a bit about who we are.

It’s interesting to see YOUR place in YOUR circles. All circles have those who have the greatest influence…they are the leaders. And, some have those who are either followers, or just glad to be in a group of people like them.

I think that people can be defined by three types of circles. Circles with people who are:

Surviving…

Thriving…

And,

Nosediving…

SURVIVING

These people have one basic thing in common. They are all making it. They are all getting by, but they are all JUST getting by. They are doing what it takes to survive, and there’s not much more time or money to do anything else. Some are content with this and some aren’t, but they are all just surviving. Within, the group of ‘survivors’ there are still some who are ‘surviving’ better than the others in the group. If this is you, where do you fall in place with your group of survivors?

THRIVING

This group also one thing in common…they are all doing extraordinarily well. They are living in ‘overflow’ of everything they need and the freedom, ability and access to what they want. But, much like the NBA team with players who are superstars, while others are multi-million dollar superstars…they are all in the same prosperous circle, but some are prospering much better than others. If this is you, where do you fall in your thriving circle?

NOSEDIVING

This circle’s common denominator is struggle. Not only is surviving a struggle for those in this circle, but it seems that everyone seems to be losing ground. They aren’t necessarily lazy, but some may be. They may work hard. They may even be wise, but have unfortunate circumstances. Even in this group, some are losing ground faster than others. And, within this circle are leaders and those who have greater influence. It this is you, where are you in your circle?

What ever your circle may be, you can still be a light for God…you can still be a positive influence. Because the truth is that these circles will always exist…

And, God needs to be found in all of them.

Remember this…

1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV)

³³ Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

So, no matter what your circle, make sure that you aren’t just the GOOD influence, make sure you’re the GOD influence.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

There may be some reason that you aren’t looking forward to or may even be dreading tomorrow…. next week… or next month.  It could be because of challenges in your relationship(s), on your job, your health.

It could be that your paycheck will not be enough to take care of your obligations.

It may be a promise you made that you already know you can’t fulfill.

You may have robbed Peter and still don’t have enough to pay Paul. You may be separated from loved ones and support.

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It may be the expected or the unexpected.

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I’m not here to promise a miracle if you share this post.

I’m not even promising tomorrow will be better or even arrive.

God hasn’t promised us tomorrow…but He has given us today.

That’s why He said…

Matthew 6:34 (NKJV)

 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

If you have the strength or means to read this post or have it read to you, then God has abundantly blessed you.

In fact, no matter how much or how little money, food, clothing, strength or hope you have, He’s given you more than enough for today.

Those days in your past that you have dreaded, even if they were as ‘bad’ as you expected…you’re still here.

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The truth is that God is sovereign to do what He pleases with each day and each person He made.

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He loves us, and no matter how bad it may seem, He’s working all things together for our good…

Romans 8:28 (NKJV)

 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

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The fact is either we trust Him or we don’t. Don’t worry about tomorrow if you don’t trust God with today.

If you’re worried about tomorrow… next week… or even next year…

SNAP OUT OF IT! And, make a conscious effort to do everything you can to enjoy every minute… every second… every hour of today.

Reach down inside and praise God and tell Him you love Him and trust Him with today.

If you don’t know what to say, I suggest…

Psalm 118:24 (NKJV)

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

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Have you ever noticed what Jesus told the crowd after He fed over 5000 people. He called them out for not valuing the miraculous signs He did and the fact that He was doing the works of the Father. He pointed out that they were just following Him because He fed them. In other words, they valued Him, but only for what they could GET OUT OF HIM. They valued what He could do, not who He was…

John 6:26 (NLT)

²⁶ Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs.

Think about the people in your life who truly value you and who you are. These are the people who value the ‘INTANGIBLES’ that you bring to the table. Those closest to you; who enjoy quality time with you; those who are genuinely concerned about you; those who truly miss you when you aren’t around. They make your life worth living.

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They are the people who will be there for you whether you’re up or down, through good and bad. They value helping YOU look good…These are the people who VALUE YOU.

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Then there are those people who value the ‘TANGIBLES’ that you bring to the table….

