Belief in Prosperity Teaching Never Prospers

The belief that you would prosper as the result of a financial gift to a ministry is dangerous.  Its focus is not on salvation or promoting the Kingdom of God, rather it is a doctrine that feeds on selfishness and greed.  Ask yourself, "what would Jesus do?"  The Son of God was more interested in saving souls and delivering people from their sins vs earthly possessions.  He was more interested in doing the will of the Father even when it meant sacrificing His life.  While Jesus was in the wilderness, Satan offered Him the world and He turned him down.

Now don't get me wrong of course God wants the best for us, but more importantly our heavenly Father's will is that our SOUL prosper in Him and that we be declared as one of His own.  Christianity is a self-less way of life.  It is the practice of serving God and others in the name of Jesus.  I can tell you first hand that when you receive an assignment from God to serve His people, there is no greater reward.  You don't care about money or recognition.  You are satisfied by being used for His purpose.

Nowhere in the bible will you read about the chosen men of God and their possessions. Perhaps some of them were wealthy and lived in beautiful mansions with a multitude of servants but it was never mentioned because it was not important.  What matters most is the growth and transformation of the believer and the desire to see others grow and transform as well.  

Ask yourself, does my church teach me...
to have a relationship with God though Jesus Christ?
to live righteously?
about having compassion for others?
about using my gifts in ministry?

If you answered YES to all these questions, you are in the right place!  If you don't know the answers, I pray that you find a place that does the above.  Only then will you truly prosper.

Who's Watching?

when Peter answered the call to get out of the boat and walk on water to Jesus, the best miracle happened AFTER he returned to the boat. every man witnessing the event had no doubt Jesus was the son of God because Peter had the GUTS to get out of the boat. 

no need to be a bible thumper. your LIFE is your testimony. people are watching you...

Wear Your Helmet!

so you say you're a Christian - a saved, sanctified, spirit filled, born again child of God. but you don't know what to do at the first sign of trouble. when things are beyond your control, you are lost.

here's a suggestion...
wear the helmet of salvation! your identity rests in your salvation. 

YES! you are a child of God. 
YES! you have been saved by the blood of Jesus Christ. 
YES! you have the authority. 
YES! the power to overcome is within you. 

WEAR YOUR HELMET! knowing whose you are protects your mind from doubt, worry, fear, anxiety, panic and any other mind games your enemy will use against you. be bold. believe. work your faith and WEAR YOUR HELMET! ‪#‎SpiritualWarrior‬

Babes in Christ

If any of you have kids, you know how important it was to baby proof your home when they started crawling. God does the same for His children. He will put things out of our reach because we are not mature enough to handle it.  He protects us even from ourselves. 

Don't settle for being a babe in Christ.  Pursue Him and all His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.  #Growth

The Chosen One

You ever wonder how or why some people seem to get away with doing certain things but you cant?  How people can lie, plot, scheme, steal and live their lives with no remorse and receive no consequences is beyond me.  Oh but let that be me...

While others justify not paying their tithes and offerings, I get punished for not paying mine.  I can remember times when I decided not to pay my tithes, something would happen to my car that would cost me almost the exact amount I should have given.  Or how about when people knowingly do wrong to you or others?  They continue to live their lives without any thought to it and sometimes act like nothing ever happened.  Me?  That conviction would come down on me so hard that I'm unable to sleep at night.  I wont be able to rest until I apologize for what I've done or how I've behaved.

I can't lie, this frustrates the heck out of me!  Sometimes I feel like a kid at the playground.  I'm just sitting on the sidelines watching everyone else play but I cant.  Then I remember Matthew 22:14; "For many are called, but few are chosen."  I must be chosen.  I can disobey God when He tells me to do something, but I often suffer painful consequences and eventually end up doing what He told me to do in the first place. 

What brings me comfort is knowing God CHOSE me.  I'm still trying to figure out why but I'm so glad He CHOSE me.  He thought enough of me to make me one of His own.    He has used me in ways I could have never imagined.  Not many can say they are a CHOSEN instrument of God.  WoW!

So now why should I be happy when God refuses to let me get away with things?  

Hebrews 12 tells me why...

