God Can Use Anyone

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, no matter how hard you've been knocked down, beat-down and trotted in you life, believe you me, God can use you. Yes indeed He can. Do me a favor and just fill in the blanks (Rhetorically).

How many times in your life do you say to yourself "God can't use me because I'm not _____________ enough, I'm too _________________, I've done too many _______________".? Do you realize that God can use anyone for His glory?

God has always worked through human vessels. In fact, most of the time, God works through the most unlikely vessels! Trust me, God Surely Can Use Anyone. Take a peak at the following people God used and how they were actually as fragile and broken as some of us were or still are.

Moses stuttered.
David's armour didn't fit.
John Mark was rejected by Paul.
Timothy had ulcers.
Amos' only training was in the school of fig-tree pruning.
Jacob was a liar.
David had an affair.
Solomon was too rich.
Abraham was too old.
David was too young.
Peter was afraid of death.
Lazarus was dead.
John was self-righteous.
Naomi was a widow.
Paul was a murderer.
So was Moses.
Jonah ran from God.
Miriam was a gossip.
Gideon and Thomas both doubted.
Jeremiah was a bullfrog;
Just kidding -- he was depressed and suicidal.
Elijah was burned out.
Martha was a worry-wart.
Mary may have been lazy.
Samson had long hair.
Noah got drunk, and that's not all.
Did I mention that Moses had a short fuse?
But God doesn't require a job interview.
He doesn't hire and fire like most bosses,
because He's more our Dad than our Boss.
He doesn't look at financial gain or loss.
He's not prejudiced or partial, not judging, grudging,
sassy, or brassy, not deaf to our cry, not blind to our need.

A Christian minister once said, "I was never of any use until I found out that God did not intend me to be a great man."

Prayer for My Friends

You have created us to live in community, O God of love; bless my friends who provide me with the grace and love of an extended family. Endow them with the riches of Your blessings: good health, sight, and mobility, that they may enjoy the wonders of Your creation and share their delight with others. Bless them with keen minds and compassionate hearts that they may create a better life for all. Guard them from injustice, oppression, and evil that they may know freedom and hope lifelong. In their waking and in their sleeping, in their laughter and in their tears, surround them with Your love until the end of their days; and so bring them to eternal life in peace. Through Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.

SELFISHNESS

Now, let's have a question and answer period. I'll ask the questions. Feel free to answer out loud or in your heart.

1. Isn’t time I grow up and get over myself?

2. Does my petty, picky, little hurts or slights really have any bearing on eternity?

3. Where/how can I be of service to someone with no hope of recognition or reward?

4. What if nobody sees the good I'm doing?

5. How can I put others first and me second, thereby glorifying God with my actions?

6. What am I going to do nice for that person at work that I cannot stand?

7. How I can be tolerant of others that I deem less than me?

8. Do I really believe that everyone in the world is better than me at something?

9. Will it please God if I don't stand my ground on this stupid issue that doesn't matter anyway?

10. How can I glorify God daily by surrendering my full self to him and his will for me even if that includes doing things for others that I don't want to do?

There are about 500 more questions I could ask. But you get the point. Godly relationships begin in your heart where Jesus lives. You will automatically have Godly relationships if you keep God's command first and foremost in your heart: Love God first, others second and yourself last. This is very hard to do and can't be done unless we are walking with the Lord. And you are trying to change a lifetime of conditioned responses to certain stimuli. But next time you get the opportunity, give up your pride, your desires, your hopes, your dreams, and defer to the one you are engaged with, no matter what the cost. See what happens. You may find out how rewarding and freeing it can be. Keep God in your relationships and they will be Godly!

Tomorrow Is Not Promised

Sometimes people come into your life
and you know right away that they were meant to be there,
they serve some sort of purpose,
teach you a lesson
or help figure out who you are
and who you want to become.

You never know who these people may be:
your neighbor, child, long lost friend, lover, or even a complete stranger
who, when you lock eyes with them,
you know at that very moment that they will affect your life
in some profound way.

And sometimes things happen to you
and at the time they seem painful and unfair,
but in reflection you realize
that without overcoming those obstacles
you would have never realized
your potential strength, will power, or heart.

