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The Top 10 Reasons I Can Be Thankful To God

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1) I am thankful to God for His love. Without His love I would wonder afraid of tomorrow. His love helps me to not fear and to be confident in whom I call my Heavenly father. Had God not loved me first I would not know how to show the love of God toward others.

1 John 4:19
19 We love him, because he first loved us

2) I am thankful to God for His mercy. He was merciful to me and did not punish me when I did not understand His will. He has been merciful to me and shown patience towards me when I had understanding and did not submit as I should have. And as I learn and improve He shows mercy to me and gives me another crack at being successful and what I go forth to do.

Titus 3:4-5
4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

3) I am thankful to God for His grace. Without God’s grace we would not be saved through faith. In fact we do not deserve it but He gave it anyway. When God has had, or has, or could have every right and reason to withhold on us He has not. Rather through each moment where we could totally perish grace provides us the only right that justifies us to even get to walk by faith at all.

Ephesians 2:8
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

4) I am thankful to God for His compassion for others in need. Without compassion none of us would be saved. Without compassion the hungry would starve. Without compassion the poor would perish. Without compassion the lost and broken would lose their souls and burn forever. But since the dawn of creation God has given us compassion that without it we would have perished in our own lack.

Zechariah 7:10
10 And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.

Galatians 6:2
2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

5) I am thankful for the promise that God never leaves. When all others would forsake us for it being inconvenient or by other reasons we should all be reminded that every second of our lives is in the attention of God. He was with me before I knew Him and is with me as He is in me. And one day I will never leave His presence when He calls me from earth to Heaven.

Deuteronomy 31:6
6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

6) I am thankful for God’s blessings. The things that happen that help us in the times we never expected, the things that happen suddenly or in the nick of time. The literal, spiritual and physical blessings that could only come from God remind me no matter what season that He is there!

Philippians 4:19
19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

7) I am thankful for God’s protection. When things could have been worse and they were not God was there. When things didn’t even happen that never crossed my mind to comprehend He was there. When the angels of Heaven destroy the minions of Satan through my advocate of Christ I am not without a covering.

Psalm 138:7
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.

8) I am thankful for the Holy Spirit. The spirit lets me know what true joy feels like. The spirit teaches me in things I am unlearned in or wrong about. The spirit keeps churches in perfect order, ministries refreshed and the works of the body of Christ with conviction. Without it we would be so far away from the will of God.

1 John 2:27
27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

9) I am thankful for my future in Heaven. It is the resting place of the righteous and a place where neither Satan nor his power can come. The curse of man will be left behind. The pains of life, confusion of all things why, mourning will cease, sorrow will be no more. Worship and joy forevermore.

Revelation 21:4
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

10) I am thankful for salvation through Jesus Christ. It has made my old sins to pass away and my forgiven life to become new. It has taught me to not live as I was and by what I know was God. It gives me hope for today and longing for a greater tomorrow. It provides the peace that surpasses all understanding.

John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life

Blessed Beyond More Than What We Have

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Luke 15:11-18          

[11] And he said, A certain man had two sons:
[12] And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
[13] And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
[14] And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
[15] And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
[16] And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
[17] And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
[18] I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

In order for the devil to try and gain victory he must do something to try to get you out of the house. He had to send a restless spirit. Being blessed and favored of the Lord has no bearing on what you have in possessions. We are always restless, trying to find a way to move in the direction that is opposite of what we are because we think that we are not blessed based on the persecution we are facing. Young trying to act old, old trying to act young, people jobs trying to leave it, people with no jobs trying to get jobs.

The prodigal son only got hindered was because he left the house, thus giving the devil a place where he could work. He had lived his whole life with riches, so we know living with riches wasn’t the season the young man wanted to leave. It was his lust to want to be in control of it that drew him away. What a world we live in. It tempts us to believe that if we move out from God that we can be in more control of our lives. But it is a deception!

We serve God but are always second-guessing how blessed we are even though we are blessed regardless of possession. You need to begin to realize that you are blessed! An indicator that you are is when you are facing hard times and not when you have a lot.

