Month: October 2014

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The spirit confesses

By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. 1 John 4:2-3

I believe Jesus came in the flesh!

It doesn’t stop there.

I believe He came, died, was buried, and rose the third day.

I believe that many saw Him after the resurrection.

I believe He ascended to Father and is now at His right hand.

I believe He intercedes for you and me.

There are those that would say Jesus was just a good man or a prophet. By that they do not confess He came in the flesh.

Some others would say He never existed and the Bible was written by a man (or several men) and is a made up book of stories. By this they do not confess that Jesus has some in the flesh.

Both are the spirit of Antichrist.

And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. 1 John 4:3

If you are a Christian, your confession of Jesus should be first and foremost in your life. That confession should be evident in your speech and actions.

A drunk is a drunk because he drinks.
An adulterer is an adulterer because she cheats.
A liar is a liar because he lies.
A murderer is a murderer because he kills.

A Christian is a Christian because…

You get the point?

Abba, I confess my Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. YES&AMEN

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The Holy Spirit and False Doctrine

Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. 1 Cor 12:3

At the risk of being called judgmental, I often see someone that makes a claim of salvation but I see no evidence of it in their life.
I hear a minister read from the Bible and yet teach something contrary.

It seems to me that every Christian reads the same Bible, praises the same Father, and is filled with the same Spirit.
We may go to a different church but all the same things should apply.

But there are some that are on the edge of being sacrilegious – even blasphemous. The Bible says,

the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 2 Tim 4:3-4

The time is here. Unsound doctrine is here. False teachers are here. Even those with their doctrine, which will curse the name of Jesus. These things are not possible with someone filled with the Holy Spirit.

Your only defense is to know what the word of God says through the power of the Holy Spirit. And the only way to know this is to read your Bible every day.

Abba, reveal truth to me. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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The Holy Spirit leads!

I recalled last time how I felt the Holy Spirit leading me to sing with a couple and I didn’t!

That seems to be one of the great characteristics of the Holy Spirit – to lead you.

He’s not only going to lead you to do something positive but to also lead you to do something that seems negative.

They were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. Acts 16:6

I can never emphasis enough that the Holy Spirit is not going to lead you to do drugs or lead you into multiple failed relationships and marriages.

This may cause some discontent but the Holy Spirit is not going to lead you to divorce since the Bible is clear that

the Lord God of Israel says that He hates divorce, Mal 2:16

But that’s not the purpose of today.

The Holy Spirit forbade the early evangelists from going into Asia, thus sending them more towards Europe.

So in reality this wasn’t a negative movement – it is a positive leading of the Holy Spirit to send the Gospel towards the heart of the Roman Empire, at that time.

Dallas Holm had a song years ago that was called Look for a Window.
The lyrics said:

Hot on the trail of God’s will
And getting warmer still
Got it together this time around
There’s nothing to stop you now

Stopped by the slam of a door
God, what’d You do that for
Sometimes we just don’t understand
How He wants to let us in

When God closes a door, look for a window
Oh look for a window
Don’t stand at the door, there might be a window
Oh look for a window

Responsibilities change
And so do our pathways
One way God shows which way to go
Is to let the old road close

Repeat Chorus

There’s no point in getting down on yourself
God is only point you somewhere else

Please open yourself to allowing the Holy Spirit to lead on what to do today and what not to do today!

Abba, lead me in all ways. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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Do not quench the Spirit

When you listen to the Holy Spirit you will find it in conflict with your carnal side – your worldly side.

The Holy Spirit will lead you to do things that your natural being will not be comfortable with.

The Book of Acts is filled of the accounts of the early church under the direction of the Holy Spirit.
The first encounter leads bystanders to believe that the church is a bunch of drunks.

That did not stop the spread of the Gospel or the salvation of thousands.

Do not quench the Spirit. 1 Thess 5:19

I have! I recounted a story from years ago in which I felt led to help an elderly man and his wife sing. He was really struggling that evening. The Holy Spirit told me to go and stand with them and sing.