God Disciplines His Children

4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”[a]

7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

GET RIGHT!

YOU WILL DIE!  this is a fact for every living being on this planet. death has no age requirement, it does not discriminate and it will find you. don't wait too late to get right with God. 

There are six things the LORD hates. There are seven things he cannot stand: a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that kill innocent people, a mind that thinks up evil plans, feet that are quick to do evil, a witness who lies, and someone who starts arguments among families. (Proverbs 6:16-19 NCV)

all of us are guilty of one or more of the above at some point but it is unrighteous for these behaviors to be part of your lifestyle or the principles by which you live your life. 

there is redemption in Jesus Christ!  surrender your life and will to him NOW. tomorrow is not promised. 

selah

True Colors

A zebra painted brown may look like a horse but underneath it will always be a zebra. 

Many people disguise themselves and pretend to be something they're not but when given enough time, their true colors eventually shine through.  

Use wisdom family & guard your heart...

It's Spring Cleaning Time!

You know what that means…

Cleaning out the fridge and closet, washing windows and waxing floors, etc.  In essence, we are getting rid of all the dirt that has accumulated in our homes.

 “When we cleanse our living space, by organizing and clearing out old, unused items we create space for newness to come in.” (www.useyouruniverse.com)

Have you ever thought about spring cleaning your soul?

Let God get rid of all that unnecessary dirt and grime around our hearts that prevent us from living a life of righteousness.   Let Him clear out the old and replace it with all the fruits of His spirit; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.   

It all starts with repentance and a desire to remain in God’s will.  Spring clean your heart to establish or renew a right relationship with Him.  The safest place to be is in the center of God’s will.

Are ALL things Working Together?

"all things work together for good..."

I hear people say this all the time without finishing the entire verse which states in Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."

BEWARE! If you do not LOVE GOD and are not CALLED according to HIS purpose (not your own) then all things are NOT working together for your good. Stop playing church & surrender your LIFE to Him today!

The Fog

Have you ever tried driving through the fog? Sometimes it can seem so thick you can cut it with a knife. My windshield gets all blurry and I have to turn up my defroster on blast just to be able to see where I'm going. It can be nerve wrecking.

If you're like me, sometimes you have trouble focusing in your life. It can be a scary place when you can't see your way. Doubt, worry and fear creep in and you have trouble seeing your way through that problem or circumstance.

Sin creates that fog in our lives. Because some of our issues have been building for years (and sometimes generations) it is so dense that it prevents us from having a clear vision of God's purpose for us. I'm so thankful we have a Father in Heaven who loves us enough to provide a way for us to focus and see things from His perspective. When we seek Him, we turn up the Holy Spirit on FULL BLAST to "defrost" and melt away all that junk we've acquired in our lives. We can "cast ALL our cares upon Him because He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7)

PRAISE GOD! We don't have to be afraid anymore or be consumed with confusion. We can navigate through life with peace knowing God has our back. Although we can't see the outcome, His Master Plan is AT WORK for our good.

Be encouraged and stop worrying about that thing. GODS GOT THIS!

The Battle May Be Over But The War Is Not

Let me explain...

Any veteran can tell you when you're in a war, you fight several battles within the war.  Sometimes there are moments of peace and then BAM! just like that, you're fighing a battle.  Sometimes you're sleeping and then BAM! just like that, your enemy has executed a well planned sneak attack against you.  Sometimes you're just trying to eat your dinner and then BAM! just like that, a sniper attack.

In life we will face several battles.  Some we will win and some we will lose.  There may be times where we will be forced to retreat and regroup then return to battle restored, prepared and ready to fight.  Other times we will face battles that seem to be neverending.

Whatever the case may be, YOU HAVE THE ADVANTAGE.
Your resources are unlimited and your weapons are more powerful.  Some battles aren't even meant for you to fight but to simply STAND.

Those of us who walk with God have the power of Jesus Christ to win EVERY battle but sometimes our humanity gets in the way.  Sometimes we panic, lose focus and forget WHOSE we are.  It happens.

Battles come and go but the war won't end until Christ's return.
If you don't want to go through life being defeated LEARN to use your weapons, PRACTICE using your weapons so you can master them, then USE YOUR WEAPONS!

Next time I'll tell you what those weapons are.  Stay tuned...

Consequences, Tests & Attacks

Whenever you find yourself going through a tough time it's important to ask yourself this question: Is this a consequence of something I did?
If the answer is no, then you are either being tested or you are under attack. In either scenario it's important to ask God this question: Lord, what are
you trying to teach me?

Consequences
Be grateful you have a Father in Heaven who loves you enough to chastise you when you do wrong. Have you ever observed a child who has never been disciplined? It's really sad. They are all over the place going through life with no sense of direction or self control. Although I hate to admit it, I am sincerely grateful for those butt whippings I received.

Tests
These are necessary for God to move us to the next level. In school, you usually don't advance from one grade level to the next without having passed your final exam. The same is true in Christian living. God is trying to move you into a new place in Him but first we must prove we are worthy and capable enough to handle what He has in store for us. PAY ATTENTION and do what you need to do to pass this test. You DO NOT want to keep taking the same test over and over.

Attacks
Since Satan has to have God's permission to mess with you, there must be a reason He's allowing an attack. Sometimes we know the reasons and sometimes we never understand why God would allow such things to happen to us. In any case, have peace in knowing that God in His infinite wisdom has our best interest in mind.

For whatever reason, I have been compelled to blog about "going through." There is so much I have to say on this so I think I'll break it up over the next few weeks.

Be encouraged. These messages are for you! Stay tuned...

Going Through

Here is another I wrote a few years ago & had yet to post it here.  Enjoy...

I am inspired to post this blog for all of my friends who are “going through.”  For one, the loss of a loved one; another…a desert experience:  and another…financial burdens.

I am reminded of Tommy Tinney’s story of his daughter in the elevator.  She started to get nervous as the elevator became crowded because her view was obstructed.  She stretched forth her arms toward her father and said…”daddy pick me up, I can’t see from here.”  Tommy Tinney reached down to pick up his daughter and she was immediately comforted.  Take note: although her circumstances remained the same, she was able to see from a better view.

FOCUS

When you are going through, try focusing on your blessings vs. your situations.  If God never does another thing for you… you my friend have been blessed.  You ARE blessed.  Thank God for the “little” things because someone, somewhere is wishing they had your blessings.  Someone, somewhere would trade places with you in a heartbeat. 

When “going through”, I tend to view things in the spiritual realm.  Realizing where my true home is, I don’t really care what happens to me in the physical as I am no longer “of the world” I am in it.  I remember a conversation I had with a friend when I was struggling to pay a bill and she asked me a question that remained with me to this day…

”Do you know WHOSE you are?”… 

“Yes” was my reply …
“Then why are you worrying about HOW you’re going to pay your bill?”

I think that was the last time I worried about anything.

Try to focus on the outcome of your trials rather than the “going through.”  Bury yourself in the Word to remind yourself of God’s promises.  He does not lie, and He will honor His word.

GOD IS IN CONTROL

You know people give Satan too much credit.  God is in control.  If you belong to God, don’t you know Satan must seek permission to “mess” with you?  God is in control.  If He is allowing you to “go through” there must be a tremendous blessing waiting for you at the other end.

GIVE THANKS

Don’t forget to PRAISE throughout the entire process.  The bible tells us God inhabits the praises of His people and as you read through the scriptures, you will find evidence of that in each battle the Israelites found themselves in.  In EVERYTHING, give thanks…
 

Thank you God for meeting my needs TODAY.

Thank you God for my health and strength.

Thank you God for my place of employment.

Thank you God for my family.

Thank you God for waking me up TODAY.

Thank you God for saving a wretch like me.

THANK YOU GOD!

 Recommended Readings:

·         1 Thessalonians 5 (remember WHO’S you are)
·         Numbers 11 – (a lesson about complaining)
·         Praising the Hell Out of Yourself – Dr. George McCalep Jr.
·         God Chasers – by Tommy Tinney

Waste Not...

If you’re not making a difference with your life, you’re wasting it.

No matter how many times you go to church or how often you read your bible. If you’re not sharing your faith or ministering to others with the talents & gifts you’ve been given, your life is being wasted.

Consider the fig tree...

When Jesus saw that it failed to produce any fruit he cursed it and it died.

What we receive from God should flow through us. You were saved not only from condemnation but to be used as an instrument to bring others to Christ.
It doesn’t matter if your life is “together” or if you have issues. God can and will use you if you make yourself available to Him. It’s as easy as sharing what He’s done for YOU.

People can argue religion till the cows come home, but NO ONE can argue YOUR personal relationship with God. Only YOU can share how He saved YOU, how He healed YOU, how He called YOU, what He whispered to YOU or how He delivered YOU.

SHARE YOUR FAITH!

Press On!

Today I saw an adorable little 1 yr old girl walking around in the park. I watched as her little legs bounced around one foot in front of the other with her arms stretched out at her sides for balance. I just love that age when they're learning how to walk. She took a few steps then fell. She got up, took a few more steps then fell. She got up again, took a few more steps walking farther than she had before then fell and scraped her knees. Here come the tears! She reached up toward her dad with this pitiful look on her face. He picked her up, kissed her knees and comforted her. A few minutes later, there she was bobbling around again with her arms stretched out trying to balance.

This reminded me about my journey with God. For many of us it seems as though every time we take a few steps forward, we experience something that would set us back. But yet we press on. When I look back over my life, I remember trials, tests, temptations and challenges that seemed like I was living in hell. But when i cried my tears and moaned in pain, I looked toward my Heavenly Father. And just as a loving father would, He picked me up and I was comforted.

Whatever you're going through today, DON'T GIVE UP! We may stumble and fall at times but be encouraged to know it gets better. In life there will always be obstructions in the way or things (and people) that will come along and try to make us fall. But when we do, our Daddy God will be right there to comfort us.

Look to Him and press on!

Is God Your Genie?

Many times I have heard a prayer from a pastor, evangelist, deacon, etc. that include phrases asking God to "touch RIGHT NOW", "bless RIGHT NOW", "heal RIGHT NOW", "name it and claim it"...in the name of Jesus.  They boss God around as though He were a genie waiting around to grant our wishes.  This my friends is a dangerous assumption.

For those of us who have kids, can you imagine your child being given everything they ask for?  Most of their requests would ruin them (candy, fast food, unlimited freedom and life without boundaries).  The best of parents do everything they can to protect their children by establishing rules and expectations for them to follow...rewarding them for their efforts and accomplishments and setting consequences when they disobey.  All because we love them and we want them to grow to become successful in life.

Our Father in Heaven does the same for us.  He loves us and has given us His word to live by.  The scripture is full of rules, expectations, promises and rewards.  And when we disobey...consequences.

Make no mistake; although we are His children, our purpose on earth is to "serve" our God.  We are to surrender our lives to Him to be used for His purpose. We serve an "If" and "Then" God. 

"IF my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; THEN will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." - 2 Cor 7:14

But...(IF)... seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and... (THEN)...all these things shall be added unto you. - Matt 6:33

Take notice God is not requesting a deed for a reward, rather He is calling for a change in your lifestyle.  Beware of pastors that tell you if you give $10 today, God will give you $100 tomorrow.  God doesn't work that way.

Do you only attend church, pray or read your bible when your situation gets desperate?  "Serving" God daily in everything we do is like studying in school.  If you study habitually, there are no worries when you show up to class and the teacher announces there will be a pop quiz.  You're confident you will do well because you studied.

If you didn't figure it out by now, let me be the first to tell you life is full of "pop quizzes."  Live righteously and believe without a doubt that God will take care of the rest.

React, Interact & Respond

Think back and remember…

-      The day your 1^st child was born…when you saw that baby…you just had to hold them in your arms…

-      The day you met your wife/husband…those butterflies in your stomach after seeing them for the first time. 

-      Your first crush…leaving the house looking extra special in hopes you would see them that day… How did you get their attention?

-      Your first job interview…the nerves you had…and how you got through it.

These are all encounters you had with someone that is or was important to you.

If you do not have an intimate relationship with God, you are missing the reason for Jesus’ coming.  He did not die just to save you from sin.  This is selfish thinking! 