Acts 3:1-7

[1] Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.
[2] And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;
[3] Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.
[4] And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.
[5] And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
[6] Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
[7] And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ancle bones received strength.

People were not blessed with miracles because of the possessions. It was a faith, a substance, a perspective. The young man at Luke 15:13 spent his substance. Do you see the citizen of the country?!?

If we do not keep our substance we fall when we lose our possessions or what we value. You are blessed even when you do not have!

Believe And Receive

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Mark 11:22-26

[22] And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
[23] For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
[24] Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
[25] And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
[26] But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

God never intended for praise to replace prayer. It will be impossible to release sincere praise if you do not have a relationship with God. We have our own desires but yet are numb to the desires in the Lord. You must have a passion for the things God has set aside for you, but of course this passion hurts (for it goes against our own desires).

Believe that you have already received it in the spiritual before you receive it in the natural. If you have to force yourself to believe it, you may not be desiring the right thing. If it is not in you then it will not happen according to God’s plan for you.

1 Corinthians 2:7-10

[7] But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
[8] Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
[9] But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
[10] But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

The word of God is not confined by scripture; for when God speaks to your spirit, then you will receive it. Carnal Christians respond to flesh over spirit. They make decisions and operate through the senses. What God will provide will defy the senses and will not make sense to what you may have perceived to be the right thing for your life. The Holy Ghost is a search engine, examining the deep things of God and reveals the things that are for us! We must always learn to remember to birth things out of our spirit as receive them through faith and not just by the emotions of the circumstance (for this is flesh).

Hebrews 11:1-10

[1] Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
[2] For by it the elders obtained a good report.
[3] Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
[4] By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
[5] By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
[6] 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.
[7] By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
[8] By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
[9] By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
[10] For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

What we have in our spirits must make us look odd to other people who do not possess the same passion and faith. When God says it’s yours, believe and receive!

Who Am I?

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To begin to know who we are we must first recognize who God is:

Genesis 1:1

[1] In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Ecclesiastes 3:14

[14] I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.

Psalms 148:5

[5] Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created.

Psalms 119:90

[90] Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.

1 Samuel 2:2

[2] There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.

Revelation 19:6

[6] And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.

Isaiah 44:6

[6] Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

Jeremiah 32:27

[27] Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?

God wants us to recognize Him as the one true God and worship Him only.

1 Samuel 7:3

[3] And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

So who am I?

Our nature is human ( or Flesh) – made from the dust, born into sin, born to die, a sinner, full of faults and mistakes, righteousness is as filthy rags.

There is none Good in this world except God through us! It overcomes our human nature and brings us into a new standard of righteous living and leads us unto life eternal through Christ!

Ezekiel 16:1-6

[1] Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
[2] Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations,
[3] And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite.
[4] And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all.
[5] None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the lothing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born.
[6] And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live.

An outcast – father was an Amorite and mother a Hittite

Alone and helpless – thy navel was not cut; was not washed, was not swaddled-none eye pietied me; polluted in my own blood; course of life was headed for destruction-could not help myself and no one else could help

Like the man that went down from Jerusalem to Jehrico and fell among thieves and was beaten and left for dead – Needed someone to come for me as I was and where I was

He came looking for me – As He passed by he saw me for what I was but didn’t turn me aside and leave me to die in my sins. God through Christ had compassion and said live! He did not leave any of us the way that he found us.

If someone comes by and asks me who I am, I can say I am a sinner saved by God’s grace which came by Jesus Christ!

I am:

Blessed because my transgressions are covered, my rough places made smooth, my crooked paths made straight. His blessings overtake me as I go down life’s road

Washed though my sins were as scarlet they are now made white as snow

Forgiven because my sins are cast out into the sea of forgetfulness

Psalms 103:1-5

[1] Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
[2] Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
[3] Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
[4] Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
[5] Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

When I think of who I am now, some words definitely come to mind: Covered, Redeemed, Pardoned, Justified, Free, Delivered, Kept, Whole, Watched, Adopted, a Joint-Heir, Loved, Clothed and in my right mind, Glad, On my way home, more than a conqueror! I am also precious in His sight, standing on a Solid Rock, Anointed, and the list goes on and on. I will always be able to claim each of these, for they are eternal.