I quenched it. I justified it. I sat there.

That man died the very next day.

I don’t know if my helping them sing would have spared his life but it would have shown both of them that I cared and loved them.

When you quench (extinguish or put out) the Holy Spirit – it doesn’t just affect you but those around you!

Don’t be like me and fight Him. You will never get that opportunity again.

Abba, I am still convicted by that night and ask Your forgiveness. I forgive myself for my shortcoming and I learn from it. I will strive to listen to You. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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Listen to the Holy Spirit

Right after the gentleman died of Ebola in Dallas, I saw a report on Facebook that a family of five were diagnosed with the disease, thus quarantining an entire town in Texas.

I saw this same story shared over and over, which seems to give credibility to it.
But it was a false report.

We tend to believe something we hear over and over, especially from different sources.

This can even take place with false information about the Bible. All it takes is some pastor doing some studying online and seeing the same comments made about a subject.

Recently I taught on the rich young ruler in Matthew 19:16-26. It ends with Jesus mentioning an eye of a needle.

For the last few centuries it has been commonly taught that this refers to a small gate in the city that travelers had to stoop to get through and a camel had to get down on it’s knees to get through.

For years it has been taught as gospel but for me something just wasn’t right about it.

The Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; Heb 10:15

I believe the Holy Spirit checks our spirit and bears witness to us. The Holy Spirit will lead you to the truth.

My thought is why a small door would be necessary. Of course there was an answer for that but that didn’t make since either.
Why a small door that would cause animals such difficulty to enter with their owners?

The main thing that bothered me about the story is this – it wasn’t impossible for a camel to enter such a gate; it was just difficult. It could be done.

When Jesus made the statement that it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, the disciples wondered who could be saved!

In my entire ministry I have never taught the small gate theory. Today there are many commentaries that give no evidence that such a gate ever existed.

So listen to the Holy Spirit when you study your Bible. And listen when you read about things outside the Bible.

Abba, give me guidance to discover the truth so I may teach others Your perfect truth! In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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God Provided a Memory!

I remember over 30 years ago, when I was a contractor for the telephone company, I would get a job that contained a description of the work needed to be done, complete with directions to the location.

One day I got a job that described the work area as “just past Johnny Weatherford’s old place.”

I knew Mr. Weatherford. He was a supervisor at the telco. But I did not know where he once lived. In fact, I found out later he had not lived there in more than 15 years. Only the old-timer phone men remembered that.

Each of us do much the same thing – making reference to homes and stores that no longer exist, like the old Wal-mart or someone’s old homestead.
I still refer to my uncle Curtis’ property, though he has been dead and gone for over 30 years and his daughter and son-in-law own it all now.

Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” Gen 22:14

The place where Abraham would sacrifice Isaac was around Mt. Moriah. But after the events he named it Yahweh-Yireh (Jehovah Jireh) or “The Lord Will Provide”.

I’m pretty sure that not too many people called it that. Perhaps Abraham, Isaac, maybe the men that had traveled with them, and a few other family members through the years.

What a wonderful testimony it would be if to do things like this today. And you can.

You can share with our children, grandchildren, family and friends such things as where you were saved, baptized, or first went to VBS as a child.
You can show them the pastor’s house or some old church where you experienced a great revival.

Make a memory like Abraham did for his family.

Abba, I praise You for the Godly memories throughout my life. May I pass those memories down to my family and help them make memories of their own. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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Look for your blessing!

Linda sends me to the pantry to get a can of tomato sauce. I look and look and don’t find any. She comes in there and just grabs it.
I’m like “it wasn’t there a moment ago!”

There are those times each of us can’t see the forest for the trees. I believe that includes our spiritual lives.

Part of some of problem is the intensity of looking too hard.

There are times I know I missed the blessing from God because I didn’t see it or, better yet, I just didn’t recognize it.

