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One of the things about the Old Testament is that it gives us extreme examples of what God loves and what He hates. His extreme judgements explicitly gave us insight into how He feels, reacted as well as spiritual concepts and laws that are still relevant today…

1 Corinthians 10:11 (NKJV)

¹¹ Now ^[a]all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our ^[b]admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

Romans 15:4 (NKJV)

⁴ For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the ^[a]patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

One of those concepts is generational curses. That’s when God places a curse on an individual that continues to transfer to his or her posterity. Seems pretty unfair huh? But, it’s been that way since the Garden of Eden after Adam and his wife sinned.

When you read Deuteronomy 28 God lists the blessings of obedience and the curses of disobedience. These blessings and curses are generational…

Deuteronomy 28:45-46 (NKJV)

⁴⁵ “Moreover all these curses shall come upon you and pursue and overtake you, until you are destroyed, because you ^[a]did not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which He commanded you. ⁴⁶ And they shall be upon you for a sign and a wonder, and on your DESCENDANTS FOREVER.

Forever is a long time. Seems unfair doesn’t it?

But, there is a reason for this.

Whenever God cursed or punished His people, what was it that always removed the curse, that would have otherwise remained FOREVER?

WHEN THEY REPENTED!

Leviticus 26:40-42 (NKJV)

⁴⁰ ‘But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers, with their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, and that they also have walked contrary to Me,

⁴¹ and that I also have walked contrary to them and have brought them into the land of their enemies;

if their uncircumcised hearts are humbled, and they accept their guilt—

⁴² then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and My covenant with Isaac and My covenant with Abraham I will remember;

I will remember the land.

1 John 1:9  (NKJV)

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

Think about your family and the attitudes, habits, thoughts and behaviors that have gone on for generations. How many of them can STOP with your generation?

If you feel your family is under the generational power of dysfunction, promiscuity, homosexuality, addiction, arrogance, pride, shame, racism, poverty, anger, witchcraft, violence, sickness etc,….

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SOME OF THESE CURSES COULD STOP WITH YOUR GENERATION IF YOU CHANGE GENERATIONAL BEHAVIOR IN OTHER AREAS.

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As much as parents and grandparents love their children, no one ever does everything RIGHT. God consistently reminded Israel of the ‘sins of their fathers.’

Stop and think about the things that your parents and grandparents did that were not pleasing to God, but may have continued through tradition, bad teaching or simply because ‘that’s the way we do things’.

Be bold enough to change it the way that Hezekiah did not continue in the sins of the kings before him. He TORE DOWN the alters and evil practices of those who came before him…

2 Kings 18:1-5  (NKJV)

18 Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea the son of Elah, king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz, king of Judah, began to reign. ² He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abi^[a] the daughter of Zechariah. ³ And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father David had done.

⁴ He removed the ^[b]high places and broke the sacred pillars, cut down the ^[c]wooden image and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made; for until those days the children of Israel burned incense to it, and called it ^[d]Nehushtan. ⁵ He trusted in the Lord God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him.

What ‘alters’ do you need to tear down in your family?

CONFESS. REPENT. and BREAK THE CURSE.

Now, read Nehemiah Chapter 9 and notice that after they were allowed by God to return from exile, they confessed not only their sins, but the sins of their ancestors. Notice in BOLD print each time the people confessed their sin…

NEHEMIAH 9 (NKJV)

9 Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, in sackcloth, and with ^[a]dust on their heads. ² Then those of Israelite lineage separated themselves from all foreigners; and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. ³ And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for one-fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the Lord their God.

⁴ Then Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani stood on the ^[b]stairs of the Levites and cried out with a loud voice to the Lord their God. ⁵ And the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said:

“Stand up and bless the Lord your God
Forever and ever!

“Blessed be Your glorious name,
Which is exalted above all blessing and praise!

Which is exalted above all blessing and praise!
⁶ You alone are the Lord;
You have made heaven,
The heaven of heavens, with all their host,
The earth and everything on it,
The seas and all that is in them,
And You preserve them all.
The host of heaven worships You.

⁷ “You are the Lord God,
Who chose Abram,
And brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans,
And gave him the name Abraham;
⁸ You found his heart faithful before You,
And made a covenant with him
To give the land of the Canaanites,
The Hittites, the Amorites,
The Perizzites, the Jebusites,
And the Girgashites—
To give it to his descendants.
You have performed Your words,
For You are righteous.

“You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt,
And heard their cry by the Red Sea.
¹⁰ You showed signs and wonders against Pharaoh,
Against all his servants,
And against all the people of his land.
For You knew that they acted ^[c]proudly against them.
So You made a name for Yourself, as it is this day.
¹¹ And You divided the sea before them,
So that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land;
And their persecutors You threw into the deep,
As a stone into the mighty waters.
¹² Moreover You led them by day with a cloudy pillar,
And by night with a pillar of fire,
To give them light on the road
Which they should travel.

¹³ “You came down also on Mount Sinai,
And spoke with them from heaven,
And gave them just ordinances and true laws,
Good statutes and commandments.
¹⁴ You made known to them Your holy Sabbath,
And commanded them precepts, statutes and laws,
By the hand of Moses Your servant.
¹⁵ You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger,
And brought them water out of the rock for their thirst,
And told them to go in to possess the land
Which You had ^[d]sworn to give them.

“But they and our fathers acted ^[e]proudly,
Hardened^[f] their necks,
And did not heed Your commandments.
¹⁷ They refused to obey,
And they were not mindful of Your wonders
That You did among them.
But they hardened their necks,
And ^[g]in their rebellion
They appointed a leader
To return to their bondage.
But You are God,
Ready to pardon,
Gracious and merciful,
Slow to anger,
Abundant in kindness,
And did not forsake them.