Everything happens for a reason.
Nothing happens by chance
or by means of good or bad luck.
Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness and sheer stupidity
all occur to test the limits of your soul.

Without these small tests,
whether they be events, illnesses or relationships,
life would be like a smoothly paved straight flat road to nowhere,
safe and comfortable,
but dull and utterly pointless.

The people you meet who affect your life
and the successes and downfalls you experience
create who you are,
and even the bad experiences can be learned from,
In fact, they are probably the poignant and important ones.

If someone hurts you, betrays you or breaks your heart,
forgive them,
for they have helped you learn about trust
and the importance of being cautious to
whom you open your heart...

If someone loves you,
love them back unconditionally,
not only because they love you,
but because they are teaching you to love
and opening your heart and eyes to things
you would have never seen or felt without them.

Make every day count.
Appreciate every moment
and take from it everything that you possibly can,
for you may never be able to experience it again...

Talk to people you have never talked to before,
and actually listen,
let yourself fall in love,
break free and set your sights high...

Hold your head up
because you have every right too.
Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself...
for if you don't believe in yourself,
no one else will believe in you either.
You can make of your life anything you wish.

Create your own life
and then go out and live in it!
"Live Each Day As If It Were Your Last...
Tomorrow is Not Promised"

Thank you kindly, my dear brother Jonathan F. Choyce III, for such a word.

God Has Kept Me Here For A Reason

My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Please repeat after me:

God has kept me here for a reason.

I survived because He has a plan for me.

All my bad relationships,

The addictions,

The consequences,

The bad credit,

The repossessions,

The death of my loved ones,

The back stabbing from my friends,

The negative thoughts, or the lack of support;

I made it because I am blessed!

I release and let go of all past hurts, misunderstandings and grudges because I am abundantly blessed!

I recognize them as the illusions they are, and sent from the enemy to kill my spirit, steal my joy, and destroy my faith; For God is all there is. All else is a lie!

My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I know that we may not all relate to everything, but we all know about past hurts, trials, and diversionary tactics the enemy will employ. Someone needed this message, so I pray it blesses you as well!

Now give yourself a hug, wipe your tears away and walk in victory!!!!!!!!

I love you, but more appropriately God loves you BEST! Be blessed and know that you are at one with THE SPIRIT OF THE LIVING GOD! And may the Lord keep watch over you and me. Genesis 31:49. Amen!

Now since you are a true child of God, you know that with every blessing, a blessing is required! So be a blessing to someone today.

I Am "Kept"

You see, there were a few times when I thought I would lose my mind
But GOD kept me sane

There were times when I thought I could go no longer
But the LORD kept me moving

At times, I've wanted to lash out at those whom I felt had done me wrong
But the LORD kept my mouth shut

Sometimes, I think the money just isn't enough, but GOD has helped me to keep the lights on, the water on, the car paid, the house paid, etc...

When I thought I would fall, HE kept me up

When I thought I was weak, HE kept me strong!

I could go on and on and on, but I'm sure you hear me!
I'm blessed to be "kept."

Today I went into a prison

Today I went into a prison
Where I looked on anguish and strife
But the message I learned from a convict there
I'll remember the rest of my life.
The prisoner said he was contented
In paying society's due.
"It's easy to render to Caesar", he said,
"When you have the Master with you".
Oh, I've seen his anger fly out of hand
For he was just human you see
Than ask both offended and God to forgive
Unashamed when bending his knee.
Many long years it has been
Since I had the faith that this convict has shown
And though I was with him for only a while
His message has pointed me home.
Yes, today I went into a prison
And saw to my disbelief
The face of our Savior Lord Jesus
Worn on the face of a thief.

After a While

After a while you learn
The subtle difference between
Holding a hand and chaining a soul
And you learn that love doesn't mean leaning
And company doesn't always mean security.

And you begin to learn
That kisses aren't contracts
And presents aren't promises
And you begin to accept your defeats
With your head up and your eyes ahead
With the grace of a woman
Not the grief of a child

And you learn
To build all your roads on today
Because tomorrow's ground is
Too uncertain for plans
And futures have a way
Of falling down in mid flight

After a while you learn
That even sunshine burns if you get too much
So you plant your own garden
And decorate your own soul
Instead of waiting
For someone to bring you flowers

And you learn
That you really can endure
That you are really strong
And you really do have worth
And you learn and you learn
With every good bye you learn.

