Facing Opposition - Part IV

Yesterday we learned that the greatest opposition precedes the greatest harvest. We have been learning about our opposition and I have made it clear that we face a formidable foe. However, today I want to bring out the fact that our enemy, while formidable, is limited. To realize how limited satan is, let's take a look at God's incommunicable qualities.

God is Omnipresent: This means that God is everywhere at the same time. Our God literally fills the universe, in all its parts, and He is present everywhere at once. Now, when I say He is present, I don't mean in part. He is fully present in every place at every moment. This is a truly awesome reality. That means God is with you right now as you read this email, He is also still residing where you just left, and He is at home waiting on you before you get there.

God is Omniscient: This means that God knows everything; and I when I say everything that is exactly what I mean. God knows our thoughts before we think them, our desires before we have them, our emotions before we feel them, and our passions before we develop them. Furthermore, He perfectly and eternally knows all things which can be known: past, present, and future. Simply put, our God knows the end from the beginning. There is nothing that He does not know now, nor will there ever be anything that He does not know.

God is Omnipotent: This means that God has all power; yes, literally ALL power. There is nothing that God cannot do. He has the ability to do anything and everything He chooses. However, He is a God of integrity and He is completed committed to His Word, so there are some things that God chooses not to do - like sin Himself, ignore sin, lie, or fail to fulfill His Word. But other than the things that we can rationally deduce that God will not do, we must be clear that there is nothing that He does not have the ability to do. We serve a God of NO LIMITS! Jehovah is not limited in any way and that my friend is awesome news!

So what does this mean to you? The answer to this question may be unclear by this point. You may be thinking, "Wait a minute you said you were going to tell me about satan's limitations and all you did was talk about God's limitless ability." But wait. There was a method to the madness. I started off by telling you that I was going to share God's incommunicable qualities. The three 'Omni's of God' I discussed are truly incommunicable; meaning that they belong to God and God alone. This means that satan does NOT possess these qualities. So satan is NOT omnipresent - he is not everywhere at the same time. If satan is in France today, performing one of his devilish schemes, then he cannot be where you are (if you are not in France).

Satan is NOT omniscient - he does to know everything. And guess what? He cannot read your mind! I assume that he wishes that he could, but he can't so don't help him know what you are thinking by foolishly babbling thoughts of fear, doubt and unbelief. Keep those to yourself. Lastly, satan is NOT omnipotent - he does not have all power. He knows that he is powerless against God and he too has read the end of the book. Satan knows good and well that he is doomed, and he knows that he really does not have that much power over us (especially believers), but he does have the power of suggestion. Like he did with Eve in the garden, he can tempt you to go astray, but he cannot force you.

At the end of the day, you have the power to resist this limited enemy! So remember, God is LIMITLESS, satan is not!


Father, thank You for revealing this to me this morning. This is an awesome reminder of your LIMITLESS ability and also of satan's LIMITS. You alone are everywhere at the same time, with all knowledge, and all power. You are my God and I worship You. You are the only true God and You have incommunicable qualities that set You apart from everyone else. I acknowledge You afresh as my Lord and I realize that satan must be horrified about me knowing about his limits. I used to give satan more credit than he deserves. While he is a formidable foe, I know he is limited and I will not allow my limited enemy to run roughshod over me. I serve the God of NO LIMITS and I experience NO LIMIT LIVING today and every day! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Facing Opposition - Part III

Yesterday we started to take a closer look at Shammah from this passage: "Next in rank was Shammah son of Agee from Harar. One time the Philistines gathered at Lehi and attacked the Israelites in a field full of lentils. The Israelite army fled, but Shammah held his ground in the middle of the field and beat back the Philistines. So the LORD brought about a great victory" (2nd Sam 23:11,12). We have already focused on the fact that "The enemies were Philistines" and that "They gathered together at Lehi." Let's continue to walk through the text:

They came in "Attack Mode": Once again, the Philistines were highly skilled, highly trained, highly motivated and highly dangerous men. They chose their battles wisely and on this occasion they came in "attack mode" against Israel. In a few moments I will discuss the strategy behind the "when" of their attack, but for now let's focus on the "how" and the "what."

The Philistines were notorious for overpowering their enemies with overwhelming force. A modern reference to their Modus Operandi would be what is considered the "Powell Doctrine;" named after General Colin Powell. Under the Powell Doctrine the U.S. military would scrutinize their war plans against a series of questions similar to the following: Do we have a clear attainable objective? Have the risks and costs been fully and frankly analyzed? Is there a plausible exit strategy to avoid endless entanglement? Have the consequences of our action been fully considered? Is the action supported by the American people? Do we have genuine broad international support? Under the Powell Doctrine the U.S. military attempted to go in big (in number), strong (well equipped), and calculated (after proper analysis).

The Philistines were like-minded in their tactics. While they might not have spent a great deal of time building coalitions, they did always come to the fight prepared. So when the text tells us that they "attacked" the Israelites, you can rest assured that they came big, strong, and calculated. It's no wonder why all but one (Shammah) of the Israeli Army fled


They waited until the field was full of lentils: Notice that the Philistines did not come when the Israelites were preparing the fields. No, they did not come when the Israelites were planting the seeds. They did not even come when at the first signs of a harvest. The Philistines waited until it was fully HARVEST TIME - until the fields were full of lentils - before they came in pillage Israel. The timing here is critical. Remember, the Philistines were planners; they did not attack haphazardly. The Philistines came to "take" only when the Israelites had something worth taking! We will continue this tomorrow.


So what does this mean to you ? A few things:

1. Your enemy studies you and he will always come prepared, but that does not mean that you have to succumb to his attacks. Shammah was left all alone, but he (+ God) fought back!

2. The enemy comes in with a lot of bark, but with the blood of Jesus you have more BITE!

3. You + God = a majority; every time!

4. If you are being attacked, then it is evidence that you have something worth attacking.

5. When the attack is the greatest, you must also realize that the harvest is the closest!

6. If you allow the enemy to take your harvest, he will, but if you stand against him and fight the fight of faith, you can maintain your ground and enjoy the fruit of your labor!


Father, I thank You for teaching me the importance of standing my ground in You. I declare, by faith, that I will reap the fruit of my labor. I sow and I also reap. I don't allow the enemy to come in and steal my harvest. Harvest time shall come in my life and when it does, I will pull out the plow shears and bring the harvest in. If the enemy attempts to attack me to take my harvest - my children, my marriage, my career, my finances, my health, or etc. - I declare, in Jesus' name, that I will remain strong in You Father and in the Power of Your Might! I will stand,
resist, push back, and believe; and if I get tired I will stand some more! I refuse buckle, bend, or break. I stand in faith and I reap all that You desire for me to have! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Facing Opposition - Part II

We were introduced to Jashobeam the Hacmonite and Eleazar son of Dodo. They are the first two of David's three mighty men listed in scripture. The Bible then goes on to say: "Next in rank was Shammah son of Agee from Harar. One time the Philistines gathered at Lehi and attacked the Israelites in a field full of lentils. The Israelite army fled, but Shammah held his ground in the middle of the field and beat back the Philistines. So the LORD brought about a great victory" (2nd Sam 23:11,12). In the last message we focused on the "Opposition" Jashobeam and Eleazar faced. In this message we will take a look at the opposition Shammah faced. So let's take a closer look at this text. The text tells us that:

The enemies were Philistines: To understand the awesomeness of what Shammah did we must understand the enemy he faced. The Philistines were no rag-tag group, but rather a highly skilled and dedicated army. little boys in Philistine grew up playing "war," with hopes and dreams of becoming elite soldiers in their elite army.

History tells us that Philistine soldiers were normally quite tall (they only picked the best), clean-shaven, they wore breastplates, carried small shields and fought with straight swords and spears. The most famous of these soldiers was one who stood over 9 feet tall. This giant was killed by Shammah's leader (David). His name was Goliath. I bring this out because I don't want you to think that Shammah was up against a group of rookies. These were highly skilled, highly trained, highly motivated and highly dangerous men.

What can we take-away from this?

1) There will be times in our Christian journey that we will have to fight (the difference is that today our fight is spiritual),

2) The enemy will come at you with the best that he has; don't expect rookies or scrubs; and 3) As a believer you should never back down, never shirk, never shudder, and never ever quit!

They gathered together at Lehi: These guys were not just coming together for a picnic. The words "gathered together" in the original Hebrew have a military connotation. Another translation says, "They mustered for battle." The Philistines assembled their army and they prepared - checking their soldiers, inventorying their equipment, assessing their readiness - for the upcoming fight.

The point is that they did not come without preparation. This was no fly-by-night organization and this was no willy-nilly attack. The Philistines carefully thought through what they were going to do and how the were going to do it. What can we take-away from this portion of the text?

1) We are up against a skillful enemy. The kingdom of darkness has been tracking you all your life and they know your strengths and weaknesses. Don't expect anything less than total preparedness from your spiritual enemy.

2) Our enemy will plot and scheme. While I don't want to glorify the devil and his kingdom, I do want us to be aware of his craftiness. The kingdom of darkness often comes prepared and most believers are often not, making themselves easy prey for the enemy.

So what does this mean to you ? It means that we must recognize the fact that we are up against a formidable foe. Paul taught us that if we are not aware of the enemy's tactics that he will get an advantage over us (2nd Cor 2:11). So be aware, be sober, be vigilant, and be ready! Reignite your Warrior Spirit and enter every day ready to fight AND WIN!

Father, I thank You for Your grace, mercy, and truth. Your Word and Your Spirit help expose the enemy and his devilish ways. By Your grace I am prepared for today and every day. I enter this day dressed for success. I have on the belt of truth, the shoes of peace, the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, and the shield of faith. I am dressed and ready to resist the enemy at all cost. Furthermore, I also have the only offensive weapon in the Armor of God and that is the Sword of the Spirit. I walk in the Word and I speak the Word daily. Your Word is the ruler by which I judge every decision. By walking in the Word and the Spirit I am prepared for today and every day! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Facing Opposition

Some people make the mistake of thinking that those who face opposition must be outside of the will of God. These are the people who believe life in God is supposed to be a perpetual picnic. But God never promised us a walk in the park. While I am fully convinced that with God on our side we will win every battle, I would be a fool (and you would too) to think that we are not going to be involved in any. we have been taking a close look at Shammah, one of David's three key mighty men. For this message, however, I want us to be introduced to all three.

The first of the three listed in 2nd Samuel 23 is actually the leader of the pack. His name is Jashobeam and he was a Hacmonite. The Bible tells us that he was the mightiest of David's mighty men. Jashobeam once used a spear to kill 800 enemy warriors in a single battle. Our modern moviemakers have a pretty good imagination, but Jashobeam fought 800, with just a spear, and this was no movie, it was real life and it was surely real hard. But he survived to fight another day. He never backed down. He never quit. He never threw in the towel. He knew it was life or death for him and he chose life.

The next on the list is Eleazar son of Dodo, a descendant of Ahoah. Before I go any further, let me just ask this question? How would you like to go through life as the son of a guy named "Dodo"? OK, lest I digress, let me get back to the lesson. Once Eleazar and David stood together alone against the Philistines when the entire Israelite army had fled. Think about that for a moment. They were in the middle of a fierce battle, completely engaged in ferocious conflict, when all their men ran away in fear, leaving no one but David and Eleazar behind to fight. WOW!! For David to stay is understandable, because he was the leader, but for Eleazar to stay by his side says a great deal about his character. Eleazar was loyal, committed, and courageous. The Bible says that Eleazar killed Philistines until his hand was too tired to lift his sword. When it was all said and done he had fought so hard that his hand literally stuck to his sword. Wow. His hand was stuck in the fighting position. And guess what? The Bible does not say that he and David fought hard because they had sinned. The Bible does not say that the Philistines came because the Israelites had messed up. No, the Philistines came because they were enemies and we will always have enemies (natural and spiritual).

What the Bible does say is that "The LORD gave him a great victory that day!" Who did the fighting? David and Eleazar. To whom does the Bible attribute the victory? To the Lord! Why, because David and Eleazar were not fighting alone. The Lord was with them and while He did not deliver them FROM the fight, He did deliver them IN it! That should be good news to you today! The third and last mighty man is Shammah. We will talk more about him Monday.

So what does this mean to you ? A few things:

1. Facing opposition is not an automatic indicator that you are outside of the will of God. Trust me I am going through this right now.

2. Just like we have a real God who sends his servants help us in our journey, there is also a real devil who will send his servants to oppose us, in hopes of keeping us from arriving at God's expected end for our lives.

3. Whether facing natural or spiritual opposition, we must renew our Warrior Spirit so that we don't back down and so that we never quit!

4. God will fight WITH you, but He will not always do all the fighting FOR you. There are times when He delivers you FROM the fight and then there are times when He delivers you IN it!

Father, I thank You for rekindling the Warrior Spirit in me. I know I will face opposition. You said, "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" and "In the world you will experience tribulation." But You also said, "Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" and "Fight the good fight of faith!" I declare, by faith, that I will. I am determined to walk by faith and not by sight. I will not allow what I see to change what I say. I refuse to cower, shutter, or shirk. I move forward ever, backward never. No matter what I face in life I shall not quit! I am fully determined to arrive at Your desired destination for my life, because I have a Warrior Spirit burning inside of me that keeps me going! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Warrior Spirit

Making Champions out of Nobodies



I have already given you a little of David's background. For all intensive purposes David was a "nobody." He was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He dad was no great leader. He was an unknown until he shows up 1st Samuel 16. But that's one of the things that is amazing about God. We serve a God who specializes in making Champions out of Nobodies! I like to say that He makes Holy Garments from flawed material. This leads us to the discussion about Shammah. Shammah was one of David's three key mighty men. Let's take a look at his background.

The Bible does not tell us much about Shammah. All we pretty much know about him is his name, his father's name, and his hometown. Now, since names were so important in Biblical times, we can look up the meanings of the names to see if we can learn anything about him. The name Shammah means: wasted, desolate or good for nothing. Ouch not something you would want to name your child.

So we can assume that he had a pretty rough start. How would you like to go through school with a name that means "good for nothing"? Since that was a rough one, let's look at his father's name. His father's name is Agee. Agee means fugitive or outlaw. Double Ouch!! That did not help. If anything it made the situation worse. If all we do is glean from significance of the names, then Shammah was a wasted, desolate good for nothing who was the son of a fugitive outlaw. Not a pretty picture.

But wait, what about their hometown. They were from Harar. While the Bible does not say much about Harar, Biblical historians tell us the following about Hararites: they were mountain dwellers who were a very insignificant group in history. So basically Shammah was a nobody, who was the son of a nobody, who came from a group of nobodies. How do you like that resume? If God was not involved in this story then you would never think that Shammah would amount to anything. But once God gets involved everything changes. Hallelujah!!

The awesome thing about God is that He does not have to consult your past when designing your future! Shammah was one of David's three key mighty men. He did not have a special pedigree, but God's hand was on his life. Give yourself over to God and He will use you for His glory!

So what does this mean to you ? A few things:

1. Don't judge your future by your past! God specializes in making Champions out of Nobodies!

2. You + God = Victory, every time! Once God gets involved in your life, then all bets are off. There is no limit to what God can do; if He did it for others He can do it for you!

3. In God it's about availability, not ability! There are many people out there that may be more gifted, more talented, better connected, and with more money that you, but as long as you avail yourself to God the impossible can become possible in your life!

It depends whose hands it's in. A basketball in my hands is only worth about $20.00, in Kobe Bryant's hands it's worth 5 championships. A baseball bat in my hands is only worth about $50.00, but in Albert Pulhols' hands it's worth several batting titles.

Two fish and five loaves in the little boy's hands was only worth about one lunch, but in Jesus' hands it fed 5,000. Shammah's life in his hands was an uphill battle to get out of his past, but in God's hands his life was able to make a difference.

Whose hands is your life in? Once you fully commit your life to God, and put your future in His hands, then He can make a Champion out of you!

Father, I thank You for making a difference in, with, and through me. I refuse to judge my future by my past. I will not disqualify myself from what You have already qualified me for. Thank You for not looking at my qualifications and for seeing something in me worth investing in. I declare, by faith, that I will be worth the investment. I look forward ever, backward never. I give myself fully over to You, I place my life in Your hands, and I truly believe that You will do awesome things with me. Father, I thank You in advance for making a Champion out of me! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Maintaining the Proper Attitude

This morning we continue our mini-series entitled "Renewing a Warrior Spirit." Thus far we have mentioned Paul and David. Both did great things for and by God, but neither did it without adversity. Paul was beaten, imprisoned, and dragged from trial to trial. David was hunted, attacked, and driven from cave to cave. The key is that neither gave up and neither got bitter along the way. Bitterness will erode your attitude and annihilate your hope. Both men used every stumbling block as a stepping-stone, and because of it, they came out on top at the end.

Someone once asked J. C. Penny, "What would you say is the secret to your success?" He answered, "Adversity. I've always faced adversity, but it has brought something out of me and made me a success." Now, that is not the answer most people would expect. But Mr. Penny did not see adversity as a bad thing and his attitude helped him become one of the most successful entrepreneurs of his time

If that's what it takes to live a successful life then you and I have got what it takes, because we have an adversary who is persistent in his attempts to kill us, steal from us, and destroy us. That doesn't mean we have to lie down, roll over, play dead, and let him do with us what he will. Satan seeks whomever he "may" devour, but you can tell him: You may NOT devour me!" I like that.

I have not been walking with the Lord that long, but I have had my fair share of faith battles and I have come out the other side with powerful testimonies. I attempt to do all that I can to learn from King David and the Apostle Paul. I walk with God and continue share my story.

Getting back to David and Paul, I can't stress enough the power behind their focus on God's goodness while facing opposition. Even after all David faced he was able to say: "The LORD is my light and my salvation-so why should I be afraid? The LORD is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? When evil people come to devour me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident... I am confident I will see the LORD's goodness while I am here in the land of the living" (Ps 27:1-3 & 13). Faith is all about confidence. David was definitely confident in God and his confidence enabled him to walk by faith and not by sight; to look past the problems and to focus on the promises God had made to him. No matter what David faced and no matter how hard things got while he was on the run, he knew he was anointed to be King of Israel and that someway/somehow he was going to eventually grace the throne. His God-given vision kept him going! Paul was the same way. Even after all he had been through he was able to say, "Now thanks be to God, who always causes us to triumph in Christ" (2nd Cor 2:14). Paul could have easily complained, but he CHOSE to see life through the lens of faith. Paul's perspective enabled him to say that God always causes us to triumph in Christ! What a powerful statement!

So what does this mean to you ? It means that you too must be convinced that God wants to do great things in your life. God said, "I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for" (Jer 29:11 GNB). Do you believe that? If you do, then it will help you maintain the proper attitude, even when facing adversity, oppression, and betrayal.

Warriors simply refuse to quit!

Father, I thank You for rekindling the Warrior Spirit in me. I am fully convinced that You have a bright future in store for me. I focus on Your promises and that focus enables me to look past any problems I may face. My attitude will determine my altitude in You and since my attitude is fixed and focused in faith, I am confident that I will experience Your best. The more the enemy messes with me, the greater Your testimony becomes in my life. If he knew better he would simply leave me alone. But whether he attacks me or not, I am convinced that I will serve You all the days of my life and I will see Your goodness while I am in the land of the living! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Warrior Spirit II

!I am convinced that many believers today expect their lives to be a perpetual picnic after they are Born-Again. However, if that is what they think, then their understanding of scripture might be a bit skewed. While I believe in the power and grace of God and I fully expect to overcome every challenge, I also know that I cannot be an over-comer if I don't have anything to come over.

God has placed too many militant terms in His Word for us to think that we are supposed to walk through life without opposition.

Once again, while I am fully convinced that IN CHRIST I will win every battle, I am not foolish enough to believe that I will never be involved in any. We have a real enemy and he will not passively sit by as we seek to fulfill God's assignment for our lives.

Let's look at the life of Paul as an example. Now, I know that this is an extreme example because Paul was assigned to minister the Gospel message to the Gentiles at a time when the political and religious climate dictated that Christians could be put to death for believing in Christ Jesus as Lord. But nonetheless Paul was fully committed to his assignment and he had to deal with all sorts of opposition to fulfill it. When looking back on what he had been through Paul said,

"I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked" (2nd Cor 11:23-27).

That does not sound like a perpetual picnic at all. Don't misunderstand me, I am not glorying suffering so that you can go out and look for it, but I am making it clear that you will have to face opposition if you are going to accomplish anything significant in the Kingdom of God. The key is to never give up!

Paul held on to the end. In his last letter he said, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith" (2nd Tim 4:7). He knew what his assignment was and he also knew that it had been completed. Paul did not live much longer after writing this letter. In this same letter he said the following to his spiritual son Timothy: "You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus... Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus."

What was Paul doing? He was helping Timothy get mentally and spiritually prepared for the challenges he would face on the road to fulfilling his own life's assignment. Paul was not alone in this mindset. James said, "Take the old prophets as your mentors. They put up with anything, went through everything, and never once quit, all the time honoring God. What a gift life is to those who stay the course! You've heard, of course, of Job's staying power, and you know how God brought it all together for him at the end" (5:10,11).

So what does this mean to you? It means that you will face challenges, but you must NEVER quit! The only way you can truly lose is if you quit. If you refuse to cast away your confidence (Heb 10:35) then God will refuse to allow the enemy to overtake you. Things may get 'hairy' from time to time, but renew your Warrior Spirit, keep believing, keep trusting, and keep moving forward by faith!

Before you know it you will find yourself the victor!

Father, I know that I have a part in what You desire to do in my life. I declare, by faith, that I will fulfill that part. I refuse to allow opposition or challenges to cause me to quit. I am not a quitter, I am a fighter and I have a Warrior Spirit burning inside of me. I am determined to die empty - to get out of me (before I die) all the things You have placed in me. I know that the devil and his demons will not sit idly by as I seek to fulfill my life's assignment, but when they come up against me, I believe that by Your grace I will come out on top. I am not in this fight alone. You are on me, in me, with me, and for me. You are on my side and You are more than the entire world against me! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Warrior Spirit

Over the next couple of weeks I am going to take a break from our current Proverbs series to deal with a topic that has been heavy in my spirit for a few weeks.

I am in the middle of a 'faith fight' in my personal life so I have been feeding my faith and starving my doubts. I keep hearing the words "Developing a Fighting Spirit." And then yesterday I was too exhausted to go to church and was listened to a service over the internet where this Pastor Sam Hamby (from Florida) preached a message entitled, "Renewing a Warrior Spirit."

The Father really spoke to me in that message and my faith was certainly stirred. The message blessed me so that I am led to share some of it with you. So, I glean from my notes from the message, along with my own. I trust this mini-series will be a blessing to you and me. While we will skip around to different passages, the main passage is found in 2nd Samuel 23. In this chapter we are introduced to David's mighty men:

"These are the names of David's mighty men: Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter. Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty men, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered [at Pas Dammim] for battle. Then the men of Israel retreated, but he stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead. Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel's troops fled from them. But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the LORD brought about a great victory" (2nd Sam 23:8-12).

Of the three mighty men listed we will focus primarily on Shammah.

So what does this mean to you ? This message is simply an introduction to the passage and topic - tomorrow we will begin to dissect this passage - but I will give a few of the things I believe will come out of this series:

1. Just like we serve a real God, we also have to deal with a real satan. If Jesus had to deal with satan and his kingdom, what makes you think you are exonerated?