The journey of life sometimes brings us hardships, toil and trouble. We get weary, tired, discouraged, worn, lonely, homesick, perplexed, afraid, sick etc. But remember God’s grace and his salvation is greater than, goes further, and is stronger than the trials of life. These are but temporary and will soon be left behind. When life gets hard, encourage yourself with God’s word and His promises. Remind yourself of who you are and who your Father is.

So who are you?

What We Can Find In Christ

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Matthew 11:28

[28] Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

There is rest for the weary!

John 14:27

[27] Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

There is peace for the troubled!

John 15:11

[11] These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

There is joy for the sorrowful, remaining joy!

John 10:10

[10] The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

There is life for those that may feel spiritually dried up or dead. Through Christ there is life!

John 15:9-10

[9] As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
[10] If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

There is love for the forsaken, continuing love of Christ!

John 14:2

[2] In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

There is a heaven for those lost without a home for their soul!

Luke 12:32

[32] Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

There is a throne in glory for the lost!

Learning From The Rich Man

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This was from a message that I preached a little while back. We didn’t have an opportunity to capture the audio that night, so here is the notes from the night!

To start, let’s read Mark 10:17-31

[17] And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
[18] And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
[19] Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
[20] And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
[21] Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
[22] And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
[23] And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
[24] And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
[25] It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
[26] And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?
[27] And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
[28] Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.
[29] And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s,
[30] But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
[31] But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.

17 – in the beginning this person came running, or in a hurry to try and find the answer

18 – Christ identifies initially the praise that is given (Good Master) but then begins to get right to the inner depths of the heart

19 – Christ then identifies what we typically know as the general head knowledge of the law of the word of God

20 – The person, thinking they had the answer begins to examine their-self based on this alone and find pride and confidence in thinking they understood and had all they needed.

21 – Then! Just when the flesh thought that it had the answer, Christ begins to open up the understanding to what was still lacking: the laying off of the pleasures (desire to sin) that unless laid off produces a by-product of what we enjoy (riches in this life) AND to pick up persecution and to have faith

22 – What we often consider as brokenness or what appears to be a humbled countenance is actually grieved because they cannot let go

23 – Jesus further adds how this will result with no change

24-25 – Christ brings clarity to the disciples first confusion about this revelation

26-27 – To the unreasonable response of the disciples Jesus then reminds them of eternal life

28-30 – Peter began to speak about how they had followed Him (Jesus), and then reminds those that are trying to follow that you must have some persecution!

31 – First are those who come and will not give up, therein having no eternal hope (or representing last). Last are those who come willingly to believe, accept and obey God’s will, and become blessed and saved children of God!

One Of My Fav Bible Phrases: “Shall Not Perish”

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This phrase from John 3 speaks to so many volumes of things, but the part that means the most to me is the power that it has in the worst of times. When I am in my darkest and lowest hour, God is still God and I will still not perish. The greatest aspects that come with that wonderful “shall not” clause is eternal life in Heaven and a new beginning in the life that we live today through salvation!

I can truly say and testify to that in times when I myself was so weary from all of life’s tasks that I remember quoting to myself that “I shall not perish”. Of course I was not referring to my outward self that gets tired every day and needs rest but instead speaking to my inward (or spiritual) self. Paul made a reference to address the difference in where the spiritual life giving power of God is. He says, “…though the outward man perish, the inward is renewed daily…”, thus speaking to the weakness of our flesh. I can imagine throughout all of Paul’s journeys that this was one of the empowering reminders that kept him in times when the work seemed too great or his support system around him was failing.

So make that attempt today to remind yourself that though you feel low, ache in pain, or feel lonely in life that through God’s grace and wonderful power that we shall not perish!

