Tag Archives: faith

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Tick, Tock, You’re Time is Running Out

In this day of so many choices, people tend to want to do their own thing. It seem as though there is no sense of morality in their decision making process nor in their lifestyle, and that also includes the Church. It is as though this generation has slipped back into the 1960’s adopting the mindset of “do what you want to do and with whom you want to do it to.” People always say that the times always repeat themselves. I understand that but what I really believe is this: the Bible sort of has that same frame of thought but in a more detailed understanding.

But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark…


Matthew 24:37-38

Lets take a look at a list of things that man is doing today and compare them with what the Word of God says.

The World

In the world hate has spread so much and there has been no remorse for the hate that people have for one another in society today.

Love

There is a false understanding of love, and what it means to be loved. People have taken “in love” to be “love.” For many people “love” means to do for me and me along. Love carries a type of attitude where it has become very selfish. People have allowed love to become a tool to be used as a selfish nature; to hurt people to get over on them. Whereas in the Word of God, love “beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth:” 1 Corinthians 13:7-8

Faith

How about faith in the world today or should I say a lack of? The Church is known as people of faith and our whole walk in life and ministry is to be a walk by faith and not by sight, because the Word of God says we can do all things through Him. We need to represent what a walk of faith is. However, we don’t. Not realizing that faith is a principle of counting on what Jesus’ Word says, and believing in that Word. The world teaches to believe in oneself. The mindset is you can do anything yourself; just believe you. You can do it. Not believing what God say, to believe in Him and with Him, all things are possible through Him. We don’t believe this. They take up the motto that “you can do it.” You can’t do anything without Christ because you will fail. Its not by might nor by power, but by His spirit. You can’t do it because you don’t have it. You don’t even know what will happen to you in the next 2 seconds. So you have to put your faith and hope in Christ and it won’t fail.

Humility

The world feels you need to get over on your fellowman. Its not about helping them out but their thought process is “what can I get or gain from them?” In other words, I’ll teach other people to be humble so when I come to them I can get something out of them. The Bible says that we need to be humble. Don’t always want to hear your name mentioned in something that is going great; don’t always want to be on top. You can’t have this type of mind. You must be humble. The Lord will exalt you in due season. Don’t always want to be the one on top. If you see someone who needs to be encouraged, be humble enough to sit back and encourage them. Don’t compare yourself with someone else who is getting praise. Why do you feel that you need to be praised? When you feel this, you need to reexamine yourself; your purpose in the Lord. The Bible never said that this walk would be joyous and you’ll have all the praise of people around you. Its a hard walk that requires faith, where you put all your trust in God. We who are the people of God must be mindful of our humility. Because its about helping others, and looking upon others, to help encourage them, whether you receive praise or not.

Intimacy

What about Intimacy between a man and a woman these days? In the world these days they don’t have it like that. They talk about short term relationships. The world uses the slang “hit and run” or “one night stand” or “short term relationship.” They encourage young people to “try it before you buy it.” In other words, live with a person first without marrying them. That makes no sense. That is just like a car dealer. You ask the dealer to try the car for a while, before consider buying it. He’ll look at you crazily and say “no you must buy it and then use it.” The Church is adopting the same mentality. People want to live with one another before they commit to one another. People say “the Lord knows our heart and knows I want to be with her.” But if He knows that, why do you want to try out the product before you commit to it? The worldly type of mentality concerning that has slipped into the House of God. Men sometimes say, in a relationship like this that if the girl gets pregnant, then he’ll marry her. Is that usually the case? You’ve just given him an option. If you get pregnant I’m gone, and if you don’t I’ll stay there and play in the field for a while. There is no commitment to anything in the world today. Some women are upset with how men have taken advantage of them in this way, that they seek inordinate affections of the same sex, and take advantage of the woman, just as the man took advantage of them. That mindset has become rampant in the world, in so much as our government has passed laws for same sex marriage. All this produces is self-gratification and has nothing to do with a healthy relationship, as a man cannot produce life with another man, nor a woman with a woman.