2. There is a Godward part and a manward part of most things God desires to do in our lives. The enemy does all he can to KEEP US from fulfilling the manward part.

3. Fear is an incapacitating force that moves satan and disappoints God. On the other hand, faith is an empowering force that moves God and stifles satan.

4. God can turn wimps into warriors and cowards into champions!

5. God can do more with you once you get started!

6. For God to fully operate in your life, He is looking for you to co-operate with Him!

7. Nothing is impossible to him that believes!

Father, on this Monday morning I thank You for stirring my Spirit and rekindling my faith. I declare, in Jesus' name, that I have a Warrior Spirit. I know that I have a real enemy, but I also know that I have a real God, who has given me real power, and that will show up in my life in real ways! I am not afraid of satan or his demons. I am fully persuaded and overwhelmingly confident that my God will do what He has destined, designed, and desired to do in my life. Father, You want to operate in, with, and through me; and I declare that I will co-operate with You every step of the way! I enter this week with fearless confidence and immense courage! In Jesus' name. Amen

Name Change that Changed History!

Abram to Abraham

(Gen 17:5 KJV) "Your name will no longer be Abram, but Abraham, meaning that 'I'm making you the father of many nations."

We know that Adam's sin caused a separation between God and man, but we also know that God's desire to dwell with man remained. God visited a man named Abram when he was about 75 yrs. old and told him to depart his country (Gen 12:1) to go to a land that He would show him. God also promised to make out of Abram a great nation, that He would bless him, make his name great, and that he would be a blessing to all the earth (12:2,3).

So Abram left (12:4), as the Lord told him to, and he began his journey of faith. Many things happened between chapters 12-16 as Abram developed his relationship with God. By chapter 17 Abram was 90 yrs. old. The Lord appeared to him and again and said, "I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers." Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations."

This is where we pick up our text. God went on to say, "Your name will no longer be Abram, but Abraham, meaning that 'I'm making you the father of many nations." It is interesting that God changed his name. Why? Because in biblical times, your name was indicative of your character, attributes, and nature. When a person introduced themselves by their name, people immediately correlated the meaning of the name with the character of the person. It was almost as if people were speaking their character into existence every time you declared their name. So when God made Abram's name Abraham He transformed him (by faith) into the "father of many nations." Every time he introduced himself as 'Abraham,' he was literally telling the person he was coming in contact with, and himself for that matter, that he was the father of many nations. He spoke this for years without anything happening and about 10 years later, Isaac was born (see Gen 21).

So what does this mean to you ? Several things:

1. God expects our conversation to change when come in contact with Him - God changed his name, therefore making him change his introduction and opinion of himself.

2. God expects our character to change after we come in contact with Him - God changed his name, therefore helping him to develop into the person that He desired for him to be.

3. God expects our conduct to change after we come in contact with Him - Abraham declared that he was the father of many nations (by faith) for 10 yrs. before he had his first child by Sarah.

4. God expects our life to change after we come in contact with Him - Abraham's name change changed his destiny and the course of history. Likewise, when we come in contact with God we can never remain the same. God wants us to accept our change (by faith) and declare His opinion of us and not our own. Abraham never went back to calling himself Abram, not even once, and we should never go back to accepting our old opinion and expectations of ourselves.
When we come to God, everything changes. Forward Ever, Backward Never! The Best is Yet to Come!

Lord God. I am not the same person that I used to be. Your Word says that I am a new creation. Your Word says that You made Jesus to be sin for me that I might be made the righteousness of God in Him. I receive that righteousness and I receive that change. My mind is renewed through the Word of God. I walk by faith and not by sight. I enter this day with Your love in me and permeating through me. I am an example of Your love in the earth. I receive my change by faith! Like Abraham, I will keep speaking it, until I see it come to pass in my life. The Best is Yet to come. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Be there for your friends and family

Prov 19:7 NIV) A poor man is shunned by all his relatives-how much more do his friends avoid him! Though he pursues them with pleading, they are nowhere to be found.

Here Solomon continues to compare and contrast the treatment received by those who are wealthy with those who are poor. Don't misunderstand Solomon, he is not attempting to demean or degrade the poor. Just six verses ago Solomon said, "Better is the poor man whose ways are upright, than the man of wealth whose ways are twisted." Sure, there are those who walk upright before the Lord who fall into hard times. Bad things do happen to good people. The size of your checking account is not a direct reflection of the quality of your character. There are many Godly people who struggle financially; and then again there are many who find themselves in poverty because of slothfulness, fiscal mismanagement, and overall irresponsibility.

Solomon teaches about all these things in his writings, but that is NOT what this verse is about. This is more of a contrast to the last verse where Solomon said, "Lots of people flock around a generous person; everyone's a friend to the philanthropist." Just like people flock around the rich and powerful in hopes of getting something from them, people eschew the poor because they perceive they don't have anything to offer. Many see the poor as "takers" and not "givers" so they avoid them at all costs, unless of course, on those occasions in which they are in a giving mood. If they are not in a giving mood, then they avoid the poor like the plague.

The Message Bible paraphrase of this verse reads: "When you're down on your luck, even your family avoids you-yes, even your best friends wish you'd get lost. If they see you coming, they look the other way." While that is harsh, it is often true. No one seems to want to deal with the poor, especially not to befriend them. So, in addition to the economic challenges the poor already face (due to their poverty), they also often suffer socially. Once again, this is not Solomon telling us that we SHOULD act this way, but rather what he sees as the reality of the way of the world. Many people form so-called "friendships" on the basis of self-interest; seeking only what the can get from the other person. I would submit to you that these relationships are not true friendships at all.

So what does this mean to you ? A few things:

1. Be a blessing to the poor: Back in chapter 14 Solomon mentioned something similar when he said, "Poor people are avoided even by their neighbors. But rich people have many friends." However, instead of stopping there, with simply a statement of fact, Solomon went on to say, "Anyone who hates his neighbor commits sin. But blessed is the person who is kind to those in need." As a believer we are blessed TO BE a blessing. Never forget the purpose of your prosperity.

2. Be there for your family: What is most sad about this verse is the reference to family members turning away from a person when they are in need. I have a great family and I am fully confident that they will always be there for me. I too am always there for them. Be there for your family!

3. Establish true relationships: When you have "real" friends then you have to be there for them trough think and thin, up and down, feast and famine. Never leave your friend when they need you the most.

Father, I declare, by faith, that I am blessed TO BE a blessing and I WILL BE a blessing to all those You lead me to. I become the conduit through which You reach and touch others. Your blessing flows to and through me to my friends and family. I don't leave my friends or relatives when they need me the most. I will be there for them through good times and bad. I am not alone and neither are they. I have great friends and family and we are there for each other. Thank You Father for blessing us to enjoy life together. Life is better when it is enjoyed with others. In Jesus' name. Amen!

Speak the Truth

(Prov 19:5 NLT) A false witness will not go unpunished, nor will a liar escape.

We have already covered several proverbs that admonish us to tell the truth and to avoid lies, deceit, and slander. Let me give you just a few of the previous mentions. In chapter two Solomon said this of God: "He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity" (2:7). In chapter eight God said this through Solomon: "For I speak the truth and detest every kind of deception. My advice is wholesome. There is nothing devious or crooked in it. My words are plain to anyone with understanding, clear to those with knowledge" (8:7-9); and "I walk in ways that are honest. I take paths that are right. I leave riches to those who love me. I give them more than they have room for" (8:20,21).

It's not hard to figure out the fact that our heavenly Father is completely honest and that He expects us, as His children, to be the same. Furthermore, honesty and truthfulness directly contrast satan's characteristics. Not only is the devil a liar, but he is the father of lies; lying is his native tongue (see John 8:42-44).

In this verse Solomon lists bearing false witness and lying separately. To explain why I will quote something I said previously in this series: "You, like God, are a tri-partite being; meaning that there are three parts of you. You are a spirit, you possess a soul, and you live in a body. If your spirit desires one thing, but your soul another, and yet your body is pulling you in a third direction, then you are not fully integrated. This inward struggle will eventually lead to a conflict and hence, a violation of your integrity.

If you can learn to control your tongue then you will literally learn to control your life, because what comes out of your tongue is an outward representation of what is going on inside of you. Believers who lie are people who are losing the battle on the inside." God is against lying because He wants us to walk in integrity (to be fully integrated). Walking in integrity is a matter of controlling yourself and overcoming the inward struggle. However, bearing false witness is different because it involves someone else. There are three main categories of faults: Iniquity (inward), transgression (outward), and sin (upward).

When you bear false witness - when you intentionally lie about the actions of another - you are committing all three. You are sinning (upward) against God, you are committing a transgression (outward) against man, and it is all because of your inward flaws. It is one thing to lie and violate yourself, but quite another to lie on someone else and attempt to bring them down.

Slander is an attempt to defame someone's good name. Jehovah hates this because it shows that you clearly don't value the life of the other person. You are not the creator. You don't know what God wants to do with that person. You don't know their destiny. You don't know the plans that God has for them. When you speak lies against someone you may very well be coming up against God's purpose for their life. When you come up against them, you are coming up against all that God wants to do in and through them. When you tear someone down you may be tearing down his or her hope, dreams and aspirations.

So what does this mean to you ? Simply put, it means that are called to walk in integrity (which will benefit you) and truth/honestly (which will benefit all those around you).

If you don't, this scripture promises that you will pay the price!

Father, I thank You for the reminder this morning. I declare, by faith, that I will use my tongue to build up and never to tear down. I take control of my thought life and I bring all wayward thoughts into subjection. I force my entire being - spirit, soul, and body - to align with what You desire to accomplish in my life. In so doing I make myself a person of integrity. Furthermore, not only will I not violate myself, I refuse to violate others as well. I will not "put my mouth" on anyone. I will use my words to bless and not to curse. I am not the Creator, You are. I don't know what You want to do in their lives, You do. Therefore, I will be careful to not negatively interfere with Your plans and purposes for others! I speak the truth in love every day and in every way! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Don't Blame God

(Prov 19:3 GNB) Some people ruin themselves by their own stupid actions and then blame the LORD.


Here Solomon gives us a lesson in personal responsibility. Too many people, believers included, make poor decisions and then say things like, "God, why did you let this happen to me?" or even worse, "God, why did you DO this to me?" If we would be honest with ourselves, we would admit that many times the reason why we experience many of things we do is because of the person in the mirror.

The Message Bible paraphrase of this verse reads: "People ruin their lives by their own stupidity, so why does GOD always get blamed?" At the end of the day this boils down to the system of laws and principles - like sowing and reaping, cause and effect, and the free will of humans - created by God, that governs the earth. Not only WILL we all be judged eventually (ultimate judgment), but our actions are also being judged regularly and we either reap blessing or cursing accordingly.

So if you don't like the harvest you are reaping, check the seed you are sowing. We are where we are because of the decisions we have made. This means we cannot blame God and we should not blame others.

A good example of this is Adam. Adam had:

Purpose: God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden and He gave him the assignment to work and cultivate it. Adam had purposeful and meaningful work. He had to learn to cultivate the garden before he could cultivate the woman.

Provision: God made sure all Adam's needs were met. Adam's only need to this point was food and God gave him an entire garden (more like a forest) of fruit bearing trees to eat from. Four streams fed the garden so Adam's provision was secure.

Parameters: Provision is dangerous without parameters. God told Adam that he could eat from every tree except one. This parameter also gave Adam the power of choice. Right or wrong, good or bad, the choice was going to be his to make.

Power: With everything in place, the Lord brought Adam all the beasts of the field and birds of the air and God let Adam "choose" whatever he was going to name them. Whatever he named them that would be their name. In other words, God gave Adam the power to define.

Partnership: After Adam started naming the animals he developed another need; a need for a partner. He was all-alone. God made Eve from out of Adam and brought her to Adam. Adam then had both a wonderful relationship with God and a thriving relationship with another human.

By the end of Genesis 2 Adam had everything he could ever need. He was extremely blessed. There was nothing missing, nothing broken in Adam's life. This was the "good life" and it was God's will. It was NOT God's will that Adam get kicked out of the garden, but Adam could not leave well enough alone. He violated the ONE LAW he could not break and when God asked him about it he said, "It was the woman You gave me!" What was Adam doing? He was blaming the woman. The woman (Eve) turned around and blamed the serpent. At the end of the day they both got kicked out of the garden and they had no one to really blame but themselves!

So what does this mean to you? It means that you must take accountability and responsibility for your actions. Ralph Waldo Emerson said: "Shallow men believe in luck. Strong men believe in cause and effect." What seed will you sow today?

Father, I now realize how important my actions are. I know that while the earth remains, seedtime and harvest will not cease. You will see to it that I reap whatever I sow. Therefore, I declare, by faith, that I will sow seeds of righteousness, mercy, truth, love, peace, harmony, friendship, and finances; and as I do I shall reap a corresponding harvest. Furthermore, I won't blame You when I make poor decisions and get poor results. From this day forward I seek to fulfill my part in what You desire to do in my life. I will cooperate WITH You, so You can freely operate IN and THROUGH me! In Jesus' name. Amen!

(Prov 19:2 NLT) Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes.

Solomon gives us two lessons in this verse and they come in the form of a warning against ignorance and rashness. Let's discuss each:

Ignorance: Ignorance in general is not a good thing, but to make matters worse, the person Solomon speaks of this morning is the one who operates in enthusiastic ignorance. Having zeal is one thing, but having zeal for something without knowledge can be dangerous. For example, I gave my life to Christ on August 27th, 1998. On August 28th, 1998 I had a burning zeal and passion for God. This zeal motivated me to go out and tell everyone I knew, who was not a believer, that they were going to hell! Now, I was completely sincere, but you can be sincere and sincerely wrong! What was the result? I hurt people and I even lost my job. I came across the wrong way, because honestly, I did not know what I was talking about.

I knew what had happened to me, but I was ignorant of the overall Gospel message, I had no understanding of God's love yet, and I was unprepared to evangelize in love. Since then I have learned how to present the Gospel message in a loving way and the results have been much greater. Here are the take aways from this portion of the message:

1. God appreciates your passion, but He expects you to be educated concerning whatever you are endeavoring to do.

2. Zeal without information and instruction can be dangerous
"There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action."

3. The better prepared you are in a particular area, the more the Father can use you for His glory!

Rashness: Not only does haste make waste, but haste also often leads to mistakes. We live in an extremely fast-paced society. People today don't like waiting for anything and slowing down bothers them. We get up early, go to sleep late, and try to accomplish way too much in between. Most of us have "To Do" lists with no end in sight and our calendars are full of meetings, phone conferences, decisions that have to be made, actions that have to be done, places we need to go, and people we need to see.

Further, our desks and inboxes are full of things we need to read and when we look at it all, in addition to making sure we have time for our faith, family, and fitness, it can all seem overwhelming; which is why most Americans are always hustling and bustling. This 'need for speed' lends itself to a microwave society and a microwave mentality. . Here are the take aways from this portion of the message:

1. Don't sacrifice quality for quickness. If you do it fast, it will probably NOT be right.

2. You owe it to yourself, your family, and your God to slow down long enough to make quality decisions and to ENJOY life.

3. Take the time to ensure all you do right. You are not working for man, you are working for God!
4.
So what does this mean to you ? Don't be ignorant zealot and give matters the time they deserve.