What Makes The Fire That Burns In You

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Matthew 5:14-16

[14] Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
[15] Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
[16] Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

A light in its natural form is caused to flame by 3 sources:

  1. The oil, the substance that is burned, the spirit of the Lord

A light does not continue without a substance to continue it. The immediate desire to obey will not continue without a continuing presence of God.

Leviticus 14:25-32

[25] And he shall kill the lamb of the trespass offering, and the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot:
[26] And the priest shall pour of the oil into the palm of his own left hand:
[27] And the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before the LORD:
[28] And the priest shall put of the oil that is in his hand upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the place of the blood of the trespass offering:
[29] And the rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall put upon the head of him that is to be cleansed, to make an atonement for him before the LORD.
[30] And he shall offer the one of the turtledoves, or of the young pigeons, such as he can get;
[31] Even such as he is able to get, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, with the meat offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed before the LORD.
[32] This is the law of him in whom is the plague of leprosy, whose hand is not able to get that which pertaineth to his cleansing.

The oil of the spirit and blood of Christ cannot be separate!

  1. The flame, the source that ignites the oil, the burning fire of the Holy Ghost

A light may have the proper amount of substance to burn but without a firestarting source it cannot begin. Without an abundance of the Holy Ghost the spirit within you cannot come alive and consume your life.

Isaiah 50:7-11

[7] For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.
[8] He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me.
[9] Behold, the Lord GOD will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.
[10] Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God.
[11] Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow.

The worlds ‘sparks’ will go out eventually, leaving the comforts that they bring to fade quickly.

  1. The light burns when the oil and flame are joined together. As the Holy Ghost produces the fire and the spirit brings the oil, there must be something to combine it or mix it: a willing heart and a made up mind.

So what (or should we say who) is the vessel that this substance is held in? You!

Leviticus 6:9-13

[9] Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of the burnt offering: It is the burnt offering, because of the burning upon the altar all night unto the morning, and the fire of the altar shall be burning in it.
[10] And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen breeches shall he put upon his flesh, and take up the ashes which the fire hath consumed with the burnt offering on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar.
[11] And he shall put off his garments, and put on other garments, and carry forth the ashes without the camp unto a clean place.
[12] And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings.
[13] The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.

Always remember that the flame of God is to consume your sins, not to condone it.

Where We Find Our Worth

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John 12:25-26

[25] He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
[26] If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

When we love this world and not God, we come out in a loss because we do not have Jesus. We find ourselves in less want of what’s out there and more of the spiritual things that truly (in the long run) will spare us from so much suffering. I wish I would have known in my youth what I know today. I know that today where my heart is in my life is not upon what I find to be of worth. As we place God first, the worth of all the things that use to be still having a place, but have the place they should be! I would rather lose everything in this world as to losing the presence of God in my life. It’s my lifeline for so many things. I couldn’t go on without it, and yet so many do and walk with so many things pulling them down. We need to help people be led to examine themselves in a way where they realize that God must be first to succeed here and when our lives finally reach their end.

Mark 10:20-27

[20] And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
[21] Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
[22] And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
[23] And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
[24] And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
[25] It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
[26] And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?
[27] And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

There is a price to pay, and it is simply giving up the part of our life that is tearing us apart. When something is painful to give up or puts you on the defense for it, generally that should signify you that “hey, this means something to you”. If it is something that is destroying your life, then truly we must see that there is a better way to go forward than the things that would destroy us. We cannot enter into the Kingdom of God with all of our baggage; in other words sin cannot be the dominant force of my life. Salvation and the belief and confession of Jesus Christ must happen!

Matthew 6:19-21

[19] Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
[20] But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
[21] For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Where we are every day, and where God is in our lives is exactly where we stand. Let’s consider the contents of those treasures. Maybe you don’t want to today, but while you have a chance I strongly suggest you take the time to take inventory of what’s going on inside and surrounding you! It can only help you!