Pride

What of Pride in the world? In the Church, people take pride of what they own, and also their status in the world. Whether they have money or not own a business or not, or are seen as a leader in society, they take pride in all of that. That is just in the Church alone. In the world, money and riches are their pride. It use to be that people wanted to be a millionaire, but now people want to be billionaires. They want to have things they desire and go where they desire. They want to live as kings in palaces so they can walk about with pride. They live in a state of perpetual self-gratification to make them feel good about themselves, because “I am somebody.” They want power to control others lives. This is what pride has brought them.

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.


2 Timothy 3:1-7

There are a lot of people in the Church and the world who are ever learning about the Bible, but never understanding the truth of what the Bible says. Their heart doesn’t want to live concerning what the Bible says, rather live to do what they want to do, yet they want to use the Bible to condemn someone else! People in the world today know about the Word of God, and if they don’t, they know the 10 commandments. If you understand the 10 commandments, then you’re already guilty of what the Bible says if you aren’t living by it.

Its imperative that we do what the Word of God says. Women are going after woman, men after men, and even children after children for the purpose of lust of the flesh. Let us not forget what God has brought us to. All of the things that God has said are going to happen in the last days. The clock is tick, tocking away, and God is waiting for you to make the decision to live totally for Christ or live in the world. He said He’d rather us to be hot or cold but not lukewarm. Lukewarm Christians are trying to live in the Church and the world. Having a form of godliness but denying the power they are suppose to be serving. The world is looking to the Church for an answer, yet they can’t get it because the Church is standing beside the world, doing the same things as the world! So we need to be very careful of how we are perceived of the world and others. The Bible says don’t let your good be evil spoken of. If you want to live in the world, live totally in the world. Don’t try to put one foot in the world and the other in the Church. If you are doing sin in the world, then you’re in the world in the first place, whether you are in the House of God or not.

How long halt you between two opinions? Do you serve God or the world? He won’t look at you as being in the middle, He will put you to one side or the other. If He doesn’t see the move of God and Holy Ghost in you you’ll be in the world anyhow. If you aren’t living concerning the Word, then you are in the world. There is no commonality. You’re either in the world or you’re in the Church. Christ will not die on the cross again for your confusion. You need to make a decision, here and now. Will you live for Christ or the world? The world may include your lifestyle; what you do to satisfy yourself. Is that satisfying God or you alone? It makes you feel good because you can’t see God, and because you can’t see Him, you think its alright. You see the situation better and you like doing it. The Bible says blessed is he who has not seen and believed.

Bear in mind only what you do for Christ will last. What you do for the world will last as long as the world looks at you and places pride and joy on you. When that is gone, you’re gone. You can see leaders in history, who started out in greatness. When they fell once, their name through the annals of history was marked with shame from the same people who gave them fame! You have to realize that you have to give an account of all that you say, promise and do in this world. Every word uttered from our mouths is being recorded. Since you know and understand, why not walk upright before God, doing what is right, not listening to fables of men and their uneducated knowledge concerning the Word of God? Sure people read the Bible, but not with an understanding that only comes from God. So we ask you to bear in mind of what the Word of God has said. Today is the day of change. The moment you hear His voice, obey, and harden not your heart as in the day of evil.

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Putting God’s Seal of Approval on your Sin

“Putting God’s seal of approval on you Sin for an Excuse”

How many times have you said “God understands me?” What about the statement “He’s still working on me,” as to say He understands me? So its ok when we quote the word as our justifying weapon. “Christ died for me true enough, but I’m only human!” Being human does not give you the unction to continue to sin.

Romans 3:23-24

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

“We all are sinners, saved by grace,” is the statement we hear people say right after they’ve sinned. But those are just excuses to justify what they’re doing. How long does it take one not to sin? The same length of time it takes to do the sin. The reason we can’t say no to sin is because we’re so busy saying yes to the mess. Some people want to stay in their mess, because they’re at home in their mess. You ever seen pigs, out in the field, jumping up and having a good time? But as soon as they get to a mud puddle, they roll in and and make funny noises. Don’t you know you you’re in a mess? The pig looks up and says, what a mess it is. Some people like to write stores about their mess. They are enjoying their mess. God is still working on me. I’m just a new Child of God and I’m just getting use to God’s rule. I’m not talking about the world, I’m talking about saints, trying to put God’s seal of approval on their mess. How long do you stay short of His glory?

Romans 8:33-34

Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he
that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

We can not go on thinking its ok to go on and sin and think Christ will just be born again through Mary and go through the entire process again. Every time you do a mess, you put Him up on the cross, and then you lie about it and try to justify it. If you are a sinner, don’t half step it. If your going to sin, go all the way.

Hebrews 10:22-27

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

Do you know how to get back in the graces of God? Or are you still living in that same mess you were in before? If we willfully sin, Christ won’t get back on the cross again. The wages of sin is death. Not a physical death, but a death of the soul.

1 Peter 4:1-6

Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

One must remember that Jesus dying on the cross wasn’t for us to continue in our old ways that we had in the world nor to justify our weakness in our sinful nature or revive sin that we can’t seem to get over.

1 Corinthians 6:8-11

Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

 

This not to your condemnation but to your salvation in Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 3:6-8

But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

In my conclusion: Know this the time is now that when you hear the Rhema in “Greek means utterance” words of truth of Jesus and those words become Zao in Greek meaning “ living or alive “ to you, then you need to live it while there is life in your body!

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Did You Ever Grow Up?

1 Corinthians 13:11-12

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

I was thinking about when I was child, I did some crazy things. Did you ever tempt fate? Tempt life and death? When you look back when you were in your teens and preteens; the peer group pressure? Do you remember things like selfishness; lies? It was easy to tell a lie when you were young, but you really didn’t know what a lie was. You remember being a thief? “Don’t mess with those cookies…don’t mess with this…” Your siblings told you “don’t bother that…don’t take it.” Though that seems small, its still thievery. I was with a company that I was a contractor at, and I was told I could go into the office supply cabinet. I looked in there and it was as though I made it to mecca! I had a pen fetish and they had all types of lead, ballpoint, felt tip point, roller ball point; All sorts of erasers, those like putty, the big white ones, the big brown ones. Post it notes, tape…they had all the goodies. Colored paper clips…you never know how bad you need a paper clip until you need it. I was told I could get whatever I needed. I got every pen and eraser that I could get…and it wasn’t going anywhere but back to my desk. I was doing work with them, but some of them never stayed at my desk, but went home, and rested there. Now because it didn’t come from management and came from one of the engineers on the floor, it wasn’t for me to take, but I took and took and took again. I don’t know if there is such a word as nice stealing, but I stole, often. I was justifying everything…taking 4 bottles of whiteout, just in case I may need it. But I was a thief.

How about cheating? Do you remember anger? How about faithlessness? As a teenager, we told other teenagers “are you going to be faithful,” yet we weren’t even faithful. We tell them “don’t cheat on that test,” yet we cheat on that test.

Lets look at our childhood. Have you ever been selfish in your childhood? You know there use to be a truck that came around and the driver was Mr. Liberty. He had popsicles, iced cold bazooka bubble gum, fudge sickles, freeze pops, eskimo pies, the ice cream bars with chocolate on the outside, and the neapolitan ice cream…He always carried the right stuff for the kids in the neighborhood. He came at the right time, and when he rang that bell, every kid on that street came running, hopping and skipping beside the truck. He tried to satisfy every child and teach us about our money too. We had a wonderful time waiting for him to come, and we use to promise each other that we’d help the kid who didn’t have money and get them something. But when that time came up, we didn’t want to share, even when you ate some of another kids iced cream before. Then you would order knowing you had no money, then you felt angry, disenchanted; let down because you couldn’t get the thing you wanted.

