Nothing deep here. My daughter was bullied years ago.

I remember the days she begged us to let her stay home from school.

I remember the joy and anticipation of each new year quickly crushed by her peers.

I remember my wife and I feeling powerless.

So, yes COVID-19 is horrible and my heart goes out to everyone who has lost family members and who are struggling to recover.

But, the fact that many schools are offering online, virtual learning means some bullied children have been delivered from their ‘oppressors’.

Let’s pray that they are able to now focus on getting a good, safe education and use it to make this world a better place.

Do you know a child that’s excited about NOT having to go back to school?

Matthew 18:5-7 (ESV)

⁵ “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, ⁶ but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,^[a] it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

It’s okay to want things done the way you feel is right. It’s okay to be particular…to be a perfectionist…it’s okay to be detailed.

It’s okay to provide constructive criticism, but it’s not okay to be petty or hypocritical.

It’s not okay to hold people to a higher standard that you hold yourself.

It’s okay to try to maintain control in your life, but not everyone elses.

Remember how Jesus rebuked the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23. Read the entire chapter for context, but check out this verse…

Matthew 23:4 (NKJV)

For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

Jesus rebuked them for being ‘nitpicky’ and overly critical hypocrites. They were obsessive about criticizing others and expressing their expectations while not holding themselves to the same standard.

People are much more willing to hear what we have to say if we aren’t nitpicky over every little detail in regard to them. We can get to the point to where people won’t even listen to us when we are right.

People not only will avoid your good advice. They will avoid you.

People will view you as obnoxious, nasty, and overly opinionated…even those closest to you.

The term for this obsession, derived from Freudian psychoanalysis, is referred to as anal-retentiveness, or simply ‘anal’.

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Don’t be so ‘anal’ that you become an a**

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Remember what the Apostle Paul said…

Romans 12:18 (NKJV)

If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

It’s time to re-examine our traditions that are clearly in conflict with the word of God, and stop making excuses to justify what we want to do.

Matthew 5:33-37 (NKJV)

³³ “Again you have heard that ^(A)it was said to those of ^[a]old, ^(B)‘You shall not swear falsely, but ^(C)shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ ³⁴ But I say to you,^(D)do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is^(E)God’s throne; ³⁵ nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of^(F)the great King. ³⁶ Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. ^{37 (G)}But let ^[b]your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

James 5:12 (NKJV)

¹² But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into ^[a]judgment.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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As a child, did you ever play with a top? If so, when you spun the top it fun to watch it move around the top of a table. You allowed the top to spin on its own. If it got close to the edge of the table, you had the choice to intervene and stop it from falling, or you could allow it to fall. Now imagine if that top had its own consciousness and will.

Many people, even believers, ask how can a good, loving God allow evil to exist in the world. This is one of the spiritual realities that is difficult for our human intellect, not matter how sophisticated, to understand…

Isaiah 55:8-9 (NASB)

⁸ “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
⁹ “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts.

God created us for relationship. Real relationship. He doesn’t want robots, He wants to be loved. That’s why we want love and affirmation because we were created in His image. If God forced us to love Him, or if He forced us to believe, that love would not be genuine. If our actions were forced, they would not be from our hearts.

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One spiritual reality is that you can’t have good without evil. In order to have the reality of good, there must be also the reality of it’s absence. Another spiritual reality is that if good always exists, then evil must also always exist, otherwise how would we know that ‘good’ is ‘good’. The good thing is that God has the power over both.

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There must be a means for both good and evil to manifest for be displayed and exist. There must be a place for both to ‘reside’,

So, God gives us FREE WILL to come and go… to think for ourselves… to believe…to love… to reject…and to choose evil.

1. FREE WILL

Look at us, people, as that top spinning on the table. As we spin, if we have our on consciousness and will, we have a choice to choose where we spin on that table. We have the choice to choose good, and we have the choice to choose evil. If God forced us to choose good it would not be free will. God reserves the right to STOP us from falling off the table…to catch us if we fall…or to put us back on the table if we fall. Notice that when the end of time comes, God is not DESTROYING evil, He will SEPARATE good from evil…

Revelation 20:10-15 (NKJV)

¹⁰ The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where^[a] the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

¹¹ Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. ¹² And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before ^[b]God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. ¹³ The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. ¹⁴ Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second ^[c]death. ¹⁵ And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

It was the devil’s, who was originally an angel, choice to choose evil. That choice thus made him the personification of evil. He was the first to choose it, and it is in Him it resides.