John 14:1-4

[1] Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
[2] In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
[3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
[4] And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

We all have a place in Heaven if we want it, if we choose to follow, if we choose to believe! Call out and believe today! Don’t wait! It’s the best decision of your life!

A Churches Love

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Hagar’s Love – Represented to love and compassion

Genesis 21:16-20

[16] And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.
[17] And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.
[18] Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.
[19] And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.
[20] And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.

Sarah told Abraham to cast out Hagar and the lad. Abraham was feeling very grievous, but followed the instruction of God to hearken to those words and obey what he was told. She (Hagar) first put the child in the shrubs. Hagar then cried out and wept on behalf of the child.

She cried even though they were both cast out on the behalf of another. There are not always going to be perfect situations where you will have the perfect church and perfect pastor and perfect congregation who will always be there for your every need. You might even feel cast out, but you can still come to God!

This is truly a sign of a mother’s love and something the church should begin to learn to inherit. We can learn so much from putting ourselves out of the way and having compassion on the behalf of others, even if we spend out all the energy that we have sometimes!

As we read on, try to remember the Love of a mother as the Love of the Mother Church!

Moses’s Mother – Demonstrated Love Through Obedience

Exodus 2:2-10

[2] And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.
[3] And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river’s brink.
[4] And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him.
[5] And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river’s side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it.
[6] And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews’ children.
[7] Then said his sister to Pharaoh’s daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?
[8] And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child’s mother.
[9] And Pharaoh’s daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it.
[10] And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.

She was going against what was spoken by Pharaoh because she saw he was a Godly child! How many of us would be brave enough to do that? How many of us would allow ourselves to be obedient in that situation?!? How many of us would allow ourselves to go against the word of something of higher authority than us?

Are we willing to step out and stand in the gap for those that we care about and face a little or a lot of persecution? It’s scarce to find anymore, but I know that it’s out there if you allow the love in you to grow!

That love looks beyond the battles and is willing to face some consequences from the spiritual battles! Willing to pay the price!

Rizpah’s Love – Representative to sorrow, burdens, and remembrance

2 Samuel 21:6-10

[6] Let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up unto the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, whom the LORD did choose. And the king said, I will give them.
[7] But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the LORD’s oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.
[8] But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite:
[9] And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the hill before the LORD: and they fell all seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley harvest.
[10] And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.

Rizpah lost two of her own sons and five that she was looking after, yet in the memorial she made upon the rock with sackcloth, it moved David. She suffered not anything to stand upon what she had set in their remembrance.

We do not need to forget those out there that are suffering greatly and are spiritually dead today. We need not suffer any enemy or devil that would try and come to destroy them unaware!

That’s what standing in the gap is all about! When we begin to call out on God for them, we need not suffer anything that they speak to you that would hinder your faith! Be understanding to their needs, of course, but begin to speak those things that are not as though they are! That is the true power of God!

The Mother of Solomon’s Time

1 Kings 3:16-27

[16] Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him.
[17] And the one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house.
[18] And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also: and we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house.
[19] And this woman’s child died in the night; because she overlaid it.
[20] And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.
[21] And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead: but when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, which I did bear.
[22] And the other woman said, Nay; but the living is my son, and the dead is thy son. And this said, No; but the dead is thy son, and the living is my son. Thus they spake before the king.
[23] Then said the king, The one saith, This is my son that liveth, and thy son is the dead: and the other saith, Nay; but thy son is the dead, and my son is the living.
[24] And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king.
[25] And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.
[26] Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.
[27] Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof.

A person that would be willing to take a loss for themselves so that others could live is a person walking in love. That’s huge in the Church. Huge. We can’t get anyone to pay the price anymore unless it is conditional to their favor. That’s sad in the world we live in, considering how many people need us to perform so many selfless things!

Surely the Lord was trying to show them and even today about paying a price for our loved ones even if we do not get repaid, recompensed or loved back!

Consider Christ’s Love! Remember the love that was shown to you when you didn’t deserve it! Let it remind you every day when you do things even when you exceed all your energy and resources!