Do you remember something you took from your sibling or friend and never gave it back? Did you know that you can’t steal someone from another person? You saw one teen with a girl you wanted. So you went about trying to steal the girl from him? This happened to me. Pains and trials and let downs that I didn’t even know were there. Kids being talked about, being made fun of. Teenagers. Wanting to be accepted. “You don’t dress right. We don’t like you. You belong with the misfits.” The things was is the misfits were all straight A’s. These memories are still with me today. Sometimes memories are still there, but attached to those memories are a growth that you never grew beyond. What about when things didn’t go your way? Were you angry with the person, the situation or with yourself? What about when you didn’t get chosen to do a particular task? Some of us want to be chosen, others of us don’t because we don’t want to be called a teachers pet. You remember when your sibling or friend told a lie to your mom or dad? Think about those moments? Do we ever see some of the remnants of our past childhood come up in our life now…how we walk in Christ, how we choose our friends, how we do business? Yes we do. The Word of God says when I was a child, I thought as a child, spoke as a child…Some of the things we do today are still from our past as a child. Did our bodies grow up and our minds stay the same? What does it mean to become a man? Not looking at things from a child’s point of view, but looking sensibly and reasonably. I don’t need to smack you back because you smacked me. We need to realize one thing. We need to grow up.

You wonder why God can’t use us? Because we haven’t grown up. He can’t give a responsibility to someone who is still doing the same old childish things. Think about it. If a person still hasn’t grown up past the mindset of having a playful type mentality all the time, would you entrust them to manage your money? Would you entrust them to handle your business? Think about it. Just relate that with God. Will the Lord entrust you to deliver His word to a person who’s soul is aching, who’s heart is hurting if your still in a child’s mentality? We have a lot of immature Christians out there. Some of them have come into the understanding of what the being clear picture is about. But they begin to play around, and take it lightly. They don’t look at others pain, anguish or hurt, but they say rather it is kind of funny the way they look. When you were a child, some of the things you did carried over into your adulthood. If you grew up liking toy race cars, maybe you became a race car driver. You ever wonder what your life would have been like had you not chosen your profession? What would you have done, accomplished, succeeded in? Would I have known who Jesus is? Would I be in this state or this country? What would I have done?

A lot of times our faith or the lack of faith is due to something that is lingering over into our childhood, linger into our adulthood. We had faith in someone; they failed, so we saw that faith didn’t work, or we have less faith. It causes you to have a misunderstanding of faith. Lack of faith is usually equated to having an emotion disillusion. You have a relationship with someone and you know it would last, but they pull out for some reason. But they told you they had faith in the relationship, then that lessens your idea of faith. The delusion of it all is because of the attachment you had on others wasn’t strong enough to maintain the bond, your faith lessens. You ask, “what came out of me that caused their walking faith not to be strong? Did I cause them not to be faithful? Did they see a lack of faith in me so they became unfaithful to us?” Then you begin to test that faith on them and say “I will try this one more time.” Then when they do it again, you don’t trust them at all.

What does mature mean? Its being able to let things go that don’t make sense. Mature comes in when you’re able to look at something circumspectly, weigh it, not just accept it, but know the consequence behind it. Whereas a person who is younger will jump right in and do it and find out later that it was bad. Maturity will say I’m 72 years old, I don’t need to have a car note. Maturity makes sense. I’m not working anymore, why would I go and make a big bill? You can’t live off someone else. You say you did when you were younger, and think you can do it today. Making the same old mistakes you did when you were younger. “He’s cute, got nice hair and muscles. So he must have a brain.” That is the same thing you did when you were younger. You weren’t looking for intelligence, you were looking for looks. You still live the life of a teen and here you’re 62. You still turn out to be a teen and your 50, making the same old stupid mistakes you made when you were younger. When it says I let go of childish things…the way you talked and acted. You can’t do the same things you use to do when you were younger. You should have some wisdom. Have you grown up yet? Its not the shape or the color of the product. Its whats in there that matters. You don’t want a man who will be candy on your arms. You want someone who will enhance you and teach you something. Whatever God gives you, trust Him.

Don’t let the ways of your past control your future. Don’t make the same stupid mistakes; being giddy making your choices in life. Start looking at thing a bit more seriously.