“Yes, I’ll believe Jesus died on the cross if it saves me from eternal life in hell.”

God sent His Son Jesus to repair the relationship that was broken in the Garden of Eden between Himself and man.

In Matthew 27:51, the bible describes how the veil of the temple tore from the top to the bottom.  This was extremely significant because the only people who were allowed behind that veil were priests and Levites who prepared themselves to enter into the presence of God.  That access is now granted to everyone.

God gave me three words for you:

o   REACT
o   INTERACT
o   RESPOND

REACT

Whenever you are in the presence of the only true living God (be it in church, during prayer service, bible study or in any situation), there should be some type of reaction from you. 

When you had that encounter with that special someone in your life, you had a reaction.  If you are not reacting to God, you have yet to have an encounter with God.

 

INTERACT

Interact with Him.  God’s presence calls for fellowship with Him.  He’s not present just to be present.  He wants to spend time with you and you NEED to spend time with Him.

How did you get to know your son/daughter, wife/husband or that school crush?  You spent time with them.  True, quality time with them.

RESPOND

Respond to God through your faith.
Respond to God with obedience.
Respond to God through your actions. – pray, study, praise, worship, witness

Remember that school crush?  When messages between the two of you were passed along through your friends?

Well, God gave me a message for you:  He loves you.  He wants you to get to know Him.  He wants you to react, interact and respond.

Fill 'Er Up

If I were to ask you why you visit the gas station, most people would say “to fill up the gas tank” but in actuality you’re going to the gas station because you have things to do and places to go.  I’m sure you could find alternative methods for achieving your plans for the day, but it is so much easier to just fill the tank.  And God forbid, you tried to go about it on E.  You’re constantly worried you would actually make it because you may run out of gas and get stranded on the way.

Friends, I must tell you it is time for you to fill your tank.  God has things for you to do and places for you to go.  Make it easier on yourself and start the day with prayer.  Sing praises to God and allow Him to fill your spirit EVERYDAY.

Being filled makes it much easier to operate in His perfect will.  Being filled helps you deal with that annoying co-worker, a defiant child or that driver on the road.  Being filled helps you to see things, people and circumstances from God’s perspective – knowing He has complete control over every situation.  Being filled helps you to recognize spirits that may have been assigned to destroy you and your witness.

If you should suddenly find yourself stranded from trying to make it on empty, our God is like having AAA.  Just give Him a call and help is on the way.  There is one catch: the benefits of AAA are restricted to its members.  Accessibility to our Heavenly Father is only possible by accepting His offering of love thought the blood of Jesus Christ.  How hard is it to accept an offering of love?  Do it today and you too can have access to all the benefits, rewards and promises of our God in Heaven.

Got a story of how you were caught running on E?

I Wanna Be Clean

I wrote this a few years ago, but had yet to post it here.  Enjoy...

The other day my three year old ventured off into the bathroom and got friendly with a bottle of shampoo. After she started to play in it, she tried to get it off her hands by wiping it on her chest. She repeated this process until she was completely covered from head to toe in a slimy white film. At that point, she emerged from the bathroom and said “mommy, I wanna be clean”. After laughing at the site of her, I gave her a bath (for the second time that evening), cleaned up her mess and laid her in her bed. Then I thought about her choice of words…she didn’t say “help me” or “look what I did mommy”…she said “I wanna be clean.”
You know sometimes we get so involved in our sinful lifestyles that our hearts become covered with a filthy layer of sin and no matter what we try to do to clean ourselves up; we fall back into the same situation or make matters worse. Have you ever heard someone say they will start going to church when they get their lives together? That is impossible! The only thing capable of cleansing us from all unrighteousness is the blood of Christ. God will wash us in that blood, clean up our mess and give us rest. Why not take advantage of it?

PLEASE FORGIVE ME!

Dear God;

Please forgive me for not keeping you 1^st in my life.  Forgive me for not being half as faithful to you as you have been to me.  Forgive me for seeking to please men rather than pleasing you.  YOU God are my 1^st love.  And if I should ever need to be reminded, I will reflect on who you are.

-AMEN

If you have ever prayed this prayer or need to be reminded who God has been to you, PLAY THIS NOW!!!!