Divine Words

(Prov 18:4 NLT) Wise words are like deep waters; wisdom flows from the wise like a bubbling brook.

In this verse and in a few of the upcoming verses Solomon gets back to the importance of our words and the impact they can have on others. Yesterday I told you that the Father wants us to develop in His wisdom so that we can be the salt and light He desires for us to be. Solomon himself is a great example of that. The Bible says that

“God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. Solomon's wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the men of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. He was wiser than any other man… He spoke 3000 proverbs and his songs numbered 1005… Men of all nations came to listen to Solomon's wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom” (1st Kings 4:29-34).

Men came from all over the world, on their own accord, to listen to Solomon. Furthermore, kings sent people from their royal staffs to glean as much as they could from Solomon. Why? In one sense we could say, “Hey, this was just one man. Sure, he was a smart man, but still just a man.” However, the difference is that this was a man that was speaking the wisdom of God. So when Solomon spoke God spoke through him. Was it God? Yes. Was it Solomon? Yes. It was Solomon cooperating with God. It was God operating through Solomon. This is a great picture of what CAN happen if we allow the Father to use us for His glory.

There are two things I want to highlight from this verse:
1. Divine words have levels of understanding. Solomon says, “Wise words are like deep waters.” At the end of the day we are talking about sharing words with others, but not just any words, words that have been birthed out of our relationship with God. These words are like deep waters. Deep waters can be deceptive. While they look settled and serene on the surface (like there is not much to them), upon further review we realize that we can do deeper and deeper (level upon level of understanding) into them. God’s Word is divine. When you first read a verse you get one level of understanding. You can read the same verse 10 more times and get 10 more levels of understanding. The more you ‘peel back the onion’ the more you realize that God’s wisdom is deep and that it can have continuous impact.

2. If you develop in Godly wisdom you will always be ready to share and make an impact. Solomon went on to say, “Wisdom flows from the wise like a bubbling brook.” While deep waters appear serene and stable, a bubbling brook is ever active; there is never a dull moment. The lesson here is that if we allow the Father to develop us in His wisdom we will always be ready to say what needs to be said so that others can hear what they need to hear. This is exciting stuff. The bubbling brook is always lively and this is a picture of how we can be, once we get God’s Word and His wisdom down inside of us to the point where it is always flowing out!

So what does this mean to you It means that the more Word you get down inside of you, the more God can get out, for His glory. And it means that the words you do speak will be divine words, so they will have lasting impact. Divine revelation is so powerful that people can still be riding off of something God said to them, through you, years later.

Father, I thank You for giving me an awesome example in Solomon. Solomon was used of You mightily, but he was no superman. What you did for and through him, you can do for and through me. I declare, by faith, that I will do my part. I will read and study Your Word so that I can get Your divine truth down in my heart. As I do, and as I develop in Your wisdom, I know You will begin to use me to share divine words with others. When I do, I believe those words will have lasting impact and You will be glorified. I know You speak to men through men and I submit myself to be the channel through which You speak to others today and every day. Thank You Father for giving me revelation and for sharing it through me for Your glory! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Need to be connected

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall
labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the
LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor
your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your
animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days
the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is
in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD
blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy (Exodus 20:8-11 TNIV).

I had a conversation yesterday that we wouldn't have had
ten years ago. That no one would have had twenty or twenty-five years
ago. The conversation was about whether or not to bring a laptop on my trip next week. That way we can stay connected to email and the internet. It would also be handy for me to get some work done if I have some downtime.

Don't you like the beer commercial where the guy is sitting on the
beach, skipping rocks in the surf, just doing nothing and having a
wonderful time? Then his cell phone rings, and he picks it up and looks
at it for a moment. He's thinking about answering, but then he throws
the cell phone out into the surf, skipping it across the water like
just another stone.

What they don't show you is him a minute later, splashing around in the
water desperately trying to find the device.

It's a familiar problem. We want to be connected. Need to be connected. We feel the need to be able to communicate with the people in our lives quickly, conveniently, inexpensively, and instantly.

Well, we didn't create the wireless, online, iphone or the world we
inhabit, did we? We just live here, and to live here we have to play by
its rules. And that means having a computer in your pocket that's
exponentially more powerful than the ones that filled entire rooms just
a generation or two ago.

At least one organization, though, is choosing not to play by the rules
of the world we inhabit. At least one day a week.

The group's name is Reboot. They're devoted to reinventing the
traditions and rituals of Judaism for secular Jews. Chief among those
traditions and rituals is the millennia-old observance of the Sabbath,
the seventh day as a day of rest. And their primary way to observe the
Sabbath? That's right -- turning off their cell phones, computers, and
other devices. Rebooting, if you will -- the devices, yes, but also
hopefully their own hearts, minds, and souls. http://www.jewlicious.com/2010/03/thou-shalt-unplug-theyself-reboot-your-week-on-shabbat/

Among other things, the group suggests that people who want to "reboot"
should avoid technology from sundown on Friday until sundown on
Saturday. They should connect with loved ones, nurture their health,
get outside, and avoid commerce. They also suggest lighting candles,
drinking wine, eating bread, finding silence, and giving back.

Interestingly, the group's primary media for getting their message out
have been social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook. And, yes,
they recognize the irony.

I think Reboot might be on the right track. While technology can be a
wonderful thing, it's hard to deny that we can become slaves to it. If
we're not careful, technology can start to use us instead of the other
way around. When interacting with a cell phone or a computer becomes a larger part of our lives than interacting with people, it's a sure bet
that something is out of balance.

Whatever you do with your Sabbath, include God.

And, if you're wondering, I do see the irony in my typing these words
on a computer keyboard, intending to upload them to the internet.

Originally, Israel's Sabbath laws had to do with acknowledging the
holiness of God by breaking the rhythm of day-to-day life. Once every
seven days, they were required to stop the "essential" business of
living -- and making a living -- simply because their God said they
should. Sabbath was to remind them that in the end it wasn't their
strength or cleverness or work ethic or technological advances that
sustained their lives. It was God, and God alone.

By Jesus' time, it had become something else. It was, at least for some
people, a measuring stick for piety. And those people had ruined it for
everyone else, making it into a burden that had to be endured, a
regulation that chafed and restricted. When Jesus healed the sick on
the Sabbath, for instance, there were those who protested that he
couldn't be doing God's work because he was working on the Sabbath.

That's why Jesus said things like, "the Sabbath was made for people,
and not people for the Sabbath" (Mark 2:27). That's why, once when he
healed a woman on the Sabbath, he quieted those who protested by
saying:

Doesn't each of you on the Sabbath untie your ox or donkey from the
stall and lead it out to give it water? Then should not this woman,
a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long
years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her? (Luke
13:15-16)

Jesus understood that God didn't need us to stop work and remember him, but that we need to do that for our own good. Human beings need the reminder that we depend upon God. We can work and slave and hope for things for awhile, or in that woman's case for eighteen years, but that in the end we're utterly dependent upon our God.

And that's where Reboot gets it wrong. They want to reclaim Sabbath for
those who are secular. But Sabbath isn't secular. The whole point of it
is to disrupt the secular and give us room to come before God. Lighting
candles, eating bread and drinking wine, getting outside -- even
connecting with loved ones and giving back -- none of that will
adequately fill the empty space that Sabbath creates in our calendars
because none of it will fill the empty spaces in our hearts. Only God
does that, and Sabbath without him is just a day off.

So by all means, reboot. Jesus did (Luke 4:16). Turn off the devices,
lock up the office, leave the errands for another day. Reconnect with
loved ones -- that's almost always a good thing. Serve those in need --
Jesus did that, too. But, do Sabbath the way Jesus did it. Be with God.
Be with his people. Spend an afternoon in prayer. Or take a long,
leisurely walk, talking with God as you go. Meet with others to
worship. But, whatever you do with your Sabbath, include God.

He'll do the ... rest.

Which Life do you want to Experience?

(Prov 18:3 NLT) Doing wrong leads to disgrace, and scandalous behavior brings contempt.

In this series thus far the Lord, through Solomon, has been driving home the importance of developing in His wisdom and He has made it clear that He also expects us to develop character along the way. Yes, the Father wants our heart to develop along with our head.

I would venture to say that developing Godly character is even more important than Godly wisdom, because God can (and will) do more with a person who lacks intelligence, but is upright, than with a person who is exceptionally bright, but morally corrupt.

Your IQ is one thing, but traits like integrity, dignity, honor, loyalty, and respect hold a tremendous amount of weight with God. Back in chapter four Solomon said, “If you love Wisdom and don't reject her, she will watch over you… If you value Wisdom and hold tightly to her, great honors will be yours. It will be like wearing a glorious crown of beautiful flowers” (Proverbs 4:6-9).

Jehovah wants to bless us, but He will not bless mess. If we want to experience His glory, then we must be committed to doing things His way. I say all this to set the stage for our text for this morning, which basically paints a picture of the opposite. While doing good opens the door to God’s glory, doing wrong opens the door to shame.

Another translations of this verse reads: “When a wicked man comes, contempt also comes, and with dishonor comes scorn.” In other words, outward shame and reproach come on the heels of inward wickedness and corruption.

One of my favorite Psalms is Psalm 23. The 23rd Psalm was actually written by Solomon’s father (David). In this Psalm David describes the man who acknowledges Jehovah as Shepherd. David tells us that one of the benefits of following the Good Shepherd is that goodness and mercy will follow/pursue/track you down all the days of your life. Isn’t that awesome? When you walk with God goodness and mercy are never far behind.

However, Solomon tells here that disgrace and dishonor follow the wicked man.
Whenever a wicked man enters his day disgrace and dishonor are never far behind. The question them becomes: which one do you want to be? What do you want following you around? When you step into a room, do you want it to light up or dim down? When you want into an environment, do you want to be salt or scum, a preservative or a parasite? If you are reading Today’s Word then I would assume you desire the former and not the latter. If that is true then you must be committed to doing things God’s way. If you do things God’s way you get Godly results. If you don’t, you won’t, and it will not be God’s fault.

The disgrace Solomon describes here is connected to our actions; it comes as a result of literally “Doing wrong.” That being the case, then the message is clear, the Father wants us to DO RIGHT! Not just talk about it, not just read about it, not just dream about it, but actually DO IT!

So what does this mean to you? It means your actions matter. The type of life you are experiencing and will experience is directly connected to the type of life you are living. If you commit to accepting, applying, and walking in God’s counsel, ever day, then you will have goodness and mercy tracking you down. But if you continually do wrong, knowing it’s wrong, then disgrace and dishonor will track you down and the experience will not be pleasant. Once again, the choice is yours.

Father, I know what type of life I desire to experience. I declare, by faith, that I receive and apply Your counsel and I develop Your character. I do what is right, not what is wrong. I allow Your Word to be the ruler by which I judge every decision. In so doing I am setting the stage for me to walk in The Blessing. As a result of my commitment to You and Your Word, I know that goodness and mercy shall follow, pursue and track me down, all the days of my life. If I still and stumble, goodness and mercy will be right there to pick me up and help me along he way. Thank You Father for helping me to develop my head and my heart and for Your exceptional grace and goodness. You are awesome! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Daddy, I Want You!

Don't get weary in your waiting. You are too close and too far along to back out now. Don't stop-maybe this is what it looks like right before the heavens break and He emerges through the matrix of time to manifest His glory among us. If you are waiting on a promise from God, fan the flames of your desperation and put it on display. Make that nagging phone call to heaven and tell Him, "Daddy, I want You!"
Nearly every meeting I attend (and I lost track long ago), I tell myself, "Maybe this is the night He will come…maybe this is the day He will reveal Himself once again." Sometimes I get weary, but most of my fatigue stems from impatience with "man things."

I'm hungry for Him, not for His earthy assistants. I love the people of God complete with all of their oddities, differences, and special quirks. The only thing for which I have no patience is the stuff of humanity posing as the stuff of Divinity. When I'm hungry for Him and His, nothing else will do.
Are you weary with empty religion and man-produced revival? Are you afraid you will end the chase just before God shows up? (You should be-He is close to you if you are really desperate.)

Worship is the process where we find Him in our wholeness. Brokenness is the process whereby God finds us in pieces. I am convinced that God hides when we think nothing is wrong, just to preserve the freshness of encounter. We are in our most dangerous state when we think everything is fine and we are "satisfied" with life
The Bible says even the rocks and trees will cry out to God if we don't. What is so special about the worship of humanity that draws divinity close? For one thing, we don't have to do it. Our worship is really special when we finally come to our senses and offer Him what we were created to give Him-freely given worship offered in spirit and in truth.

True worship can only be offered from a humble heart consumed with love for Him. That is what makes your worship special in those times when you are relatively "whole" and everything seems to be fine. It is worship precisely because you choose to take your eyes off of yourself and your wants long enough to acknowledge the He is the center of your universe. He is the Creator and you are His creation; and you love Him simply because He is.

Do you find the pace of your chase slowing down when things seem to be going well in your life? To put it another way, do you pursue Him with more passion and urgency when things are going wrong in your life? How can you "step up the pace" of the pursuit even during the good times?

For better or for worse, most of us find it easier or more natural to pursue God's face with fresh passion during difficult times. Perhaps it is part of our nature, or maybe God designed it that way knowing we would face regular challenges in our daily lives. Either way, life is always better when we're "following hard after God" than when we chase our own fleeting dreams and fantasies apart from Him.
… God has no need to "hide" from us in our times of crises or self-cultivated hunger. When we fall into sin and hurt ourselves or grow desperately frustrated during the pursuit, God immediately shows up. The game is up because the purpose of joy is discovery, not the chase itself.

For the same reason, the Father takes joy in transforming God Chasers into God Catchers. He likes to let you catch Him! The purpose of the pursuit is the finding, not the hiding, and nothing changes the hiding into the finding so quickly as the cry God can't deny

How do you cultivate hunger for Him in good times? Do you make a daily habit of reading His Word, remembering the joy of His presence, and lingering over every memory of His faithfulness in your life and the lives of others? Does this process sound similar to the patterns we often follow in human relationships?

What Do You Think?
It is time to put a demand on the passion of God. If He ripped the veil of separation in Jerusalem two thousand years ago, then He will rip apart anything that separates you from Him now. He will rip through every obstacle in your life if you put a demand on His passion. You have no idea how much how much He loves you. Let your worship and hunger cry out to Him in desperation right now
1. What do you think? Does this statement sound too good to be true? Why? 2. If you doubt whether or not "now" is the time to put a demand on the passion of God, then ask yourself, "When is the right time?" God has been waiting for thousands of years-why should He wait for you even one day longer?

Scripture Reading:

Psalm 126:5-6, in which tearful sowers are encouraged and chronic seed bearers are assured of a harvest. 5 Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy.
6 He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him.

Father, I miss You. Thanks to Your favor and faithfulness, things go "right" in my life much of the time. In the bad times, when my life, my health, my family members, or my financial security are threatened by the circumstances of life; I have no problem running to You. That is when I struggle to hold the course until You come. It is in the good times that I most often fail to seek You with passion and urgency. The truth is that I am always in a crisis apart from Your presence. I need You moment by moment, I long for Your presence every minute of my life and beyond. Keep me desperately hunger and passionate for You, Lord; and lead me not into the temptation of satisfaction and dullness of heart.

Knowing when to Listen

(Prov 18:2 GNB) Fools have no desire to learn; they would much rather give their own opinion.

This morning we continue our series entitled, “Unlocking the Power of Proverbs – Walking in the Wisdom of God.” Solomon has already taught us a great deal about choosing our words wisely and thinking BEFORE we speak. Here Solomon gives us some context. No matter who you are – rich or poor, black or white, foolish or wise, you will have opportunities to learn from others. Later in Proverbs Solomon teaches us that both wisdom and foolishness can be transferred by association (13:20). For the purposes of today’s lesson let’s just focus on the positive side (the wisdom).

It is true that we can learn a great deal from others, especially from the wise. The Father has blessed me to be in the company of many wise men and women over the years. I have held conversations with numerous Pastors (ministry), and Corporate/Business leaders (marketplace).

No doubt, I believe the Father has blessed me with a level of insight, wisdom and understanding that I can pour into others. When I am in a position where the Father connects me with someone He wants me to pour into, then I do most of the talking. I don’t have a problem with that and I actually enjoy it.