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Case of the Missing Faith

Matthew 8:5-13

And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.  And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

This man of the Roman army, a leader of the Roman army came to Him and said “My servant…” One thing we have to understand is that he cared about those under his authority, under his leadership. Jesus marveled. Why did He marvel? When the Centurion said he tells the one to go and he goes, when he tells the one to sit down, he sits down. Why are the Children of God so disobedient? When you were at school and your teacher told you to be quiet, you sat down and were quiet. At your job, the boss tells you go pick up that thing and bring it over here and put this together. You don’t look at him and say why. If you do, you won’t have a job long. If you challenge the one in authority, he can ask you why are you here? “I’m here because I need the money and have nothing else to do.” So he will ask, didn’t you sign some papers saying you will abide by the rules of this company? The point is, when God gives us authority, we have to obey His authority. We want people to do what we say, but we won’t do what they say. Can you imagine the sight of Christ saying that He’d not found so great faith in Israel, after having been teaching to His disciples on faith? The Centurion had great faith in Jesus Who commands the air, the spirits. The Centurion believed that Jesus authority was sure. He had enough faith in Jesus that He had authority. He knew that when Jesus said it, it would be done. He knew that all power was in Christ hands. He had not found one, no not even in Israel as faithful. Can He say that to you today? The Children of the Kingdom will be cast out..those who walk around thinking they are Christians when they aren’t. Because the servants boss had faith, the results went to the servant. It wasn’t about the servants boss, but about God because of the Centurions faith.

Do we have faith like that today? Or do we need something to crank us up? So if you’re going through something, could it be you’re the one going through, and its waiting on you?

Matthew 8:14-16

And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever. And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them. When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:

God was showing His authority over sickness. Some people are sick because they want to be sick. If you serve a God who can heal, why are you sick? We sometimes use sickness as a crutch. Has your salvation become a crutch so that people will look at you and praise you instead of God? Sometimes things may not seem so clear as to where we are in Him. We’ll do things because we’re not sure where He is or where we are, to test our faith to see if Christ will be there to help us out. We’ll stretch the limit, come almost there to only find out that maybe He’s not really watching me right now…”God are you there?” Sometimes things might not seem so clear where we are in Him, even if we may have strayed away from salvation, a little off mark from the high calling of salvation.

What do you tell children when crossing the street? You stop, look both ways and listen. Have we done that in our lives with our sin, and asked how it will affect our walk in Christ, affect my Salvation? Do you know its a personal walk, not a public one? You don’t need anyone poisoning your walk by their views or understanding. Words are powerful, and even more so to the feeble-minded. It’s important that you get the right info the right way and in all you’re getting get an understanding. It’s important that we stop look and listen for the Breath of God. People breathing down our neck, talking to about everything under the sun except the Son. Misery loves company, and company has friends. He has been exhaling in our lives, but we continue doing what we’re doing in hope that He understands. We’ve used that term before “He understands me. We’re that tight.” He understands what we are doing, walking by sight and kind of by faith. At one time or another we’ve done that. The Bible tells us we walk by faith and not by sight. But most of us blend it: a little bit of sight a little bit of faith. We comfortably do that. When your mind is walking by sight, then your mind is influenced around you, you are walking by others. When they are jacked up, you’re jacked up. Sometimes we allow things, emotions and situations to dominate our walk. In most cases we begin to second guess ourselves and our faith begins to wean, leading to faithlessness.

 

Hebrews 11:1-6

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

 

Everywhere you see faith in these passages, substitute for “complete trust.”

Have you ever gone to someone who you know can’t help you? Most of the time we go to someone who can help. You have faith that they can do what you know can be done. If you can’t trust in anybody, then you’ll not go to the “body,” but go to another body to help you take care of your body! We’re sick because we want to be sick, laid up, stressed out, and prostrate before everyone because we get attention. We’re sick because we want attention. What about those who really are sick? Where is their faith? The case of the missing faith. If you have the faith of a grain of a mustard seed…

