Angels and Demons

“Paranormal Entertainment” got it’s start around the 1960‘s — I guess that’s what you can expect when you mix drugs and “Free Love” — but I digress. In 1976 the first real attempt at “Paranormal Entertainment” hit the television set in the form of In Search Of… 

Though it would eventually lose popularity, In Search Of… opened the door for what we have today. In 1996, Sightings again wet our culture’s paranormal palette and from then on out, there was NO TURNING BACK!

Since 1990, 86 American network television programs representing the “Paranormal Entertainment” have been broadcast across this country. Here is list of the ones STILL running and creating new episodes:

• Ghost Hunters
• Paranormal State
• Ghost Hunters International
• Destination Truth
• Ghost Adventures
• Most Terrifying Places In America
• The Haunted
• Ghostly Encounters
• Ghost Stories
• Celebrity Ghost Stories
• Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files
• Psychic Kids
• Paranormal State: The New Class
• My Ghost Story
• Celebrity Ghost Hunt
• The UnExplained
• Haunted Collector
• Paranormal Witness
• Psychic Detectives

Somebody (a lot of somebodies actually) is watching these things and keeping them on the air! You think that is crazy? As of 2009, the top 10 Horror Film franchises, such as The Omen, Poltergeist, and The Exorcist, have grossed a combined 2.5 BILLION dollars!Anyone else feeling a bit uneasy about our seeming obsession with this stuff? The wildly popular, Paranormal Activity franchise has racked up an astounding $578 Million … Not bad considering the budget on the first was a ridiculous $15,000.

I could go on and on and on about Twilight, Harry Potter, and all of the alien and UFO shows and movies, but I think the point has been made:

 AMERICA CRAVES THE SUPERNATURAL! – We have just allowed her to embrace the wrong side.

With two obviously polarizing sides, why is it considered social suicide to embrace one of the extremes in the form of Jesus Christ? In all sincerity, I find myself sometime enamored with the intrigue and mystery that surrounds the occult — but WHY?

It is always dangerous to state an opinion, so I will simply give it and then run and hide to escape the fallout (not really, but you get the idea). I think Christians as a whole have truly forgotten and have failed to grasp the identity of our supernatural Savior.

In the 1970’s the Chicago Cubs became known as “The Lovable Losers”. Outside of Chicago, no one in their right mind should rally around a bunch of losers should they?? The Apostle John gives a vivid account of their ultimate destiny:

 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (Revelation 12:9)

And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. (Revelation 19:21)

And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation 20:10)

Oh, did you miss it? Did you see who the hero of the story was?

 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. – Revelation 19:11-16

Let’s be real honest. This is NOT the way the our society and “Christians” in general view Jesus. Whose fault is it then? Satan is truly masterful … He has got our world wrapped around his finger buying into a LOSING PRODUCT!  And what makes it worse is that they gobble it up and leave him scrambling to get them more …

To have EVERYTHING going for us, we Christ followers have done a pitiful job collectively in getting our supernatural Savior to our society and to this world. It is like a a company having the greatest product on the shelf that can literally change someone’s life but never offering it to the public because you don’t know how it would be first perceived. That is foolish — and it’s our fault! And with that being said, who are the real “demons” now?

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. – Philippians 2:9-11

The DEFINING Moment

Whenever someone thinks about Daniel from the Bible, the image of an old man with a big gray beard sitting around a bunch of lions is probably what pops into your head. Dwelling on one great feat of the man’s life sometimes does a disservice. What I am more concerned about is HOW the man got to that point in his life! Daniel started being “Different” at a very young age. When the Babylonian’s captured Israel and took Daniel hostage, he was a teenager or younger. Let’s go back and look at Daniel’s story FROM THE BEGINNING:

3 And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes; 4 Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. – Daniel 1:3-4

These young men were about to go through a monumental life change. Growing up in Israel, they perhaps saw their father going to work and thought to themselves that they wanted to be like dad! — Not anymore .. They were Babylonians — The king had a new purpose for them. Not only was he going to change their purpose, he was looking to change their entire identity:

6 Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: 7 Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abed–nego. – Daniel 1:6-7

Daniel and these other 3 boys were at an unbelievable crossroads in their life. They were in a new country, a new culture, and now they were receiving a new name! Through his life, Daniel was always BOLD. Faced with tremendous pressure to conform, Daniel gives us our first “Daniel Difference” in Daniel 1:8:

But Daniel purposed in his heart … 

 ”Never Let Yourself Be Defined”

That ONE little word, BUT, says it all. Daniel was determined to let no one except for God define him. What a lesson to us! We live in a world that pulls at us from every direction in a desperate attempt to shape who we are. Sadly, we let it win a majority of the time. If we are ever going to be anything big for God, WHO YOU ARE is not up for grabs. God tells us in Isaiah 30:21, “This is the way, walk ye in it..”