But Solomon’s point is that there are times when you need to keep your mouth shut and listen. On those occasions in which I am with a person that is an expert in a field that I wish to develop in, then I simply allow them to pour into me.

As believers we must know when to talk and we must definitely know when to simply listen.

I have walked away from many conversations thinking, “Wow, that was awesome.” And I have learned a great deal. But what if I would have allowed my mouth to be stuck in the “ON” position? I would have missed a golden opportunity to receive.

“The double trouble of the fool is his closed mind and open mouth.”

Don’t be the fool. When the Father blesses you to be before great men and women, keep an open mind, a closed mouth and a willingness to receive!
This way you will maximize the opportunity and the Father will bless you with more.

So what does this mean to you? A few things:
1. Know when to talk and when to listen. Never monopolize a conversation with someone the Father has put in your path to teach you.

2. Learn as much as you can, from all that you can, while you can.

3. Remain humble enough to acknowledge the fact that you don’t know it all.

4. Only speak about those things you know about. Don’t attempt to ‘fake it,’ because sooner or late you will be exposed.

5. Allow others to pour into you the things that they have learned.

6. When given the opportunity, pour into others the things that have been poured into you. This way you maximize the investment others have made in your life.

Father, I thank You for opening doors for me that bring me into the presence of great men and women. As You bring me before them, I declare, by faith, that I will maximize every opportunity. I will listen much more than I speak and I will allow the giants you have placed in different career fields to pour into me and to invest in my future. I soak up the wisdom like a sponge and I apply it to my life. This way I am able to develop into the person You desire for me to be. I never stop learning. While I am living I am always growing, developing and maturing. And Father, I also thank You for the golden opportunities to pour into others all the tings that have been poured into me. Others have invested in my life and I will return the favor by investing in the lives of others. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Divine Community

(Prov 18:1 GNB) A loner is out to get what he wants for himself. He opposes all sound reasoning.

This morning we get back to our series. Since we are going verse-by-verse through the book of Proverbs this series is going to take years. It has already taken us over a year and a half to get through the first 17 chapters. I trust you are growing in the wisdom of God and I pray you continue to develop IN Him as we journey through this Biblical wisdom literature.

Back in chapter 11 Solomon said, “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety” (11:14). No doubt, there is a level of safety in knowing that your plans have been vetted by other great minds. This safety/protection is one of the reasons why the Bible drives home the importance of divine community.

The Father never intended for us to be ‘lone rangers.’ Decisions that are made in a vacuum have a high probability of being poor ones. Ken Blanchard said, “None of us is as smart as all of us!” The most successful people are those that surround themselves with gifted individuals and then allow those individuals to utilize their gifts. But to welcome the counsel of others we must first acknowledge the fact that we don’t know it all and that we need others to help us maximize our purpose and potential. This requires a certain level of honestly and humility.

The nonconformist insists on doing things his or her own way, even when it conflicts with tested knowledge or approved methods. This person flies in the face of sound wisdom and their stubbornness often results difficult and often painful situations. Many of these can be avoided if we simply consult with those the Father has placed in our path. Furthermore, when we refuse to tap into the gifts of others, not only do we hurt ourselves, but we also stifle others’ growth by failing to make a demand on the potential the Father has placed within them. The Contemporary English Version of this text makes the message very clear; it reads: “It's selfish and stupid to think only of yourself and to sneer at people who have sense.”

So what does this mean to you A few things:

1. The Father wants you to be part of His divine community: There are too many people that go to church seeking ONLY to interact with God and MAYBE their Pastor, but they fail to interact with other members of God’s body. How can you say you love God, whom you cannot see, but you fail to connect with man, whom you see every day? (1 John 4:20).

2. You must be humble enough to admit you need others: You don’t know it all – get over it. Swallow your pride long enough to celebrate the diversities of gifts within the Body of Christ, without jealousy. The Father wants you to use the gifts He has given to add value to the divine community you are a part of and He also wants you to tap into the gifts of others. This way the Body of Christ can be healthy and we can function as He intended for us to.

3. Be God-centered, not self-centered: Solomon describes someone who is way too focused on self. Being part of something that is bigger than JUST YOU is a liberating experience. God is too big of a God to just be focused on you alone. He wants to operate and make a difference in your sphere of influence, but He is seeking your cooperation. Put His agenda ahead of your own, partner with Him to make a difference, and you will be overwhelmingly blessed in the process!

Father, I thank You for Your wisdom. Your Wisdom teaches me this morning that I must be part of Your divine community and I declare that I will. I don’t know it all. I thank You for the gifts You have placed in me and I will use these gifts for Your glory. I also thank You for all the other gifts You have placed in the Body of Christ and I will tap into the gifts in others, making a demand on the anointing on their lives, and thereby helping us to function as a body. I add value to every place I step into, because You are on me, in me, with me and for me. I connect with others and I allow them to connect with me. Together we make a difference, for Your glory! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Do you serve God or your feelings?

Now, that may sound like an odd question for a believer, but really, it isn’t. Let me put it this way... When you ask God to forgive you, do you accept His forgiveness right away or do you waste time feeling guilty?

So many Christians struggle with guilt and condemnation. They’re trying to pay God back for what they did wrong when Jesus already made it right.

God’s unconditional love is a very difficult concept for people to accept because, in the world, there’s always payment for everything we receive. It’s just how things work here. But God is not like people!

Aren’t you glad about that?

We need to learn that whether or not we feel forgiven, we’re forgiven.

The Power of Confession
Feelings of guilt and condemnation are a huge problem in the Church, but I want you to understand that’s what they are—feelings.

If you really know God’s Word, no matter how you feel, you can speak scriptures over your life and pretty soon your feelings have lost their authority.

For instance, 1 John 1:9 says that if we repent and confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive us. You need to take hold of that.

The next time you ask God to forgive you and then feel guilty afterward, open your mouth and say, “God forgave me.” Quote 1 John 1:9 or use another scripture but say it out loud. There is power in the tongue!

Praying and declaring Scripture out loud not only helps to renew your mind, it helps you stand firm, and it certainly puts the devil in his place.

The devil will try to make us feel guilty even when we didn’t do anything wrong. So we need to confess our sins until everything is out in the open and told, and then get dressed in our spiritual armor so we can firmly stand our ground.

Love Conquers Condemnation
When it comes right down to it, we just want to be loved unconditionally and accepted for who we are. We don’t want to have to pretend or perform. We just want to be accepted and loved. And God offers that to every single one of us.

None of us can earn God’s love. But in order to receive God’s love we need to first believe that He loves us.

If you have trouble believing God in this area, don’t just put up with it and wish that you felt better. Study the love of God. Read books about it. Listen to teachings on love. Start talking about it.

Say, “If anybody can have God’s love, I’m going to have it. If anybody can be free, I’m going to be free. If anybody can be happy, I’m going to be happy. If anyone can have peace, it’s going to be me. If anybody can be used by God, I can be used by God. If anyone can get over their broken past, I will.”

Don’t give in to your emotions—minister to them. Manage them. Remember that every day you’re in Christ, you’re a new person.

Choosing A Season of Growth
Another area Christians struggle with is believing God has great plans for their life. Don’t trust your feelings on that either. Trust God’s Word.

Jeremiah 29:11 says, For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.

We can all have the future God has planned for us if we choose to go after it—if we choose to grow and develop a deep relationship with God.

Yes, it’s painful to grow. It’s not easy to say no to yourself and yes to God. But every time you deny your flesh, it gets a little weaker and you get the victory.

People who are really strong, serious Christians are going after the meat of the Word. They listen to teachings on pride. They want to be humble, patient and victorious in Christ, and they train themselves to learn right from wrong.

I’m here to tell you that if you know who you are in Christ and you choose to grow, you will have a lot less trouble fighting guilt and condemnation. As a matter of fact, you will love God and the people He uses to correct you because they’re helping you change and grow.

I don’t want you to wake up every day and just live your life based on how you feel. I want you to know that God loves you no matter what and that you don’t have to let feelings dictate the course of your life.

I believe you will see a transition if you pray and ask God, “Do what you want to do in my life. I’m Yours.”