Your skill-set…

Your finances…

Your talents…

Your innovation…

Your muscle…

Your hustle.

They may never even acknowledge that they value you, but they prove it through their actions. However, they ONLY value the ‘tangibles” that you bring to the table.

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These people could care less how you feel. They aren’t genuinely concerned about you, and they don’t want to spend any quality time with you. They value how you make THEM look good. These are the people who VAL-USE YOU.

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Pray for the discernment to distinguish between the people who VALUE you, and those who VAL-USE YOU.

They’re everywhere…

In your family…

On your job…

In your church…

Everywhere.

And, be conscious of the people you may be VAL-USING in your life.

THE BLESSING IN WHEN SOMEONE IS TRYING TO ‘USE YOU’…

BE BLESSTIFED!

John 4:24 (NKJV)

²⁴ God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

The traditional ‘nativity scene’ depicting the night that Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) was born is a favorite Christmas decoration and reenactment.

Of course it features Mary, Joseph, the Baby Jesus, the shepherds, and the Magi or ‘wise men’ from the East.

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There’s only one problem…

The Magi or ‘wise men’ were not there that night…not yet.

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When you read the account closely, the location that the wise men found Jesus was not a stable, and He was not in a manger. He was no longer an infant, and Joseph was not present when the wise men visited.

Matthew 2:11 (NKJV)

¹¹ And when they had come into the HOUSE, they saw the YOUNG CHILD with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Luke 2:15-16 (NKJV)

¹⁵ So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.

It says very clearly that they arrived at a house, that Jesus was a young child, and His father wasn’t there at the time. At the scene of the birth Jesus is called a Babe, while at the scene with the wise men He is called a small child.

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Notice also that the events recorded in Matthew 2:1-12 took place AFTER Yeshua was born. And, one must consider the took some time…

Matthew 2:1-12 (NKJV)

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

³ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴ And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

⁵ So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

⁶ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”

⁷ Then Herod, when he had secretly called the ^[b]wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. ⁸ And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”

⁹ When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. ¹¹ And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

¹² Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

After the LORD was born, the wise men traveled to Jerusalem after seeing the star and inquired of where they could find Jesus…that took some time.

After hearing of this, Herod gathered the chief priests and scribes and asked them where Christ was born…that took some time.

Herod then secretly requested that the wise men come to him. After determining when the star appeared, he asked the wise men to CAREFULLY (take you time) search for the “young child”… that took some time.

After finding the LORD, the wise men didn’t return to Herod, but went straight to their own country, further implying a longer journey…that took some time.

Consider this from my post, “Accepting That Something You’ve Sincerely Believed Is Wrong”…

1. According to verses 9-10, when they came to where the star stood over where the YOUNG CHILD was (not baby), they came into THE HOUSE (not stable) and found Jesus with His mother (Joseph wasn’t present at the time).
2. According to verse 12, after being warned in a dream, they departed into their own country…you can’t do all of that in one night’s time.
3. In verses 16 Herod ordered that all male children age 2 and under be killed…because that’s when the star first appeared.
4. After the wise men leave, that’s when Joseph’s name reappears as he takes his family into Egypt.

Some people are so accustomed to believing the wise men were there in the stable, that rather than accept that may not be true and they came later, we start trying to find a way to prove what wish to believe is true…rather than seek the real truth.

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The fact is that the shepherds and wise men visited Jesus on two different occasions, possibly separated by about two years.

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Many of those who have the traditional nativity scene ingrained in their minds may ask, “What does it matter?”

Again, because God said that anything done to worship Him MUST be done in spirit and not truth. Unfortunately, Christians are notorious for twisting and compromising to fit traditions and their will instead of God’s.

If you’re going to celebrate the Son of God’s birth, do it in SPIRIT AND TRUTH!

The traditional nativity scene is not truth.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

Let me preface this piece by saying this piece is not addressing dangerous, abusive relationships.

We all encounter people who ‘get on our nerves’. We all have people in our families, workplaces, and even churches who love to cause trouble, drama and who cause us high levels of stress and anxiety.

Some people have a chronic propensity to bring negativity to every interaction.

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One of the most common and seemingly practical pieces of advice is to remove the people toxic people from our lives…but does the Bible support that teaching?

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It sounds good in blog posts, self help books, sermons, and motivational speeches, but how does God expect us to handle the situation?

Notice that God told Ezekiel that He was sending Him to…well a nation of ‘toxic people’.

Ezekiel 2:3-5 (NKJV)

³ And He said to me: “Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day. ⁴ For they are ^[a]impudent and stubborn children. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ ⁵ As for them, whether they hear or whether they refuse—for they are a rebellious house—yet they will know that a prophet has been among them.

God equipped Ezekiel for the challenge, and He is trying to equip us…

Ezekiel 3:7-9 (NKJV)

⁷ But the house of Israel will not listen to you, because they will not listen to Me; for all the house of Israel are ^[a]impudent and hard-hearted. ⁸ Behold, I have made your face strong against their faces, and your forehead strong against their foreheads. ⁹ Like adamant stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead; do not be afraid of them, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.

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Yeshua the Messiah, Jesus Christ, sent His disciples into ‘toxic situations’…

Matthew 10:16 (NKJV)

¹⁶ “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless^[a] as doves.

The fact is that Jesus gave us instructions for how to handle people who intentionally antagonize us…

Matthew 5:44 (NKJV)

^44 [a]But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,

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Notice that the Lord didn’t say avoid your enemies, block those who curse you, and remove those who spitefully use and persecute you from your life.

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God expects us to strong enough to be light, and a positive spiritual influence to those who are ‘toxic’. The very person or persons that you have decided to eliminate from you life might have been specifically sent into your life to benefit from your light.

Let’s say you’re one of those people on social media who announce they are unfriending or blocking the ‘negative or messy’ people from their lives. These are people who haven’t unfriended or blocked you from their lives, even though they may be sometimes annoyed by your passion or love for God. You may be the only light they see in a sea of the craziness on social media.

God expects us to be strong and grow in wisdom, knowledge, understanding, love, joy, peace, goodness, kindness, gentleness, self-control and faithfulness enough so we can represent His glory and image in every relationship and interaction.

This is when what God told us through the apostle Paul is the most powerful…

Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)

¹³ I can do all things through ^[a]Christ who strengthens me.

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Before you get rid of someone toxic, why not pray for the strength, wisdom and patience to be a blessing to them?

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What if Jesus had decided to reject the negative people in His earthly ministry?

Before you block their calls, what if blocked yours?

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Have you ever noticed that some people are naturally funny? They have a wit so quick, you wonder, how could they think of that so fast.

Why?

Think about these verses in the context of laughter…

James 1:17 (NKJV)

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

Romans 12:8 (NIV)

⁸ if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously;if it is to lead,^[a] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Proverbs 17:22 (NKJV)

²² A merry heart does good, like medicine,^[a]
But a broken spirit dries the bones.

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I’m convinced that comedy is a God-given spiritual gift of exhortation.

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I mean, what is more encouraging than a good laugh? A well-placed laugh in a good sermon only helps keep the audience engaged and possibly drive a point home.

The bible tells us that one of the promises from God is that we will all see trouble during our days on this earth…

Job 14:1(NKJV)

14 “Man who is born of woman
Is of few days and full of trouble.

It’s God’s gift of laughter that gets us through many of those tough days.

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 I’m convinced that God has appointed some of us Ministers of Laughter…

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So, do you know anyone with a special anointing to make the best situations better and inject some encouraging humor into the worst. Those who can make us smile when we feel like crying. Is it you?

Unfortunately, many comedians and comediennes use their gift to glorify the enemy through vulgarity and profanity, but that doesn’t mean the gift isn’t from God. It’s just misdirected.

Are you a Minister of Laughter? If so, walk in your anointing. You’re important to the Kingdom of God!

BE BLESSTIFIED!

How many times have you typed something on a device and decided that wasn’t what you wanted to say?

