Be the right giver!

Matthew 14: 3

While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard.

She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.

Do you know that there are two types of givers in the church?

One type needs a reason to give, whereas some only need a revelation to give.

Reason givers are those who are controlled by their mind. It must make sense for them to write a check for the work of God.

These are the people who normally ask their banker or accountants how much to give.

Revelation givers on the other hand, consult with the Holy Spirit on how much to give.

Revelation givers, give with the Kingdom of God in mind.

They realize who their full supply comes from, and they don’t ever question, when God asks them to give something up.

Just be sure you know this…Whenever we do something extreme in the way of giving God something, there will always be naysayers.

Judas yelled out in opposition, when Mary broke this expensive box of perfume. He could’ve really cared less about the poor.

Be sure you don’t forget this either…It is God Almighty who gives us the power to get wealth, and to give wealth.

Jesus actually said…“Give and it shall be given unto you..”

God always has our best interests in mind. You do know that He gave us His best, when He gave us His Son, Jesus?

I wonder how often do we give Him our best?

Know your enemy!

1 Peter 5: 8

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

The reason that so many people get eaten alive by the devil, is because they don’t even know their enemy.

The names of the devil, give a clear indication of his all encompassing activity.

He’s called the tempter—the accuser—and the deceiver.

The spirit behind his heightened prowling these days, is the spirit of rebellion.

God controls the spirit realm of holiness, with the spirit of authority.

The devil controls the everyday functions of so many people, with the spirit of rebellion and lawlessness.

Did you know that you can find the devil’s spirit in, rap music—country/western music—and rock and roll?

His spirit is also dominant in many movies, and is also many well known in many novels.

Yup—especially one’s written about mysticisms, werewolves’ and blood thirsty vampires.

Frankly, the youth of this country (USA) are easy targets, and provide nourishing meals for the devil.

They’re really pretty easy game. Actually, so are many adults.

In the Garden of Eden, it was an endless array of untouchable fruit.

In our country today, it’s a wide range of scheming that produces false belief’s—and perversion of moral depravity.

Spiritual destruction is seen in billboards—televisions—computers—video games, music, movies and magazines.

Satan is so good at what he does, he doesn’t even have to exert all that much effort anymore…

God Pleaser!

Galatians 1: 10

Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

The question that the Apostle Paul was trying to get an answer for was…”What is my true earthly purpose?

He wanted to be sure he was a God pleaser and not a people pleaser.

You can either bring honor and glory to God, which pleases God—or you can be in love with the world—which the Father hates by the way.

Did you know we make that choice on a daily basis?

On Sunday morning’s, many people have the desire to please themselves, and so they stay at home, instead of going to church and worshipping God.

Did you stop to think this morning, that we are on this earth on a very temporary basis?

Just ask the person whose 80 years old, and they’ll tell you just how temporary that time is.

We’re supposed to have an absolute allegiance to God, and the world should not satisfy us in any way.

We should live the Word of God—and speak the Word of God in complete honesty, no matter who that might offend.

When we step on the other side of the curtain, into eternity, we will all stand before a God who knows fully who we were trying to please on this earth.

If we’re looking to win the approval of man, then we had better change direction, before it’s too late.

A servant of Christ, looks a certain way. A pleaser of men, looks a certain way too.

So if people asked you that question today, who would they say that you’re pleasing?

God or man?

Discipline!

Hebrews 12: 6 – 7

"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,

because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."

Last Sunday during Adult Sunday school, I taught on the subject of spiritual warfare.

The verse above, is probably one that isn’t discussed very often.

When Christians go through tough times, many of them put it off as spiritual warfare.

Did you know, that difficult times may have nothing at all to do with spiritual warfare?

This Bible verse says that God disciplines those He loves.

Just be sure of this—it doesn’t speak of warfare in the least sense.

Frankly speaking, sometimes Christians make some pretty stupid choices.

Paul said in Galatians 6: 7…. “What a man sows, he shall also reap.”