4 facets of the Language of Faith

The word “developing” is in the title of this series for a reason. When we come to Christ we do so with a set vernacular. After being Born-Again we have to learn a new language – a language that lines up with God’s Word and His opinion of us. To do so we must allow the Holy Spirit and the Word of God to transform our thoughts, words and actions. Once we change the way we think, we will change the way we speak. Once we change the way we think and speak, we will change the way we act. Once we change the way we act, we have changed! Let’s take a look at
4 facets of the Language of Faith that will help bring about that change: For those that know me personally they know that I have been teaching on this issue for about 2 months now. Maybe it because it is such a important subject.

1. The Language of Faith’s vocabulary is found in the Word of God (Jer 1:12). When I joined the staff at my work I had to learn medical terminology and the plethora of acronyms that the Doctors use. Likewise, when I was Born-Again, I had to learn what things like salvation, redemption, atonement, sanctification, propitiation and etc; meant. I learned them through the Word of God and more importantly, I started to align my thinking and speaking with what I was learning. I allowed my learning to turn into living. I was turning the corner from information to application. We must all learn the language of faith and put it in practice if we are to change.

2. The Language of Faith speaks pertinent promises. Once I learned that there were scriptures that promised me peace when I was troubled, health when I was sick, deliverance when I was bound, restoration when I was alienated, and etc., I had to consciously choose to speak those promises. Likewise, you can do the same. No matter what you are facing, find out what the Bible has to say about your situation and then stand on those pertinent promises. The language of faith speaks pertinent promises in order to expect and experience supernatural change.

3. The Language of Faith speaks the desired outcome (Rom 4:17). I had to train myself not to simply speak what I saw. That is too easy and it really does not help. Nursing and rehearsing the problem will simply keep me in it longer. Speaking only what I see does not require faith at all (Heb 11:1). I had to train myself – under this new language – to speak things, in accordance with the Word of God, that I fully believed in my heart would happen, BEFORE they happened. Learning to live by faith requires an inner belief that God’s Word and His promises will come to pass in our lives. You will speak what you really believe. So after you pray, believing that God heard You and that He will ‘show up’ in your situation, it is then incumbent upon you to line up your speech with what you say you believe. When someone asks you about it – after you have already prayed, in faith – what you say NEXT is really the litmus test for whether or not you really believe. If you fully expect God to do it, then it will come out in your speech. But if fear, doubt, and unbelief come out, then you are actually hindering everything you prayed.

4. The Language of Faith continues to speak the desired outcome until it comes to pass. It is foolish to think that everything in Christ is going to come easy. You can find the right promise, speak the right things, and release your faith, but there will always be opposition. The key is to NOT allow what you see (opposition) to change what you say (faith). You must continue to speak the desired outcome until God brings it to pass in your life!

Father, I commit myself to learning the language of faith and to developing this language in my life. I learn Your vocabulary through Your Word. I find the promises that pertain to my situation, I make prayers that are in accordance with Your Word and promises, and I then speak words of faith while I wait on You. I do not allow what I see to change what I say. I never cancel out my faith with doubt. I doubt my doubts and have faith in my faith. I stand on the Word. I stand on Your promises. I fully believe, I have overwhelming confidence, and I am unwaveringly certain that You will bring to pass Your best in my life. You always remain true to Your Word and that is why I am making a commitment to speak like You would have me to speak, so I can have what You want me to have and become who You want me to be. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

The Names of God

(Ex 3:14 BBE) And God said to him, I AM WHAT I AM: and he said, Say to the children of Israel, I AM has sent me to you.


In biblical times your name was supposed to be connected to your character, attributes and nature. That is why God changed people’s names. For example, He changed Abram’s name to Abraham, which means: Father of many nations. Whenever he introduced Himself as Abraham, he was saying something about himself; he was agreeing with God’s opinion of Him.

Along this same vein, many Old Testament prophets gave names to God. This helped them understand God and who He is. When something significant happened they gave God a name that corresponded to what He did.

This way others could better understand the God they worshipped.

The better they came to understand the names the better they knew God. let me give a list of the names and a quick summary. Please read each name so the Father can speak to you about how He can be each of these in your life. God is:

• El Shaddai: (Gen 17:1) The All Sufficient One / Almighty God
• El Elyon: (Gen 14:18-20 ) The Most High God
• Adonai: (Is 6:8) Our Master
• Jehovah: (Ex 3:14) The Lord of the already, right now, and not yet (past/present/future)
• Jehovah-Nissi: (Ex 17:15 ) The Lord our Banner and Battle Ax
• Jehovah-Rohi: (Ps 23) The Lord our Shepherd
• Jehovah-Rapha: (Ex 15:26) The Lord our Healer
• Jehovah-Shammah: (Eze 48:35) The Lord that is Present with us
• Jehovah-Tsidkenu: (Jer 23:6) The Lord that makes us Righteous
• Jehovah-M'kaddesh: (Lev 20:8) The Lord that Sets us Apart
• Jehovah-Jireh: (Gen 22:14) The Lord our Provider
• Jehovah-Shalom: (Jud 6:24) The Lord our Peace
• Jehovah-Sabaoth: (1 Sam 1:3) The Lord of all Armies
• El Olam: (Is 26:4) The Lord that lasts Forever
• El Gibhor: (Ps 24:8) The Mighty God
• El Roi: (Gen 16:13) The Lord that Sees us in Every Situation
• Elohim: (Gen 1:1) Our Creative God

The more we understand these names the more understand God and the better we get to know Him. The more we know Him, the more we will trust Him. The more we trust Him, the more He will interact with us and manifest His glory in our lives. The more He does that, the more we can become the vessels through which He blesses others in the earth and this should be our goal!

So what does this mean to you? It means that we are learning that God can be everything for us and through us if we allow Him to be. Everything you need is wrapped up in Him. God is involved in everything you have been, are right now, and will be in the future. He is the author and finisher, creator and sustainer, all-and-all in your life, but you must recognize Him as such. If you are not walking in the blessing it is not because God is not willing to bless you, but rather because you have not taken the time to get to know Him and walk in His ways.

Renew your commitment today to learn God more and to walk with Him every day of your life!

Father, You are everything to me! I make a commitment to know You more this year and apply what I learn to my life. My reading leads to learning. My learning turns into living. My living leads to blessing. My blessing allows me to be the conduit through which You bless others. I submit and surrender myself to You and You alone. Reveal Yourself to me in new ways and use me for Your glory. I am available to You Lord! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Grasshopper Mentality

(Mark 9:23 GW) Jesus said to him, "As far as possibilities go, everything is possible for the person who believes."

1. God has no limits – there is nothing He cannot do.
2. God desires to overcome our limits with His limitless ability.
3. What we believe determines what we are available to receive (unbelief stifles God).
4. We limit what our limitless God can do for us when we fail to believe He can or will.
5. As we expand our capacity to believe we release God to freely operate in our lives

A good example of this is found in Numbers 13. 12 spies went into the land. Two believed they could take it and 10 did not. When Caleb said, "Let's go… I know we can do it!" The other men replied, “We can't attack those people; they're way stronger than we are." If this was all they said it would have been bad enough, but they went on to spread scary rumors among the people, saying, "…everybody we saw was huge.. giants… alongside them we felt like grasshoppers. And they looked down on us as if we were grasshoppers" (see Numbers 13:30-33). Let’s seek to glean a few golden nuggets that apply to our lives today:

1. Believing God will often put you in the minority: Many Christians today are so accustomed to participating in “religious activity” without any real manifestation of God that they criticize those that have the audacity to literally believe God and His Word. Those who believe they can receive and do what the Bible says they can receive and do are often labeled as fanatics, even within the Christian community. So just know up front that if you are ready to expand your capacity to believe God and to expect the blessing of God to flow in your life that you will be in the minority. In spite of the fact that 10 out of 12 were against them, Joshua and Caleb did not doubt. Even when the rumors spread and millions doubted God, Joshua and Caleb remained in faith. What was the result? Millions died in the wilderness without ever possessing the promise of God for them. Joshua and Caleb were the only two of that generation to receive that promise. Are you ready to believe even when it is unpopular?

2. Doubting God leads to fear: Doubt is the precursor of fear. Once you doubt God for one moment you open the door to fear in your life. Faith moves God, fear moves satan. Faith is having confidence in God and His Word. Fear is having confidence in satan and his word. God said the land was theirs, but they doubted when they saw the obstacle they had to overcome to receive the promise (the inhabitants). Once doubt was present, fear crept right in. Successful Christians doubt their doubts and have faith in their faith.

3. Fear messes with your mind: Faith will cause you to look at a giant and say, like Caleb, "Let's go… I know we can do it!" On the other hand, fear will cause you to look at the same giant and say, “we felt like grasshoppers.” Even worse, they went on to imagine that the giants saw them as grasshoppers as well. If you are going to receive God’s blessing and do great things for God in His kingdom you must overcome the grasshopper mentality. The grasshopper mentality looks at obstacles and looses heart. The giant-killer mentality (also remember David and Goliath) looks obstacles and sees an opportunity for God to manifest His glory.

4. Doubt and fear are the fruit, but unbelief is the root: When you operate in doubt and allow fear to overtake you it is simply because you do not believe God. If you believed God and believed the Bible, then you would not believe the thoughts of doubt, fear, and failure. There are constants thoughts running through your mind; thoughts from God, satan, and you. You must sift your thoughts through the filter of faith – the Word of God – so you can know which thoughts to receive and which ones to reject (2nd Corinthians 10:3-5).

Father, I believe You and Your Word. No matter how many people doubt You, I refuse to be one of them. I walk in faith and not fear. I walk in trust and not doubt. I sift my thoughts through the filter of faith. I am a giant-killer in Your kingdom. I overcome every hindrance, every obstacle, and every attack. I am a believer and not a doubter. I feed my faith and starve my doubts. I overcome the grasshopper mentality and I maximize my purpose and potential in YOU! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Battle for the Mind

(II Cor 10:4, 5 KJV) (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.



I thought I was going back to Proverbs, but I feel led to prolong our “Looking back to look forward” excursion for another week. This message is from the “Mastering Your Mind” series.



In verse 3 the Holy Spirit, through Paul, tells us that while we (believers) are clearly humans, we don’t wage war as humans do. Our battle is not with flesh and blood, but rather with spiritual forces and the battlefield of choice for the enemy is often the mind. Our text tells us that the end result of the losing the battle for the mind is “strongholds.” In verse 5 He tells us how the strongholds actually begin: with thoughts! This is why it is vital that we Master our Minds through the Power of the Holy Spirit. The word stronghold in the text literally means: a fortified city, a castle, a fortress, a built up edifice that is designed to keep in the inhabitants in and strangers out. Understanding this, let’s investigate the text:



1. We Start off with a thought: We have already learned that our minds are flooded with thoughts from either: ourselves, the adversary, or God. What we must do is decipher and decode the origin of the thoughts before we allow them to become our actions. Every action starts with a thought. One quick way of knowing that a thought did not come from God is when the thought is contrary to God’s Word. The Spirit of God will never lead you contrary to the Word of God.



2. Our thoughts create Images (imaginations): We do not think in words, but rather in images. For example: if I say, please do not think about an elephant, with his big ears and long trunk; invariably, you already pictured an elephant. Or if I say, Big Mac, you can see one. And so on. When we allow impure thoughts to enter our minds unchallenged, we will soon see the images these thoughts create.



3. If not controlled, those images can create Strongholds: Uncontrolled thoughts create unruly images. Unruly images, if not challenged with the Word of God, create strongholds that are difficult to escape from. Remember, a stronghold is a fortified city, designed to keep you within its walls. A person that is trapped in addictions to pornography, alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, sexual immorality, gossip, backbiting, hatred, and etc., is a person that has allowed impure thoughts to lead to impure images and since the thoughts were never dealt with, they have created a stronghold; leaving the person trapped in a fortified mental prison.



So what does this mean to you today? It means that you MUST master your minds if you are to live in the Freedom Christ Jesus died to give you. Jesus came that you might be free from the bondage of sin and the fear of death. When you allow your minds to run free, you find yourself doing everything BUT the will of God. Are you ready to Master Your Thought Life? Just like impure thoughts can create impure images and ungodly strongholds, the opposite is also true! If you think the right thoughts they will create the right images and before long you will find yourself trapped in a fortified city of Godly protection. Negative thoughts won’t be able to penetrate the righteous stronghold the Word will have on your mind!



Confession for Today: Father, I Master my Mind through the Power of the Holy Spirit. I take control of every thought and I examine it against Your Word. I apply the thoughts that line up with Your Word, thereby causing my way to be prosperous. I cast down every thought that does not line up with Your Word. I will not allow impure thoughts to snare me today, nor any day. You have given me the power to succeed and I am successful in my Mind, my Mouth, and my Methods! I think Godly thoughts, I see Godly images, and I build a Godly fortress of protection around my mind. The enemy cannot penetrate the righteous stronghold the Word has on my thought life! Thank You Father for helping me to renew my mind! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Love is and Obligation

(John 13:34,35 MSG) “Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples – when they see the love you have for each other.”

This is the final message of a week where we looked back to look forward. I trust you enjoyed it.

Our focus text came at a time when Jesus prepared to bring His earthly ministry to an end. He had already made His triumphant entry into Jerusalem (in chapter 12), the feast of the PASSOVER was just a few days away, and the disciples did not know it, but Jesus Himself would be the PASSOVER lamb; conquering death once and for all. Jesus predicted His death in the latter part of the 12th chapter and the teaching He gave His disciples in chapters 13-18 was the last teaching they received prior to the crucifixion (chapter 19). So you can see that this teaching came a critical time in both Jesus’ and the disciples’ lives.

What I want to focus in on this morning is the word “command.” In the traditional King James Version this word is translated “commandment.” Commandment is a more common term for believers in that we are familiar with the 10 Commandments. Most people understand commandments like “thou shalt not kill,” or “thou shalt not steal;” Jesus called this a commandment. As a matter of fact, I will teach later how Jesus clearly taught us that loving God and loving man were the greatest commandments.

The point is the love is not an option. Operating in love is not merely being nice to people. Operating in love is not just tolerating their ways. Operating in love involves a lot more than just superficial niceties and we will never fulfill the commandment to love if we do not understand the love of God. That is the purpose of this series – to expose you to the facets of God’s love – and tomorrow we will begin our journey by looking at different types of love. So with that, I get back to my focus for this morning, which is the fact that love is a commandment.

A commandment is an order, direction, or requirement; based on the authority of the person giving the commandment.

A suggestion is different. A suggestion is an attempt to influence without the qualification of authority. Jesus was not suggesting here, He was not attempting to simply influence them (and us). Jesus started His final instructions to His disciples by letting them know that He, based upon His authority in their lives, would require them to operate in the love of God. This requirement was not limited to just the original disciples. No believer is exempt from this commandment.

So for all those that say they are looking for something to do in God, you don’t have to look any further. If you want to do something in God, with God, and for God, then you can simply start by loving one another. You are commanded to do it and it is even more important that not stealing, not killing, or not committing adultery.

So what does this mean to you? It means that being a true Christian leaves you without an option when it comes to loving others. It means that God did not qualify whom you should love by saying that you could love those you like and hate those you dislike. It means that God was not just simply suggesting that operating in love is a good thing to do if ever get around to it. No! Love is a commandment, love is a requirement, love is an obligation, and love is a lifestyle! Enter this day determined to operate in the love of God.

Father, I know that You commanded me to love. I understand that I do not have an option. I declare, by faith, that Your love in me is stronger than my impulses to hate, ignore, disregard, and shun. Your love in me helps me to love those I dislike and to operate in goodness towards those that mistreat me. The more I operate in love, the more I become like You. The more I become like You, the more You are pleased with my life. The more You are pleased with my life, the more I will enjoy Your favor, peace, blessing, and increase. I face this day in Your love, with Your love, and empowered by Your love! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Destiny’s Child

(1 Sam 16:13 MSG) Samuel took his flask of oil and anointed him, with his brothers standing around watching. The Spirit of GOD entered David like a rush of wind, God vitally empowering him for the rest of his life. Samuel left and went home to Ramah.

We will be investigate some of the great stories of the Bible and how they apply to our lives. Now, I call them stories for the sake of understanding, but these are not fictional accounts, but rather actual events. I was going to start with David and Goliath, but the Lord had me to back up one chapter, to allow me to show you the selection of this child of destiny, before we see what he did. There is a lot to deal with here, but I will attempt to summarize the story and my comments.

The Lord rejected Saul (1 Sam 15) as king and sent Samuel the prophet to Jesse’s house in Bethlehem because He had chosen one of his sons to be the next king. Samuel had to make up a story of why he was going to Bethlehem, because he knew that Saul would have him killed if he knew what he was up to. So Samuel said he was going to offer up a sacrifice and invited Jesse to come along with his sons. Jesse arrived with his sons and Samuel thought his mission almost complete when he saw Eliab. Eliab was Jesse’s eldest son and he was handsome, tall, and strong, but the Lord told Samuel,

“Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Jesse them called for Abinadab, the second eldest, and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” And this went on with the five other boys. Seeing that the Lord had not chosen any of them, Samuel asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” Reluctantly, Jesse admitted that he had one more son, but he was out tending the sheep. Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”

So here comes David. He walked in with his healthy complexion and a sparkle in his eyes. He was a good-looking young man, but more importantly, God told Samuel that he was the one. This is where we pick up our text. Samuel took his flask of oil and anointed him, with his brothers standing around watching. The Spirit of GOD entered David like a rush of wind, God vitally empowering him for the rest of his life.

What bothered me about this story was that it seemed like David did not have one friend in the camp. While he was out tending the sheep and fighting off lions, bears, and wolves; his brothers were with his Dad. David was an outsider in his own home. When it came time for Jesse to line up his sons before the prophet the thought never passed his mind that David might be the one.

Even if his father failed to mention David, at least one of his brothers could have brought his name up. At least one of them must have been his friend. Someone could have said, “Daddy, I know David is not going to get picked, but shouldn’t he at least be in the line up?” David was omitted and overlooked, even overworked; but he was Destined! He was Destiny’s Child!

So what does this mean to you? A few things:
1. God is always looking and He honors faithfulness.
2. Your Father knows what is done in secret and will reward you openly (Mat 6:4).
3. God will see to it that your oppressors stand by while you get promoted.
4. What God has for you is for you and no one can stop it.
5. You may be denied, derailed, and dismissed by others, but you are still destined! You are Destiny’s Child!

Father, I thank You for seeing me when no one else would. You know me and are acquainted with all my ways. You know my thoughts before I think them, You know my desires before I have them, and You know my dreams before I dream them; because You have initiated them all and will bring them to pass in my life. I am not controlled by others, I am controlled by You. I may be overlooked and omitted by others, but I am destined my You. I am a child of purpose. I am a child of promise. I am a child of power. I am a child of God. I am a child of Destiny! I am Destiny’s Child and I enter this day with my Destiny in mind! Forward ever, backward never – the best is yet to come! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

From Death Reigning to Reigning in Life

(Rom 5:12 & 17 NIV) Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned. (v.17) For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.


By now I believe I have laid a firm enough foundation for you to understand that Adam introduced sin into the world and sin brought with it death. Most people understand the gospel message as it pertains to the reality that Jesus paid the penalty for sin; they don’t have a problem with accepting the fact that once they repent of their sin and accept Jesus as Lord, they are forgiven and cleansed from all unrighteousness. But that is only part of the Good News of the gospel.

Jesus came to literally get us out of everything that Adam got us into.

In our text Paul teaches us that sin entered the world through one man (Adam) and that death came in through sin. Because of Adam, all have sinned and therefore all are subject to death. In the 17th verse Paul says something interesting; he says, “Death reigned through that one man.” In other words, death reigned because of what Adam did. Think about that for a moment and brood over the language God used through Paul. The word “reign” is a word that pertains to a sovereign. This word connotes royal rule or authority; it paints the picture of a dominating power/influence. Paul tells us that death literally reigned – it had a dominating power and influence over people – because of what Adam did in the garden.

I just did a quick Internet search on the types of phobias (fears) and honestly, I was surprised. The first list brought up 71 phobias and I thought that was a lot until I realized that those were only the ones that start with the letter “A.” The complete list has 588 documented and defined phobias. Wow! Fear is definitely a major problem! The name listed for the fear of death is Thanatophobia and I submit to you that the fear is death is the cause of most of the 588 phobias. I call the fear of death the “Mother of all fears” (see Heb 2:15).

Jesus conquered death, just like He conquered sin.

Paul contrasts the reign of death with our reign in life through Jesus Christ. Paul asks, “How much more?” Meaning that we, as Born-Again believers, should reign in life even to a greater level than the reign of death. If death had great power over you before you gave your life to Christ, then now the reality of life, abundant life, the God-kind of life, should be a greater force in you and over you than death ever was. You and I are to reign in life.
Jesus did not only come so that we could miss hell (fire insurance), He came that we might have and enjoy life, in abundance, to the full, till it overflows (John 10:10 AMP).

So what does this mean to you ? It means that Jesus redeemed you from everything Adam left for you. So you should be life conscious, not death conscious. You ought to be reigning in life, not allowing death to reign over you. But just like anything else, Jesus already made a way for you to be free from the bondage of death, but you have a choice.

You can choose to allow death to continue to reign over you or you can choose to reign over death and enjoy life. The choice is yours!

Father, I align my thinking and my decisions with the reality laid out in Your Word. Your Word has exposed to me the fact that death did reign in the earth, but that it should no longer reign over me. I reign in life and not death. I am life conscious, not death conscious. My focus is on life and not death. I want everything Jesus provided for me and that includes deliverance from the bondage of the fear of death. I am free to enjoy the abundant and overflowing life Jesus died to give me and I declare, by faith, that I will. Fear is NOT a factor for me! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Caleb

(Joshua 14:10,11 NASB) And now, as you see, the Lord has kept me safe these forty-five years, from the time when the Lord said this to Moses, while Israel was wandering in the waste land: and now I am eighty-five years old. And still, I am as strong today as I was when Moses sent me out: as my strength was then, so is it now, for war and for all the business of life.

This week we are looking back to Look Forward, by looking back at old messages that will help equip us for current situations

By now we know that Abraham waited 25 years for the manifestation of his promise (Isaac), but this morning I a excited to introduce you to a man that waited even longer. What is interesting is that he did not have to wait because he did anything wrong. He was one of only two people (within millions) that were ready for the promise 45 years earlier, but since the rest of the nation of Israel wasn’t ready he had to wait. What is amazing is that he maintained a good attitude while he waited for all the unbelievers to die off in the wilderness. We will see that even after 45 years he was still joyful and excited about receiving the Promise of God. His name is Caleb. I like to call him “Courageous Caleb!”

His story really begins when he was selected as one of 12 spies to perform a reconnaissance mission in Canaan. Of the 12, only two (Joshua and Caleb) had the faith required to believe God for the land. Here was the situation: God promised them the land, but it was inhabited – not just by anyone, but by giants. So for the Israelites to receive their promise they were going to have to fight for it! Caleb was ready to fight at 40yrs. old and here we see that he still had a fighting spirit at 85. Let’s look at his attitude 45 years later:

“Then the sons of Judah drew near to Joshua in Gilgal, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know the word which the LORD spoke to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh-barnea. “I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and I brought word back to him as it was in my heart. “Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt with fear; but I followed the LORD my God fully. “So Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land on which your foot has trodden will be an inheritance to you and to your children forever, because you have followed the LORD my God fully.’ “Now behold, the LORD has let me live, just as He spoke, these forty-five years, from the time that the LORD spoke this word to Moses, when Israel walked in the wilderness; and now behold, I am eighty-five years old today. “I am still as strong today as I was in the day Moses sent me; as my strength was then, so my strength is now, for war and for going out and coming in. “Now then, give me this hill country about which the LORD spoke on that day, for you heard on that day that Anakim were there, with great fortified cities; perhaps the LORD will be with me, and I will drive them out as the LORD has spoken.” So Joshua blessed him and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance. Therefore, Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite until this day, because he followed the LORD God of Israel fully” (Joshua 14:6-14 NASB).

So what does this mean to you? There is much to learn from here, but all I can say today is that: 1) you must maintain the proper attitude while you wait on God and 2) God will be faithful to His promises, even though it might take longer than you would like.

Father, I wait on You with my whole heart and while I wait – believing You for the manifestation of Your promises – I wait with Joy and Peace in Believing. I keep the proper attitude. I have the courage of Caleb and I remain ready to fight the fight of faith. I will not lose hold of the grasp that I have on my belief, faith, confidence, and expectation. I am a believer and I have a bulldog-tenacity when it comes to believing. I won’t give up, I won’t lose heart, I won’t throw in the towel, no matter how long it takes. I keep believing and I know that I will see Your goodness come to pass! I have the excitement of Joy and the serenity of Peace operating in my life while I wait on You! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Never Give Up on your DREAM!

Never Give Up on your DREAM!

(Gen 45:8 NIV) "So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.”

This week I am going to do something different. All week long I will share a different message and take a break from Proverbs.

Today I feel compelled to speak on Joseph as most of you all know I love teaching on him. Joseph was Jacob’s 11th son and he loved him more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age (Gen 37:3). Jacob gave Joseph a coat of many colors and his brothers hated him for it (v.4).

To make things worse, Joseph dreamed a dream that he would be above all his other brothers and even his parents. This dream would drive his life. Faith is about expressing confidence in God and His Word. Joseph expressed confidence in the dream when he told his brothers and his father about it. However, this caused Joseph’s brothers to hate him even more.

One day his brothers went out to feed the flock and did not take Joseph. His father later sent Joseph out to check on them (37:13). His brothers seized the opportunity to get rid of him. They threw him into a pit and then later sold him as a slave for 20 pieces of silver. His owners then sold him to an officer in Pharaoh’s court named Potiphar (v.36). Since the favor of God was upon Joseph and since he believed in his dream, everything he touched was blessed.

I am sure that all sorts of thoughts must have rushed through his mind. He may have even questioned how the dream would come to pass if he was slave; but he remained faithful everywhere he went and God blessed everything he did. Potiphar put him over all the crops and the crops prospered as well (39:3). Unfortunately, Potiphar’s wife also took a liking to Joseph, attempted to sleep with him, and after Joseph refused, she accused him of attempted rape. So Joseph was thrown into prison (39:20).

Incidentally, Pharaoh’s butler and baker were also thrown into the same prison. God blessed Joseph to interpret a dream for the butler and the baker. Later on Pharaoh had a dream that none of his advisors could interpret. The butler (who had had been released from prison and reinstated) suggested that they give Joseph a try. Sure enough, God blessed Joseph to interpret the dream and Pharaoh placed him over all of Egypt.

Jehovah blessed Egypt because of Joseph and Egypt, under Joseph’s leadership, prepared for the impending famine. Joseph’s brothers were not as prepared and they had to come to Egypt for help. When they did, the dream finally came to pass.

It took over 20 years, but it CAME TO PASS!

So what does this mean to you? It means that you will have to remain faithful to God, no matter the setbacks, if you want to see the promises of God manifested in your life. Joseph went from a pit to a palace, but he had his share of setbacks and challenges along the way. He was able to see the manifestation of the dream, because he never gave up, he never threw in the towel. Joseph coupled patience with his faith and you must do the same thing!

Things might seem like they are getting worse before they get better, but if you have a promise from God, then you must stand on that promise – come hell or high water – and you must continue to BELIEVE that it will come to pass.

Joseph was faithful everywhere he went and God caused him to prosper because of it. You will also prosper if you remain faithful and operate in patience. Don’t ever give up on your dream and one day you will be able to say

“AND IT CAME TO PASS!”

Father, I declare, right now, with my own lips, that I operate in both faith and patience. I have the confidence of faith and the consistency of patience operating in my life. No matter the setbacks, no matter the challenges, and no matter the opposition; I will not allow what I see to change what I believe. I remain faithful every day and I know that You will honor my faithfulness and bless me everywhere I go. I will never give up on my dream or Your Word! In the fullness of time I know that it SHALL come to pass. I enter this day with great expectations. I am a dreamer, I dream big dreams, and I believe my God will bring them to pass in my life! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Your Words

(Prov 17:28 GNB) After all, even fools may be thought wise and intelligent if they stay quiet and keep their mouths shut.

This verse flows in the same vein as the last. Solomon clearly understood the importance of our words and he wrote a great deal about it. I am sure Solomon learned a thing or two about this from his father David. David said,

“I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth while in the presence of the wicked” (Psalm 39:1).

Solomon and David were careful to go give thought to everything they said. Why? Because their words carried weight. As kings, the words they spoke came from a position of authority. What they said was very important. They had the power to sentence someone to death with just one word. Because of this power, they could not simply going around speaking foolishness. But since they carefully considered everything they had to say, then when they spoke, people reacted. The point is that we should use our tongue productively.

If you talk too much you will invariably speak many idle words. Idle words are useless and unproductive words. People that babble all day long can’t help but speak idle words, because they never take the time to carefully think through what they are going to say. Not only will these people allow their mouths to get them in trouble here in the earth, but they will also have to give account for their words when they stand before God.

Jesus said, “And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak” (Matthew 12:36). I will highlight a few reasons why we should carefully consider the words we speak:

1. You and your words are one: You cannot disassociate yourself from your words. Once you say something, then good or bad, people will associate you with what you said.

2. Your words expose the content of your heart: What comes out of you is an indication of what is in you. Jesus explained that our words flow from the abundance of our heart (Matthew 12:34). No matter what external façade you put up, your words tells us who you really are.

3. Your words obligate you to action: If you are a person of integrity (and I hope that you are), then once you commit yourself to something (with your words) you are committed. The Bible teaches us that if we vow (or commit) to do something, then we must do it.

4. You have power: This is quite possibly the most important reason. Just like kings David and Solomon, you have power. You may not sit on an earthly throne, but you have been given dominion, authority, and power over the kingdom of darkness. One of the ways you communicate (exercise) that power is through words. If you don’t even believe the words you say, then why should God and His angels or satan and his demons? But if you believe what you say and you speak faith-filled words, then heaven will back you up and you will begin to be used of God for His glory!

So what does this mean to you? It means you should take the time to be very deliberate in what you say. This is a sign of maturity. James said: “All of us do many wrong things. But if you can control your tongue, you are mature and able to control your whole body” (3:2). In other words, if you can control your tongue, you can control your life. The righteous, Godly, and mature believer places the right level of emphasis and thought behind what he or she is to say, to whom, for what purpose, and with what goal. If you carefully consider your words you will find yourself speaking less; but you will also find that the words you do speak will have more meaning.

Your words will be more effective and you will be able to get more done.

Father, I heed Your counsel this morning. I keep my mouth shut when I don’t have anything productive to say. When I do open my mouth to speak, it will be because I have carefully considered what I need to say and how I need to say it. I will speak with authority and conviction, because I will say what I mean and mean what I say. Since I give my words importance, then You will as well. Heaven will back me up when I speak, hear me when I pray, and respond to me as I operate as an ambassador for Your Kingdom here in the earth. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Controlling Your Tongue and Temper

(Prov 17:27 NLT) A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered.

Here Solomon shares a powerful proverb that lays out two characteristics of a wise man: he is a man of few words and he is able to control his temper. Let’s take a closer look at each:

1. Controlling your tongue: Solomon has already said a great deal about this and the Bible (in general) drives home the importance of choosing our words wisely. In chapter 12 Solomon said, “Smart people keep quiet about what they know, but stupid people advertise their ignorance” (v.23). If it is true that the wise man is able to hold his tongue and only speak the right words at the right time, then it is also true that the fool has no control over his tongue. The saying, “He can’t hold water,” applies to the fool. He is always flowing. His mouth is stuck in the “on” position. Just like the wise person is a person of few words, the fool speaks non-stop. There is a saying (attributed to too many people to give any one person credit) that says:

“Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.”

The fool speaks so much that everyone knows what they know, and the sad reality is that they don’t know much. Invariably their much speaking gets them in trouble. If you keep your mouth shut you will never put your foot in it. Dr. John Maxwell, when teaching on the laws of leadership, discusses what he calls the Law of E. F. Hutton. There was an old commercial that said, “When E. F. Hutton speaks everyone listens.” Why? Because he always had something worth saying. If you devalue your words then others will as well. Put the Law of E. F. Hutton to work in your life.

2. Controlling your temper: If a man looses control of his temper, especially in a professional setting, it paints a picture of a man that has lost control of himself. Just like unnecessary babbling will turn people off from what you have to say, a constant quick-temper will turn people off from you – PERIOD. People will avoid you, because they will never truly know which “you” they will encounter, the one that will listen and cooperate or the one that will fly off the handle. Not only that, if you are not in control of your temper, you will not be in control of your actions. In chapter 14 Solomon said,
“Short-tempered people do foolish things” (v.17) and “A hot temper shows great foolishness” (v.29). Later in Proverbs Solomon said, “A foolish person lets his anger run wild. But a wise person keeps himself under control” (29:11).

Solomon was a leader and he is sharing his Godly wisdom with us so that we can develop into Godly leaders as well. But you will never be able to effectively lead others if you cannot lead yourself. Ruling over your emotions is about leading yourself and doing it well. If you prove to the Father that you can lead yourself well, then He will give you opportunities to lead others. But if you don’t, then God won’t, because He is not going to open the doors of promotion, just so you can mistreat his people with your quick-temper.

So what does this mean to you? It means: 1) that you must be careful about what you say and how you say it. This way your words will matter to others, because they will realize how much they matter to you. And 2) it means that you must rule over your emotions, not allowing them to rule over you. You won’t go very far in leading others until you can lead yourself.

Father, I thank You for Your Word this morning. I receive it, process it, internalize it, and declare that I will allow it to effectuate a change in me. From this day forward, I declare, by faith, that I control my tongue and my temper daily. I listen carefully to what others have to say, I consider all aspects of the subject matter, and I carefully think through the ramifications of my conclusions BEFORE I speak. My words will matter to others because they matter to me. I also take control of my emotions. I maintain a peaceable and calm spirit daily. I never allow my emotions to cause me to act irrationally. No matter the situation, I remain cool, composed, and ready to deal with all that You allow me to face. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Doing the Right Thing

(Prov 17:26 NLT) It is wrong to punish the godly for being good or to flog leaders for being honest.

Earlier in this chapter Solomon addressed the responsibility of judges to judge righteously. He said, “Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent— the LORD detests them both” (17:15). When justice is miscarried and injustice reigns what you have is a population of “people most miserable.” Justice and order are required for civilization. Jehovah is a God of order and He expects His people to pursue and operate in righteous order.

What Solomon addresses here is the rifts that often arose between magistrates and citizens. In a perfect world the guilty would be punished and the innocent would go free (every time). However, we know that we live in a world that is in a fallen state. Because of Adam sin abounds and corruption often permeates through our courts.

It was no different in Solomon’s day. If there were any difference it would be in the brutality of the punishment. Back then if a citizen was pronounced guilty of a crime the punishment could involve stoning or flogging. It’s pretty obvious what stoning is, but let’s discuss flogging. During a flogging a person was beat with a whip. Now, this was not just any whip, but “A cat of nine tails.” This whip had nine leather straps and each strap had bits of rock, metal and glass worked into them. When the person was flogged the bits of rock, metal and glass dug into his or her back. When the person administering the flogging pulled back the whip, pieces of flesh often came with it. The greater the offense, the more lashes, with the highest legal limit being 39 lashes (which is what Jesus received).

What Solomon is speaking out against here is the perverted practice of punishing the innocent. Not only did innocent citizens often get falsely accused, in cases with trumped up charges, but righteous judges were also being condemned for being righteous. If a judge condemned a person of great influence, the tables were often turned on the judge and before he knew it, he was the one being flogged. Any why? Just because he was being honest.

The judge may not have been making the decision that was popular, but he was surely making the decision that was right!

So what does this mean to you? Two things:
1. For leaders: If you are a leader, then this message means that you should NEVER abuse the authority the Father has blessed you to have. Don’t be like the unrighteous judges who used their power to acquit the guilty. If the Father has blessed you to be in a position of authority, then He expects you to walk in honesty and integrity. Make the hard calls. Call right “right” and wrong “wrong.” Don’t allow the innocent to be punished nor the guilty to go free. Establish an atmosphere where hard work and honesty are rewarded and encouraged. And do the right thing, even when it is NOT POPULAR!

2. For the led: If you are a subordinate, then you must respect and submit to authority. The Father expects you to honor His leaders and to never fight against those who are attempting to do the right thing. Just like righteous judges were sometimes persecuted in Solomon’s day, leaders who stand up for what is right are sometimes persecuted today. But as far as you are concerned, never be one of the people who fight against righteous authority. Support your leaders and partner with them to accomplish to the mission of your organization. This way you add value to your work environment and God is able to get the glory from all you do.

Father, I know that You are a just, honest, virtuous and true God. I am in You and You are in me. Therefore, I declare, by faith, that I operate in that same virtue. I have the courage to call right “right” and wrong “wrong;” and to support those that do the same. I do the hard right and avoid the easy wrong. I make the “call” the pleases You, even when it is NOT the popular thing to do and I submit to righteous authority. I refuse to fight against those who are seeking to make a difference for You. I partner with those who are partnered with You and together we will restore righteousness to our sphere of influence! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Honoring Your Parents

(Prov 17:25 TNIV) Foolish children bring grief to their father and bitterness to the mother who bore them.

Here Solomon repeats something for the third time. Back in chapter 10 Solomon said, “Wise children make their fathers proud of them; foolish ones bring their mothers grief” (v.1); and just four verses ago (in verse 21) he said, “It is sad to have a foolish child. The parents of a foolish person have no joy.” Solomon drives this message home again because it was obviously a problem in his time, as it is today. When I taught on the previous verses I focused more on the parent aspect of the message. This morning I will focus on the child (son and daughter) side.

While children should be respectful towards all adults and those in authority, they should especially respect and honor their parents. Unfortunately today many children don’t appreciate the sacrifices their parents make for them. I, for one, would NEVER disrespect my Parents My parents raised me and I know the many sacrifices they made for my brothers and sisters, brothers and me. My parents put our needs above their own daily. We did not have much, but they gave us all they had. I know she gave us her all and there is no way that I could ever purposefully cause them grief. My parent’s commitment to their children reminds me of a quote I often use.

A parent must do more than just have children. They must raise his children to become mature adults. It is a painful, costly, time consuming, life draining, “stay up all hours of the night” type of relationship. It is not always a joyful experience for the parent or the child. The cost is everything a parent has within them. The benefit is a Child who will honor his parent. That is exactly what my Mother did. There is nothing my brothers or sisters and I would not do for my mother and we would NEVER seek to cause her grief.

The Message Bible paraphrase of this verse reads: “A surly, stupid child is sheer pain to a father, a bitter pill for a mother to swallow.” I don’t see how anyone could purposely cause their parents pain, but I run into people all the time who say, “But, you don’t understand. My parents were not there for me. I did not have a good experience with my parents. I don’t want anything to do with them.” I can share what the Bible says about the matter. Whether the other person fulfilled their obligations or not, the Bible commands us to walk in love and His love is always ONE-SIDED. For example, my father was not there for me. He was never truly a part of my life. If anything, he did several things that hurt me, instead of helping me. But when I gave my life to Christ my Heavenly Father led me to call my earthly father and forgive him. I did and I expressed my love towards him. Why did I do that? Because that is what Christians do – we walk in the love of God towards all men; especially our parents.

So what does this mean to you? It means that you should honor your parents and you must NEVER seek to cause them grief. Whether they were great parents or not, the Bible does not give you an ‘out.’ You are commanded to honor your parents (Eph 6:1-3) and to walk in ONE-SIDED love!

Father, I thank You for Your Word this morning. Your Word teaches me to honor my father and mother and that is exactly what I will do. I will honor them while they are alive by sharing Your love with them and by living a life that will represent them well. And even after they have transitioned from the earth, I declare, that I will live a life that will honor their legacy. I operate in ONE-SIDED love towards my parents today and every day. Thank You Father, for blessing me to live in peace, honor, and respect towards my parents. In Jesus’ name. Amen!