John 8:44  (NKJV)

⁴⁴ You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

Any ‘villain’ in biblical history wasn’t cursed by God to be evil. Their heart made them an ideal place for evil to reside. From Pharaoh to Ahab to Jezabel to Judas to Herod…to Hitler, they chose evil. They were not ‘victims’ of God doomed to evil. Their hearts made their ‘house’ a comfortable home for evil.

2. HE USES BOTH GOOD AND EVIL FOR HIS PURPOSE

God uses everyone and everything He creates for His purpose. Sometimes He has to discipline those whom He loves, and those who choose Him. Sometimes He allows bad things to happen as judgment and as a consequence of people choosing evil to prove He is sovereign. Sometimes this is done through a natural disaster, but sometimes He does it through people. It was prophesied that the Lord would be betrayed. God was not going to use anyone who ‘chose’ good to do this, so Judas made himself that choice because of his heart…

John 17:12 (NKJV)

¹² While I was with them ^[a]in the world, I kept them in ^[b]Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is ^[c]lost except the son of ^[d]perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

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There were several occasions God used those who chose evil to fulfill His purpose…

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Exodus 14:4  (NKJV)

⁴ Then I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord.” And they did so.

Isaiah 10:5-12  (NKJV)

⁵ “Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger
And the staff in whose hand is My indignation.
⁶ I will send him against an ungodly nation,
And against the people of My wrath
I will give him charge,
To seize the spoil, to take the prey,
And to tread them down like the mire of the streets.
⁷ Yet he does not mean so,
Nor does his heart think so;
But it is in his heart to destroy,
And cut off not a few nations.
⁸ For he says,
‘Are not my princes altogether kings?
⁹ Is not Calno like Carchemish?
Is not Hamath like Arpad?
Is not Samaria like Damascus?
¹⁰ As my hand has found the kingdoms of the idols,
Whose carved images excelled those of Jerusalem and Samaria,
¹¹ As I have done to Samaria and her idols,
Shall I not do also to Jerusalem and her idols?’ ”

¹² Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Lord has ^[a]performed all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, that He will say, “I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his haughty looks.”

3. GOD HAS AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE

I love the way that the Complete Jewish Bible translation refers to eternity as eternity past to eternity future…

Psalm 90:2  (CJB)

² Before the mountains were born,
before you had formed the earth and the world,
from eternity past to eternity future
you are God.

God exists outside of time. He has not beginning or end. WHY GOD DOES NOT NEED AN ORIGIN STORY… So, everything God does is from an eternal perspective. No matter how ‘bad’ things may be for us now whether it be war, sickness, disease or disaster, He uses it for His purpose because He knows that even 1000 years from now, when we are experiencing eternal joy with Him, that the temporary ‘ugly things’ of life and time will not even matter. His eternal perspective can see that top spinning on the table, and He already knows that if it falls He will pick it up, or when the table is no more, He will hold the top in His hand.

Romans 8:18 (NKJV)

¹⁸ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

1 Corinthians 2:9  (NKJV)

⁹ But as it is written:

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

So, when we see the extreme evils in the world… When we see the tragedy of children with horrible illnesses… When we see those who are evil doing what they please with what appears to be impunity… We must still trust God and know that He is working what is sometimes difficult for us to understand for His eternal purpose…

Ecclesiastes 5:8 (NKJV)

⁸ If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent ^[a]perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them.

Remember, that as we spin on the table, God’s eyes are always on us (El Roi: The God Who Sees Me). Choose Him. Trust Him. Love Him, Work for His purpose and He will work all things out for our good…even when we don’t understand.

Romans 8:28  (NKJV)

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.

One of the most difficult things to understand in the Bible is used by unbelievers as one of the first bullets they shoot to say there is no God.

Why would a loving God allow people to be stoned to death? They go on to say, ‘who would want to serve a God like that?’

I’m quick to say, ‘Me!’ And, this is why.

Relationships fail because of expectations not being met. The Bible is a narrative about two relationships, God and those who claim to be His, and those who don’t.

There are also two dispensations of these relationships… Old Testament and New Testament.

The powerful thing about the Old Testament is that it’s where God gave us His expectations through His relationship with Israel and Judah.

Through THE MOSAIC LAW, we learned what behavior God loves and what behavior God hates. When we look closely at how God reacted to Israel’s behavior. Yes, sin is sin, but to put it simply, some sins piss God of more.

For example, if a stranger were to hack your bank account and stole one dollar, you would be angry. You would be angry that they invaded your privacy and sacred space. You would be angry that they stole from you, but not as angry at the amount they stole. But, what if someone close to you hacked your retirement, stole your life savings and used YOUR money to hire someone to kill you to get insurance money as well? How much MORE angry would that make you?