How many times have you done something on a device and decided it wasn’t an action that you wanted to do?

Did you throw away your device?

No.

You clicked UNDO.

Clicking UNDO allows you to totally wipe out what you didn’t want without affecting anything else you’re working on.

When you’ve typed or done something wrong, it allows you the opportunity to ‘change directions’ and do it right.

When you confess your sins to God, and commit to change directions, you’ve clicked God’s UNDO button.

When you repent, God wipes out what you’ve said, done or thought.

When you repent, God doesn’t hold what you said, did, or thought against you anymore…

When you repent, God allows you to continue with your life as if you’ve never did what you did…

When you repent, God allows you to start over and do it the right way…

As long as you don’t RETYPE the SAME thing again.

ASKING GOD FOR FORGIVENESS ISN’T REPENTANCE (QUICK DEFINITION)…

THERE’S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REMORSE & REPENTANCE…

WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE AN APOLOGY OR REPENTANCE?

GOD DIDN’T ASK FOR AN APOLOGY, HE DEMANDS REPENTANCE…

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.

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.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Yehovah Yireh provides perfectly through our Lord and Savior Yeshua the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

We must always be careful that we never dishonor Him because we have our wants confused with our needs.

It didn’t take long for Israel to get tired of the ‘bread from heaven provided by God…

Numbers 11:1-20 (NKJV)

11 Now ^(A)when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; ^(B)for the Lord heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the ^(C)fire of the Lordburned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp. ² Then the people ^(D)cried out to Moses, and when Moses ^(E)prayed to the Lord, the fire was ^[a]quenched. ³ So he called the name of the place ^[b]Taberah, because the fire of the Lord had burned among them.

⁴ Now the ^(F)mixed multitude who were among them ^[c]yielded to ^(G)intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: ^(H)“Who will give us meat to eat? ^{5 (I)}We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; ⁶ but now ^(J)our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!”

⁷ Now ^(K)the manna was like coriander seed, and its color like the color of bdellium. ⁸ The people went about and gathered it, ground it on millstones or beat it in the mortar, cooked it in pans, and made cakes of it; and ^(L)its taste was like the taste of pastry prepared with oil. ⁹ And ^(M)when the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna fell on it.

¹⁰ Then Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, everyone at the door of his tent; and ^(N)the anger of the Lord was greatly aroused; Moses also was displeased. ^{11 (O)}So Moses said to the Lord, “Why have You afflicted Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the ^[d]burden of all these people on me? ¹² Did I conceive all these people? Did I beget them, that You should say to me, ^(P)‘Carry them in your bosom, as a ^(Q)guardian carries a nursing child,’ to the land which You ^(R)swore^[e] to their fathers? ^{13 (S)}Where am I to get meat to give to all these people? For they weep all over me, saying, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ ^{14 (T)}I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me. ¹⁵ If You treat me like this, please kill me here and now—if I have found favor in Your sight—and ^(U)do not let me see my wretchedness!”

¹⁶ So the Lord said to Moses: “Gather to Me ^(V)seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and ^(W)officers over them; bring them to the tabernacle of meeting, that they may stand there with you. ¹⁷ Then I will come down and talk with you there. ^(X)I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone. ¹⁸ Then you shall say to the people, ^[f]‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat; for you have wept ^(Y)in the hearing of the Lord, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat? For it was well with us in Egypt.” Therefore the Lord will give you meat, and you shall eat. ¹⁹ You shall eat, not one day, nor two days, nor five days, nor ten days, nor twenty days, ^{20 (Z)}but for a whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have ^(AA)despised the Lord who is among you, and have wept before Him, saying, ^(AB)“Why did we ever come up out of Egypt?” ’ ”

How many times have you looked in the refrigerator, pantry or cabinet and said, “There’s nothing to eat” because it wasn’t what you wanted?

How many times have you complained about the job you prayed for and God is using to sustain your life this season?

How many times have you complained about the spouse, children or family that God gave you because they don’t always see eye-to-eye with you? Remember the children of Israel complained in the wilderness against Moses’ leadership over and over again.