Father, thank You for this lesson this morning. I receive it in my heart and head. I declare, by faith, that I will speak from a position of understanding. I rule over my emotions and I don't allow my emotions to rule over me. I won't allow empty zeal to take me where the Holy Spirit will not protect me. I represent You well in all that I do. Furthermore, to ensure that I operate as an able ambassador for Your Kingdom, I will slow down long enough to give matters the attention they require. I will do things right - every time - because I know I am doing all that I do FOR YOU and not for man. As You walk with me and as I make these minor adjustments, I believe You will get maximum glory from my life! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Don't Trade Your Integrity for Money

Don't Trade Your Integrity for Money

(Prov 19:1 BBE) Better is the poor man whose ways are upright, than the man of wealth whose ways are twisted
Solomon goes back to a common theme of his writings: money management. The Bible actually has more to say about money than it does about hell. Solomon was definitely not against you having money, because he had lots of it, but he was clearly against money having you. Money makes an excellent servant, but a very poor master.

Back in chapter 15 Solomon said, "It is better to have respect for the LORD and have little than to be rich and have trouble" (v.16). Those who don't have much - by way of earthly possessions - but have their relationship with God intact, are better off than those who have earthly wealth, but don't have God. What good is money if it is going to cost you your relationship with God? There is no amount of money in the world worth giving up Jesus for.

In chapter 16 Solomon said, "It is better to have a little, honestly earned, than to have a large income, dishonestly gained" (v.8). At the end of the day this boils down to values. The bottom-line question is: do you value your relationship with God more than you value money? If you violate God's standard in the pursuit of money, then you have made your choice and it will cost you. Is money really worth it if it costs you your relationship with God? In the New Testament Jesus asked the question: "What good is it if someone gains the whole world but loses his soul? Or what can anyone trade for his soul?" (Mat 16:26).

Getting back to our focus text for today, I believe what Solomon was teaching us here is that those who have traded their integrity for a dollar have made a poor choice. Think about it; is money really worth your integrity? Is a quick buck worth your good name? I am sure you are saying to yourself, "Not it isn't," but make no mistake, there are countless people in this world that have compromised their relationship with God in their pursuit of riches and that continue to do so.


So what does this mean to you ? It means that you should never exchange your Godly integrity or your good name for anything. If you maintain your Godly integrity, work hard, give, save, and spend (in that order), you will have a good name and financial stability. Whatever you compromise to get will not be worth it in the long run.

Father, I thank You for laying out Your standard in Your Word. Your Word is the ruler by which I judge every decision. I love you too much and I value Your Word too much to compromise my integrity for a quick buck. I will walk in Godly integrity every day of my life. I will work hard, give, save, and spend - in that order - and I declare, by faith, that I will enjoy financial stability for the long run. I honor Your with my finances. I finance ministry. I become the conduit through which You flow resources to venues that advance Your Kingdom purposes. I am a giver and I am also a receiver. I walk upright and Your blessing flows on me, in me, with me, and for me... every day of my life! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Being Genuine

(Prov 19:4 MSG) Wealth attracts friends as honey draws flies, but poor people are avoided like a plague.


Here Solomon reminds us how fickle, fake and phony people can be. Solomon was extremely wealthy so he had no shortage of people wanting to be his friend. But were these people genuine? Did they really want to connect with Solomon or did they simply want to enjoy his money, position and fame?

In one sense the rich man has many friends, because his wealth does attract people like honey, but in another sense he never knows how many true friends he has; friends who love him for who he is rather than for what he possesses.

Furthermore, many of the people that are in his face while he has the money will drop him in a minute if he ever loses it. Solomon tells us that the poor are often avoided like the plague. I am sure Prodigal Son had lots of "friends" while he was living it up and spending all his inheritance, but when his money ran out and he found himself in a hog's pen, all those 'so-called' friends were long gone.

As I thought about this lesson I remembered the lyrics of a song from a group called "Leaders of the New School" (from which Busta Rythmes came out of) that pertain to this message. The lyrics are: "I remember Rob when he first got his Saab, his face was a mob, with people he didn't know from JACK, but when his car went FLAT, they wouldn't stop BY, to even say HI or give a REPLY." Unfortunately, that's how it often is. When you have money and 'stuff' people are drawn to you, but when you fall on hard times they forget all about you.

So what does this mean to you ? Let's take a look at a few things:

1. The negative aspect: I think I have already harped on this enough. The sad reality is that many people are selfish and disingenuous when it comes to relationships.

2. The Positive aspect: I always try to find something positive in everything and a positive 'slant' on this message would be: people are looking for relationships that are mutually beneficial. What I mean by this is that relationships are best when both parties benefit from the association. Most poor people are avoided because the 'perception' is that they don't have much to offer. Conversely, the wealthy are attractive because of the opposite 'perception.'

3. God's expectation of us: The Father wants us to connect with people because of who they are, not what they have or what they can do for us. You are Blessed TO BE a Blessing to others. While some relationships will be mutually beneficial, others will not. There are some people that the Father will send you to so He can minister TO them THROUGH you. Guess what? You may not get anything from them per se, but you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you are doing God's work. So keep your focus on God, connect with all those He leads you to connect with, receive all You can from those He sends to pour into your life, and also be thankful for those He allows you to pour into. Keeping your focus on God will keep you from being overly disappointed with phony people.

Father, thank You for Your Word! Your Word keeps me fixed and focused. I will connect with all those You lead me to connect with. I have relationships where the other person pours into me, I have relationships where I pour into the other person, and I have relationships where we pour into each other. No matter the nature of the relationship, I will seek to connect with people because of who they are, not what they have or what they can do for me. I will be genuine and sincere in all I do. Thank You Father for blessing me to connect with the right people! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Blessed TO BE a Blessing

Prov 18:23 The poor must beg for help, but the rich can give a harsh reply.

Let's remember who is writing as we read this. Solomon is a sitting King who is running a nation with a billion dollar surplus. He had dealings with the rich and the poor. However, from his position, the majority of his dealings with the poor were with those coming to ask for help. Tradition tells us that most people requiring help never made it all the way to the palace to stand before the King.

Leaders in Solomon's organizational structure well below the actual throne would decide upon the majority of benevolence cases. But Solomon, being rich himself, knew the rich and he knew how they operated. Don't take Solomon wrong; I don't believe he is condoning the harsh treatment of the poor. Actually, he has already taught us not to do so.

Back in chapter 14 Solomon said: "You insult your Maker when you exploit the powerless; when you're kind to the poor, you honor God" (v.31). In the next chapter he goes on to say: "If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD-and He will repay you!" (19:17).

Solomon understood the responsibility we have as believers to use our surplus to be a blessing to others. Solomon was a descendant of Abraham and the Blessing of Abraham evolved around the fact that God was going to bless him and his descendants in order that they might BE a blessing.

Well guess what? You can't BE a blessing if you are not blessed. You can minister out of your surplus if you are in lack. And this is not limited to money. You can't minister to someone's whose marriage is suffering if yours is on the rocks. You can't minister to someone about parenting their children if your mind is overwhelmed with your own. You can't minister peace to someone how is troubled if you don't have any peace within your own heart.

No, Solomon clearly understood that in God we could expect Him to bless us, but once He did, that we have a responsibility to BE a blessing.

What Solomon is really bringing out here is the unfortunate reality that the poor are often in a position where they need to humbly beg for grace and mercy and the rich are often so pious and prideful that they respond harshly.

I wish it were not the case, but we live in a world were we need money to function. Even ministry requires funding. In Ecclesiastes Solomon said: "A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything" (10:19). Now, we know that money can't literally buy everything and we know that the most important things in life cannot be bought, but Solomon's point is that we live in the earth and in this world we need money. Which is why we don't want to make poor financial decisions. If we do, then we will be the person in the text requesting assistance, instead of the person in the position to give it.

So what does this mean to you ? A few things:
1. Honor God with your finances and manage them well.
2. Once you are blessed, remember your responsibility TO BE a blessing.
3. Never make anyone you are helping feel less than honorable.
4. Never allow yourself to become high-minded because you are blessed; it can be here today and gone tomorrow!
5. Be thankful for all things, remain humble, and seek to help all those you can!

Father, thank You for blessing me TO BE a blessing. I declare, by faith, that I will do all that I can to ensure I walk in the blessing daily. I will honor You with my finances. I will avoid sin and the very appearance of evil. I will resist pride and every temptation to think more highly of myself than I ought to think. I will remain humble, thankful and grateful for all that You enable me to do. I want to be used of You, for Your glory! Use me Father today and every day as a conduit of Your blessing. Use me as the vessel to reach others... as You do I will never make those that You enable me to bless to feel anything less than honorable. It is only by Your grace that I am in a position to help others and I will never forget that! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Friends

(Prov 18:24 ) Some friends don't help, but a true friend is closer than your own family.


Here we come across one of those Proverbs that has many interpretations. The tradition King James Version reads: "A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." The emphasis there is on showing yourself friendly. Most modern translations, like the one I chose today, focus more on the blessing true friends can be. And yet still there are other translations that say: "A man of too many friends comes to ruin." The warning there is against having too many friends, or really 'superficial' friends. Instead of siding with any one of the three, I will seek to share three major lessons I learn from the combined interpretations.

1. You reap what you sow. If you want to have friends you have to be friendly. Ovid, the Roman poet, said: "The way to be beloved is to be lovely." While this may seem obvious, as many proverbs do, it often goes overlooked. If you want to create and cultivate friendships you must be sociable, welcoming and warm. No one wants to befriend an inhospitable, antagonistic and unreceptive person.

2. Having too many [so called] friends can be disappointing and overwhelming: I consider myself a very outgoing and social person. Maintaining relationships takes work and I have put in my fair share of work into relationships over the years, but there have been many occasions where I realized I had to simply let some people go. Attempting to maintain too many relationships can be overwhelming, especially when the effort is not being reciprocated. To avoid disappointment and exhaustion you would do well in recognizing who your true friends and rewarding acquaintances are and then limiting your effort to just those.

3. True friendship is a wonderful blessing: We all need friends who will stick close, listen, care, and offer help when it is needed-in good times and bad. Of all the friends I have there are two that have a special place in my life Debbie and Charlotte they both live on Maui. These two friends were there for me when I was at the lowest point of my life. They never judged me, looked down on me, or forsook me. They prayed with me, and stood by me when I needed them the most. I have never, nor will I ever forget it. Over the years we have laughed together, cried together, and celebrated some of the most important moments in our lives together. While we may not live close to each other any more, we remain close and when we see each other, even after long periods of time, it is as if we had just seen each other. You don't get many of these "type" of friends, maybe just one or two in a lifetime. I have found mine, I pray you find yours.

I think I have already said it. Be friendly, choose your friends wisely, and enjoy the blessing the Father can bestow upon you through Godly relationships!


Father, thank You for this lesson this morning. I heed Your counsel. I will show myself friendly to others. I will be the sociable, welcoming and warm believer You desire for me to be. I will shine as light in the midst of darkness, as love in the midst of hatred, and as hope in the midst of despair. I also thank You in advance for giving me the wisdom to know who my friends really are and who I should invest my time, energy and effort into. As You lead me, I will release those people that are counterproductive to what You desire to do in my life. And lastly, THANK YOU Father for blessing me with great friends. I know the blessing friends can be and I enjoy the Godly relationships You have blessed me to have. My life is better because of the people You have blessed me to enjoy it with! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Power of Your Tongue

How Are You Using the Power of Your Tongue?

(Prov 18:21 MSG) Words kill, words give life; they're either poison or fruit-you choose.


This verse flows in the same vein as the last, where we learned that our words definitely have consequences. Here Solomon helps us understand why. We were created in the image and likeness of God the Father (Gen 1:26). God (Elohim) created the world with words. He spoke the universe into existence. God's words had and still have creative ability. To a lesser extent our words do as well. When we speak (especially from a believing heart) powerful things can and will happen. Other translations of this verse plainly state:

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue."

In the New Testament James cuts no corners when explaining the importance of controlling our tongue and using our words wisely. In the opening chapter of his letter James says, "If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless" (1:26).

Well, there is no ambiguity there. James clearly believes that controlling the tongue should be of utmost importance to the believer. In the third chapter he said: "A bit in the mouth of a horse controls the whole horse. A small rudder on a huge ship in the hands of a skilled captain sets a course in the face of the strongest winds. A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything-or destroy it! It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire" (3:3-5).

Just like a rider controls the direction of a large horse with a small bit and a ship's caption dictates the direction of an enormous naval vessel with a small rudder, you and I can control the direction of our lives by taking control of the two ounce piece of flesh behind our teeth. This little tongue has the power to build up or destroy both our lives and the lives of others.

Countless people have been derailed from their destiny because of words like: "You will never amount to anything;" "You are stupid;" "You are just like your daddy;" and "You are fat and ugly!" Make no mistake... words have power. Back in chapter 15 Solomon said, "Kind words heal and help; cutting words wound and maim" (v.4).

So what does this mean to you ? It means that you must take control of your tongue and you must make every effort to use it God's way. When God was preparing His people for an impending battle He had His prophet say the following: "Prepare for battle! Soldiers at attention! Present arms! Advance! Turn your shovels into swords, turn your hoes into spears. Let the weak one throw out his chest and say, "I'm tough, I'm a fighter." (Joel 3:9,10).

Another translation of the latter portion of that text reads: Let the weak say: "I am strong!" This is the way God operates. God calls those things that are not as though they already are (Rom 4:17-21). In creation God looked at darkness and spoke: Light. God looked at chaos and spoke: Order. God looked nothing and spoke: Everything into existence.

God looked at a 75 yr. old barren "nobody" (Abraham) and spoke: A famous and blessed father of many nations. God looked at a scared farmer (Gideon), who was basically operating as a coward and called him a champion! God looked at a teenage shepherd boy (David) and called him King.

That's what God did with His words, what are you doing with yours?

Father, the power of death and life are in my tongue. You have given me the ability to align my thoughts, words, and hope with Your Word and Your expected end for my life. I declare by faith that I will! Just as you looked at darkness and saw light, I look at every dark situation in my life and I see what You would have me to see. I speak what you would have me to speak. I declare what you would have me to decree. I can have what you say I can have. I can do what you say I can do. I am not a failure, I am a success; because You make me successful in everything I put my hands to do. My family is blessed, my children are blessed, my career is blessed, my body is healthy, my mind is at rest, my soul is at peace, and I am ready for this day; because You have made me ready! Lord, Be it unto me, according to Your Word! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Words

Your Words have Consequences

(Prov 18:20) You will have to live with the consequences of everything you say.

I have done a great deal of teaching on the importance of our words and over the next two verses we are going to learn more about it. Solomon basically tells us that we will have what we say. If you condition yourself to speak life, then you will experience life. If you condition yourself to speak death, then you will experience death.

Why is that? I believe it has something to do with the fact that we often REPEAT what we really RECEIVE down in our heart. Paul said it this way: "We're not keeping this quiet, not on your life. Just like the psalmist who wrote, "I believed it, so I said it," we say what we believe" (2 Cor 4:13). Did you get that? Whether consciously or subconsciously, we normally say what we internally believe.

No question, our words are very important. The Psalmist said, "I will use my voice as a writer would use pen and ink" (Ps 45:1). That quote is from a modern translation. The traditional King James Version reads: "My tongue is the pen of a ready writer." In other words, every time you use your tongue you are writing pages to the book of your life. Your words are part of your story. So, if your tongue is writing the book of your life, then what kind of book will it be? Are you speaking yourself into defeat, failure, sickness, and etc? Are you speaking those negative things into the lives of your loved ones (your marriage, your children, you family, etc.)? Remember, your words count. Use them wisely. If I am writing the book of my life, then the book is going to be good. Guess what?

If I'm writing the book, then I am going to make sure that I WIN - every time!