¹⁸ “Even when they made a molded calf for themselves,
And said, ‘This is your god
That brought you up out of Egypt,’
And worked great provocations,
¹⁹ Yet in Your manifold mercies
You did not forsake them in the wilderness.
The pillar of the cloud did not depart from them by day,
To lead them on the road;
Nor the pillar of fire by night,
To show them light,
And the way they should go.

You also gave Your good Spirit to instruct them,
And did not withhold Your manna from their mouth,
And gave them water for their thirst.
²¹ Forty years You sustained them in the wilderness;
They lacked nothing;
Their clothes did not wear out
And their feet did not swell.

²² “Moreover You gave them kingdoms and nations,
And divided them into ^[h]districts.
So they took possession of the land of Sihon,
^[i]The land of the king of Heshbon,
And the land of Og king of Bashan.
²³ You also multiplied their children as the stars of heaven,
And brought them into the land
Which You had told their fathers
To go in and possess.
²⁴ So the ^[j]people went in
And possessed the land;
You subdued before them the inhabitants of the land,
The Canaanites,
And gave them into their hands,
With their kings
And the people of the land,
That they might do with them as they wished.

And they took strong cities and a rich land,
And possessed houses full of all goods,
Cisterns already dug, vineyards, olive groves,
And ^[k]fruit trees in abundance.
So they ate and were filled and grew fat,
And delighted themselves in Your great goodness.

²⁶ “Nevertheless they were disobedient
And rebelled against You,
Cast Your law behind their backs
And killed Your prophets, who ^[l]testified against them
To turn them to Yourself;
And they worked great provocations.
²⁷ Therefore You delivered them into the hand of their enemies,
Who oppressed them;
And in the time of their trouble,
When they cried to You,
You heard from heaven;
And according to Your abundant mercies
You gave them deliverers who saved them
From the hand of their enemies.

“But after they had rest,
They again did evil before You.
Therefore You left them in the hand of their enemies,
So that they had dominion over them;
Yet when they returned and cried out to You,
You heard from heaven;
And many times You delivered them according to Your mercies,
²⁹ And ^[m]testified against them,
That You might bring them back to Your law.
Yet they acted ^[n]proudly,
And did not heed Your commandments,
But sinned against Your judgments,
‘Which if a man does, he shall live by them.’
And they shrugged their shoulders,
^[o]Stiffened their necks,
And would not hear.
³⁰ Yet for many years You had patience with them,
And ^[p]testified against them by Your Spirit in Your prophets.
Yet they would not listen;
Therefore You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.
³¹ Nevertheless in Your great mercy
You did not utterly consume them nor forsake them;
For You are God, gracious and merciful.

“Now therefore, our God,
The great, the mighty, and awesome God,
Who keeps covenant and mercy:
Do not let all the ^[q]trouble seem small before You
That has come upon us,
Our kings and our princes,
Our priests and our prophets,
Our fathers and on all Your people,
From the days of the kings of Assyria until this day.
³³ However You are just in all that has befallen us;
For You have dealt faithfully,
But we have done wickedly.
³⁴ Neither our kings nor our princes,
Our priests nor our fathers,
Have kept Your law,
Nor heeded Your commandments and Your testimonies,
With which You testified against them.
³⁵ For they have not served You in their kingdom,
Or in the many good things that You gave them,
Or in the large and rich land which You set before them;
Nor did they turn from their wicked works.

“Here we are, servants today!
And the land that You gave to our fathers,
To eat its fruit and its bounty,
Here we are, servants in it!
³⁷ And it yields much increase to the kings
You have set over us,
Because of our sins;
Also they have dominion over our bodies and our cattle
At their pleasure;
And we are in great distress.

³⁸ “And because of all this,
We make a sure covenant and write it;
Our leaders, our Levites, and our priests seal it.”

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Now notice what God says to Israel in Leviticus Chapter 40 after giving them consequences of being disobedient…

Leviticus 26:40-45  (NKJV)

⁴⁰ ‘But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers, with their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, and that they also have walked contrary to Me,

⁴¹ and that I also have walked contrary to them and have brought them into the land of their enemies;

if their uncircumcised hearts are humbled, and they accept their guilt—

⁴² then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and My covenant with Isaac and My covenant with Abraham I will remember;

I will remember the land.

⁴³ The land also shall be left empty by them, and will enjoy its sabbaths while it lies desolate without them;

they will accept their guilt, because they despised My judgments and because their soul abhorred My statutes.

⁴⁴ Yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, nor shall I abhor them, to utterly destroy them and break My covenant with them;

for I am the Lord their God.

⁴⁵ But for their sake I will remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God:

I am the Lord.’ ”

What ‘sins of your fathers and mothers’ are you allowing to continue in another generation? What sins have you not rejected?

BE BLESSTIFIED!

What offends you? Disrespect? Seeing others hurt? Injustice? Intolerance? Insults? Sometimes when led by God we’re offended by evil. And sometimes, when being influenced by the enemy we’re offended by good – all of us.

We all get offended sometimes. And, many times we have a right to be offended – even justified in being offended.

But, we must use Godly wisdom in how we respond to being offended. We just first be honest with ourselves as to whether we are being offended by good or evil. The Pharisees were constantly offended by Jesus. They were offended by good…

Matthew 15:1-13  (NKJV)

Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, ² “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.”

³ He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? ⁴ For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; ^[a] and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’^[b] 5 But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”— ⁶ then he need not honor his father or mother.’^[c] Thus you have made the commandment^[d] of God of no effect by your tradition. ⁷ Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

⁸ ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And^[e] honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
⁹ And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”^[f]

¹⁰ When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: ¹¹ Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”

¹² Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”

¹³ But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.