Many times I can moan and complain about a problem and not realize that the problem is a blessing and the real problem could be much worse. Then I see the hand of God staring me in the face!

Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. Gen 22:13

When Abraham was in the process of sacrificing his son, he was so focused on that he did not see what was behind him the whole time – a ram!

God had provided a blessing.
God had provided a solution.
God had provided a way out.
And Abraham just failed to see it.

Do not let the world distract you from what God wants you to see.

Abba, I definitely want every blessing You want for me. Help me see them today, in Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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God has Provided

God has never demanded anything from you that will allow you to provide salvation for yourself.

It is revealed that –

all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; Isa 64:6

So why would God demand a self-prescribed fix for you – a fix doomed to fail?
He wouldn’t!

Even the Law is not a cure for sin. Paul said,

I would not have known sin except through the law. Rom 7:7

So God’s demand for Abraham was not a sacrifice for sin. It was a method to increase the faith of Abraham.

A test is different from a temptation.
A temptation will entice you to sin.
A test will encourage you to do what is right.

A test will make you realize your dependence on God.

As Abraham said (and discovered) at his sacrifice of his own son, Isaac,

“God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham answered. Gen 22:8

God did this for Abraham and has done this for you. Jesus is the Lamb of God provided for you. (John 1:29, 36; Acts 8:32; 1 Peter 1:19; Rev 5:6)

Abba, You have provided the way for me through Jesus! I am grateful! YES&AMEN

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The Sacrifice of a Child

And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. Gen 22:10

Child sacrifice has been part of many civilizations and cultures from the earliest of time.

It would have been part of Abraham’s world and a part of worship that he and Sarah were denied, since they were childless.

It may have been they wanted children so bad they could not comprehend how others could so carelessly toss away those innocent lives to a god.

God’s calling came to Abraham and it removed him from the land of the Chaldeans to the land of the Canaanites.

In time Abraham and Sarah had a son, Isaac. For me the test of Abraham and Isaac is perhaps about Abraham’s giving of Isaac because he loves God as compared to the devotion of those pagans he left behind all those years ago; pagans that willingly gave their children to a god of wood or stone.

Then again, Abraham’s faith is in the ability of what God can do.

He concluded that God was able to raise [Isaac] up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. Heb 11:19

As for God, He gave His only Son for us.

He became sin for us!
He became despised for us!
He was rejected for us!
He was cursed for us!

That we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. John 3:16-17

Today children are still sacrificed but only for the god of selfishness. Abortion is a blight on our land and it is the demise of any civilization – when it’s citizens are destroyed even before they are born.

There is forgiveness, even after abortion!

If you know someone that has had an abortion, you could minister to them or at least pray for that person. Perhaps seek the council of a pregnancy help center for advice.

Abba, children are a blessing. Help me to touch the life of a child today or the life of someone that has loss one. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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Your Ministry

I believe everyone has something to do in ministry.

The Bible says,

He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, Eph 4:11

And

God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 1 Cor 12:28

Sometimes the ministry is not glamorous or giving much credit.

And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.” Gen 22:5

Abraham and Isaac were going to worship and sacrifice to God. The young men with them were told to stay with the donkey.

On the surface it seems like Abraham is doing all the important ministry – the worshipping, the sacrifice, and the fellowship.

But the young men have just as important job. They had to watch the stuff. Perhaps Abraham set up camp and the young men are waiting on their return with a hot meal and drink.

When I was in elementary school I thought the coolest adult at school was the janitor. He got to handle all that neat trash, push garbage cans around, mop up messes, and he picked at us kids.

Now that I’m grown it’s just not as glamorous but I see how important it is.

Whatever God has you doing, whether it’s pastoring a church or handing out tracks on a sidewalk – be the best you can be at it. If it wasn’t important He wouldn’t have you doing it.

Abba, thank You for the ministry You have given me. I want to do my best in it. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN