Day: August 11, 2018

IS YOUR PRAYER TIME QUALITY TIME?

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Have you ever gone through a season in your life that, yes, you were praying. You were even praying regularly, but if you’re honest with yourself it was more…

ritual than relationship.

You would quickly get out of your bed, (or on your bed) and rush through a quick prayer, maybe even the same prayer, every morning or evening just to say, “I prayed”.

If you’re like me, when I was little, I was taught that you could also quote a ‘verse’ rather than bless your food…so I would quickly blurt out “Jesus wept” so I could begin eating.

Now, I’m not saying prayers have to be long, but they must always be meaningful. If we truly take our privilege of having direct access to God through our risen Savior Yeshua, Christ Jesus, then we would make the most of it every time…

Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV)

16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

After all, we want all of our conversations with those who are important to us to be meaningful. We want that time to be quality time…and God is no different.

You may also enjoy these posts:

THE MISTAKE OF TEACHING TO GIVE SELFISHLY (GIVING TO GET)…

FALSE PROPHETS: TAKE YOUR PRAYER CLOTHS & MIRACLE WATER TO ST. JUDE CHILDREN’S RESEARCH HOSPITAL…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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WHEN GOD EXPECTS US TO FORGIVE ADULTERY (CHEATING ON GOD)…

wp-image-5514092jpg.jpg INFIDELITY…It’s the universal act of betrayal that many, if not most, find it difficult to come back from.

No matter what country, religion or culture, infidelity marks the end of many relationships. It’s viewed as the ultimate proof that love is lost.

However, the ability to come back from infidelity may be the ultimate proof of real love.

How can I say that?

Because marriage is the analogy that God uses throughout the bible, not only to describe His relationship with Israel in Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Joel, Isaiah and Hosea, but also Christ’s (who represents the invisible God bodily) relationship with His church in Colossians,  Ephesians and Revelations. All of the aforementioned, Old Testament books are stories of Israel continually betraying God, only to have Him continually forgive them and take them back.

Israel loved God… but they continued to choose other God’s over Him.

Israel loved God… but they continued to reject His commandments.

Israel loved God…but they continued to live below His expectations and standards.

BUT, when they repented God always took them back. Notice that I kept saying Israel loved God. The fact that they betrayed Him doesn’t mean they didn’t love Him. It just means their love wasn’t perfect. When we hurt God and one another, it doesn’t always mean there’s no love…it just means our love isn’t perfect. But God’s love is perfect. That’s how He can continue to forgive our infidelity to Him. When we choose to sin, when we put others before Him, when we live below His expectations and standards…we’re CHEATING ON GOD. We’re no different than Israel…no different than Judas betraying Him…no different than Peter denying Him. But, when we truly repent, He’s always willing to forgive us. Remember repentance means Godly sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:10)… to turn from our wickedness( 2 Chronicles 7:14), not just ask forgiveness. God is always willing to take us back. See…God proves that real love even can forgive infidelity. When we’re willing to endure the pain, embarrassment, betrayal and despise the shame as Christ did on the cross for His bride (Hebrews 12:2), we’re acting just like our Heavenly Father. Now THAT’S conforming to His image. Is it easy? No! But, God proves it’s possible.

Plus even in regard to marriage, notice what God said in Matthew 5…

Matthew 5:32 (KJV)

32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

Notice that the KJV uses the word ‘fornication’, but all other versions lessen it to ‘sexual immorality’…why? How can you commit fornication while married? Why did it not say, ‘saving for adultery’? Hmmmm. Because even though it’s not very common today, God intends for us to be virgins when we marry, so if you get ready to consummate your marriage and discover that your new spouse is not a virgin, you have a right to divorce then because they committed ‘fornication’. This is a fulfillment of Deuteronomy 24:1, but stands true for the man or woman…

Deuteronomy 24:1 (KJV)

24 When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.

And, don’t forget what Jesus told the woman at the well…

John 4:18 (NKJV)

18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.”

If adultery were an excuse to get out of marriage then all both have to do spouses is cheat to get out…that reduces marriage to nothing.

If the spouse repents, God expects us to forgive, just as He forgives us for committing spiritual adultery on Him. And, we do it over and over again.