I have a concept of what faith is: trusting in something that you don’t have an idea or clue about, because you have complete trust. You exhibit and use complete trust everyday. When you get out of your bed do you step on a cloud or the floor? You trust that the floor is going to hold you. You don’t have to think about it because you trust it completely. This is how it should be with Jesus. We don’t have to think about Him because we know He is faithful. This is what faith is, not having to worry about your salvation. Not arrogantly, but not having to worry about if you are going to be healed, or going back with Him. Why do we read the Word of God? Because we completely trust in it. Do you completely trust God? Then why are you limping? By His stripes you are healed. Our complete trust is conditional. What we don’t want to accept is we’ve given Him conditions for our life, when He never gave us conditions. How many love the Lord? We love Him on conditions and completely trust Him on conditions. Have we lost our hope? Or more than that, have we quietly lost our hope in Christ Jesus? Maybe a dream we’ve had that didn’t come to pass or a relationship that did go the way you planned and you quietly blamed Jesus because it didn’t come to fruition. And now you sit in your pity, patty party, blaming yourself and Jesus too, instead of standing on your most holy faith and asking the Lord to forgive you and forgive yourself. Hope lost. You have no faith when hope is lost. Without faith you can’t please God. Hopelessness sets into you.

In conclusion, we can’t allow our self pity to rule or ruin our walk in Christ Jesus.

Romans 12:1-16

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

 

5 Points to remember:

1 Do not lean-to your own understanding, Proverbs 3:5-6

2 Change the way you have been thinking from a selfish worldy mind to a Christ Jesus mind, Romans 12:2-4

3 Don’t allow things or your situations to dictate your walk, Ephesians 4:14-16

4 Without faith you cannot please God, Hebrews 11:6

5 You can do all things through Christ, Philippians 4:13

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We Wrestle Not against Flesh and Blood

Ephesians 6:5-8

Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.

 

Emphasis on verse 8, Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. Whether you are a slave or free, your’ll receive the same of the Lord. He is no respect of persons in that respect. A lot of people feel they can’t serve Christ if they are a slave or beholding to someone. But know that under the oppression of whomever or whatever it may be, if you are a true Child of God, you are still to do His will. By doing so, you’ll receive of the Lord, whether you be bonded to someone or free on your own. Doesn’t make a difference.

Ephesians 6:9-11

And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

 

Can someone say “Whole Armour?” Put on the whole armour of God, not just part of it, all of it. Put on all those things to be fully armored. Because Satan is not coming just to cut off your head, but anything he can get a hold to, whether it be your legs or arms…anyway he can. If he can strike you at your finances, in your body, he will. If he could strike at you by attacking your loved ones, he will. If he could strike at you at your job, he will. Know this, you must be prepared at all times when you go into battle. You have to have on all of your protective gear. In the military, they give you cavalier vests/armored vests, reinforced knee pads, reinforced elbow pads. They give you special helmets before you go into battle. All for the purpose of protecting you against any form of an attack. So as a Child of God, your amour is what it says in Galatians 5.

 

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

 

So you have to put on your armor. First of all love. Sometimes its a hard thing to put on love, but put on love so when you come against that foe, they won’t know how to act. People seem to wait for you to be combative, so they can justify their attack on you. They want you to be afraid. Our President John F. Kennedy said this one thing that is very important and I hope that we catch this: “The only thing to fear is fear itself.” Now I hope you got that. The only thing to fear is fear itself. Let me break that down for you. Sometimes people don’t understand what they’re afraid about. They have been indirectly or directly taught to fear this thing, that situation, or this type of problem, not understanding that there was nothing to fear in the first place. In other words, people are being trained to fear and don’t realize it, so when they get older that fear comes out in them. It manifests itself in many different forms and ways, when you least expect it. That is why you have to be prepared to love in spite of. When somebody treats you wrong, you have to love them still. If someone talks about you, you have to love them still. I know its hard, we all have been through, when somebody just hurt you to the very fiber of your being. We want to lash out in revenge, hoping that taking revenge will resolve that issue. But I’m here to tell you revenge doesn’t resolve anything, it just opens another door that Satan can come into to destroy you.