Veronica A. Shoffstall

HELP WANTED: Men and Women of Character

The world desperately needs men and women. . .

who cannot be bought;

whose word is their bond;

who put character above wealth;

who possess opinions and a strong will;

who are larger than their vocations;

who do not hesitate to take risks;

who will not lose their individuality in a crowd;

who will be as honest in small affairs as in greater;

who will make no compromise with wrong;

whose ambitions are not confined to their own selfish desires;

who will not say they do it "because everybody else does it;"

who are true to their friends through good and bad, in adversity as well as in prosperity;

who do not believe that shrewdness, cunning, and hardheadedness are the best qualities for winning success;

who are not ashamed or afraid to stand for the truth when it is unpopular;

who can say "no" with emphasis, although all the rest of the world says "yes."

Did I say Thank you Lord?

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this morning when I woke up I don't remember did I say "Good morning Lord"? Did I say thank you for giving me a good nights rest? Or did I hurry and get out of bed to do my daily chores?

As the day went on and I heard the birds singing and all the beautiful noises around. As I looked in the sky and saw your beauty did I tell you " Thank you" or did I say Oh I forgot to go to the store and get something for supper and rush out the door.

Later this afternoon when I had a chance to sit down and relax a moment and appreciate the quietness did I say "Thank you Lord for the quietness you have given now so I can hear you speak to me on how to handle life struggles that come my way. It was my chance to open Your Word and have you show me how near you are. Or did I just pick up the paper or turn the TV on and ignore my chance to be with you.

Tonight when Someone spoke to me that has never had the time of day did I say, " Thank you Lord for answering my prayer" or did I get bitter inside and say why did he have to speak to me" Did I forget that you work in your own time and maybe it was the time to work things out and forgive and let go of the hurt inside.

Forgive Me Lord, I guess you could say, I didnt treat you like my friend today. I went through the day and forgot to be thankful for the little things that you had right in front of me. Tomorrow I promise I will do better. I may be busy but this time I will not forget you and tell you how much I love you. Tonight as I lay my head to rest, I promise you I will do my best. You are my God in you alone do I trust. I close my eyes and rest in your arms knowing that no matter what you will never leave me. If I am given tomorrow I will open my eyes and Praise you and know that my day is in your care. I do thank you God, Good night & I will see you in the morning.

Wishing all my brothers and sisters a good night sleep and the peace that God is at your side and will never leave you. Please know that you are all in my prayers and know that I care.

I KNOW

I know He is the beginning,

so why do I worry about the end

I know He is the creator,

so why do I wonder who will destroy

I know He has forgiven me,

so why can't I forgive myself

I know He is a healer,

so why do I speak of sickness

I know He can do all things,

so why do I say I can't

I know He will protect me,

so why do I fear

I know He will supply all my needs,

so why can't I wait

I know He is my strength and my salvation,

so why do I feel weak

I know that everything and everyone has a season,

so why when someone's season is over do I weep instead of rejoice

I know He is the right way,

so why do I go the wrong way

I know He is the light,

so why do I choose to walk in darkness

I know that whatever I ask of God, God will give me,

so why am I scared to ask

I know tomorrow is not promised,

so why do I put off for tomorrow what I can do today

I know that the truth shall make me free,

so why do I continue to lie

I know He gives us revelation knowledge and understanding,

so why do I lean on my own understanding

I know I should live in the spirit as well as walk in the spirit,

so why do I chose to live in the spirit but walk in the flesh

I know that when praises go up blessings come down,

so why do I refuse to praise Him

I know I am saved,

so why do I refuse the word He has given me

I know He has a plan for me,

so why am I rushing it because I am eager to do His will, when it is His time not my time.

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, if you want a personal relationship with someone you need to know who that person is.

So lets talk about who Jesus is.

Jesus is God, one of the trinity. The trinity is something that we humans sometimes have a hard time getting our brains around. It is God in three persons, the Father, the Son (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit. The important part to remember is that they are all God. God has always been, He has no beginning and will never end, therefore Jesus has no beginning and no end. See what I mean about it being hard to really understand? Well what is important is that you believe it, not that you totally understand it.

