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Monday, March 21, 2011

IT IS WRITTEN...

Matthew 4:1-11 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a] by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry. The tempter came to Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’[b]”

Then the devil took him to the holy city and had Him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If You are the Son of God,” he said, “throw Yourself down.

For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning You, and they will lift You up in there hands, so that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’[c]”

Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’[d]”

Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give You,” he said, “if You will bow down and worship me.”

Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’[e]”

Then the devil left Him, and angels came and attended Him.

My dear brother and sisters in Christ, just as the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness; he will do the same to us during the wilderness moments in this walk of faith. If he hasn’t already, either you’re lying to yourself or you haven’t been living long enough. Just keep on living.

Notice how each and every time Jesus was tempted, He used the power of God’s Word to defeat that temptation. Jesus never told God how big His storms were but instead, He told His storms how big God is.

Beloved, God speaks in every line and His Word is everything to me, therefore I know that in the very first chapter of the book of John and in the very first verse God’s Word says "For in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Jump all the way up to the fourteenth verse and it says, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." Therefore it always amazes me how foolish the devil was by trying to use the Word to tempt the Word.

God is the same yesterday, today and forever more, therefore we must realize that His Word can and will do the same for us today when are tempted by the devil. Bothers and sisters, just as Jesus used the power of God’s Word to defeat temptation then, we must used the power of God’s Word now to defeat temptation today. Look at your storm and tell it with and through the power of God’s Word, how big God is. Tell it, Storm... "It is written", trails, "It is written", tribulations, “It is written”. Whatever the devil has the audacity to bring your way, tell him, “It is written”.

Tell your storms when they make you feel weak, “It is written”
Revelation 19:6 says: God is omnipotent / all-powerful

Tell your storms when they make you feeling down” It is written”
Matthews 8:5-10; 28:18 says: Jesus has Power and Authority over all things

Tell your storms when they make you feel powerless, “It is written”
I John 4:4 says: God is more powerful than satan

Tell your storms when they bring darkness into your life, “It is written”
Genesis chapters 1 & 2 say: God created all things just by saying “Let there be”

Tell your storms when they make you feel your future plans seem dim, “It is written”
Duet.31:8; Acts 2:23 says: God plans & knows all things ahead of time

Tell your storms when they make you feel a failure, “It is written”
Job 42:1, 2; Proverbs 21:30, 31; & Psalm 33:10, 11, says: God’s plans always succeed

Tell your storms when they tell you that there is no answer. “It is written”
Psalm 33:13, 14 & Proverbs 15:3 says: God sees and knows all (He is Sovereign)

Tell your storms when they make you feel poor, “It is written”
I Chron. 29:11, 12 say: God owns all in Heaven and on Earth

Tell your storms when they make you feel incomplete, “It is written”
Isaiah 46:11 says: what God says & plans He will do

Tell your storms when they make you feel that it’s impossible, “It is written”
Luke 1:37 says: nothing is impossible for God

Tell your storms when they tell you things will be difficult, “It is written”
Jeremiah 32:17 says: there is nothing too hard for God

Tell your storms when they make you feel out of control, “It is written”
Job 38-41; 42:1, 2 says: God created and controls all things

Tell your storms when they look big and overwhelming, “It is written”
Isaiah 40:12-31 says: nothing can match God’s awesome size, power, wisdom, & strength.

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About Me

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I'm just a nobody, trying to tell everybody about Somebody who can save anybody. I give all honor to the Father for the privilege of being His instrument, through whom He lives and works for His glory alone. I served in the U.S. Navy for 21 years, retiring in September 2003. In my final three years, I was co-pastor at Greater New Refuge COGIC in Fallon, Nevada, under Pastor Gregory L. Brown. I supported my pastor and church by helping with a new sanctuary's construction and caring for all ministry needs while staying true to my mandate to preach the Word of God without compromise. In November 2002, I was licensed to preach and ordained in June 2003. While stationed in Virginia Beach, I served at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church for 17 years under Bishop-Elect W.D. Scott, Sr., and now I serve at Calvary Revival Church in Norfolk, VA, under Bishop B. Courtney McBath. I also earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Religion from Saint Leo University, deepening my foundation and commitment to this path of faith.

MY THEOLOGICAL TRAINING:

It brings to my face a unadulterated smile each and every occasion I am asked, “Elder Dre, What Theological Training do you have?”

My heart beams with joy at the opportunity to humbly give full glory to God as I reflect on on how the prophets, patriarchs and apostles of old would have respond: Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joshua, Gideon, King David, Elijah, Elisha, Jeremiah, John the Baptist, Matthew, Mark, Peter, James, John and the other disciples, not forgetting the Saviour Himself.

How would they have answered the question: “What theological training do you have?”

The words of the prophet Amos also came to mind: “Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:” Amos 7:14

I surely am not impliedly decrying theological preparation, education or training: I consider it essential, but not as much as some think. For the fact is, the Almighty raises up believers according to His own standards.

Educational qualifications, wealth, fame, talent, social standing, outward appearance etc. are useful; but they are secondary in His sight. Qualities like faith, obedience, holiness, humility, honesty, absolute loyalty to one’s spouse, the ability to raise one’s family to fear God and keep His commandments etc.; these are the things the Most High values.

“Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”

Only on the Day of Judgment will it be known how truly educated, weighty and effective I have been. That is why I have to smile when the question arise.

The vanity of the question is only matched by the foolishness of my answer.

As the wise man wrote: “Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; all is vanity.” Ecclesiastes 1: 2 or as the apostle Paul commented in 2 Corinthians 11:16-30 when rattling off a long list of impressive qualifications “... I speak as a fool.”

Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. All who proclaim that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 1 John 4:14-15 (NLT)

I am a preacher, but most of all, I proclaim that Jesus is the Savior with various applications of that truth in my everyday life. My dear friend, if you are a Christian, you are a preacher also. Whether you have been ordained or not, hired by a church or not, or ever been recognized as a preacher or not is beside the point. All who have God living in them are called to proclaim the Savior to the world. It is a Holy calling, and a demanding one. It will pull you out of your comfort zone, challenge your commitment, and help to develop you into the person God has created you to be.

John spoke as an eyewitness to Jesus' saving power. We speak as heart-witnesses; ones who have not seen Jesus with our eyes, but have experienced Him through personal transformation. I speak, and you speak, as a representative of Christ on earth. The message that we bring is simple, yet profound; that God the Father sent God the Son into the world to save those who are lost to bring them into relationship with Him. As you tell the story, and I tell the story, some will listen and receive the grace that God has sent us into the world to proclaim.

PRAYER THOUGHT: Father, what a privilege to be a spokesperson for You.

Thank you for stopping by. Stay encouraged and please do come back.