The next armament is joy. I know some will say, how can you feel joy when someone has their foot on your neck? How can you feel joy when they are trying their best to destroy you? How can you feel joy when someone has taken all that you have? How can you feel joy when someone has taken your loved one? Taken your home, taken your livelihood? How can you feel joy? The Bible tells us in the mist of confusion and mess, God will calm that water. In the midst of trouble, He said cast your cares upon Me for I care for you. The joy you have to feel is, trouble don’t last always and neither does pain or hardship. So be confident that God has your back. Its a good thing when God has your back. We think that men have our backs, but we need not trust in men. Put your trust in God. When God has your back, He has your back.

The next thing is peace. What is peace? Freedom from disturbance, quiet and tranquility. When you look at the action of peace, it calms down everything about you and around you; the Word of God says peace be still (Mark 4:39). What comes along with peace is having faith. The only thing that would cause you to get agitated is when you don’t have peace; is when something has disturbed your faith. Does that mean you have no faith in whom you serve; in Christ that He would deliver you? When you’re going through a situation in your life, does that mean you have no faith to deliver you? It brings in fear, not having enough faith; causes you to doubt what you believe.

The next bit of armour is long-suffering. Some of you all can’t hold out for one minute without complaining. You can’t even fast for even 1 hour, notwithstanding one day. You can’t endure anything. Do you have endurance? Can you endure the stress and heartache of going through? Knowing after a while it will all be over? It reminds me of an old song they use to sing: After a while the troubles shall be over, after a while my Savior shall come. The race is not to the swift nor to the strong. The Bible says its to the one that endureth to the end. Long-suffering. Do you have on that armour of long-suffering. Can you stay with it without complaining or whining? Can you endure? That’s a heavy thing.

Another is gentleness. How many of you are gentle? How many of you have that quiet gentle spirit? How many have a gentle nature? Most people have the eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth type of mentality. He hit me, I’ll hit him harder, if he hurts my family, I will hurt his, if he steals from me, I will take from him. We don’t have a gentle spirit. Another thing is goodness. When you say the Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want, He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters, He restores my soul. It says toward the latter part of that, yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I shall not fear. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. Did you head goodness mentioned? Goodness has to be a part of a Child of God’s life, without any doubt, it has to be a part. When you think about the goodness of Jesus and all the things He’s done for us, yet we sill complain about the little things. Its a shame that we sit up there and complain about the little things. The Word of God tells us how long halt you between two opinions. If God be God serve Him, if he be mammon, serve him. I think some of us are caught between that making up our mind stage. Faith is the strongest armor because without faith its impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Faith in what He does, what He says, faith in what He tells us to do and where He tells us to go. The Bible tells us if we have the faith of a grain of a mustard seed, its like a little tiny bead. To say that someone doesn’t even have faith that size its an indictment on them.

Meekness, I think meekness goes right along with gentleness. A quiet, gentle and easily imposed on submissive, yielding, obedient, compliant, humble spirit. Many people in the Church don’t have humble spirits, they aren’t too meek, and quick to jump down your throat. I tell people, you’d better leave people alone, because you’ll make that Peter spirit come out quickly.

Temperance is the last. Temperance is a moderate or voluntary self restraint to refrain from doing. How many people of God have temperance as an amour? How many can say I know where to stop, I know where the line is and I’m not going to cross that line? You’ve got to know when to say no. Then you’ve got to know when to go. Temperance is an important piece of amour on the Child of God on the battlefield of this world, because you will deal with some folks who cause you to loose your temperance. There is a time and season for everything under the sun. You have to know when you should do or not do.

Ephesians 6:12

 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

That is an awesome statement. Reason being is because people think they are fighting against people. Democrats are fighting against Republicans and vice versa. They are fighting against spiritual entities behind the people. Demons and imps sent by Satan to control this world. It says against spiritual wickedness in high places. Did you know one level of demons controls a lower level of demons that controls another level of demons on you? The more successful you are in halting Satan’s growth, the more of a target you are to Satan. Being a Child of God, you are already on the radar if you are true. If you are a Charlatan, they don’t pay attention. They only want those people effective against them to make sure that the effect they have doesn’t cause their power to wane.