Some people are widely deceived, if they think that after doing something rebellious towards God, that’s it automatically the work of the devil.

It might be during those times, that the problem might just be with us.

Bad choices have sometime grave consequences.

God may have to continue giving us a boot in the shorts, until we come to Him in true repentance.

Just be sure of this…When God disciplines us, it’s for our own good—and we should never make light of that, and we should never lose heart either

Just the right moment!

Matthew 14: 32

And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.

 

Jesus was praying one night, and decided to meet the disciples out in the middle of the Sea of Galilee.

It was night time, the winds were strong—the disciples were having a real hard time navigating—and it was dark.

 

Once they realized that Jesus was not a ghost, Peter wanted to come out to meet Him.

What I find amazing, is that Jesus did not calm the water, until Peter had learned a very valuable lesson.

 

Sometimes, Jesus waits for just the right moment, to calm the stormy seas.

He even does that in our lives, from time to time. He waits for the best opportunity.

 

If we had it our way, we’d want the wind to settle down first, before the lesson is taught.

You know, just because we don’t always have smooth sailing, does not  mean we won’t make it to the other side.

 

If we’d understood the lessons Jesus tries to teach us from day to day, I’ll bet we’d try to weather the storm, more than we do.

We should not always be in such a rush to move past a teachable moment, and before Jesus has a chance to display His mighty power.

 

You might be going through a raging storm right now.

Don’t be so quick to wish the winds to die down—especially when Jesus is trying to teach you something.

 

When the winds are blowing out of control, it’s often natural that we wonder, if God is going to come through or not.

Just be sure of this—the winds will not die down, until He works out everything for our good.

 

Jesus knows what He’s doing—and frankly, we don’t—but when we invite Him into the boat—everything seems to change for the better….

Vexed?

Psalm 112: 10

The wicked man will see and be vexed, he will gnash his teeth and waste away; the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.

Most people in the church especially, would not consider themselves wicked.

I think if most of us were honest, our personal perceptions of ourselves, might be somewhere between righteous and wicked.

Yet, what we do know about the Bible, is that it doesn’t spend much time, teaching about the middle road.

Probably because is there is no middle road.

While classifying people of God, we’re either godly or ungodly—good or evil—or saved and lost.

Again, the Word of God doesn’t speak much about folks who are so, so—at least not in a good way.

Most of us would be able to correlate, about how Jesus speaks regarding those who are luke warm.

How can we be sure that we’d be measured as good and not wicked?

I think it has to do, with the deepest convictions of what we truly long for.

When our deepest desires are self-centered, we can be sure those desires are not good.

It’s when our hearts are aligned with God’s heart, that we can be confident that our motives aren’t wicked.

So if we love God—if we love His will—and if we love His ways, we can be sure that we won’t be counted among the wicked.

If we have to delay our response because we’re not sure, then we can be certain that our deepest longings, will probably never be satisfied

Number your days!

Psalm 90: 11 – 12

Who knows the power of your anger? For your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you. Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Most commonly, we can relate to God’s love—and God’s mercy—and God’s grace.

I wonder how often do we relate to the fear that we should have for God?

I think if we stopped for a while, and considered God’s anger—we’d probably have the fear that’s due Him.

So it begs another question then this morning…. How much fear does God really deserve?

Are we even close, to giving God the fear that He deserves?

The other thing I’m not sure people do very much anymore, is number their days.

I wonder if we really number our days the way that we should?

I think for the most part, people think they’re going to live forever, so they don’t even think of the brevity of life.

I mean, most of us think that tomorrow, as it has to do with life, is already in the bag.

I think that what the Psalmist is saying, is that the person who knows how to number their days, already has a heart of wisdom.

How much fear do you have for the things of God?

How often do you think of your own mortality?

I have to be honest with you and say, the older I grow, the more I’m in tune with the number of days I have left.

How often do you think about your life, in the light of all eternity?

I’ll be willing to bet, that if we thought more about our lives in the light of all eternity, we’d display more godly fear than we do….

Do a little Dance!

Psalm 30: 11

You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy….

I remember a time when I was young, when I could see my Mom’s mood change. It almost changed in an instant.

When I would ask her what was wrong, she’d always say in return…. “Today I’ve got just a good case of the blues.”

This Psalm was written by King David, to be read when the Temple of God, would one day be dedicated by David’s son, Solomon.

Talk about someone who lived life with a good case of the blues—it was David.

Do you feel down and out today? Would you say that you’ve got a good case of the blues?

I love it when King David said…. “You turned my wailing into dancing…”

I’ve always wondered what wailing was, and then a friend told me.

“Wailing is when a casket is closed of a child, and the parents of this child, begin to cry from the very pit of their soul.”

If someone had reason to cry from the pit of their soul, it was David.

Aren’t you glad, that we have a God Who can take the worst situation and scenario, and turn it back into joy?

Maybe you need to ask God to remove your sackcloth?

Maybe you need to ask God, to clothe you with joy?

Why not stop and do that right now.

Your day might be brighter than you think J

I’ll bet if you surrender your burdens to Him right this minute, you might even feel like doing a little dance

Genuine Repentance

Luke 15: 10

“I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

As I reflect on the goings on in our current world, one would not have to argue very long, that there seem to be a lot of people, who feel they don’t owe any allegiance to God at all.

People have been deceived for so long, that many of them are even charmed by their own selfish pride.

That’s the one thing I fear the most, for myself.

The Bible is a very clear record, of how God deals with the people of this fallen world.

Did you know that the Bible requires everyone, to ask God for forgiveness and repent of their sin?

There is not any… “Let’s make a deal”, actually…this is the deal!

People who fail to repent and walk away from their sinful lifestyles, will one day pay for it with their very lives.

Is it just me, or is it rare to hear of anyone these days, walking through genuine repentance?

There are people in the church right now, that should sprint to the front of the altar this Sunday morning, so they can get things right with God.

We live right smack dab in the middle, of a proud, selfish and self sufficient culture.

Even in many of our churches these days, you don’t hear much of anything mentioned about sin and repentance anymore.

Most people just want to come and go each Sunday morning, and to be known only as respected church goers.

When repentance is real and genuine, the satisfying atonement of Christ is completely effective.

When there is no real repentance, then the pardon, forgiveness and regeneration, can’t even begin to take place…..

Sole Purpose!

Luke 10: 2

He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.”

Does this verse even mean anything to you?

Two things we know…. The harvest is indeed plentiful—and the workers seem to be fewer all the time.

I’m not a pessimist—I’m a realist.

Stop right now and think…. When is the last time you celebrated someone’s decision for Salvation?

Frankly speaking, when is the last time someone in your small group or Bible study group, shared about a discipling experience their leading someone in?

For some people, you may have to think about that question for a very long time.

It doesn’t happen near as often as it should.

Many churches today are knee deep in programs, conflict, and debate.

What if we were knee deep, in trying to bring the harvest in?

If you read further in this scripture text, Jesus sent His followers out like lambs among wolves.

He told the people, don’t even bother bringing your purses—you won’t even need them.

But today, our sole focus in this life, is all about filling our purses.

And some of you are thinking right now…. “WOW, Pastor—you sure are a downer.”

I would just say this…. Walk in my shoes for just one week—and see the extreme needs that exist today.

There are people all over, who need the saving power, of a Savior.

Yet, marriages are falling apart—children are walking after worldly desires in droves—and all the while, a very small amount of workers—are desperately trying to bring in the harvest…

Pray not Prey!

Philippians 4: 2

I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord.

Everything in the early church, was really less than perfect.

There were spats going on with church members then, just like there are today.

It has been said, that disputes in the church, are some of the worse conflicts that ever take place.

If you don’t believe me—then look no further than the conflicts that exist in the Middle East.

I wonder what would happen in the church, if we were to agree with each other, in the Lord?

The problem is, is that some people in the church, are not in the Lord—it’s as simple as that.

It seems today, that some people have an agenda, that has nothing to do with honoring the Lord.

Many just want their way, and I can’t explain it any better than that.

The voice that rings out in those cases, shouts…. “It’s all about me!”

Let me be clear of this…. “It has nothing to do with you/me!” – Amen?

Paul didn’t leave these two mentioned people, just to duke it out, no he encouraged resolution.

He wanted these two combative characters, to be of the same mind.

I’ll bet we’d have a lot fewer conflicts in the church today, if we all sought the mind of the Lord Jesus.

Fractured relationships in the body of Christ, somehow seem to be the rule now days.

I wonder what might happen, that instead of shooting our mouths off, we’d come together in prayer?

That’s a novel idea.

Maybe church life would work much better, if we spent more time praying—and less time preying….. 

Stubborn Inclinations

Jeremiah 7: 24

But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward.

Do you know this kind of person….The kind that won’t budge for anything, unless it’s their idea or their way?

It reminds me of a time when we had horses back in our Pickett days.

You’d put the lead rope on the horse—and you’d want to walk one way—and the horse wanted to go another.

The horse pretty much had a mind of its own, and by their sheer size, they pretty much won out.

People in the church can be stubborn like that too.

Would you say that you can be at times, obstinate, unyielding and uncompromising as you interact with other people?

If we are truly seeking to honor God in all that we do, then we will not stand in the way of His powerful movement—whatever the reason.

If you’re acting like a mule (and we all know the other name for mule), maybe you should give more thought as to why you insist on doing things your way.

How many time do we do that with our God?

He wants us to go in one direction, and we think we know a better way.

We sometimes  pull and toss and turn and rear our prideful heads—but just be sure of this—God wins out, we don’t.

Identify a prideful area of your life this morning, and confess it right on the spot.

Better yet, once you’ve confessed it, repent of that stubborn streak right on the spot too!

Maybe we’d make more progress, if we went forward, instead of always taking the backwards approach…. 

What are you a lover of?

2 Timothy 3: 1 – 5

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents,

ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited,

lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power….

Every time I read this verse, it actually reminds me of the time we live in now.

As much as we wouldn’t want to admit it, these 5 verses seem to describe many people in America.

We are lovers of pleasure, that’s for sure!

I wonder if we’re really better off with the internet, and i-phones, and Facebook?

I thought only the things of God, were supposed to bring us pleasure?

That sure doesn’t seem to be the case anymore.

I’m not sure about you, but I’ve been watching the events of the George Zimmerman trial unfold.

Both sides have asked many questions, but no one has asked this one; “Why wasn’t this kid in church on a Sunday night, instead of walking the dark streets in the dark of the night?”

One thing’s for sure—if he had been in church—he’d probably still be alive today.

Maybe if his parents were still married, and his dad was still at home—maybe he’d still be alive.

The fact is, our culture as a whole, prefers pleasure, more than they do the things of God.

Trayvon Martin has stood before his God—and so will George Zimmerman—regardless of how the trial turns out.

And then again, so will all of us.

We will find out the pleasure we could have had, by just spending some good down time, with the God of the universe—instead of seeking our own pleasure….

Immediate response!

Matthew 14: 31

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"

Peter tried to do something, that none of the other disciples tried to do.

He actually stepped out of the boat.

I can honestly say, that there are days when I am filled with lots of self doubt.

There are times—and these days they are many—I really wonder why on the earth I chose this occupation.

Actually, if I had to choose it for myself, I’m not real certain I would—but I guess God chose it for me.

I guess you could say, that I’ve tried to do something over the course of the last 11 years of ministry—that not many other people would try.

I also have the wounds to show for it—mostly in my pride.

Peter probably felt a little wounded in his pride—when he failed to stay buoyant.

When doubt creeps in, I often forget to respond to His still small voice, and reach out to His powerful hand outstretched to catch me.

Do you ever feel that way?

This verse says that when Peter was going down, that the Lord “IMMEDIATLEY” reached out His hand.

