As we are closing up the year of 2012 I thought that I would blast out one last piece of HOG news for our devoted supporters and contributors! Read on…
After some rest and enjoying the impact the first book has made so far, I am happy to announce that I have begun and am in progress on the 2nd volume of The Everyday Word Compilations, titled “A New Way To Fight: Overcoming All Odds With God’s Love”. This book goes into detail about how you can overcome a variety of difficult situations and individuals that can seem to be coming against you in the worst seasons with the only thing that will prevail everything: the love of God!
Now that we are well acquainted with the amount of time it takes to write, edit, edit again, edit 20 more times, publish and promote I can give a fairly accurate date to which the book will be published.
Spoiler alert: The book should be out around July/August of 2013! We are very excited and ask that you continue to pray for strength and the words that God would have us to say!
Matthew 2:7-12
[7] Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
[8] And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
[9] When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
[10] When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
[11] And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
[12] And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
Many would have you pass through this passage, but let us take a closer look at the significance of the visit of the wise men. Isn’t it amazing how wonderful the feeling is when God provides the light, the star, the word of God to provide the direction to be closer with Christ, it should cause us to rejoice.
1) The gift of gold was given to symbolize that He was God in the flesh. Sometimes people refuse to see the value and worth of the gold, and accept fool’s gold (or their own ideals instead).
It is given first to represent obtaining salvation.
Job 23:10
[10] But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
2) The frankincense was given to Jesus as a symbol of His holiness.Frankincense was the resin from a tree. It was obtained by cutting the bark of the tree and letting it harden, followed by it being ground to powder.
Exodus 30:34-36
[34] And the LORD said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight:
[35] And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy:
[36] And thou shalt beat some of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation, where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you most holy.
It was placed on the altar of incense to be a sweet odor to the Lord. It was given after the gold because holiness before salvation would attempt to be used for self-righteousness. Holiness destroys the unsaved, like wood or hay, but it begins to purify gold!
3) Myrrh is different, as it represents suffering, trials, tribulations:
Hebrews 5:8
[8] Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
Jesus never escaped the myrrh throughout His entire life. As Jesus received these gifts, we too also receive the gift of gold (salvation), frankincense (holiness), and myrrh (suffering) from our wise and almighty creator. Suffering is not to destroy us, but to teach us obedience.
2 Timothy 3:12
[12] Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
Why is myrrh the only gift mentioned at the end of Jesus life? Gold (salvation) is a one-time gift, Once it is given it cannot be revoked
Romans 11:29
[29] For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
Frankincense (holiness) is something you clothe yourself with. You clothe yourself with Christ and become separate from what the world wears.
1 Peter 5:10
[10] But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
One thing after another, right after another. Somebody says this, or you overhear somebody saying that. You stubbed your toe immediately followed by hitting your head on the way up. You just overdrew your checking account only to realize 3 other checks haven’t even cleared yet. You just bought a car and two days later see it totaled. Your pet totally destroyed a family heirloom that you told all of your family about that you were going to display for Christmas. You are 45 minutes late to something you were supposed to not only be there for but lead. In all reality I am thinking on some of these scenarios and yet the truth is that sometimes life can get so bad that we surely think that it has to be a dream.
Can you relate to some of these? Is it bringing thoughts to your own mind where the worst case scenarios decided to show up uninvited? Does this connect with you at work, at home or at church? For all of us it is safe to say in a very down to earth way that we have all been through some things! I am sure you could add some stories here that are some real ‘doozies’!
When I think about some ‘doozies’ in the bible it brings me to mind the life of Jonah and the humor that you find in Gods wisdom.
The bigger part of Jonahs testimony seems almost like a dream (to think that one minute he is riding on a boat trying to get away from something he felt was too hard to do, followed by being tossed out to sea and being in the depths of that sea in a whale!). I am sure somewhere through that whimsical journey in the inner parts of this mammal that he must have thought to himself “this can’t be happening!”…well at least I think that is what I would have said!
Looking back now I can see at least 8-10 different moments in my life where I can remember saying to myself “this cannot be happening” or “when is there an end to this?!?” If I knew back then some of the things I have learned now I would not be able to write this today. Through the experience of a testimony I can say to everybody I know that though at times life seems grim that there still is hope for all through Jesus Christ!
Matthew 9:35-38
[35] And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
[36] But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
[37] Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
[38] Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
Let’s break it down a bit to the perspective of compassion:
The harvest, or the potential for the hope of the lost to be helped
Is plenteous, or more than enough (running over even)
But the laborers, or the cultivators of a harvest
Are few, or not enough
If there is anything that we need to have (and promote) to the lost and dying world, it is compassion. It is the one thing that you cannot have without having a selfless love; it is the one thing that God had for man so that we can go free from sin, and even as a man Christ had compassion for us!
Zechariah 11:17
[17] Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.
One must be careful to not allow themselves to fall into a state of idleness; for by doing this you can hurt other people that need you to help but have you do nothing.
Galatians 6:1-10
[1] Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
[2] Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
[3] For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
[4] But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
[5] For every man shall bear his own burden.
[6] Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.
[7] Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
[8] For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
[9] And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
[10] As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
Exercise compassion by having an understanding of others’ burdens and learn to bear them together so that you will be strong enough to overcome your own.
Funny story here: I picked this book up when we were in the middle of one of our church building fundraisers. Who would have thought that I would have found a diamond in the rough!
There is a chapter in particular that I loved above the others, where Bishop Jakes is talking about how we as men can fall into the “Saul syndrome”, with us oftentimes failing in things simply because we still try to be as we were and not as we are.
Here is one of my favorite parts straight out of the book: “Father, prepare for your son. Pastor, prepare for your successor. If you dare to become involved with the next generation, then you will always be a part of their success rather than intimidated by it!”
If you have a man of God in your life, get this for them. It really is a good read.
And always remember when you are done with one, pass it on or recommend! That helps the ones who work so hard to write them!
Check out: Loose That Man And Let Him Go – ISBN 978-0764228162
Click image for full size.
Romans 3:9-24
[9] What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
[10] As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
[11] There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
[12] They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
[13] Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
[14] Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
[15] Their feet are swift to shed blood:
[16] Destruction and misery are in their ways:
[17] And the way of peace have they not known:
[18] There is no fear of God before their eyes.
[19] Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
[20] Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
[21] But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
[22] Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
[23] For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
[24] Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
1 – a blessed change comes to pass in a sinners state when we become a true believer, regardless of whatever we were before. God cannot be at peace with a sinner while we are under the guilt of sin. A justification takes away the guilt, and through our justified faith in the peacemaker Jesus Christ our sins are forgiven.
2 – We were and are led into this grace, something we did not have before, and by our justified faith and undeserving grace…something happens…we stand! It creates a posture that causes us to rejoice.
3-5 – tribulation worketh patience, suffering produces endurance
and patience experience, endurance produces character
and experience hope, character produces hope
hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Ghost
Romans 5:1-20
[1] Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
[2] By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
[3] And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
[4] And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
[5] And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
[6] For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
[7] For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
[8] But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
[9] Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
[10] For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
[11] And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
[12] Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
[13] (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
[14] Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
[15] But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
[16] And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.
[17] For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
[18] Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
[19] For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
[20] Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
Thank God we have the peace, freely given, that goes beyond what we can understand or comprehend. Thank God for the amazing grace and access to it!
Romans 6:1-7
[1] What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
[2] God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
[3] Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
[4] Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
[5] For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
[6] Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
[7] For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Paul was speaking to those that have oftentimes taken advantage of God’s grace and was saying that not only the sin must die but the man’s carnal nature.
Romans 8:35-39
[35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
[36] As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
[37] Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
[38] For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
[39] Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
When we come into the almighty grace of God in true submitted unity we come to the revelation that there is nothing formed in the earth, whether carnal or sinful that could conquer or come against what grace performs to the soul. This passage means the world to me: it is one of the most powerful and empowering verses that encourages mankind to look within them and use the grace of God to overcome everything that would try to destroy them. Praise the most high for the abundant, undeserving and mercy-given grace for each and every one.
I am going to be very clear about this topic, as I feel it is beginning to take more of a hold on people than we may realize. Don’t let the politics of an church or institution destroy your worship. Trust me, I could be a rich person for every time that someone has told me “that’s now how we do it at our church”! Please be careful to not let your life be made into religion or institutionalized when God has made the way to be free from that. If you would like the perfect test of how institutionalized or how much a church is open to everyone, just try attending a church of another denomination than your preference. If you find yourself being closed off to how the spirit of God can move because of being afraid of how you are received, then the power of a doctrine or tradition of that church may be greater than the liberty of Gods freedom to work in the people. If the church is open and loving to your anointing, know that there is nothing holding you back from yielding to God and having an amazing place to attend.
I am in places all the time where I am loved greatly until the very moment when I was asked the classic questions, such as: where do you go to church, who is your pastor, what do you all believe, what version of the bible do you use, etc. Some of the reactions have been null if at all, while in other cases I have been witness to the countenance change and addition of opinions/attitudes.
If I had a recommendation to give you as God leads my thoughts, it would be to be proud of the God that blesses you and your church rather than the institution itself. A church will fail you at some point (no matter how many people attend or outreach programs they have), but God will not! People will surprise you when they was cold on an indifference of what they believe versus you, but God will never leave you or forsake you.
On a very personal note, I have found in my life after attending many if not most of church varieties over the years that one thing is always present in a church that is growing and on fire: there is an abundant love for every person and no respect of person, period. I still know people even today that refuse to attend one church and only prefer their own institution, and it breaks my heart that we all cannot be open to work, worship and serve God together. Hear me if you dare, please please please do not fall into the pitfall of men’s ideals! Paul was not mad at the fact that roman Orthodox Jews condemned the Gentiles; in fact he was sorrowful by realizing that the only people that Sony have a free life in Christ are those bound by their own laws and ideals.
I am not attempting to start a revolution nor making an announcement of a denomination from my interpretation; I am as Paul, who claims to know nothing (free from institutions or mans binding ideals) but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. He said as he was referring to his metaphor as an athlete, “I look not to the right or left”, or in other words He was to the value of the prize of Christ alone.
Let nothing steal the joy of your life in Christ! Find a church that doesn’t promote being a church that’s good at abiding in denomination, but that is filled with Gods love for everyone (and actual signs of it!).
There are many circumstances through life that we will encounter that will present themselves as a very obvious trial of our faith. A trial of faith as I have found through personal experience is revealed when it questions the integrity of how much that you trust God with a situation or moment. One day we might find ourselves in a position where it is hard to always say within ourselves, “God I know you are with me” or “God I know this is in your plan for me”, feeling the weight and pressure that life will bring when it proves difficult. There have been many that I have seen growing up through the years that have handled things in a variety of ways, but the persons that stand out the most to me are those who stick to their faith.
It is inspiring because they go against the substance of what would attempt to speak to them to go another way, believe a different opinion. The bible questions our faith in a multitude of ways; even Jesus in the prime moments of breakthrough was often left at the very question of the existence of faith. One of the more direct self-examination questions in the bible speaks to the effect of “which report are you going to believe”, or in other words, where do you put your trust when you are walking in life’s valley?
As for me, I hope to inspire as Job did. Job says, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will defend my own ways before him.” When people or circumstances are the most difficult is when the greatest tests present the greatest opportunity to lead others to Christ!