Jesus came to earth as a baby, born to a virgin (Mary). How could this happen? Well the Holy Spirit caused it to happen. After His birth, Jesus was still God, but He was also a human. Unlike us who are born as sinners, Jesus was born sinless. He lived a sinless life here on earth. That does not mean that his life was different from ours, He was affected by sickness, pain (physical and emotional) and He was tempted by Satan to do things which would have been sinful had He done them.

Jesus was a Jew. The old testament of the Bible is the history of the Jews up to the birth of Jesus. It foretold His coming. The problem was that the Jews thought that when He came He would set up His Kingdom on earth and rule from then on. Jesus did not do that, He came as a man and taught the people His Father's will. Many Jews rejected Him because of this, and finally they put Him to death on a cross like a common criminal.

YOU CAN RISE AGAIN

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, it is not impossible that a person may fall at some stage in their walk with Christ. In Proverbs 24:16-18, The Bible teaches about how even just people fall.

For those in grief, Christ offers comfort. For those full of heartache or physical pain, He offers hope and healing. To those who carry emotional burdens and broken dreams, Christ offers His strength. For those who struggle, He offers rest.After the dust clears from dreams dropped, a job shattered, falling finances or the banging sound of change, you can still find a place of inner peace.

The Lord changes not and stands ready to guide and provide for you and your family. Seek His comfort. Study His word. Surrender to His way. Keep your hope and trust in the Lord even when everything around you seems hopeless. Believe in God’s restoration and resurrection power for your life.

You can rise again.

I say again, You can rise again.

For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him. Proverbs 24:16-18

Today, I Cried.

Today I cried for the first time in a very long time. I’m not talking about the tears that are summoned by an injury, nor am I talking about the expression of grief that pays a visit when we suffer a severe loss.

I cried Today because I felt a new emotion. My initial response to this uncharted sentiment was one of amplification that comes after a moment of recognition.

It comes after an acknowledgement of something I have been trying to come to grips with for the greater part of my life. I cried for the first time in years because I experienced true love. That is to say, I felt a tremendous amount of love for something outside of myself.

I felt a feeling that made me physically cease my actions, breakdown and shed tears. In the wake of this realization in my heart and soul, a new peace, one unlike I've ever experienced before, took form deep within me. I have pondered this issue on numerous circumstances during times past. It wasn't until this very moment that I have become conscious of the consequences of my actions.

Now, I truly and wholeheartedly love something. It is an unusual kind of love than any I’ve ever experienced in my entire life. Surely, it is a different kind of love than the love I have for my family, friends, and life. It is diverse from all of those. It is a new kind of love. No one can tell me what it feels like, no one can even describe it, and most people never experience it. Today I cried in abundance for the first time in my life because I now know how much Jesus loves me.

When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled. And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.

Jesus wept. John 11:33-35 (King James Version)

WOW!

Yes, Jesus loves me.

HE IS

In Genesis, He's the breath of Life

In Exodus, the passover Lamb

In Leviticus, He's our high priest

Numbers, the fire by night

Deuteronomy, He's Moses' voice

In Joshua, He is salvation's choice

Judges, Law giver

In Ruth, the kinsman redeemer

First and Second Samuel, our trusted prophet

In Kings and Chronicles, He's sovereign

Ezra, true and faithful scribe

Nehemiah, He's the rebuilder of broken walls and lives

In Esther, He's Mordecai's courage

In Job, the timeless redeemer

In Psalms, He is our morning song In

Proverbs, wisdom's cry

Ecclesiastes, the time and season

In the Song of Solomon, He is the lover's dream

He is, He is, He is

In Isaiah, He's Prince of Peace

Jeremiah, the weeping prophet

In Lamentations, the cry for Israel

Ezekiel, He's the call from sin

In Daniel, the stranger in the fire

In Hosea, He is forever faithful

In Joel, He's the Spirits power

In Amos, the arms that carry us

In Obadiah, He's the Lord our Savior

In Jonah, He's the great missionary

In Micah, the promise of peace

In Nahum, He is our strength and our shield

In Habakkuk and Zephaniah, He's pleading for revival

In Haggai, He restores a lost heritage

In Zechariah, our fountain

In Malachi, He is the son of righteousness rising with healing in His wings

He is, He is, He is

In Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, He is God, Man, Messiah

In the book of Acts, He is fire from heaven

In Romans, He's the grace of God

In Corinthians, the power of love

In Galatians, He is freedom from the curse of sin

Ephesians, our glorious treasure

Philippians, the servants heart

In Colossians, He's the Godhead trinity

Thessalonians, our coming King

In Timothy, Titus, Philemon He's our mediator and our faithful Pastor

In Hebrews, the everlasting covenant

In James, the one who heals the sick.