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One of the most powerful things you can do is exercise the emotional control of not letting someone know how they have offended you.

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If you really want to know what someone is really like. If you really want to know what’s inside someone’s heart…let them think that ‘nothing really offends you’. That’s when they will feel comfortable to share what’s really inside them. That’s when they will reveal to you who they really are. That’s when you can with wisdom ‘meet them where they are’. That’s when you will know how to manage your relationship with them…whether it be family, co-worker, friend, associate or even an enemy.

One of the powerful attributes of being emotionally intelligent is the fact than when you learn to control your emotions, you can actually control the emotions of those around you.

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Controlling your emotions is a powerful way to control your world.

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Emotional Intelligence is behavioral science that aligns perfectly with scripture.

Even the bible teaches us to…

Ephesians 4:31  (NKJV)

³¹ Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.

1 Peter 2:1  (NKJV)

2 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking,

God teaches us to ‘put away’ our bitterness and anger. It teaches us to lay aside our malice.  Remember this that…

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Controlled anger shouldn’t turn into wrath, but into action.

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When you don’t let some offend you, or when you control your emotions when offended you gain the upper hand. Many the offender is speaking or acting out of emotion, which if not controlled puts them at a disadvantage. At the very least they are more transparent of their true heart, intentions, motives and self.

You aren’t showing weakness by not letting someone know just how much they have offended you. You are showing your true strength. You’re showing the same strength that our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus displayed each and every time He controlled His anger. You are displaying the same strength that our God displays when He withholds His wrath.

So, don’t shut them up. Let them run their mouth and continue to let you know what’s inside them, and be led by who is inside you.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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

They are always perfectly groomed…

Their credit score is 800,000,000…

They always know the right thing to say…

Their focus is surgical…

Their anointing is nearly biblical.

They are never shaken by anything.

Do you know someone like that?

Watching these people can make you feel…

Unqualified…

Inadequate…

Ugly…

Weak…

Unproductive…

Unfocused…

Insecure…

Naked.

But God sees ALL of us as we really are.

We all stand NAKED before God.

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

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God sees us all spiritually NAKED.

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Jeremiah 17:10 (NKJV)

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

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

He sees our secret anxieties and insecurities.

He knows when we’re second-guessing ourselves.

He knows those thoughts that make us most ashamed.

He knows our secrets that we hope are never revealed.

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

He sees us NAKED.

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

1 John 2:2 (NKJV)

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

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

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

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

BE BLESSTIFIED!

People do a lot of talking AT one another these days.

One of the greatest challenges of our time is the art.. skill…responsibility to LISTEN.

It’s interesting that LISTEN and SILENT are both spelled with the same letters…an anagram.

To truly listen their must be silence…

Not necessarily the absence of noise in the room…

But, the absence of noise in your head.

How many times have you has trouble listening because you’re…

Thinking of your response…

Processing what is being said…

Distracted by their voice, grammar, appearance, something in the room, what you’re having for dinner…your own thoughts.

Pray for the ability to focus better.

Learn to truly listen.

Remember what God told us through James…

James 1:19
“So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be SWIFT TO HEAR, slow to speak, slow to wrath…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

YES, of course homosexuals are welcome in the church.

Matthew 11:28 (NKJV)

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

NO, it does not excuse nor condone that particular sin. All sinners must repent and work on turning from lifestyles displeasing to God.

Romans 1:26-27 (NKJV)

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

YES, there are fornicators and adulterers in the church…

1 Corinthians 5:1 (NKJV)

5 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named^[a] among the Gentiles—that a man has his father’s wife!

NO, their sins are not excused or condoned either.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (NKJV)

⁹ Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals,^[a] nor sodomites, ¹⁰ nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

YES, we are to speak out against homosexuality as any other sin…

Ezekiel 3:19 (NKJV)

¹⁹ Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.

NO, speaking out against it doesn’t equate to hate speech or judging.

Hebrews 3:13 (NKJV)

¹³ but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

YES, the church isn’t perfect…

1 Corinthians 11:18 (NKJV)

¹⁸ For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it.

NO, that doesn’t make the church as a whole bad. We are all works in progress.

Ephesians 5:26-27 (NKJV)

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.

YES, some people are passionate in their feelings against this sin…

Romans 10:2 (NKJV)

² For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

NO, that’s not an excuse to call people derogatory, hurtful, mean-spirited names.

Galatians 6:1 (NKJV)

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

YES, people are born with innate desires they didn’t ask for…

 Psalm 51:5 (NKJV)

⁵ Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.

NO, that doesn’t necessarily make them okay.

Romans 1:29-32 (NKJV)

²⁹ being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality,^[a] wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, ³⁰ backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, ³¹ undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving,^[b] unmerciful; ³² who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them

Romans 2:1 (NKJV)

Therefore, you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.

YES, this post is to provoke healthy, respectful dialogue.

Isaiah 1:18 (NKJV)

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

NO, I know everyone won’t agree with me.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

I may lose some readers and/or ‘followers’ for making this post, but it’s my prayer that God will gain some.

Okay, I know this is a morbid unpopular subject, and most people don’t like to talk about or preach about it any more, but as I read Matthew Chapter 7, I can’t read past verses 13 and 14 without drawing the conclusion…that most people will be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10-15).

Matthew 7:13-14 (NKJV)

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

The LORD says, “many go in by it” meaning the gate to destruction, and then He goes on to say, “ few are they who find it” in regard to those who find the way which leads to life. Jesus lets us know that the road that leads to life is difficult.

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So, according to scripture, the truth is that MOST people will not enter into God’s Kingdom.

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We all have loved ones who died without accepting the Christ Jesus as LORD and Savior. It’s a difficult thought to accept their eternal plight.