The path is crystal clear. Let God define who you are and no one else…

I Promise …

There was a time when a handshake and a word was a binding agreement — Today, a man’s (or woman for that matter) word means practically NOTHING. Most everyone reading this need not answer as to why.. We ALL have spoken something with assurance only to back out or fall terribly short.

This is the time of year where millions and millions of people will make promises to themselves and to others for better outcomes and commitments for the new year. Look at these statistics released in a poll by the Opinion Corporation of Princeton, New Jersey:

• 62% of people make New Years resolutions
• 8% are successful
• 19% achieve resolutions every other year
 on average
• 49% have infrequent success
• 24% NEVER succeed and have failed on EVERY resolution EVERY year!

(That’s 1 in 4 people who fail each and every time they make a resolution!)

 

Pretty convincing, right? I want to share a few thoughts with you as we head into the new year. Not a single person reading this post, or anywhere for that matter, wants to sin more this coming year than they did in the previous one. Even typing that last sentence made me laugh a little — But why do we still struggle with the same addictions, setbacks, and problems EVERY YEAR? Quite simply, it has to do with LOVE … A love for SELF! Let’s look at a few passages of Scripture:

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. – 1 John 2:15

Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt… – Hebrews 11:25-26

I believe it is safe to say that the root of our perennial problem and the reason that we cannot shake certain sins is because we love their joy far more than we love Christ — There is just no other way around it. Until we die, we will face a constant struggle between our renewed “Inward Man” in Christ, and our sin-cursed “Flesh”. Even the Apostle Paul struggled with this principle. It sounds like a tongue twister, but look carefully:

For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. – Romans 7:19-20

So here is the challenge! DO NOT think of making a resolution, promise, vow, or whatever this year — Instead FLOOD YOUR MIND with ONE THOUGHT: Who Do I Love The Most ?? Pray to our God right now … (I am as well) … and ask Him, plead with Him to flood your mind with that one thought! Let those words and that thought float to the forefront of your mind in EVERY action that you take this year. 2012 will be a make or break year for people, families, nations, churches, and most importantly God’s people! “This year is going to be different…” many say — Do you? Do you promise?

Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

1 John 2:18

The Power of The Team Player

If you do not know who Tim Tebow is, you are truly living under a rock! As I’m sure you know, Tebow is a professional athlete, but his athleticism is NOT the topic of debate — It’s his FAITH. Now I am not about to go and beat a dead horse about how he is unfairly criticized by the media for being outspoken about it. What I am going to address however is an issue that Jesus spoke about, and one that Tebow has no doubt conveyed to his teammates.

The Power of TEAM

Every Sunday when Tebow gathers his team in the huddle, there is one UNDENIABLE truth — One four letter word that he has convinced those around him to believe in: TEAM! When Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos take the field, EVERY PLAYER on that team believes in working together for one goal — Defeat the Opposition at ALL COST! To quote Tebow from his win over the Chicago Bears on December 11th:

“It’s not Tebow Time. It’s Broncos time,”

Each player on that team has the same logo on their chests and helmets — AND each Christian does as well! Broken down to its simplest form, TEAMS need to play together if they are EVER going to win…

“Christianity” is definitely lacking the TEAM mentality. In sports, dysfunctional teams fight THEMSELVES  – and those teams LOSE! Under the umbrella of Christ, if someone is teaching, telling, or preaching the Truth … Aren’t we all on the same team? This concept is nothing new, look at the exchange of Jesus in Mark 9:

38  And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. 39  But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. 40  For he that is not against us is on our part. 41  For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.

John was nervously concerned about another man seemingly playing on his team. Jesus calmly assured John that the man in question was most certainly on the team! This didn’t just “come up” either; there was a root problem of selfishness. Just a few verses earlier, the disciples were arguing about who would be the greatest in Heaven — Not a TEAM mentality at all.

