BE VIOLENT CHRISTIANS

Matthew 11:12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force. My question to you is "When was the last time you violently witnessed for the kingdom?" This text is a reminder of the heavy and awesome responsibility we have in building the kingdom of God here on earth. It urges us to act as the Apologists (defenders of the faith), we were called to be to prepare a pathway to Heaven. To do this, we must protect our faith. Our faith adequately displayed will preach the best sermon. It (faith) keeps us focused, our fight keeps us holy and our future keeps us hopeful. There is nothing new under the sun. The fight has been constant since the days of John. So even in this day, we should feverishly & diligently work in pursuit of peace, blessedness and pardon (forgive). Therefore my brothers and sisters go forth and violently make disciples!!! The degree of violence you exhibit in your faith determines the number of souls you win for kingdom building! I violently fought to offer Jesus to a young man on Sunday. He accepted. Therefore Christ won! Have a great day in the Lord.

Unflattering Language of A Christian

Proverbs 29:9(NKJV) 9 If a wise man contends with a foolish man, Whether the fool rages or laughs, there is no peace. Proverbs 29:9(AMP) 9 If a wise man has an argument with a foolish man, the fool only rages or laughs, and there is no rest. I just read a FB post where Prov. 29:9 was used to describe and justify their claim that Vice President Joe Biden is a fool. I'm assuming this comment was based on last night's VP debate. Now I'm not advocating for anyone in this post; good, bad or indifferent. However it does not give Christians the authority to appear unflattering before God and before God's people (whether saved or unsaved). It is God and only God that judges and condemns. Power is given to us to apply wisdom and knowledge of God's word to not be conformed by the things of this world. i.e. political persuasions. But back to the FB comment. It reminded me of a conversation I had with an unsaved person who defended their desire to remain non-Christian based on their frequent interactions with Christians who too often appear quick to leverage condemnation and vicious remarks according to their opinions. The person also spouted how these "Christians" will use the Bible to justify their opinions. And all this is done in the mighty name of Jesus; yes the disciples of Christ, those who are living to justify the teachings of Christ. Sadly, I've encountered this type of Christian all too often myself. I supplied you with two versions of the same scripture for a more indepth understanding. Previous posts by this author strongly indicate a Christian membership especially when they reference their health challenges which appear to be daunting. Therefore the weight of this comment struck me deep. No matter our political preferences, we are admonished by the word of God that we must at all times be uplifting in our conduct, even if it means being silent? The Bible was recorded for the expressed purpose to supply us with words to live by and to offer life through the Word of God as we display Christ-like character to a dying world. How can we expect to draw ALL men/women/children to the kingdom of God by calling others (whether they're Christians or not) unflattering names. IJS...non-believers need not respond.

Speaking in Tongues While Praying

Prayer in the Spirit Speaking in tongues involves the engagement of a believer's spirit with God's Spirit. Paul distinguishes between praying in the spirit (and in tongues) and praying with the mind. "if I pray in this way (in tongues), my spirit prays indeed, but my mind has no part in it". (1 Cor 14:14, GNT) There have been so many discussions concerning this particular gift of God that I felt led to promote a discussion among God's believers. This particular gift is not given to every believer. To that end, why is it a gift that is not as widely accepted by those who are blessed with it as well as not readily received by those who are not? I admit that my first encounter with a saint who operated in this spiritual area of giftedness was shocking and disconcerting to me. Why? I simply didn't understand it. It frightened me. It didn't coincide with what I had been exposed to in my traditional worship experience. Since then, I've been blessed with this gift. It didn't help matters when I found out how widespread the discomfort was in the general body of Christ. Our humanity simple becomes an unmanageable discomfort and this produces unfortunately condemnation. We shun things that are different; when they don't fit into our nice, neat package of limitedness. You do agree that we are limited right? Things we can't initially understand or explain away are the things that we generally dismiss as not having any tangible value. But God is not interested in our comfort. God is interested in our faith and service. I am convinced and assured that God does speak to those that answer His call. This move of God permits us to do something beyond self. Perhaps your initial stirrings to answer God came by way of tragedy or by a process of maturity regarding life's experiences. No matter the situation, the need drives an insatiable desire to subscribe to a higher power. Once we give ourselves away, we enter in and gain the eternal prize; a covenant relationship with God. This relationship imparts God's spirit within us. We are then granted the opportunity and privilege to talk to God in prayer. As we mature, we step into our gifts. Speaking in tongues while praying is a mystical language that is known to God and/or God's angels. It is an unconscious act that takes place when spirit takes over mind. Speaking in tongues emerges when the human spirit is in alignment with the Spirit of God. This degree of communication has to supersedes human interpretation. It literally moves a child of God from the living room floor, an altar, the car (any place you choose to pray) into the holy of holies; a place where the unmanifested becomes manifested! Isn't it great to share in a language that only God understands? Tell me what you think.