I sure wished I’d call out to Him, “IMMEDIATELY”, when I needed Him.

I must confess, that there are days when my faith is “little” as Jesus says.

I think I need to keep my focus on Jesus—and not on my woes and problems…

Stop and Notice!

Psalm 72: 5

He will endure as long as the sun, as long as the moon, through all generations.

Did you know that the sun is the closest star to the earth?

It’s 870,000 miles wide—it’s 109 times larger than planet earth—the core temperature of the sun is 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

Yet without the sun, the earth could not support life.

And yet when we think about Who hung the sun in the balance of the solar system, we still walk around like a bunch of frightened school children sometimes.

The God that loves you and me, knew a long time before we even entered the scene, that we’d needed the sun to survive.

The sun is not God’s greatest achievement by far—we are!

So the next time you begin to fret about what’s in your refrigerator to eat—or wonder where the next dollar is going to come from—maybe you need to look up.

I wonder how many times out of a given day, do we look up at the sun, and then give God thanks and praise?

I’ll be willing to bet, hardly ever.

Stop and notice God’s love for you.

Gaze upon that big yellow ball in the sky, and then wonder what it must have been like, when God spoke it into existence.

I know—I know—don’t look too long at the sun, or you’ll go blind….

But then maybe we have been blinded by the things of this dead and dying world—that we hardly even notice the great things of God anymore.

Maybe it’s time to ponder the great creation of our God, and His great love for us.

Maybe it’s time to stand still and reflect—and then truly be warmed by the Son….

True prosperity!

Joshua 1: 8

Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.

Then you will be prosperous and successful.

I recently came in contact with a grade school friend of mine.

He came from a simple home, with good parents and brothers and sisters.

This simple boy now lives out in Kirkland, Washington, and is also now a multi-millionaire.

What I have in comparison in worldly wealth, is not a drop in the bucket compared to his.

He drives an Italian car called a Buggatti, and I drive a 2003 Chevy Trailblazer.

His car is worth about $100,000.00, and mine is worth about $6 grand.

But I have something I’m pretty sure he does not have, and that’s prosperity within the economy of the living God.

Did you know that true prosperity, is achieving the will of God?

It reminds me that some of the richest people I know, are also some of the poorest, but some of the poorest, are also the richest.

Maybe what you have in worldly wealth, is not a drop in the bucket either.

When you serve the Lord’s cause with sincerity and purpose, there’s not a richer feeling in the world.

Sad to say, that so many people have taken their eyes off of Jesus, just to make money, and build wealth.

If it’s all the same to you, I’m going to continue going about achieving the will of God.

I just realized it, just this minute….WOW, am I a rich man, and I’m as successful as they come…..

Submit!

Ephesians 5: 21

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

 

Paul the Apostle in this verse, was speaking about the many conflicts of our day.

This was the remedy for conflict…..submission out reverence to Jesus, toward one another.

 

If we want to be a part of the solution for the everyday conflict, we must follow what God has revealed about the problem.

When we insist on our own rights, then we have missed being a part of the solution.

Someone has to give when conflict abounds, and it might has well be me/you.

 

I think we sometimes forget, that when we press to have our own way, we forget about the third person that’s present in the midst of conflict.

That would be the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Those who try to satisfy their own needs in the midst of conflict, are the ones who will end up feeling empty inside.

It might not happen right away, but somewhere along the line, there will be regret.

 

There are people and situations, where you just can’t win. Do you know those kinds of people?

Love them anyway, but don’t stay too long, or they will tap you of every morsel of strength.

You’ll know when you’re making progress in the area of conflict, and when you’re not.

Some people, and some situations are not worth the effort. Sometimes you just can win for losing.

 

It is important though, that we approach conflict like Jesus did.

Matthew 16: 25… “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

 

I’ll bet if we lived more like Jesus, we’d have less conflict.

I’ll be if we lived more like Jesus, we wouldn’t spend so much time trying to win the argument, as we often do….