That’s why in Jesus’ parable of “The Rich Man and Lazarus”, the rich man who died asked for a message to be sent to his brothers so that they would not end up like Him.. Your loved ones who died outside of Christ would tell you the same thing if they could…

Luke 16:19-31  (NKJV)

¹⁹ “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. ²⁰ But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, ²¹ desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell^[a] from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.²² So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. ²³ And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. ²⁴ “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ ²⁵ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. ²⁶ And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’ ²⁷ “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, ²⁸ for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ ²⁹ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ ³⁰ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ ³¹ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’”

The awesome news is that if you’re able to read this post, God has given you grace and time to accept Yeshua, (Christ Jesus) as LORD and Savior of your life.

Romans 10:9  (NKJV)

⁹ that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

That’s how easy it is to avoid eternal separation from the presence of God. Now, I know there is much debate over whether it’s a literal Hell, Lake or Fire, whether you burn forever or are immediately consumed. I know there are those who say that the church ‘created’ Hell to control the masses, but all of that is another discussion….all I know is I don’t want to find out the hard way.

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As much as I love to encourage you, I wouldn’t be responsible as a minister of God if I didn’t warn everyone of the ultimate consequences of sin…

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So, even though it’s difficult, enter into and continue the narrow path. Even though most people ‘won’t make it in’, you can make sure that you do.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

We all have ‘night seasons’ in our lives. Seasons of struggles, trials, storms and pain. These seasons can seem to go on forever.

As we pray for God to change things in our lives, and walk and work in faith, we can sometimes sense a transition. We can sense that God is gradually changing things.

I have a quick word of encouragement for you.

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I want to remind you that no matter how subtle, gradual or slow the transition change may seem that change is always sudden.

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Think about the longest, darkest, stormiest night you’ve endured. I’m not using a metaphor here, I’m talking about a literal, long, dark stormy night. No matter how long that night was, when the morning light broke through…it was sudden.

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.

Think about a gradual 180 degree turn. No matter how gradual the change, when you finally begin to go straight is always sudden.

In fact, the action of even gradually changing direction is still sudden. No matter how subtle the turn…you aren’t going straight any more.

I know we often hear the cliché, ‘a change is coming’. If you think about it, your change may not be coming, you may be in your season of change right now. And, though your transition may be slow the change is always sudden.

Please don’t give up in your season of turnaround. DON’T GIVE UP IN THE ‘TURN AROUND’!

Remember that everything that God predicted, declared or promised…no matter how long it took — always happened suddenly.

Isaiah 48:3 (NKJV)

³ “I have declared the former things from the beginning;
They went forth from My mouth, and I caused them to hear it.
Suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

This short piece isn’t a debate on the validity of calling crime in the Black community ‘Black on Black crime’.

It’s simply coming from a Black man with a wife, a daughter, two sons and a granddaughter.

Every time I hear a headline about someone who looks like me senselessly killing someone else who looks like me, it pisses me off!

Does poverty breed violence? Yes.

Are there some residual affects of decades of institutional racism that contributes to violence? Yes.

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No matter what’s going on externally, it’s time for an INTERNAL SPIRITUAL and CULTURAL REVOLUTION!

There is absolutely no excuse. Every culture has to address its internal threats as well as external. While some communities must face their own pride and arrogance, others must address the violence within their subcultures.

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God demands excellence from all of His children no matter what situation they are in. Look at what He told Israel and Judah when they were exiled in Babylon…

Jeremiah 29:4-14  (NKJV)

⁴ Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all who were carried away captive, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon:

⁵ Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit. ⁶ Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters—that you may be increased there, and not diminished. ⁷ And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace. ⁸ For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are in your midst deceive you, nor listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed. ⁹ For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them, says the Lord.

¹⁰ For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. ¹¹ For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. ¹² Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. ¹⁴ I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.

They were exiles in a foreign land who had lost their freedom. But, God still expected them to thrive and live up to His standards. He expected them to pray for the peace of the city in which they lived, not contribute to it’s destruction.

I encourage everyone who hates racism, don’t give ammunition to a racist’s argument or hatred with the bullets that come from YOUR gun.

Matthew 26:52 (NKJV)

⁵² But Jesus said to him, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will ^[a]perish by the sword.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Because God loves gay people. God loves everyone.

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

Why is God anti-gay?

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

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

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

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

He’s anti-hate, but not anti-hater.

He’s anti-lie, but not anti-liar.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1 Peter 3:9 (NKJV)

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

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Are you praying for deliverance? Are you going through a trial? A struggle? A situation? A storm in which you’re praying for God to rescue you?

Whether you’re living out the consequences of a bad decision, or you’re going through something beyond your control…God is a deliverer.

Psalm 34:17 (NKJV)

¹⁷ The righteouscry out, and the Lord hears,
And delivers them out of all their troubles.

I just want to give you a quick word of encouragement with a cautionary admonition.

Brace yourself for your deliverance!

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Sometimes God’s deliverance is not comfortable, easy or convenient.

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God delivered Noah through an assignment that made him look like a fool to those who were around him. (Genesis 6)

God delivered Joseph of Genesis to save his entire family through being sold into slavery by his brothers (Genesis 37:18-36), through being accused of sexual harassment (Genesis 39), through being thrown into prison. (Genesis 39)

God delivered Lot through having he and his family quickly flee a condemned city in which he had made his home. (Genesis 19)

God delivered Saul/Paul from a life of persecuting the church to planting churches by temporarily striking him blind. (Acts 9)

God delivered us from the penalty of sin through the sacrifice of His only begotten Son. (John 3:16)

And, God is able to deliver you too…

2 Peter 2:7-9 (NKJV)

⁷ and delivered righteous Lot, who wasoppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked ⁸ (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented hisrighteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing theirlawless deeds)— ⁹ thenthe Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment,

So, I’m saying all that to say this, as you pray for deliverance, brace yourself!