LETS GET REAL … There is far too much bickering, feuding, and fighting on the “Team of Jesus Christ”. Call it what you want, but there was a point in my life and ministry that I had to realize and get over the fact that not everyone does it the same way I do! As teammates, we need a dose of HUMILITY. Former NFL Quarterback and ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer said this:

Humility resonates with people. When you make it about everyone else, you get the most out of them…

Let us all realize that with Christ, we ALL wear the same “Blood Stained Uniform” …Failure to work together, appreciate, and draw from those on your team, is a slap in the face of the “God-Man” who put it together and gave you the privilege to play…

When God Goes Silent

There is absolutely NOTHING that creates a greater sense of despair and hopelessness than feeling that God has quit listening or speaking to you. Everyone has felt it — and if we were to be honest, most people LIVE with that feeling. Is that what God wants?  How can that be possible when Hebrews 13:5, which is referencing Joshua 1:5, says, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee….”?  Was He lying? Does He take pleasure in seeing His children squirm, hurt, and cry? The Psalmist asked that exact same question in Psalm 102:1-2

1  Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come unto thee. 2  Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily.

Again, look what David said in Psalm 55:6-7 … He wished he could sprout wings and just leave all of his problems:

6  And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. 7  Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah.

Depression sometimes got so bad for some in the Bible that they wanted to just die right there. Look at the cries of Jonah and Job:

Jonah 4:3  - Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.

Job 3:11 – Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?

In all actuality, very little is said as to what goes through the mind of God when He does place Himself on “Mute” in our lives. In my studies and own experiences, I feel that the reality of the situation is this: WE are the ones who pressed the “Mute” button — we just didn’t realize it! It is not an act of defiance against our Creator, but rather it just happens — Has anyone accidentally rolled over and pressed a button on the remote? IT’S THAT SIMPLE — Most of the time, when God is Silent, we simply need to find the “remote” and get to enjoying life again… Look at an example of this in the life of Elijah the Prophet from 1 Kings 19.

1  And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. 2  Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time. 3  And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer–sheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. 4  But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

1. You Are Not Alone

The GREATEST heroes of Faith and Men of God suffered great depression and even wished for death! During times of “silence” and depression, never give in to the lie that you are just a poor Christian and no one else suffers. Just one chapter earlier, Elijah had called down fire from Heaven! That just goes to show that anyone, at anytime,  can fall into a “spiritual funk” if you will. Since we all experience seasons of “silence” at times, WHY does it happen at all? Point 2 …

2. It is hard to ACCEPT that which you do not UNDERSTAND

After the battle against Baal in the previous chapter, Elijah was confident that he was God’s man. He was on the “Mountain Top” spiritually, so to speak. What happened next no doubt took him by surprise: an execution order from Queen Jezebel! Certainly Elijah pondered about how this could be happening. When he didn’t have the answer HE RAN; unable to accept or understand this next chapter in his life.

Our “Execution Order” can come in variety of ways: Job Layoffs, Financial Turmoil, Family Issues, Illness, Loss of Loved Ones — The list goes on and on. When whatever the given situation hits, and we realize that it is BIGGER THAN US, we roll away from God. It is at that moment, that we accidentally hit “mute” on God. I sometimes call it the “Recoil Effect” … A quick, knee-jerk reaction AWAY from who apparently “caused the pain”.

3. Routes of DELIVERANCE always open after our DEEPEST DISCOURAGEMENTS

The toughest part of an “escape route” is realizing that it actually is one…

5  And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. 6  And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. 7  And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.

Before God showed up to answer Elijah, He sent an angel. It would be 40 EXCRUCIATING DAYS before Elijah would have a one-on-one conversation with God. During the “Silent” mode, God knows that He is on “Mute” and wants to help. However, the help He sends often isn’t what we are looking for.  At times our “Angel” sent to refocus us may be a loving spouse. Other times it may be an event, an opportunity, a sermon, a visit … Whatever it is, it’s not the “answer” to our problem and we  far too often reject it. That is why the Angel came TWICE; because Elijah didn’t get it. He told Elijah in a sense, “Hey, I’m here to help … Eat and get yourself together!” It was the Angel that was sent that got Elijah to realize that he needed to get to God!

8  And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God. 9  And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?

4. FAILURE to FULLY rebound will FORFEIT God’s perfect plan for your FUTURE

Around our church I sometimes preface a point or principle as being an “IMO” or “In My Opinion”. This point would fall into that category because it is a little controversial. It seems that whenever you deal with GOD WILL, people get real defensive on what it all entails.