I encourage anyone who’s been betrayed, that if the offender is truly sorry, and the relationship is important enough to you (usually the more you love them, the more it hurts) then you should follow God’s example and forgive. He can give you strength you never had to restore and rebuild any relationship, not just a marriage. Remember this. After Israel sinned, they went through some rough days. But, God always promised renewed joy contingent on their faithfulness.When you forgive cheating. When you forgive ANY betrayal in any relationship…things may not ever be THE SAME, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be BETTER.

Yes…just because things aren’t the same, doesn’t mean they can’t be better….it’s all up to you.

This is where the real power in…
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me ( Philippians 4:13) is realized.

This is where the real power in…
My strength is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9) is realized.

This is where the real power in…
And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you (Ephesians 4:32) is realized.

Forgive as God forgives us, over and over again (Matthew 18:22) …Enjoy your relationships…, even though your relationship with _________ may never be the same, doesn’t mean it can’t be better. (Yes…I was redundant on purpose)

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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WHEN YOU CAN’T SMELL YOURSELF STINK ANYMORE (My 2017 favorite) …

wp-1488387186094.jpgOne of the things that reminds me that our bodies and our flesh are temporary is when we stink. As good as you may smell right now, think of the effort we as humans have to put into avoiding smelling bad.

We have to bathe regularly…

Brush and floss our teeth…

Shampoo our hair…

Apply deodorants…

Perfumes…

Colognes…

We as humans have to work at smelling good. Whether we admit it or not, we all smell bad sometimes.

Sometimes if we have been working hard…been sick…or whatever, we can begin to smell unpleasant…YOU STINK.

Have you ever been in need of ‘freshening up’ and were actually able to smell yourself?

You may have raised up your arm, caught a whiff of your own breath…or whatever and said to yourself , “Wow! I stink!”

What’s interesting is that if you don’t get an opportunity to bathe soon, you won’t notice the odor anymore…you’ve gotten used to your own stench.

BUT, even though you CAN’T smell it, everyone else still CAN.

Our sin STINKS to God.

Isaiah 65:5 (NLT)

5 Yet they say to each other,
    ‘Don’t come too close or you will defile me!
    I am holier than you!’
These people are a stench in my nostrils,
    an acrid smell that never goes away.

Just as we all have to work to avoid smelling bad, we have to all work to avoid sinning.

Just as our bodies can smell bad, our spirits ‘smell bad’ when they are consumed with the works of the flesh, or sin…

Galatians 5:19-21 (NKJV)

 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

If we aren’t careful, we can become complacent in sin…bad habits…bad attitudes…inappropriate lifestyles…behavior that’s displeasing to God.

We can become complacent and comfortable to the point that we begin excusing, justifying or ignoring where we are wrong…

WE CAN’T SMELL OURSELVES STINK ANYMORE…

But others can still smell us…

AND, God can still smell us!

Have you ever gotten caught up in sin to the point that you began to…

Accept it?

Become comfortable in it?

Tell yourself, “It doesn’t matter anymore”?

Feel you couldn’t come back from it?

Say to yourself, “Why try to do better?

YOU COULDN’T SMELL YOURSELF STINK ANYMORE!

The bible tells us to cleanse ourselves of what defiles our body and spirit…

2 Corinthians 7:1 (NKJV)

Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

1 John 1:9 (NKJV)

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

2 Corinthians 7:10 (NKJV)

10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

 We have to recognize what IS sin…by reading God’s word from His perspective.

We have to acknowledge our sin…admit to ourselves that we are hurting God.

We have to regret our sin…if we are still proud of what we’ve done there is no forgiveness.

We have to repent of our sin…we have to ‘turn around’ and not put ourselves in situations to be tempted by our weaknesses.

Even though sin stinks to God, He has made it clear to us what makes us ‘smell good’ Him…

ACCEPTING HIS SON, THE LIVING WORD, AS OUR RISEN SAVIOR…

2 Corinthians 2:15 (NKJV)

 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.

WASHING OURSELVES IN HIS WORD…

 Ephesians 5:25-26

 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,

WALK IN LOVE…

 (Read 1 Corinthians Chapter 13 to learn how love behaves)

Ephesians 5:2 (NKJV)

And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

WALKING DAILY IN THE FRUIT OF HIS SPIRIT

 Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

 Remember…we have to work to avoid smelling bad…EVERY DAY!

Put effort into making sure your spirit smells good to God…EVERY DAY!

Don’t get to the point that you can’t smell yourself stink anymore.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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