God may deliver you through…

Getting fired…

Losing a car…

Getting evicted…

A serious surgery…

Getting your heartbroken…

Damage to your reputation…

Forcing you to relocate…

Through shame…

God is more concerned with our salvation and our relationship with Him rather than our short-term discomfort.

And, as you go through the process of your deliverance, remember this…

Psalm 30:5 (NKJV)

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

You may also enjoy this article…HOW GOD’S DELIVERANCE HAS BEEN TAUGHT WRONG…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

There was a time when God’s name was referenced more. We need to be careful how we refer to God casually and not in reverence…how we let what is meant to be praise be reduced to idle words. Look at what Jesus said about idle words…

Matthew 12:36-37(NKJV)

³⁶ But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. ³⁷ For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

We must make sure that we never play with His praise. Many movies, plays and songs, have turned what is meant to be sincere praise into a joke, or cliché…

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Please don’t say HALLELUJAH unless you’re really praising Him.
And, don’t play with it.

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Please stop saying “HALLELUYER!”

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Remember this…

JAH (YAH) is the part of the word that’s His name. You don’t have to say GD to take His name in vain. 

Exodus 20:7 (NKJV)

⁷ “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.

For more on this please read…IS ‘OMG’ TAKING GOD’S NAME IN VAIN? 

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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Those of us who have faith in God through Yeshua the Messiah, with confidence, look forward to the promise of eternal life…

John 3:16 (NKJV)

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

However, Christians, even though some may not admit it, can still experience anxiety and fear from the fact that none of us have ever died before. Even though we are eternal, spiritual beings who are simply occupying our current temporary bodies, its difficult to see beyond what our consciousness has allowed us to experience.

Ecclesiastes 12:7 (NKJV)

⁷ Then the dust will return to the earth as it was,
And the spirit will return to God who gave it.

We are only ‘aware’ of when God allowed us to step into the continuum of ‘time’ and the physical world when we were born.

Many people think about the thousands of years that occurred before we lived and the fact that we have no consciousness of those years.

Many may sometimes wonder if we will return to the ‘nothingness’ of before the moment when God ‘quickened’ us into consciousness or gave life to our spirits and we stepped onto the stage of the world.

But, think about this…

None of us can remember the day we were born or even our first birthday, but we were all most certainly aware, conscious and ALIVE.

None of us can remember when we were in our mother’s womb, but we were most certainly aware, conscious and ALIVE.

So, our existence can’t be limited to what we can remember experiencing. The fact that eternity is something we can’t currently comprehend is confirmed in the word of God…

1 Corinthians 2:9 (NKJV)

⁹ But as it is written:

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him

Now consider this…

How many times have you gone to sleep and slept for hours and when you woke up, you didn’t even realize how long you had slept? You couldn’t even remember what you dreamed.

Have you ever been ‘put to sleep’ with anesthesia? If so, all you remember is possibly counting backwards and waking up. You remember nothing about the surgery and activity going on around you while you were ‘out’.

Why?

Because in both instances, just like God, your temporarily existing outside the continuum of time. You have no concept of seconds, minutes or hours. You have no concept of time or the physical world around you.

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Our consciousness while we sleep is a partially spiritual consciousness.

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Notice what the bible says about what will take place when Yeshua returns…

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NKJV)

¹³ But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen ^[a]asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. ¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who ^[b]sleep in Jesus.

¹⁵ For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are ^[c]asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Those who are dead in Christ will be resurrected first. So, it’s very possible that just as when we go into a DEEP SLEEP and don’t notice how much time has passed, it’s very possible that when the Lord returns, those who died 2000 years ago will be no more aware of the time they were ‘sleeping’ than someone who died 20 minutes ago.

It’s very possible that as soon as you ‘die’ you immediately experience waking up to Christ’s return even if it’s 1000 years from now. You’ve just simply stepped out of ‘time’ and the ‘physical’ world.

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God is preparing us for death each time we go to sleep.

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So, if you feel some anxiety or fear of when you experience your last moment in this body, don’t be too hard on yourself. God knows that the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41).

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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It (1) takes (2) just (3) as (4) much (5) strength (6) to (7) ask (8) for (9) forgiveness (10) as (11) it (12) does (13) to (14) forgive (15).

Anyone who has ever hurt someone knows how difficult it is to sometimes admit that you were mean, unreasonable, impossible…that you were wrong.

Many times we assume that it takes more strength to forgive rather than to ask for forgiveness. But, both are selfless acts of denying ourselves and a total rejection of pride.

When we already know that someone has something against us, and we have given them a good reason to feel that way, then God places the responsibility on us to go to them and ask for forgiveness.

Matthew 5:23-24 (NKJV)

²³ Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Sometimes the best way to say I LOVE YOU is saying I’M SORRY. Once you’ve done that in sincerity, the spiritual responsibility shifts from you. ARE YOU EASY TO APOLOGIZE TO…?

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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God’s gift of intelligence to humans is one of the characteristics that confirms that we are created in His image. It’s an aspect of His character that we too have. Not how He looks, but how He ‘is’.

Genesis 1:27  (NKJV)

²⁷ So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Yes, some animals are more intelligent than others, but we, people, are His unique creation.

However, the intelligence and ability to reason, think logically and draw conclusions can sometimes be a curse. Animals’ lack of intelligence limits them pretty much to what God created them to do other than when we intervene.

It’s unfortunate when the people that God created say He’s not there, and then immediately take a breath of His air.

There are countless people every day who look at the world and universe around them, or study history and culture and decide for themselves God isn’t real, that the bible is written by man and is not the word of God. They use science to discredit God, when science is merely an attempt to give a physical explanation to a world to the spiritual.

People consider themselves to ‘wake up’ or be ‘woke’. When this happens, intelligence has become a curse rather than something to help us better relate to the God who gave it to us

They consider Christians as dumb, naive, silly, gullible and even foolish. But the fact is many of us are just as educated and have considered the same information that they have and still choose to believe in the Lord God of Israel from Everlasting to Everlasting through His Son and our Savior Yeshua, Christ Jesus. When you think someone is naive when they really aren’t, that makes you naive.

Don’t let your Intelligence quench your faith.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

You will never be younger than you are today!

Create tomorrow’s good ole days!

Enjoy your youth!

Psalm 103:5-7 (NKJV)

⁵ Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that ^(A)your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

I often hear many of my fellow Christians say that they don’t believe in luck.  They say that since God is in control, there is no such thing as luck. They say that since they have God’s grace, they have no need for luck.

Romans 8:28  (NKJV)

²⁸ 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.

Romans 3:23-25  (NKJV)

²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ being justified ^[a]freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵ whom God set forth as a ^[b]propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,

But, what about those who DON’T have grace?

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If grace is ONLY for the believer, what is a SERENDIPITOUS moment for the unbeliever called?

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If you don’t have God’s grace in your life, then basically, whatever happens…happens.

Much like if you spin a top on a small table. Using your hands to prevent that top from falling off the table represents God’s grace. But, if you don’t use your hands to prevent that top from falling off the table, that represents that fact that if that top doesn’t fall off the table…it’s lucky.

So, what do you think? IS IT GRACE OR LUCK?

You may also enjoy this: HOW TO MAKE SURE GOD ISN’T JUST YOUR ‘GOD’ LUCK CHARM…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Most of us get angry at those we love the most…it’s just a part of relationships. All children, both small and adult children, get angry at their parents at some point and time…it’s just a part of the relationship.

Most of us who believe in God also claim to love Him and be in relationship with Him…We are His children.

Soooo, it’s doesn’t seem outside of reason to assume that those of us who are in relationship with God, have gotten angry with him at sometimes or another…if we are willing to admit it.

God’s children get angry at their Heavenly Father.

Have you gotten angry at God because…

You thought He ignored your prayer…

You thought He said no…

You thought He was being unfair to you…

You thought He should have intervened…

You thought He was being too harsh…

You thought He favored someone who didn’t deserve it…

You thought those who are evil continue to win…

You thought…

Well, I could go over possible reasons all day, but you know why you were angry with Him…if you’re willing to admit it.

King David, a man after God’s own heart became angry with God. As he was having the Ark of the Covenant (which represented God’s presence) brought back, the oxen pulling the cart stumbled and as Uzza reached out to hold the ark steady, God became angry at him for touching it, (because no one was to touch the ark), and struck him dead. This made David angry and afraid of God…

1 Chronicles 13:10 (NKJV)

 ¹⁰ Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzza, and He struck him because he put his hand to the ark; and he died there before God. 

Throughout the book of Psalms, there are hints of frustration with God…

Psalm 13:1 (NKJV)

“How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?”

Psalm 77:3 (NKJV)

“I remembered God, and was troubled;
I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed.”

Psalm 94:3 (NKJV)

“How long will the wicked, Lord, how long will the wicked continue to triumph.”

Habukkuk cries out…

Habakkuk 1:2 (NKJV)

O Lord, how long shall I cry,

And You will not hear?
Even cry out to You, “Violence!”
And You will not save.
³ Why do You show me iniquity,
And cause me to see trouble?
For plundering and violence are before me;
There is strife, and contention arises.
⁴ Therefore the law is powerless,
And justice never goes forth.
For the wicked surround the righteous;
Therefore perverse judgment proceeds.

Jeremiah laments…

Jeremiah 12:1-4 (NKJV)

Righteous are You, O Lord, when I plead with You;

Yet let me talk with You about Your judgments.
Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
Why are those happy who deal so treacherously?
² You have planted them, yes, they have taken root;
They grow, yes, they bear fruit.
You are near in their mouth
But far from their mind.

³ But You, O Lord, know me;
You have seen me,
And You have tested my heart toward You.
Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter,
And prepare them for the day of slaughter.
⁴ How long will the land mourn,
And the herbs of every field wither?
The beasts and birds are consumed,
For the wickedness of those who dwell there,
Because they said, “He will not see our final end.”

Jeremiah even cursed the day he was born…

Jeremiah 20: 14 (KNJV)

Cursed be the day in which I was born! Let the day not be blessed in which my mother bore me.

Remember this…Men and women of God are merely, MEN and WOMEN of God. Only human.

God remembers that we are only human…

Psalm 103:14 (NKJV)

¹⁴ For He knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust.

 Psalm 78:39  (NKJV)

³⁹ For He remembered that they were but flesh,
A breath that passes away and does not come again.

 Matthew 26:41 (NKJV)

⁴¹ Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Even Jesus, Yeshua, Himself cried out…

Matthew 27:46 (NKJV)

⁴⁶ And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

God allows us to have human moments, but He expects us to ‘come to ourselves’, trust Him and honor Him. He allows us the opportunity to express our humanity in reverence and respect.

When you read the bible, after these men and women of God were angry…after they lamented…after their frustration….THEY TRUSTED GOD!

In the midst of their ‘complaint’ was PRAISE. Each of the Psalms mentioned above ended in PRAISE for God.

Jeremiah 20: 11-13 (NKJV)

But the Lord is with me as a mighty, awesome One.