In First and Second Peter, he is our Shepherd

In John and in Jude, He is the lover coming for His bride

In the Revelation, He is King of Kings and the Lord of Lords

He is, He is, He is

The prince of peace

The Son of man The Lamb of God

The great I am

He's the alpha and omega

Our God and our Savior

He is Jesus Christ Lord

and when time is no more

He is, He is, He is

Where was God on September 11?

On September 11, 2001, God was exactly where He always is – in Heaven in total control of everything that happens in the universe. Why, then, would a good and loving God allow such a tragedy to happen? This is a more difficult question to answer. First, we must remember, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9). It is impossible for finite human beings to understand the ways of an infinite God (Romans 11:33-35). Second, we must realize that God is not responsible for the wicked acts of evil men. The Bible tells us that humanity is desperately wicked and sinful (Romans 3:10-18, 23). God allows human beings to commit sin for His own reasons and to fulfill His own purposes. Sometimes we think we understand why God is doing something, only to find out later that it was for a different purpose than we originally thought.

God looks at things from an eternal perspective. We look at things from an earthly perspective.
Why did God put man on earth, knowing that Adam and Eve would sin and therefore bring evil, death, and suffering on all mankind? Why didn’t He just create us all and leave us in Heaven where we would be perfect and without suffering? It must be remembered that the purpose for all creation and all creatures is to glorify God. God is glorified when His nature and attributes are on display. If there were no sin, God would have no opportunity to display His justice and wrath as He punishes sin. Nor would He have the opportunity to show His grace, His mercy, and His love to undeserving creatures. The ultimate display of God’s grace was at the Cross where Jesus died for our sins. Here was unselfishness and obedience displayed in His Son who knew no sin but was “made sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). This was all to the “praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:14).

When thinking of September 11, we tend to forget the thousands of miracles that occurred on that day. Hundreds of people were able to flee the buildings just in the nick of time. A small handful of firemen and one civilian survived in a tiny space in a stairwell as the one of the towers collapsed around them. The passengers on Flight 93 defeating the terrorists was a miracle in and of itself. Yes, September 11 was a terrible day. Sin reared its ugly head and caused great devastation. However, God is still in control. His sovereignty is never to be doubted. Could God have prevented what happened on September 11? Of course He could, but He chose to allow the events to unfold exactly as they did. He prevented that day from being as bad as it could have been. Since September 11, how many lives have been changed for the better? How many people have placed their faith in Christ for salvation as a result of what happened? The words of Romans 8:28 should always be in our minds when we think of 9-11, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, and are called according to His purpose.”

Thank you "Got Questions Ministries" for blessing me throughout the years and for constantly seeking to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by providing Biblical answers to spiritually-related questions.

Things That Make Me Go, “Hmmm...”

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, please allow me to render a disclaimer before you read on. In this article and in any other article you may read in my blog I never discredit another race, culture or gender. In this article’s first paragraph, I will briefly mention words and or phrases such as “Black man” and “A black Perspective”. I am in no way a racist, bigot or a hater of any of God’s creation. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ and serve the only wise God. Therefore if you are uncomfortable please continue to read on because it leads towards a place we’ve all visited in our lives no matter what race we represent. I represent the human race. What race do you represent? Amen.

This year (2009) marks the 20th year anniversary of an Emmy Award winning Variety talk show that aired late weeknights in Broadcast syndication and aired from January 2, 1989 to May 27, 1994. The name of that show was “The Arsenio Hall Show” and I surely loved and enjoyed that show. The show was created and hosted by black comedian/actor Arsenio Hall. As a Black man I was so excited to see another black man successfully create and host such a show. It was a type of “Tonight Show, with Johnny Carson” with a black perspective. Arsenio was able to speak of things that that was sort of hush, hush talk in African American and Hispanic homes.