Elijah gets his audience with God and pours out his heart. He was upset that he felt like he was the only one trying to do right and serve God. In an amazing display of power, God sends a strong wind. Next, He follows it up with an earthquake, fire, and the “Still Small Voice”. After that display, God asks Elijah the same question He had asked earlier:

13  And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

Elijah, after an amazing display from God, had left Him on MUTE! Nothing had changed in his answer … And IN MY OPINION, Elijah turned in his “two weeks notice” as the Prophet of God. He was unable to shake the discouragement! IMMEDIATELY after that exchange, look what God commands:

15  And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: 16  And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel–meholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.

With the exception of calling down fire one last time before he is taken to Heaven, Elijah performed no more miracles. With the exception of confronting Ahab over Naboth’s death, Elijah prophesied no more. There would even be an “unnamed” prophet doing Elijah’s work before turning the show over to Elisha.

We all have down times and dark days. There are times when we question whether God is listening at all. Just remember, God IS LISTENING — and the reason we can’t hear Him, is simply because we don’t want to…

Give ear, O Lord, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me. – Psalm 86:6-7

Christian, Ponder …

No, this post has nothing to do with FSU alum and current NFL quarterback Christian Ponder .. However, I cannot confirm or deny that I’m not playing on his name for additional blog traffic and hits.

In all seriousness, I want to give us “Christians” something to ponder and think about. There is no debate on whether or not there are people who think that God and the very concept of a Divine Being is absolutely ridiculous. There are men and woman who have dedicated their life to writing such works as The God Delusion and God Is Not Great,  I was doing some research recently and came across a few websites that honestly had me thinking deeply about the very notion of God. I thought if a “God-Called” pastor like myself was stopping to think and analyze, then certainly there had to be others out there who would question as well! With all that being said, I want to take a look at a few things.

Not wanting to shake anyone’s faith, I will not include the website link, but one site listed 50 reasons that God was nothing more than a figment of our imagination. I want to address the top 3 reasons with you here:

1. Try Praying

The biggest reason we are supposed to discount the existence of God according to this site is because of God “not answering” prayer. They even list classic prayer verses like Matthew 7:7, John 14:2, and Mark 11:24 as definitive PROOF that God is a liar. However, here is a simple question… Who was Jesus speaking to in those verses? — His disciples and followers, not a bunch of scoffers! To the scoffers and unbelievers (specifically the Pharisees) Jesus said that their “Father” was the Devil. So what if God isn’t answering YOUR prayer? I know it is simple, but sometimes the answer God gives us is NO … Even Jesus got that answer once!  Matthew 26: 39 – “And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” Jesus went to the cross because it was not possible for God’s wrath to be appeased any other way.

2. The Absurdity of Heaven

I truly cannot believe that this reason made it so high on the list. Whoever has hosted the site listed a conversation that he had with someone about Heaven. Within that conversation, were loads of BIBLICAL INNACURACIES! There were far too many to list here, but if you would like them, let me know and I will get them over to you. There is no doubting that Heaven is very misunderstood. What information we do have should come from the Bible and nothing else. Sorry, but Left Behind has led to a lot of false claims about Heaven and how to get there.

3. The Bible is Repulsive

When I was in college, I had an opportunity to speak with a man who used this very same argument. He asked me how he was to believe in a God that commanded the destroying of nations, executing of homosexuals, and was seemingly ok with slavery to name a few. He obviously has read PARTS of the Bible, but never read the surrounding verses to get the context. In multiple passages of scripture, God commanded His people to be holy, because He was holy. He promised to take care of them in all things IF they played by His rules. We are living in a society that is completely void of consequences; people are NOT AFRAID of anything! God made harsh penalties for certain sins as a deterrent — back then, a harsh penalty got the people’s attention. God always laid out the rules before there was a penalty enforced. Those whom the Lord punished, WILLFULLY CHOSE to do wrong. A failure to accept the judgement of God is a failure to accept responsibility for your own actions.

If you were to continue down the list of 50, the claims and reasoning become more and more absurd. From Jesus being no better than Santa Claus to rationalizing the Crucifixion of Christ, the site is full of poison to a an uneducated Believer. Look what the Bible says in 2 Peter 2:

1  But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2  And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3  And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not… 12  But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; 13  And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness… 19  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 20  For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

Peter tells us that the root of all the evil speaking is rooted in misunderstanding. It says in verse 19 that these accusers promise “freedom and liberty” by getting away from God, but it truly just puts them in further bondage. I conclude this post with a story about an author named Peter Hitchens. He wrote a book called the The Rage Against God. It details his life as a former atheist, bent on disproving the existence and notion of God. Throughout his studies and pursuit he came to a defining moment: God was real and wanted a relationship with him. He sums it up with this quote,  ”…The end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.”