Complaining is one of the sins that pisses Him off the most…

1 Corinthians 10:10 (NKJV)

¹⁰ nor complain, as ^(A)some of them also complained, and ^(B)were destroyed by ^(C)the destroyer.

Remember, complaining is the opposite of thanksgiving.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

God has said it to me many times.

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The ‘N-WORD’

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And I must admit that it’s very rare that I like it.

It’s very hard for me to hear.

Sometimes, I think it’s not fair.

I will think to myself, “You didn’t say the ‘N-WORD’ to him…or to her!”

I know that God is sovereign, and He can say whatever He wants to say.

I know He loves me…knows what’s best for me…and everything He does is always working for my good.

I know He knows me better than I know myself.

Yes, I trust Him, and I submit to His perfect will for my life.

But, that doesn’t make it hurt any less when God decides to respond to me with…

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The ‘N-WORD’

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Sometimes I reason within myself, He really didn’t mean that.

Sometimes I will keep pushing, trying to force a different response…

But, still His answer remains to be…

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The ‘N-WORD’

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As much as He loves me and gives me all of what I need and some of what I want…

Sometimes God has to say…

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The ‘N-WORD’ to me

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As much as I don’t like it, I still love Him and trust Him.

I take peace in the fact that His grace is always sufficient for me.

How do you react…

When God tells you “NO”?

2 Corinthians 12: 8-9 (NKJV)

 ⁸ Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. ⁹ And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

 BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

Should there be consequence for when reasonable expectations aren’t met on the job? Yes, of course!

But, in our current culture it’s become all to common for a boss to ‘chew out’ and employee who isn’t meeting those expectations…who makes a mistake…who needs correction.

No matter where someone sits on the hierarchy of organizational structure, the fact is that workers are all just people doing a job to take care of their families or themselves…to make a living.

It’s true some jobs are much more impactful on society if someone messes up, for example if someone is setting up an operating room for emergency surgery, but the fact still remains that all workers are equal citizens doing a job.

But think about this. Outside the workplace, your boss is just another person. He or she is someone else’s wife, husband, son, daughter, father, mother…just a person. They have absolutely NO authority over your life outside of your commitment to the company or organization.

Because we are all just equal citizens trying to make a living, no one has the right to overly assertively reprimand another adult at work. Offices, factories, schools and churches are not the military.

No one has the right to belittle you… insult you… embarrass you… or even threaten you because they think that’s leadership. This usually happens when the correction is affected by emotions.

Every organization has consequences in place for when expectations aren’t met.

Verbally warn me with respect!

Write me up!

Demote me!

Fire me!

But no one has the right to belittle, insult, embarrass, threaten or treat another adult like a child, even if they have organizational authority over them.

Real leadership isn’t achieved through fear, intimidation, or adult bullying.

When a person is hired, make sure that the progression of consequences are clear, and proceed through them with respect.

No one wants to be disrespected, not even when they mess up.

Matthew 7:12 (NKJV)

¹² Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

What do you think?

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

Have you ever noticed how a negative person can sap the energy out of a room? Have you ever noticed how negativity can steal the joy from a moment? Have you ever noticed how a person who complains can convince a person who is completely content and satisfied to be unhappy?

This is why God hates pessimism. This is why God hates negativity. This is why God hates complaining…7 REASONS GOD HATES COMPLAINING…

Remember that God had promised Israel victory, but they had to go in and claim the Promised Land that He had committed to giving them. As they travelled in the wilderness, Moses sent out spies to ‘check out the land’. To make a long story short, Joshua and Caleb brought back positive news in the form of a good report. However, the other spies brought back negative news and pessimism in the form of a ‘bad report’…

Numbers 13:21-33 (NKJV)

²¹ So they went up and spied out the land from the Wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob, near the entrance of Hamath. ²² And they went up through the South and came to Hebron; Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, were there. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) ²³ Then they came to the ^[a]Valley of Eshcol, and there cut down a branch with one cluster of grapes; they carried it between two of them on a pole. They also brought some of the pomegranates and figs. ²⁴ The place was called the Valley of ^[b]Eshcol, because of the cluster which the men of Israel cut down there. ²⁵ And they returned from spying out the land after forty days.

²⁶ Now they departed and came back to Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the children of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. ²⁷ Then they told him, and said: “We went to the land where you sent us. It truly ^[c]flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. ²⁸ Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there. ²⁹ The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan.”

³⁰ Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.”

³¹ But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.” ³² And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. ³³ There we saw the ^[d]giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like^[e] grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”

Numbers 14:1-4 (NKJV)

14 So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. ² And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! ³ Why has the Lord brought us to this land to ^[a]fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” ⁴ So they said to one another, “Let us select a leader and return to Egypt.”

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This pessimism and negativity pissed off the God of our Salvation because it discouraged the people! It pissed Him off A LOT!

Numbers 14:11-25  (NKJV)

¹¹ Then the Lord said to Moses: “How long will these people reject^[a] Me? And how long will they not believe Me, with all the ^[b]signs which I have performed among them? ¹² I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.”

¹³ And Moses said to the Lord: “Then the Egyptians will hear it, for by Your might You brought these people up from among them, ¹⁴ and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that You, Lord, are among these people; that You, Lord, are seen face to face and Your cloud stands above them, and You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. ¹⁵ Now if You kill these people as one man, then the nations which have heard of Your fame will speak, saying, ¹⁶ ‘Because the Lord was not able to bring this people to the land which He swore to give them, therefore He killed them in the wilderness.’ ¹⁷ And now, I pray, let the power of my Lord be great, just as You have spoken, saying, ¹⁸ ‘The Lord is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He by no means clears the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation.’ ¹⁹ Pardon the iniquity of this people, I pray, according to the greatness of Your mercy, just as You have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.”

²⁰ Then the Lord said: “I have pardoned, according to your word; ²¹ but truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord— ²² because all these men who have seen My glory and the signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have put Me to the test now these ten times, and have not heeded My voice, ²³ they certainly shall not see the land of which I ^[c]swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected Me see it. ²⁴ But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it. ²⁵ Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwell in the valley; tomorrow turn and move out into the wilderness by the Way of the Red Sea.”

How many times have you negatively influenced someone who was perfectly content? How many times have you spread the contagious spirit of negativity?

God gets just as angry now as He did then. As a matter of fact, His extreme judgments in the Old Testament are recorded for us as examples of how angry pessimism, negativity and complaining makes Him…

1 Corinthians 10:1-10  (NKJV)

10 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, ² all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, ³ all ate the same spiritual food, ⁴ and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. ⁵ But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

⁶ Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. ⁷ And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” ⁸ Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; ⁹ nor let us ^[a]tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; ¹⁰ nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.

As much as we are working hard to prevent the spread of contagious diseases, please make sure that you aren’t responsible for contributing to the pandemic of pessimism.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

John Chapter 17 records the real ‘Lord’s Prayer’, as Matthew 6 gives us the model prayer. In John, He prays for Himself, His disciples and finally those who believe in Him through the disciples words…us.

It’s interesting of all things He could pray about, in verses 20 through 24 He prayed for…

Unity… Agreement… ONENESS!

Why?

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Because three of the most powerful forces on this earth are…

LOVE…

HATE…

and…

UNITY!

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It would be impossible for the Gospel to spread, the church to grow and families to survive without unity.

Notice what the bible says about agreement…

Genesis 11:6 (NKJV)

⁶ And the Lord said, “Indeed the people ARE ONE and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.

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Amos 3:3 (NKJV)

³ Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?

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1 Corinthians 1:10 (NKJV)

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

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The fact is that unity is powerful that it works for both good and evil… THE POWER OF UNITY WORKS FOR BOTH GOOD AND EVIL…

It was through ‘agreement’ and ‘unity’ that the devil was able to provoke rebellion in heaven leading to him and those who united with him being kicked out…

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.

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However, the ultimate agreement is in heaven…

1 John 5:7 (NKJV)

⁷ For there are three that bear witness ^[a]in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.

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So, if our Savior was intentional enough to pray for agreement, I encourage you to be intentional to specifically pray for agreement EVER DAY in…

Your marriage…

Your family…

In your local church…

In the Body of Christ…

In your government…

On your job.

And especially pray for unity with God… That you are ONE with Him and He is ONE with you, just as He is ONE with our Lord and Savior Yeshua the Messiah. Pray for this every day, and if possible every time you pray.

Notice how many times the Lord says or infers ONE in His prayer for us…

John 17:20-26 (NKJV)

²⁰ “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who ^[a]will believe in Me through their word; ²¹ that they all may be ONE as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be ONE in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. ²² And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be ONE just as We are ONE: ²³ I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in ONE, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.²⁴ “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. ²⁵ O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. ²⁶ And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

Remember, this isn’t just a prayer, it’s the Lord’s passion. And, it should be ours too.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Don’t let a mistake get you down.Making things right with God is easy.Just acknowledge your mistake (sin) to Him and make a sincere commitment to never do it again.If you hurt someone else, ask them to forgive you if possible.Ask God for His help so that you don’t do it again.Don’t put yourself in the position to do it again.Even if people don’t forgive you, go forward on confidence and enjoy the fact the God has forgiven you through His Son and our Savior, Yeshua, Christ Jesus.
1 John 1:9 (NKJV)If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.BE BLESSTIFIED!

Anyone who reads my writing knows I love to clarify anything that can be misunderstood or twisted. Anyone who has read my writing or watched any of our #SONdayBlessing videos knows I love, cherish, respect and honor my wife. I consider us to be equals in our marriage and I am fully aware of God telling us in 1 Peter that we are to honor our wives, and not doing so can hinder our prayers…

1 Peter 3:7 (NKJV)

⁷ Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

I am fully aware and happily accept the husband’s responsibility to love our wives as Christ loves the church. This is the sacrificial love that’s is defined in Ephesians…

Ephesians 5:25-29 (NKJV)

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, ²⁶ that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, ²⁷ that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. ²⁸ So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.

That being said, now let us consider what the word of God says in 1 Corinthians Chapter 11…

1 Corinthians 11:8-9 (NKJV)

⁸ For man is not from woman, but woman from man. ⁹ Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man.

I feel that each husband should treat his wife as if she is his QUEEN, and vice versa. However, anyone who believes the bible is the word of God knows what God said before He created woman…

Genesis 2:18 (NKJV)

¹⁸ And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”

God created man to be the head. But, as my father-in-law Pastor Lonnie Black has said for years…

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“God created man to be the head and not the headache.” Pastor Lonnie Black

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We live in a society today that more and more behaves as if man was created for woman than woman for man. That the husband is to submit to his wife, rather than woman submit to her husband.

Even the popular cliche, HAPPY WIFE, HAPPY LIFE eludes to that.

We live in a society today where the husband is expected to ‘answer to his wife’…to go out of his way to make her happy…to work himself to the bone in order to get her whatever she wants…to submit to her when there is a disagreement…that if a woman allows her husband to ‘tell her what to do’ she is being weak. And, that if a husband isn’t giving his wife everything she desires, he is less than a husband.

Television, film, music and especially reality shows and social media support this (Think of all the “HOUSEWIVES” shows…there’s one to target various cultures). It’s art imitating life and art further shaping behavior and the narrative of male/female relationships.

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In a sense, we have made our QUEENS…KINGS.

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Marriage is not 50/50, it’s 100/100. It’s woman submitting to her husband’s authority in the home and enjoying his covering and protection. But, at the same time, marriage is the husband not abusing his authority, and considering his wife as an equal in all decisions. However, when decisions are made in the home, God will hold the husband (head) accountable…especially in regard to worship being established.

If you haven’t already, step back and take a look at what’s on television, movies and social media. Listen to much of the popular music these days. Listen to many of the conversations. Many people have gone beyond treating wives like QUEENS, to making them KINGS.

Husbands and wives…let’s be good to one another. Let’s love, trust, honor and support one another, but let’s not forget God’s order.

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!