WHAT'S IN YOUR ALABASTER BOX?

Luke 7:36-38 (New King James Version)
A Sinful Woman Forgiven
36 Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. 37 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, 38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.

Most of you are familiar with the story referenced in the above scripture of the woman and her alabaster box. It is one woman’s testimony of repentance and forgiveness. Although she is being condemned by the crowd, she presses her way to the power source, Jesus; the one who can deliver, redeem and restore her from the guilt of her past. The pouring out of the expensive oil contained in her alabaster box is symbolic of the hefty price tag of her sins. I use the term expensive because sin can be costly. It can literally rob you of your salvation. Anything that attempts to interfere with your salvation is too high of a cost for you to pay. You simply cannot afford it. Yet still, the woman’s sins were great, just like yours and mine. However no matter the cost, we are reminded that Jesus paid it all. We are forgiven. We are washed white as the snow because of the blood that was shed for us on Calvary by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Praise the Lord!
What’s in your alabaster box? Are you experiencing guilt from the shame of your past mistakes? Do you hold resentment from missed opportunities? Are you wallowing in self-pity because your life didn’t turn out the way YOU thought it should have? Are you lamenting over the man that left you who you thought you loved more than yourself? Are you consumed with grief over the loss of a loved one? Are you suffering from church hurt? Again, my sisters, what’s in your alabaster box?
I encourage you to begin pouring your expensive sins upon the Master’s feet just as the woman in the book of Luke did. As the woman anointed Jesus’ feet, He lovingly looked down at her deepest posture of humility and blessed her for her faithfulness. Jesus forgave her! Jesus freed her from the bondage that had her bound. You see she had heard about Him and the power that He made available to all those that He encountered. The crowd mocked Jesus in ignorance because (they felt) He unknowingly allowed an unclean woman to touch Him. But Jesus specializes in unclean things. He knew exactly who this woman was but more importantly He knew that she belonged to Him. Jesus’ compassion for the least of them continued to be His billboard. He continues to draw all women unto Thee! The Jesus that allowed this woman to wash His feet over 2,000 years ago is the same Jesus that desires for us to wash His feet today with our tear stained sins. So my sisters in order to jumpstart your path to redemption and restoration…start pouring! Bless be the name of the Lord for all of our testimonies!

Praise Requires Preparation

Anything in life that you will excell in requires preparation. College, technical institutions, seminary, life experiences (learning to ride a bike, learning to read, preparing to give a speech or sermon) all prepare individuals for success. One can tell when an individual has not prepared themself. There is a disconnect with the audience or evident failure in their finished product. It is the same with our worship. Preparation in the Lord must be evident in order to receive ALL of your blessings! Your mind and your heart must be a conduit for the Holy Spirit to use in order to produce effective results. Witnessing and ministering to the saved and more importantly to the unsaved is our sole responsibility as Christians. In order to be effective, we must be knowledgeable and wise to present Christ in an introductory manner so as not to frighten them with condemnation and persecution. We must introduce a ground breaking technique.

This prepares the way of the individual for obtaining a more in-depth understanding of the oracles of God. Jesus prepared the world in his flesh form for what was to come through spiritual the realm. His mission on earth was to reveal the purpose of our Heavenly Father by showing us how to acquire abundant life. Jesus' journey was marked with compassion and humility to leave us with a recorded daily instructional guide for spiritual living-the Bible. He denounced sin by refusing to participate in it. He showed love in order for us to offer love. He died in the flesh to show humanity the temporal side of life. His main goal was to show that anyone who proclaimed life by accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior and denounced flesh/death would indeed inherit the kingdom by gaining eternal life.