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.

Hebrews 11:6

 

Thanks For Nothing

This past week has been the proverbial time that everyone is supposed to gather their thoughts and meditate on what they are thankful for. With the ever-increasing socializing, football games, and of course “Black Friday” — Let’s be honest — there has been very little “Thanks Giving” going on anywhere. Only in the blessed country of America do people show the level of their thankfulness like this:

Black Friday Madness

Now of course that wasn’t the majority, but this should give us a small glimpse into how thankless we really are. “Unthankfulness” is not a real word, but we will use it anyway…

Being UNthankful is actually one of the main factors that lead us into sin. Look at Romans 1:21:

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Romans 1 details the downfall and decline of civilization. They thought everything that was around them was a result of their own workings; they were happy with what they had accomplished.  As the above verse stated, it was the UNTHANKFULNESS of the people that led to them rejecting God all together! 

So how do we fix our thankfulness problems? Thankfully (no pun intended), the Apostle Paul gives a small recipe to get us on the right page in 1 Thessalonians 5:

Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-19

Let’s break down what Paul is telling us:

Not giving thanks is NOT an option for a Christian (…for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.) God created us for His pleasure. It is our DUTY to be thankful! A continual feeling of unthankfulness is truly a slap in the face of God.

Smile and be thankful for the BAD DAYS (…In every thing give thanks…) Of course it is easy to be thankful when there is nothing bad happening. What happens when the bad days turn to worse days? Paul tells us to be thankful in all things… That includes the bad! Still feeling down on yourself? Check out the next point…

We are TOO BLESSED to not thank Him ( …Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing…) Paul wouldn’t have told us to pray and rejoice continually if there was nothing to pray or rejoice over. Stop for a moment and as the old hymn goes, “Count your many blessings, name them one by one”. I guarantee if you do so, you will find that there are MANY blessings in your life to rejoice over.

UNTHANKFULNESS hinders the Power of God (…Quench not the Spirit…)Unthankfulness, in a sense, is the junk that “clogs the drain” and keep’s God’s blessings from flowing freely! Feel like God isn’t working in your life? — You may have a blockage!

All in all, Christian’s truly have no excuse for not being able to come up with things to be thankful for. From the “things” He has given us, to the most important gift of all in the Jesus Christ, decide to keep a continual spirit of THANKS GIVING!

Jackpot Christianity

I remember the days when I was a little kid that my grandma would load me up into the car and take me to an amazing place known as “Chuck E Cheese” — Talk about blowing the fuse of every sense in my body! As soon as I entered the front door, bright lights, sounds of laughter, and the smell of pizza overtook me. When I regained consciousness and returned back to reality, I was pleased to find that I had a cup of shiny tokens to use however I wanted! Afraid to waste a single one, I carefully played only the games that would give me the most return on my token. In my case, the GI Joe arcade game was where I spent most of my time. However, little kids all around me rushed to play the jackpot games: High Risk, High Reward. Every once in a while I would glance over and see some kid crying … he had put his token in, got nothing, and now he was MAD.

those who live by faith value that which is given by God's PROMISE, far more than what is given by His providence.

Although this may sound so juvenile and silly, this is the way a majority of Christians live their life — Mad at God because He didn’t let them “WIN”! Everything that they “do” for God is in hope that He gives them tokens for payment to be able to cash in on the game of LIFE. As soon as they don’t get what they want they cry, get mad, and never want to “play with God” ever again.

For the record – I’m talking about teenagers and adults here!

How long are you willing to wait on God? What if you never “won” for 45 years ?! A man by the name of Caleb understood that God’s blessings were well worth the wait:

Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh–barnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart. – Joshua 14:7

Caleb and Joshua were two of the twelve spies that were sent to survey the Promised Land; they were also the only ones who believed that they could have it:

Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the Lord my God. And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children’s for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the Lord my God. – Joshua 14:8-9

For his faithfulness and devotion, Caleb was promised the land by Moses and God — The only problem was that it took 45 years to get it!