The term wrestle against flesh and blood…why do we fight and argue. The Word of God says in James 4:2-3 from whence come wars and fighting among you? Come they not hence even of your lust that war in your members? Ye lust and have not, ye kill and desire to have and cannot obtain. Ye fight and war yet ye have not because ye ask not. Ye ask an receive not because ye ask amiss. In other words your fighting against yourself, against the church because you want what they have. You never asked the Lord if you could have that, if it would edify your soul. We want it because it appeals to our flesh and will do anything to obtain it. You see these different leaders around the country fighting against one another because of jealously. You have these number of members. I want the same number of members, a nice edifice, I, I, I. When did God come in? When did He leave. When it became your ministry, when you conduct service according to your will. That is when the Holy Ghost leaves the place. Then the word Ichabod is written upon that ministry meaning the presence or Spirit of God has left that place. You never want that to be on your ministry, because once the presence of God has left your ministry, it is dead. The whole purpose is to do His will, and when He writes Ichabod on you He will never ever visit again. So you never want to hear Ichabod being pronounced on your location.

James 4:4

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

 

So, you hear a lot of people say I’m concerned about what will happen to this world, and all the things pertaining to loving this world. If you are in the House of God and love the world more than the Church, you are an enemy, so you might as well either get correction or get out.

James 4:5-6

Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

So can you humble yourself? There are quite a few reasons or excuses people use to justify their general disenchantment and disgust for each other. So I’ve listed some of the more common misunderstood emotions:

 

  1. Hurt-The Lord said cast your cares of Him. When you are hurting, it will cause you to have regret and anguish. That will cause you to mistreat someone, it would even cause you to hurt someone because you are hurt.
  2. Lying-What’s so big about lying? A lie hurts everybody involved. Most people don’t realize, when you tell one, you have to tell another to keep the first from being discovered. Who is the father of a lie? Satan. So you are doing Satan’s will.
  3. Hatred- It has caused people to go war. Families and friends not to speak for years. People to be killed.
  4. Fear- We talked about earlier. When a person is afraid, they will do anything to keep the fear from getting out of control.
  5. Rejection- Rejection has become a big problem in our society today. More youth are committing suicide because they are rejected by their peer group. They want to belong to some group of people that would befriend them and say good things about them. Kids sometimes can be so cruel. You have to feel good and confident about yourself. But those emotions have caused people to be disenchanted with each other.
  6. Anger- People have been so angry that they have hunted others down just to get rid of them. A lot of times people loose focus, and that is what causes people to become disgusted with other people and loose faith and hope in people.
  7. Confused- People in the Church are confused, but they don’t know what part they play. They know they are supposed to do something, because they never took the time to ask God. They want someone to tell them what to do, and when you tell them they get upset. Confusion is running rampant all through the Church. We need to understand that we can’t be confused when doing the work of God. That is one thing you need to take care of. If you don’t what will windup happening is you will lead someone astray, which will bring in contention between individuals. So you must be very careful how you walk in your Christian walk.

 

You can’t allow these 7 things to cause you not to deal with your fellow man correctly. These have caused us to fight against flesh and blood. Attack the spirit, by the Spirit. That Spirit in you should be the Spirit of God. So its very important that you allow the Holy Ghost to lead and guide you to all truth and understanding concerning your walk. Know this there is no man, woman or child or creature made of flesh and blood coming after you. It is spiritual wickedness attacking you. It uses whomever and whatever to attack the Child of God to slip up or fail. So I tell you again how long halt you between two opinions? If you are a Child of God, act like one. You are to be the salt of the earth, so put on that shield, and whole amour of God so that you may be able to stand against the whiles of the Devil. Everything is not going to be to how you like it or want it to be. Remember God is trying to make you. First he needs to break you down, so He can build you up His way.

Know this, Satan will use whomever or bring up situations around your life, he will bring people into your life that mean no good for you or anything you do for the Lord, so as to destroy God’s purpose for you in ministry. So I say again, we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, rulers and darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.