Calling All Christian Soldiers!

This is a shout out to all my fellow Christian soldiers in the army of God.  Don't get caught sleeping in this season.  Just listen (with spiritual ears) to what is being said, and see (with spiritual eyes) what is going on around you in this world today.  You know what I hear and see?  I hear and see the world embracing what is wrong and resisting what is right.  Satan is a busy boy, he never gets tired of doing His job.  [John 10:10 New International Version (NIV) The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.]  The devil has all sorts of people, from all walks of life, believing that they have to accept what is wrong by being polite and supportive of things that God disapproves of.  We are in this world, but not of it.  We cannot afford to be tricked by the wiles of the enemy.  We must remember to stand on the Word of God, the only truth that exists.  If Jesus said it, that settles it!  How any body feels or thinks (you know - in my opinion) doesn't amount to a hill of beans.  There are three sides to every conversation - yours, mine, and the truth.  You can be the President in the White House, or a homeless man in the out house, it doesn't matter who is talking, because right is right and wrong is wrong.  There are no shades of grey when it comes to the Word of God.  We must stand for something (righteousness) or we'll fall for anything.  And, getting back to John 10:10, I love this scripture.  It starts out exposing the enemy's diabolical agenda, but it leaves us with the hope of a better outcome through living for our Lord and Savior.  Remember to stay focused.  We must keep our minds on things above and not below.  We must sease every opportunity that we can to offer Jesus to a dying world.  We are called to be disciples first and most of all.  Brothers and sisters-in-Christ, put on the whole armour of God, grab your Sword and go forth in the battle in Jesus name.

And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Mark 8:36 (NLT)

" It's A Blessing To Be Alive" by Debra Snipes

It's a blessing to be alive, it's a blessing to be alive.
When I think about all the things, that the Lord is
doing for me, I count it as a blessing to be alive. (repeat)

I could have been sleeping in my grave a long time
ago, but Jesus he intervene for me to stay a while
longer.

But ohh when I think about all the things that the Lord
is doing for me, I count it as a blessing to be alive.

Now you may think that your not blessed at all, but
just remember Jesus hung there on the cross.

But ohh when I think about all the things that the Lord
is doing for me, I count it as a blessing to be alive.

I count it as a blessing to be alive.
I count it as a blessing to be alive.

The song says it all!

Messages from God

I heard this story told on several occasions and in different versions, but it basically goes like this - "A man was drowning in a body of water far from land so he prayed for God to help him and not let him drown.  A boat pulled up beside him and a person on-board offered the drowning man a hand, but he refused and stated: "God will rescue me."  Next, a helicopter hovered over head, a ladder was let down and a person over a bullhorn said: "climb the ladder to safety, but the man exclaimed: "I prayed for God to rescue me, so I will wait for Him."  The man began to lose patience, hope, his strength, and his breath.  He was going under the water and coming back up, and with his last breath he asked God why He had not helped him?  God replied: "I tried to help you twice.  I sent a fisherman, and a helicopter pilot to rescue you, but you refused their help."  How may times does God talk to us through family, friends, strangers, children, television, music, writings, tough times, His Word, and a host of other ways, but we miss His voice and our blessings (help) because it didn't come the way we expected it!  We have to pray and ask God to increase our understanding in hearing His voice.  We must practice waiting and listening to hear from Him.  These are crucial times and we can't afford to miss what God is saying.  Speak Lord, speak to me, I'm listening!

Jeremiah 7:23-24 (NIV)

...but I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you.  But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward.

BUT GOD!

Today's blog was inspired by Rev. Gregory Dickow, who preached: "But God."  It is a good practice to add "but God" to the end of negative statements.  This way we cancel out the negative with good, because God is good.  Also, saying "but God" reminds us that no matter what, God is still in charge and in control. District attornies and a wife were murdered by a disgruntled Justice of the Peace in Kaufman, Texas, but God.  There was an intentional bombing at the Boston Marathon, but God.  The president of the United States, and others received posionous letters, but God.  There was a devastating explosion at a fertilizler plant in West Texas, but God.  And, let's not talk about the numerous unheard of atroscities that are going on around the world; and let's not forget our own personal struggles, BUT GOD!

No matter what we see and/or hear happen, God is still on the throne.  He sits high and looks low.  He doesn't look down on us, He looks down upon us, because He is interested in us and concerned for us. 

Self-Gratification vs. God's Glorification!

What and who inspires us to do the right or wrong thing (hanging with certain people, watching television, over indulging with food or drink)?    We lose focus when we allow worldly things to contaminate our thinking (minds).  We must determine to, no matter what, do what is right.  We know how to gratify ourselves only too well.  In fact, we practice self-gratification so much and so well until we hardly have time to do anything for any body else, if at all.  First of all, in order to do things to God's glorification, we need new minds, hearts, and spirits (keep our minds on things above and not below, read the Word).  When we do things to glorify God we bless others and ourselves.  What a beautiful thing; it's a win, win situation, and all to the glory of God.  We must seek inspiration from on-high, rebuke contamination, and walk with Holy Spirit determination, and all to God's glorification!

What causes fights and quarrels among you?  Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?  You desire but do not have, so you kill.  You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight.  You do not have because you do not ask God.  When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.  You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God?  Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. James 4:1-4 (NIV)

DON'T MISS YOUR BLESSING!

We ask God to bless us, but when the blessing comes we miss it because of one or more of the following things:

     1) We let the weather dictate whether or not we are going to be in attendance.

     2) FEAR (False Evidence Appearing Real) keeps us from striving towards the goal.

     3) Being too lazy to make and take the extra effort to get to the next stage in life.

     4) God will always help us, but we shouldn't expect Him to do for us what we can do for ourselves.

     5) We often try to wait for a perfect moment, place, person and/or time?  We can't make that happen.  Only God knows how to create the perfect situation.

     6) When God speaks, we need to listen (when He says be quiet and be still, we need to do it; and when He says move quickly, and speak up with Christian boldness, we need to do it!)

     7) We need to stop thinking that we can do what we want when we get ready.  God sometimes blesses us in a moment's notice.  We have to be ready to act on it.  We have to come out of our comfort zone most of the time in order to receive our blessings.  God does this to show us how much more we are capable of doing if we are willing.  Also, He is testing us to see if we are willing to sacrifice something of ours (time, money, material things) in order to receive a blessing from Him.  What God gives us will always be greater than our sacrifice.

Lord, help me to stop being me (working out of my flesh) because when I'm being me (only looking at the natural), I'm blind to what You would have me to see.

The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time?  It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns.  Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.  But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk.  The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.  “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows.  But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. Luke 12:42-48 (NIV)

What is Your Testimony!

On yesterday. I watched as my wife gave her testimony to a group of believers; a strong group of Christians. I was amazed at her poise and how well she spoke as she recounted the facts of her life, and the story of just how much God has done to turn things around for her.  Now since we have been together for 31 years alot of her testimony included me in every possible way, especially the bad and negative things we use to do before God stepped into our lives.  The group listened intensely, some crying.  But the tears were tears of joy, because they knew just how good God has been to us and also just how good He has been to them in their own lives.  After the testimonial, members were coming up to talk to each of us about what they heard or just to know more.  Alcohol, drugs and wrong living is affecting some of their family members and they wanted to know what to do. My wife had told them in her talk that there was no 12-step program, just one step, Jesus!

You see, your testimony isn't about you.  As a Christian, you should be able to proudly stand up and tell the truth about who you were and who you are now as a new creature in Christ.  The testimony you give will have an impact on someone else and you just may be the instrument God is using for that person's turn-around.

“Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”  Mark 5:19b(NIV)


PS: I am so Godly proud of my wife. TGBTG !