And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in. – Joshua 14:10-11

What a testimony – Caleb believed God’s promise so much that he felt that even at 85 Years Old he could still conquer the land if God wanted Him to! In the next verse he makes a powerful statement:

Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Lord spake in that day; – Joshua 14:12

You know what separates a man like Caleb from people like you and me? One word, DESIRE. Caleb had COURAGE to finish the CONQUEST. Far too often we see a problem and we quit or get frustrated that it would take too long to solve. Would it have been nice to get the land earlier on in his life? Sure, but it wouldn’t have meant as much to him. Always remember, that those who live by faith value that which is given by God’s PROMISE, far more than what is given by His providence. 

Stop trying to hit the Christian jackpot. Claim your MOUNTAIN like Caleb, and GO GET IT!

No Fruit, No Life

When we think of the life and ministry of Jesus, we always assume that he is talking to the multitudes. However, some of the most powerful truths that our Lord ever shared was among His most trusted and beloved friends. The entirety of John 14-17 is Jesus speaking in the upper room to His disciples; mere hours away from being taken captive and eventually crucified.

No Fruit is a sure sign of NO LIFE!

John 15 houses one of the “I AM” statements from Jesus’ ministry. In addition to being The Door, The Way, and the Resurrection, Jesus here said that He is the TRUE VINE. He paints the picture in wonderful imagery showing that He alone is the life-giving blood to the believer. Without Him pumping life through you, YOU DRY UP AND DIE!

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. – John 15:1-5

What He goes on to say is a powerful truth many people do not grasp the depth of:

If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. – John 15:6-8

In a sense, what He is saying is that if there is no fruit being produced from you, the branch, that means that there is NO LIFE in that branch. So what should you be producing? The Bible clearly shows through the New Testament the types of fruit that we should produce. Not everyone will produce the same amount, but everyone should PRODUCE! Let’s quickly take a look at them:

Fruit of the LORD – If you plant apples, you get naturally will produce apples. So goes the thought of a Christian: Christian’s should produce Christians!

 Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. – Romans 1:13

Fruit of our LIFE – Your lifestyle should mirror the fruits of Spirit.

 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) – Ephesians 5:9

Fruit of our LIPS – The Psalmist, David was known for His praise of God. We should always have SOMETHING to praise Him for. I always say, if you woke up and had nothing to be thankful for, go back to bed and try again!

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. – Hebrews 13:15

Fruit of our LOOT – God considers our sacrificial giving towards His work as fruit!

Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. – Philippians 4:15-18

As stated earlier, not everyone will produce a plentiful amount of each, but everyone should be producing something! No Fruit, No Life … 

All The Small Things

Steve Bartman: The Most Hated Man In Chicago

Have you ever noticed that we are really good at making big deals out of little things? Most of the time, these “things” mean nothing in the grand scheme of life. Last night I watched a special on a man named Steve Bartman, the most HATED man in Chicago. This man was not a murderer, rapist, kidnapper, or thief … He was a baseball fan…

The day was October 14, 2003, the place was Wrigley Field in Chicago. It was the eighth inning of Game 6 of the National League Championship Series, with Chicago ahead 3–0 and holding a 3 games to 2 lead in the best of 7 series. A series win would send the “cursed” Cubs to the World Series. A foul ball off the bat of Marlins’ Luis Castillo was headed for the stands. One of the fans, Steve Bartman, touched the ball once it crossed into the stands, disrupting a potential catch by Cubs outfielder Moisés Alou. Immediately after the incident, the stadium erupted with gestures, name calling, and then starting throwing things. Bartman had to be escorted out of the stadium and was under police watch for days. Today, Bartman still lives a reclusive life in fear … just because he wanted a foul ball!

Ridiculous right?! Our world is so out of touch with what is important.. Especially spiritual matters. Pastor Rick Warren made this statement once:

Our world is in trouble because we are too serious about trivial matters & flippant about things of eternal significance 

The apostle Paul made a similar statement in Colossians 3. He in a sense gives a three things to do rather than worrying about all the small things in life: Seek, Set, and Subdue:

SEEK

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. – Colossians 3:1

SET

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. – Colossians 3:2-4

SUBDUE

Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: – Colossians 3:5-6

We as Christians MUST keep our eyes on what is important. As Paul showed us, we need to seek out the things of God, find what it is that HE views as important. Once we find them, we need to focus all our talents and energy on them. Finally, we will never achieve what God has for us if we are unable to put away the desires of this world. Make a big deal out of what God thinks is a big deal!