A frequent gag in Arsenio's opening monologue suggested that he still lived in Cleveland, and drove himself to Los Angeles every day to host the show, despite it being an impossibility to traverse the 2300 mile trip. While on these alleged long drives, Arsenio would ponder certain thoughts, referring to them as "things that make you go hmmm..." This running gag inspired a 1990 C & C Music Factory song by that very title. "Things That Make You Go Hmmm..."

While on my long drives to the prisons where I preach monthly or to a church I’m scheduled to preach in, I would ponder certain thoughts of my experiences with fellow Christians over the years, referring to them as "things that make me go hmmm..."

One of the biggest things that make me go hmmm... is how we as Christians are so selective about God, His plans and His promises in our lives. We seem to indulge in a mental smorgageborg of promises selecting to believe God would only keep certain promises but not all of them.

“Hmmm...”

Now for those of you who are reading this today, and you are believers, I dare say it: I could probably not find one of you who would deny that you are going to heaven. If I asked you these following questions right this very moment:

“Do you believe in Jesus Christ?”
“Are you going to heaven?”
“How do you know you’re going to heaven?”
“Do you believe His Word?”

How'd you do?

Now because you are so adamant, unwavering, inflexible, unbending, unyielding and immovable about going to heaven that truth could not be beaten out of you with a stick, the majority of the answers many of you would give would be as follow.

“Absolutely!, I believe in Christ”
“Yes, I’m going to heaven.”
“I know I am. God said so in His word.”
“Absolutely, the word says it’s true.

Sadly, for many of you who said, “I know I’m going to heaven. I’m a believer in Jesus Christ. I am going to heaven,” if I asked you, “Will God meet your needs?” Your answer may probably be “I hope so.”

“Hmmm...”

You have never seen heaven; you have never been there. You believe just based upon a statement from His word, based upon a promise He made, and you would not dare say anything else! What about God’s promise to meet your needs? If His promise to meet your needs is doubtful, maybe that promise of heaven is doubtful.

“Hmmm...”

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ let me tell you something. Neither one of them is doubtful, beloved. You ought to be just as adamant, unwavering, inflexible, unbending, unyielding and immovable about the promises for God meeting your need or saving your family or whatever it is as you are about saying that you are going to heaven. If God is good on one promise, He’s good on another promise.

The Message Translation of Hebrews 6:9-12 (MSG) says it nicely, "I'm sure that won't happen to you, friends. I have better things in mind for you—salvation things! God doesn't miss anything. He knows perfectly well all the love you've shown him by helping needy Christians, and that you keep at it. And now I want each of you to extend that same intensity toward a full-bodied hope, and keep at it till the finish. Don't drag your feet. Be like those who stay the course with committed faith and then get everything promised to them."

Some of you just need to hang in there. It does not always happen on our timetable, but God is faithful to keep His word, and He is greater than men. His promises can be trusted. He's never broken any and He promised He never will. Now that's what I call a sure thing.

24 HOURS

It is ironic that people spend so much time securing their lives on earth and spend little or no thought about where they will spend eternity. What changes would you make if you knew that Christ was returning in 24 hours?

In the way you live?

In your activities?

In where you go?

In your conversation?

In those to whom you speak?

In your motives?

What would you want to be doing at the exact moment that Christ arrives? The time of Jesus' return is a big mystery. No one knows when he will come back. Don't assume you can wait forever to get ready. Turn to God to forgive your sins. You can’t see the stopwatch of God’s patience, and there is no bargaining for additional time.

Get ready now.

SHAKE THE DUST OFF

My dear fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, have you ever wondered why did Jesus tell his disciples to shake the dust off their feet if a city or home didn’t welcome them? If so, here's why as follow.

When leaving Gentile cities, pious Jews often shook the dust from their feet to show their separation from Gentile practices. It also symbolized cleansing themselves from the contamination of those who did not worship God. If the disciples shook the dust of a Jewish town from their feet, it would show their separation from Jews who rejected their Messiah. This gesture was to show the people that they were making a wrong choice and that the opportunity to choose Christ might not present itself again.

The disciples were not to blame if the message was rejected, as long as they had faithfully presented it. When we share Christ carefully and sensitively, God does not hold us responsible for the other person’s decision.

Beloved of God, the closer you are to God the more sensitive your spiritual discernment becomes. Therefore we must put on the WHOLE amour of God and not just bits and pieces. Surely, no true soldier in the army of the Lord or of this world goes to battle unprepared.

I cannot give you a definite set of rules. Obviously, there will come a time when we are no longer able to teach certain people but we must do everything we can to (plant the seed), others may follow up with additional teaching (watering the seed), but in the final analysis, only God will provide the increase. Here are some passages that refer to the sending forth of Jesus' disciples to the lost sheep of the house of Israel as follow:

Matthew 10:14
Mark 6:11
Luke 9:5-6
Luke 10:11-12
Acts 13:51-52
Matthew 7:6
Hebrews 10:26-31
1 Corinthians 3:6-9

Apparently, Jesus was teaching his disciples that if some people will not listen to the message, their time could be better spent going to someone who will listen.

Are you receptive to teaching from God? If you ignore the Spirit’s prompting, you may not get another chance.

Father,
I ask that You wash my spirit, soul and body with the Blood of the Lamb and
I curse every corruptible seed that has been planted in me and
I command it to wither and die.
I command every foul, unclean spirit that may have attached itself to me,
To loose me,
To leave this property,
To seek dry ground and never return,
In the Mighty and Matchless Name of Jesus
Amen

NINE LIES WOMEN TELL THEMSELVES ABOUT MEN

Are these nine lies the only lies women tell themselves? Let's take a close look at them.

Lie #1: A Christian man must be God’s best choice of a mate for me.
First of all, just because a man calls himself a Christian doesn’t mean a thing about his spiritual condition. Hitler probably professed to be a nice guy. What really shows a man’s faith is action—not trying to get you into bed until you are both wearing a ring; initiating his own personal relationship with God and encouraging yours as well; and especially holding his feelings back in the relationship to allow God to lead. God’s choice of a mate for you is going to be a godly man, and if you listen, God will tell you through an active prayer life and the counsel of other godly influences whether this is the one He has picked out for you.

Lie #2: If it feels right, it is right.
Feelings are unreliable. Don’t trust them, especially when it comes to spiritual matters. Feelings change day by day, and they can lie to you. Women who rely on them to make important decisions are going to be extremely disappointed, making one mistake after another. The decision must be made objectively and prayerfully. Sexual sin in the relationship will cloud objectivity and good judgment.

Lie #3: I can overlook a few character problems (a.k.a. red flags)—no one is perfect.
If a man has glaring character defects, it is likely that he is not teachable. Teach-ability is the number one character trait you should look for in a potential mate. I am not talking about normal struggles or mistakes, but habit pattern sins or dysfunctions that control their lives and that they are not open and contrite about. If a man is teachable, he will humbly listen to God and to his future wife when making decisions. He will be willing to work at his future marriage.

Lie #4: I really know him after spending so much time talking to him.
Phone and heart-to-heart conversations are no substitute for real life situations. He can tell you anything you want to hear while hiding behind a phone. But get him with his family, or behind a rude driver, or at a restaurant getting poor service, and then you begin to see what kind of a person he really is. A wise woman will wait it out awhile to observe his responses in every possible difficult and awkward situation.

Lie #5: He always tells me the truth.
If you think that then you don’t know most men in this world. Most men are very good at telling women what they want to hear in order to get what they want—sex. Pressure for sex from a “Christian man” should be the number one indicator of a dishonest man with underlying bad intentions and hidden motives.

Lie #6: Coincidences are a sign from God.
Satan, the master liar and counterfeiter, is cooking up coincidences to get you off track, so beware! He doesn’t want you to wait for God’s best. He wants to handicap your services for the Kingdom by getting you to settle for a miserable and empty marriage. Ask for godly counsel from objective bystanders, pray hard, and stay intent upon God’s will and not your own.

Lie #7: It’s normal for him to pressure me for sex. That’s just how men are.
True godly men live to please God and not their own selfish desires. They honor women as the treasure they are, treating them with absolute purity as Jesus would have done. They care more about the purity of their Christian sisters than a quick thrill for the moment. Sex before marriage is a sin and if a guy is pressuring, he doesn’t care about what God thinks and he doesn’t care about you either.

Lie #8: There are many quality romantic perfect men out there, just like in the movies.
Women have so filled their minds (and hearts) with Hollywood ideals about men, two tragedies have resulted. First, no man could ever live up to that fictitious standard so they are unfairly compared and criticized. Secondly, a woman in the beginning stages of a relationship can tend to fill in missing information about a man with imagined ideals before she even knows him. She ends up “falling in love” with an idea, not a person. When the man begins to show signs of human weakness, she is disappointed but holds onto the relationship hoping the man she first imagined will return. The few real quality men out there are the ones who are living to please God. You will need God’s help to find them.

Lie #9: When I find a man and get married, I will finally feel happy and complete.
If that’s true, why are so many women getting divorced (or wishing they were)? Why do Hollywood stars ditch beauties for someone else? The truth is, you will only feel happy and complete when you let God be your first love. No man—especially one who is not God’s best for you—will even come close. When the excitement wears off (and it will), you will feel more alone than when you were single. By telling yourself the truth, you have every chance to find the very best man that God wants to give you.

My dear sisters in Christ, there is no such thing as only nine lies women tell themselves, there’s many, many more and with God on your side, they can all be revealed. Many of my dear sisters in Christ out there throughout the world are victims of lies that have caused them to have low self esteem and suffer from it so much so that some sadly induce sleep (suicide).

My dear sisters, WAKE UP!

Listen to me and listen closely.

You are a child of a God who does not lie or make mistakes; therefore you are more than good enough, you were never Worthless or a Failure, you can forgive yourself as well as the Person Who Hurt You. You can help yourself because God has never stopped loving you. Girl, with God, life is never hopeless or worthless. God was not punishing you, you were doing that to yourself by believing the devils lies about your self worth. The devils ultimate goal is to steal, kill and destroy your testimony, your life and your faith in God. The devil is the father of all lies and liars and he attacks with relentless pursuit until you resist him, then and only then, he will flee. Many of my dear sisters in Christ are even going as far as believing the lie that they are not good enough to be a Christians. Be and stay encouraged and fall deeply in love with the best man life offers. His name is Jesus. He will never let you down. As a matter of fact he may even find Mr. Right for you if only you would ask him. Trust me, He’s never failed. Amen.

Giving honor to my dear sister in Christ who is an inspirational Christian speaker, writer, and author, Julie Ferwerda. The “Nine Lies Women Tell Themselves About Men” was written by her along with many, many more wonderful and inspirational writings.

Thank you sister Julie Ferwerda, for being such a blessing.

TO DIE IS GAIN

I’ll never forget that night, way back in 1970 when my brother Ernest (aka - Boinest) was sixteen, my sisters Leticia (aka -Letty), Alicia (aka - Leets) Olga (aka -Tati) were twelve, five and four and the most popular one of all, the middle child, baby boy, family clown, pop’s favorite to beat and simply mom’s favorite to love, the one and only… me, Andres (aka – Andy, Andresito to mom and Elder Dre to the rest of the world) was eight. Our dear sweet mother (bless her soul) excitedly corralled us all together to witness an awesomely talented ten year old on the Ed Sullivan Show whom we all fell in love with.

His name was Michael Jackson. I’ll never forget that night that Michael came into our lives. I just pray that you were ready to die in order that you would meet our savior, Jesus Christ. I say that wholeheartedly and with a heart full of hope and love because those who don’t believe in God, life on earth is all there is, and so it is natural for them to strive for this world’s values—money, popularity, power, pleasure, and prestige. Now I know what Paul meant when he said in Philipians 1:21, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain". To live meant to develop eternal values and to tell others about Christ, who alone could help them see life from an eternal perspective. Brother Paul’s whole purpose in life was to speak out boldly for Christ and to become more like him. Thus Paul could confidently say that dying would be even better than living, because in death he would be removed from worldly troubles, and he would see Christ face to face.

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, if you’re not ready to die, then you’re not ready to live. Make certain of your eternal destiny; then you will be free to serve, devoting your life to what really counts, without fear of death.

Michael, you will surely be missed.

I love you man.

And always will.

Bless your soul.

Rest in peace my friend.