In the Old Testament there were some sins that led to being exiled, while there were other sins that led to death.

During that time, Israel was our example to let us know God’s level of displeasure.

1 Corinthians 10:10-12 (NASB)

¹⁰ Nor grumble, as some of them ^[a]did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. ¹¹ Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. ¹² Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.

God allows different things happen in different times. Back then they had the benefit of great miracles and hearing directly from God. Today we have the benefit of their experiences and technology that would seem like magic to them.

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It’s in the Old Testament that we learned God’s expectations…

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Romans 7:7-25 (NKJV)

⁷ What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, ^(A)I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, ^(B)“You shall not covet.” ⁸ But ^(C)sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evildesire. For ^(D)apart from the law sin was dead. ⁹ I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. ¹⁰ And the commandment, ^(E)which was to bring life, I found to bring death. ¹¹ For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. ¹² Therefore ^(F)the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.

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However, when Yeshua came and fulfilled the law, His death satisfied not only the penalty of eternal death, but also extended grace that the law didn’t. For example, look at His response in these two situations..,

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John 8:1-11 (NKJV)

8 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

² Now ^[a]early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and ^(A)taught them. ³ Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, ⁴ they said to Him, “Teacher, ^[b]this woman was caught in ^(B)adultery, in the very act. ^{5 (C)}Now ^[c]Moses, in the law, commanded us ^[d]that such should be stoned. But what do You ^[e]say?” ⁶ This they said, testing Him, that they ^(D)might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with Hisfinger, ^[f]as though He did not hear.

⁷ So when they continued asking Him, He ^[g]raised Himself up and said to them, ^(E)“He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”⁸ And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. ⁹ Then those who heard it, ^(F)being^[h]convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. ¹⁰ When Jesus had raised Himself up ^[i]and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers ^[j]of yours? Has no one condemned you?”

¹¹ She said, “No one, Lord.”

And Jesus said to her, ^(G)“Neither do I condemn you; go ^[k]and ^(H)sin no more.”

Matthew 19:7-8 (KJV)

⁷ They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?

⁸ He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

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So was the level of consequences left for our example in the Old Testament fair to the people living then relative to us today? Maybe not, but God never claimed to be fair, only just. GOD ISN’T FAIR, BUT HE’S JUST…

Because of this today we know God gets just as angry now at forsaking His day of rest by working unnecessarily, adultery, fornication, homosexuality, idolatry, or witchcraft as He did then. Now we know that stealing or coveting makes Him angry, but not as angry as the fore mentioned sins…yet all are sin.

The law and its consequences is our teacher.

Galatians 3:24-25 (NKJV)

²⁴ Therefore the law was our ^[a]tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵ But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

I encourage you to read through the Old Testament from the perspective of intentionally noticing how He reacts to Israel’s behavior. It gives great insight into how He feels when we do the same things today.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Psalm 26:3 (NKJV)

³ For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes,
And ^(A)I have walked in Your truth.

Psalm 86:11 (NKJV)

^{11 (A)}Teach me Your way, O Lord;
I will walk in Your truth;
^[a]Unite my heart to fear Your name.

If you consider yourself a disciple of Christ, you must be very careful of a popular affirmation these days…

I’m living my truth!”

Sometimes our truth is sin, anger, wrath, rage, lust, jealousy, prejudice, betrayal, hate, blame,a hardened heart, refusal to read God’s word, refusal to pray, forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, worshipping our desires, satisfaction of our flesh, rebellion against God.

The truth is, we can’t trust our heart or our ‘truth’ because without the truth of God’s word…it’s wicked.

Jeremiah 17:9 (NKJV)

⁹ “The heart is deceitful above all things,
And ^[a]desperately wicked;
Who can know it?

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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It’s easy to make our relationship with God ALL about us if we aren’t careful.

God called us to make disciples of Him through His Son and our Savior Yeshua the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Matthew 28:19-20  (NKJV)

¹⁹ Go ^[a]therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” ^[b]Amen.

One of the best approaches at studying the bible is to look specifically how the Lord REACTED to certain situations, conditions and behavior.

Look at the Lord’s reaction when He silently looked upon a multitude of lost people…

Matthew 9:35-38  (NKJV)

³⁵ Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease ^[a]among the people. ³⁶ But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were ^[b]weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. ³⁷ Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. ³⁸ Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

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Now look at how He reacted at those who had hard, hypocritical hearts…

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Mark 3:1-5  (NKJV)

3 And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. ² So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might ^[a]accuse Him. ³ And He said to the man who had the withered hand, ^[b]“Step forward.” ⁴ Then He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they kept silent. ⁵ And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored ^[c]as whole as the other.