Therefore my persecutors will stumble, and will not prevail.
They will be greatly ashamed, for they will not prosper.
Their everlasting confusion will never be forgotten.
¹² But, O Lord of hosts,
You who test the righteous,
And see the mind and heart,
Let me see Your vengeance on them;
For I have pleaded my cause before You.

¹³ Sing to the Lord! Praise the Lord!
For He has delivered the life of the poor
From the hand of evildoers.

They praised God in their pain to activate their faith….They continued to press in to the purpose that God had for their lives.

Anger is one of the ways we were created in God’s image. God becomes angry sometimes, but His anger doesn’t last.

It’s human and natural to become angry at God and doubt, but He told us…

1 John 4:4 (NKJV)

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

…So it’s superhuman and spiritual to overcome our anger and trust Him.

God knows we will have PITY PARTIES, but He expects us to turn them into PRAISE PARTIES.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Unfortunately Father’s Day is a sad day for some fathers because their child or children didn’t acknowledge them or took them for granted.

It could be because the father made mistakes.

It could be because the child is estranged and holding animosity in his or her heart.

It could be the father is very stern.

It could be the child is spoiled and the father just isn’t appreciated.

The father watched his phone all day long, but no call. He walked around his house all day long, waiting to hear those words, HAPPY FATHER’S DAY, but they were never spoken.

No matter what the reason, I know it hurts but let me hopefully comfort you with a quick reminder…

God has created countless children in His image who never acknowledge Him.

Even SOME of those children who acknowledge Him only use Him.

SOME only talk to Him when they want something. They may often complain about what He provides.

SOME walk on His earth (His house) full of evidence He lives, they breathe His air, eat His food, receive light from His sun ( and Son) yet claim He doesn’t exists.

But, God still has mercy on them and shows them kindness and love.

So, if you have a child who is not showing you love on Father’s Day, or any other day, think about the way God the Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ feels.

Then stop and ask yourself are you showing God the love He deserves.

Finally, make up your mind to be a the minister of reconciliation He has called us to be, and work hard to reconcile as many of God’s children back to Him.

Maybe, God will do the same for you.

2 Corinthians 5:18-20

¹⁸ Now all things are of God, ^(A)who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, ¹⁹ that is, that ^(B)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 ^(C)ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Are your children ever disobedient or disrespectful? Come on, now even ‘good’ kids have their moments.

Are your adult children ever unappreciative, disconnected or disrespectful?

Mark 7:8-13  (NKJV)

⁸ For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men^[a] —the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.” ⁹ He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. ¹⁰ For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’;^[b]and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’^[c] 11 But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban”—’ (that is, a gift to God), ¹² then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, ¹³ making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.”

Most if not all Christian parents love to remind their children of what the bible says about being obedient to parents…

Ephesians 6:1 (NKJV)

6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

 Colossians 3:20  (NKJV)

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

And, most parents get frustrated and angry when their children…

Disobey them…

Disrespect them…

Deny them…

Embarrass them…

Don’t appreciate them…

Don’t ask for their advice…

Don’t take their advice…

Don’t talk to them…

Respect others more than them…

Or, even rebel against them.

Have you ever had, or are you going through any of these situations as a parent? Did you put your parents through any of these situations?

All parents want their children to listen to them…to honor and respect them. And, they don’t want it to be a ‘burden’ to do so. They want them to do it freely out of love for them.

So, parents, the next time you are frustrated because your children aren’t listening, or aren’t giving you the respect you deserve, remember this verse…

1 John 5:3 (NKJV)

³ For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

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Then, I ask you to join me in asking yourself, “Is this how God feels when I…

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Disobey Him…

Disrespect Him…

Deny Him…

Embarrass Him…

Don’t appreciate Him…

Don’t ask for His advice…

Don’t take His advice…

Don’t talk to Him…

Respect others more than Him…

Rebel against Him…

Don’t listen to Him?

Why should we expect any more out of our children than we give to God?

Maybe, just maybe, God is sometimes trying to teach us a lesson through our children.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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Most of the good you do will go…

Unnoticed…

Unappreciated…

Unreciprocated…

Undeserved…

And, MISUNDERSTOOD!

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

John 1:11  (NKJV)

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

1 Corinthians 10:34 (NKJV)

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

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Not long ago I was watching my son hold his daughter as she fell asleep on him, and it filled my heart with love and joy.

I walked over and kissed her, then kissed him on top of His head.

It’s a shame that our Western culture has reduced strength and masculinity to fighting, aggression, retaliation, insults and a hard heart.

This is not just because of deadbeat dads, or absent fathers, but by ‘good’ fathers raising their sons with the expectation that men should be hard, and anything other than that is weakness.

But, that’s not how God loves us.

HERE’S 3 REASONS FATHERS SHOULD KISS THEIR SONS TOO

1. IT’S A PICTURE OF HOW GOD LOVES US

When the prodigal or wasteful son finally returned home, his father could care less about how his son had put him to open shame. He ran to meet his son and kissed him on the neck. This represents God’s unconditional and unfailing love for us. It gives us a picture of how our strong and ALL-POWERFUL God, can be gentle and kind enough to ‘kiss’ his children. It gives us an example that there is nothing weak, feminine, or ‘weird’ about a father kissing his adult son.

LUKE 15:20 (NKJV)

²⁰ “And he arose and came to his father. But^(A)when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.

2. IT DEMONSTRATES THAT REAL LOVE IS NOT JUST EROTIC

Too many young men grow up thinking that you prove your manhood by being promiscuous. They learn to brag about their intimate encounters that are meant by God to only be between husband and wife (male and female). They learn a perverted view of real love and affection. When a father kisses his son, it teaches him that a kiss isn’t just a tool to get to a woman’s ‘goodies’, but a real, gentle expression of Godly love. It teaches them a kiss can be Holy.