A good example of this is the story of David and Goliath. When David was interviewing to be Goliath's foe he said the following to King Saul: "I've been a shepherd, tending sheep for my father. Whenever a lion or bear came and took a lamb from the flock, I'd go after it, knock it down, and rescue the lamb. If it turned on me, I'd grab it by the throat, wring its neck, and kill it. Lion or bear, it made no difference - I killed it. And I'll do the same to this Philistine pig who is taunting the troops of God-Alive" (1 Sam 34-36).

David said a mouthful with those words. He looked back to look forward. He remembered what God had done for him in the past and he used his past experiences as motivation for his present obstacle.

He was bold; he was confident; he was convinced; and he spoke as one with conviction.

David went on to say, "God, who delivered me from the teeth of the lion and the claws of the bear, will deliver me from this Philistine." To get a better understanding of what David said we must take a look at what he did not say. David did not say, "Well, if it be God's will then he might help me deal with Goliath;" or "I am going to give it my best effort and we will pray that things come out OK;" or "All we can do is hope."

No! David did not say any of these things, but unfortunately these comments (and the like) are common in the Body of Christ today. I am convinced that people do not realize how negative or wishy-washy their words are. Many believers go around speaking negative comments about their life, their relationship with God, their future, and etc. While others, who have overcome the negative stage, get stuck in the wishy-washy stage. In this stage their statements are full of doubt and unbelief. They use words like "maybe" and "hopefully" a lot because they are not convinced about what God wants to do in their lives. Once you are convinced then you can speak with the conviction that David did.

So what does this mean to you ? Simply put, once you are convinced of something in your heart and you have the audacity (faith) to allow it to come out of your lips, then it is only a mater of time before it comes to pass:

Father, I realize that I will have to deal with the consequences - good or bad - of everything that I say. Therefore, I declare, by faith, that I will speak life ONLY! I fill my heart with good things, so that my words will be faith-filled words. I align my speech with Your Word and the more I do, the more I see the manifestation of Your goodness in my life. My words are literally writing out the pages of the book of my life. Therefore, I will make sure I write what I want to happen. If I am writing the book - I WIN! In Jesus' name. Amen

Maintaining Strong Relationships

Prov 18:19 CEV) Making up with a friend you have offended is harder than breaking through a city wall.

Here Solomon teaches us something we would do well in learning from; and it is about avoiding offences. The word used for "friend" here is also translated "brother." This word can refer to a blood relative or a close friend.

The point is that once you offend a blood relative or a close friend the reconciliation process can be very difficult.

Solomon's readers were very familiar with the warfare of the time. The rise and fall of kings and kingdoms was a commonplace. To protect themselves and their citizens, kings often had large walls erected around their cities. Breaking through a city wall (especially one that was properly constructed) was no easy task. The people of Solomon's day were very familiar with the seemingly impenetrable city walls. This is the picture Solomon chooses to paint.

He tells us that it is easier to break through a city wall than to reconcile a broken relationship with a brother or close friend.

Why are quarrels between relatives and close friends so hard to get over? I believe it may be because the two people involved were so close to each other. When you really love someone you create strong emotional ties and you often put down your natural defenses, making you vulnerable. After a person puts down their guard and exposes their true self to another person, the level of trust is raised and strong bonds are formed.

However, when that trust is violated the level of hurt, pain, resentment, and even hatred may equal or exceed the original level of trust. A breach trust is a hard pill to swallow. If a stranger does you wrong it is much easier to deal with than if your close confidant or blood brother/sister does the same thing. That is why many divorces get very ugly very quickly.

Love can turn to hate, trust to suspicion, and care to callousness in a hurry.

The Bible documents several examples of blood brothers and close friends who had a 'falling out.' These examples include: Cain and Abel, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and 10 of his brothers, Amnon and Absalom, and Paul and Barnabas. Some were able to recover from the rift and restore the relationship, while others were not.

Jesus said, "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector" (Mat 18:15-17).

Jesus' point was that you should make every attempt to reconcile the relationship with someone who wrong's you. Not every relationship will be reconciled, but you must at least make the attempt at reconciliation.

So what does this mean to you Two things:

1) Avoid offence at all costs; this can all be avoided if we simply walk in love.

2) If an offence does occur, then seek address it quickly and fully. The longer it festers the worse it gets.

Father, I thank You for this lesson this morning and I also thank You for the many close relationships You have blessed me with. I will do all I can to maintain a healthy environment between me and those close to me. If I ever cause offence and it is brought to my attention I will quickly apologize and seek reconciliation. If I am every offended I will not nurse and rehearse the offence, because I know that the longer it festers the worse it will be. I will instead quickly address the matter with the offender. I refuse to give the devil any space in my relationships. I will not allow the enemy, myself, or anyone else to destroy what You have blessed me with! I walk in love today and every day. In Jesus' name. Amen!

Casting Lots

Prov 18:18 NIrV) Casting lots will put a stop to arguing. It will keep the strongest enemies apart.

I really like it when we come across a verse, which refers to a practice is that was common back then but uncommon today. It is always interesting to me to see how the cultural nuances of Biblical times apply to us today. Here is one of those topics: the casting of lots. In modern terms, casting lots is akin to rolling dice or flipping a coin. It is a method of coming up with a solution that seems completely random.

However, in Biblical times, they believed that God could work through anything, even something as seemingly random as casting lots. So when a difficult situation arose - something that could not be resolved by any other means - they resorted to casting lots. The practice of casting lots, and whatever the outcome was, would put an end to all strife, because each party would submit to it and acquiesce in it.

That's pretty cool. Basically they would say, "Hey, we are going to ask God to settle this through the casting of lost and whatever the result of the lots are, then we will take that to be God's will." And just like that, the lots were cast, the decision was made, and the issue was settled. Solomon tells us that this practice would keep even the strongest enemies from violence.

The practice of casting lots was not just used as a mechanism by which to settle disputes. This practice was used in a variety of situations where the will of God was unknown and desired. For example, David used this practice to divide the priests (1st Chron 24:5); Jonathan, Saul's son, was identified as having disobeyed his father's command by lot (1st Sam 14:41-42); and Judas' replacement (as an Apostle) was selected this way.

Let's take a closer look at this last one. We all know that Judas betrayed Jesus and subsequently committed suicide. Well, his actions created an opening on the Apostolic team. The Apostles whittled down the selection to two men. However, as is often the case, when the selection gets to this point it is hard to decide, because all those that make the final consideration phase are good candidates.

Luke records what they wound up doing: "They nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they all prayed, "O Lord, You know every heart. Show us which of these men You have chosen as an apostle to replace Judas in this ministry, for he has deserted us and gone where he belongs." Then they cast lots, and Matthias was selected to become an apostle with the other eleven" (Acts 1:23-26).

Did you catch that? They prayed, they asked for God's guidance, and then they cast lots, fully believing that God was part of the process and that He would determine the outcome. This message was driven home in chapter 16 when Solomon wrote: "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD" (16:33). A modern translation of that verse reads: "We may throw the dice, but the LORD determines how they fall."

So what does this mean to you? It means that God is sovereign and He can see to it that His Kingdom purposes come to pass, even through something that seems completely random. Listen; there is no such thing as luck or chance. Now, I am not advocating you go out and buy some dice today so you can know God's will. No, as Spirit-filled believer I am convinced you can know God's will by simply asking Him in prayer and by listening to the confirming inner witness of the Spirit. But remember, these people asked God to get involved in the process and He did. You must do the same. If you don't get Him involved He will stand by and watch as you make decisions on your own.

Believe me, that is NOT the way you want to live!

Father, I thank You for reminding me this morning of Your providence. I sincerely want you to be part of every area and aspect of my life. Therefore, I declare that I will get You involved. I welcome Your wisdom, guidance, and direction. I want You to speak to me and since I am a Born-Again believer, Your Spirit lives in me and He gives me an inner confirming witness concerning those things I should and should not do. Thank You Father for manifesting Your goodness in my life, time and time again. I trust You to lead me every day and in every way! In Jesus' name. Amen!