Preparation is mandatory for anything that we do in Jesus' Name. When we pray, we must know the promises of God in order to have a conversation with HIM. Prayer is our direct line of communication with God. When we petition God for one of our many, never-ending requests, we must pray in the spirit of God which allows us access to the Holy of Holies. This is only done if you have relationship with God. In order to ask God for something you must have the faith to believe that if you pray in His will then you will be blessed with your heart's desires. So how do we display this faith? Praise! Yes praise Him for what He has done, what He is doing, and more importantly what He will do! Your praise is your weapon in seasons of adversity, distress, and grief. It is your exclamation mark for everything that is right and wrong in your life. Your praise should be complete with preparation. How do you approach the Lord (who is our advocate)? It should be with praise (thanking Him for who He is in the universe and your life, with meekness and humility through repentance and atonement for your sins, and with supplication by reducing self and defering all things to unto Him. This is your preparational praise to advance yourself in His Kingdom on earth as it is His will in Heaven.

So prepare yourself to prepare to praise your way through your circumstances. Jesus is only a prayer away! Have a blessed season that is accentuated by your praise! Much praise, much power...

Familiar Spirits

Have you ever heard the ancestral adage, “If you lie, you’ll steal and if you steal, you’ll kill”? These particular individuals were thought by our ancestors to pose a threat to our familial environments. People who fell into this class were labeled worthless, shiftless, dangerous and never to be trusted. In other words, these are the individuals who will stop at nothing to accomplish their demonic agendas. In the spiritual world, there are two forces: the Holy Spirit and demonic spirits. Demonic spirits work in concert with each other. Because they are not of God, they need a team to do what God can do with one! This “team” represents a vast collection of spirits. The term “familiar spirits” defines a collection of demonic forces created to interfere with the purpose and plans of God. Have you ever heard this statement, “If you tell one lie, then you’ve got to tell another one to cover up for the first one”? As His “elect” we’ve been destined in this life to be tossed and driven by experiencing trouble on every side. Demonic foot soldiers use spiritual strongholds that target the saved to prevent us from honoring God by living a holy life. For example, a lying spirit is usually accompanied by other spirits to strengthen the works of deception. A liar will often bear the fruit of the spirits of manipulation, deception, profanity, pride, and self-righteousness. The bible tells us that we will know them by the fruits they bear.

As Christians we must always be ready to give a defense for the hope that is within us. God created the Holy Spirit for our comfort after the death of Jesus Christ. The “Comforter” was sent to assist us with daily righteous living. God provided us with a weapon that far exceeds anything we could do in the flesh regarding demonic spirits. Be mindful that we war NOT in flesh but with spiritual principalities in high places. “High places” does not apply to our homes, jobs, organizations and our church relationships! This greatest weapon for destroying “familiar spirits” is PRAYER! Ask the Lord to sharpen your gift of discernment such that when you’re faced with spiritual lions (loud, obnoxious bullies), tigers (sneaky, and spiteful people) and bears, (lazy, shifty, and unlearned), you will know to pray a prayer of correction, promise and prosperity for that misguided soul. Remember to address situations/people with love as you would want correction. Love covers a multitude of sin. Get ready to experience God on a higher level. Your strength is obtained by the reading and hearing of God’s word which will equip you with a fervent and effectual prayer life. Wage war on the enemy through prayer to destroy attacks from “familiar spirits”. God is waiting for you to use the authority He has invested in you!

Blessings Delayed Are Not Blessing Denied

What do you do when you're waiting for God to answer you? Do you become anxious, frustrated, agitated, confused, or even angry? Sometimes God does sow a season of patience into our lives to complete a perfect work. Rome was not built in a day and neither was your salvation. Jesus labored on earth and suffered on the cross that you and I would have everlasting life. Therefore our individual ministeries will reflect our labor of love as well. In order to witness effectively to others regarding the importance of accepting God's seasons of patience, we must first experience seasons in which patience is being applied. God gives us an abundance of scripture that assures us by His command to be patient. Let patience have its perfect work in your life to provide a balance in receiving God's timely blessings.

During your prayer, focus and meditation time, read the book of Daniel chapters 9 and 10 to witness blessings delayed are not blessings denied. The prince of Persia has been given (by God of course) the ability to delay our blessing for 21 days-3 full weeks! Be blessed by these scriptures as they will provide illumination and revelation to many of our prayer requests. Remember God's timing is not ours. But His promises apply to all that belong to Him. Be of good cheer during trying times and wait on the Lord. Your blessings are truly on the way!