1 Corinthians 16:20 (NKJV)

²⁰ All the brethren greet you.

3. IT TEACHES ALL STRENGTH ISN’T AGGRESSION

Our society today is impressed with what they have been taught is strength. But, God teaches us that evidence, or Fruit, of His Spirit is behavior that many people in the world today consider to be weakness.

Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV)

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

Notice that kindness and gentleness are proof that God lives inside of us through our Lord and Savior Yeshua the Messiah, Jesus Christ. God gives us an example of this with the Prodigal Son’s father. A gentle kiss from his father let him and everyone watching know how much he still loved his adult son.

It is our responsibility as fathers to let our sons know we love them as God loves us, and showing that love does not diminish their strength or masculinity.

Daddies shouldn’t only just kiss their daughters, but their sons too.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

The bible teaches us that it’s God that gives us the power, ability, knowledge and strength to get ‘wealth’, and that is very true…

Deuteronomy 8:18  (NKJV)

¹⁸ “And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may ^[a]establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

But, how many times have you heard someone say, or said yourself,  “I deserved everything that I have because I worked hard for it!”

You planned…

You’ve worked hard…

You’ve sacrificed…

You’ve made good decisions.

You even had great faith.

Let me give you a quick reminder in humility and God’s grace and mercy…

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Yes, you definitely ‘earned’ it, but be very careful before you say you deserve it.

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Before you say that you deserve your success and influence because of your hard work and effort, think about all of the people who also planned, worked hard, sacrificed, made good decisions, and had great faith…and for whatever reason, things just didn’t work out.

Think about all of the businesses that fail every day.

Think about all of the relationships that fall apart every day.

There are plenty of people who have planned and worked…

Just as hard or harder…

Just as smart or smarter…

Sacrificed just as much and more…

Made decisions that were just as good or better…

And, things just didn’t work out in their favor.

From the macro-economic environment, to social conditions, unforeseen sicknesses and circumstances, there are innumerable reasons why sometimes hard work is not rewarded with success.

And let us not forget about those people who want to work but can’t because of a disability they can’t help.T

There are many people who saved, invested, planned well and opened businesses, their American Dream, must before the COVID-19 hit. Many of those businesses  were  off to a great start, but the effects of the pandemic wiped them out.

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All in all, it’s only by God’s grace and mercy and His plan for our lives that things, work out as we hope and plan.

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Remember…

Proverbs 16:9  (NKJV)

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Relationships are complicated and difficult, even good ones. But as we all know some relationships can slip into the category of ‘abusive’. And, abusive doesn’t always mean physical abuse.

When someone takes advantage of someone else’s love and mistreats them verbally or emotionally, that’s abusive.

When someone loves you enough to allow you to hurt them over and over again while always willing to forgive and move forward as if nothing happened, that’s abusive.

Micah 7:19 (NKJV)

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

Isaiah 43:25-26 (NKJV)

²⁵ “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake;
And I will not remember your sins.
²⁶ Put Me in remembrance;
Let us contend together;
State your case, that you may be ^[a]acquitted.

That’s how powerful God’s loves is for us.

How many times have we abused Him verbally by taking His name in vain, or simply not giving it proper reverence and respect? Remember, YOU DON’T HAVE TO SAY “GD” TO TAKE GOD’S NAME IN VAIN…

How many times have we taken advantage of His love by promising we wouldn’t do something again, only to do it again…numerous times?

Psalm 103:10-14 (NKJV)

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;
¹² As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
¹³ As a father pities his children,
So the Lord pities those who fear Him.
¹⁴ For He ^[a]knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust.

How many times have we hurt Him emotionally buy putting others and things before Him?

How many times have we provoked Him to jealously?

Psalm 78:58 (NKJV)

⁵⁸ For they provoked Him to anger with their high places,
And moved Him to jealousy with their carved images.

How many times has He witnessed us committing spiritual adultery right in front of Him only to stand with His arms wide open welcoming us back into His love?

Notice how sometimes in the bible, God sounded almost like a hurt lover before He got angry at Israel’s sin…

Judges 2 (NKJV)

2 Then the Angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said: “I led you up from Egypt and brought you to the land of which I swore to your fathers; and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you. ² And you shall make no ^[a]covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed My voice. Why have you done this?

How many times have we put Him to open shame before His enemy and our adversary, choosing the devil over Him in our decisions.

How many times has the enemy had the same conversation with God about us that he had concerning Job? Have we always maintained God’s character through our trials?

Job 1:9-11 (NKJV)

⁹ So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? ¹⁰ Have You not ^[a]made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. ¹¹ But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse^[b] You to Your face!”

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How many times have we physically abused the Lord?

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Isaiah 53:5 (NKJV)

⁵ But He was wounded^[a] for our transgressions,
He was ^[b]bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes^[c] we are healed.

Hebrews 6:4-6 (NKJV)

⁴ For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, ^{6 [a]}if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

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Have you crucified Christ again today?

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The fact is that if this were a marriage (and our relationship with Him actually is) many of us would have ended it a long time ago.

2 Corinthians 11:2 (NKJV)

² For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

Isaiah 54:5 (NKJV)

⁵ For your Maker is your husband,
The Lord of hosts is His name;
And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel;
He is called the God of the whole earth.

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God loves us with a relentless love. He allows us to hurt Him over and over again. Quite frankly, that’s abuse.

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Never take for granted God’s grace, mercy and faithfulness to us. He endures our ‘abuse’ every day and allows gives us brand new mercies every morning.

Lamentations 3:22-23 (NKJV)

²² Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
²³ They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.

The first thing we tell people in abusive relationships is to GET OUT! Aren’t you glad that God hasn’t gotten out of His relationship with you?

BE BLESSTIFIED!