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Above in Matthew, Yeshua, felt compassion for those who were lost. He wasn’t judging why they were in their particular situations…He felt compassion. Then He commanded us to pray to THE LORD OF HIS HARVEST to send workers into HIS harvest. How many times have you prayed for that? How many times have you had an interaction with an atheist and instead of praying for them, felt contempt. How many times have you gotten intensely angry at a drug addict, gang banger, racist, politician, someone who you consider to be a ‘great sinner’…(we are all sinners saved by grace Romans 3:23). These are all opportunities to plant seeds of God’s…

Word..

Love…

And to pray specifically for these people, even calling out their names if you are made aware of them. Hey! WHAT IS SECRET, CYBER MINISTRY…

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I have had to stop and ask God to help me make that a priority in my life. I have had to ask myself, “Aldtric, do you really care enough about God’s harvest, are or you just concerned about your own?”

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Now, let’s quickly look what made the Lord angry above in Mark Chapter 3. It wasn’t compassion, but anger at the religious leaders were looking for a reason to accuse Him, ignored the good He was doing, and was angry at their hardness of heart. Again, this is a sign of someone who is lost and doesn’t know that they are. God expects hypocrisy and hardened hearts to make us angry, but we must respond to that anger with lifting them up in prayer, praying that God softens their hearts to His love, will, word and salvation.

Have you ever asked yourself if you hare concerned enough about those who are ‘lost’? Have you stopped to consider how you react to those who claim to be His own, but aren’t exhibiting their best behavior?

How often do you pray for HIS HARVEST rather than your own?

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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We all know that worship is giving divine honor to the God of our Salvation. It is giving homage and reverence to that or who we submit ourselves to. It is what we prioritize in your hearts above, before or equal to God.

Many feel they aren’t guilty of worshipping ‘idols’ because they don’t physically bow down to a graven image.

However, the bible proves that God considers idolatry to be much more than just ‘bowing down’.

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Quite simply, anytime we give something an equal or higher priority in our hearts than we do God, our Elohim, through His Son and our Savior Yeshua the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Notice how Exodus Chapter 20 verses is written…

Exodus 20:4-5  (NKJV)

⁴ “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; ⁵ you shall not bow down to them nor ^[a]serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting^[b] the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,

Exodus 20:4-5 (NLT)

⁴ “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. ⁵ You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me.

Notice verse 4 first tells us ‘don’t make them’.

Then verse 5 of the NKJV tells us do not bow down to them, THEN it tells us ‘do not server them’.

Verse 5 in the NLT says your must not ‘bow down to them or worship them’.

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God then goes on to say He is JEALOUS and will visit this iniquity to our children, grandchildren, and so on for generations (the bible says later the remedy for this is when children acknowledge, reject and repent of the sins of their ‘fathers’) (1) ONE WAY TO REMOVE GENERATIONAL CURSES…

Leviticus 26:40-42 (NKJV)

⁴⁰ ‘But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers, with their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, and that they also have walked contrary to Me,

⁴¹ and that I also have walked contrary to them and have brought them into the land of their enemies;

if their uncircumcised hearts are humbled, and they accept their guilt—

⁴² then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and My covenant with Isaac and My covenant with Abraham I will remember;

I will remember the land.

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Bowing down is only one POSTURE of worship, but is is not the only ACT of worship. 9 BIBLICALLY PROPER PRAYER POSTURES…

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Look at Romans Chapter 12 verse 1…

Romans 12:1 (NKJV)

I beseech^[a] you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your ^[b]reasonable service.

Romans 12:1 (NLT)

12 And so, dear brothers and sisters,^[a] I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.^[b]

Notice that God considers how we present our bodies to God DAILY. How we daily live our lives is how we SERVE Him or WORSHIP Him. This is without bowing down to anything.

Now let’s look at what God says to us through the Apostle Paul in Colossians Chapter 3 and verse 5.

Colossians 3:5 (NKJV)

⁵ Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

This is very powerful. We are given a list of SINS that we are to put to death. SINS that God has given us the power and responsibility to OVERCOME and PUT AWAY…NOT ask Him to TAKE FROM US. And the last one in that list is covetousness (an inordinate, disproportionately large, desire for worldly things or people). This can be GREED, RELATIONSHIP, or WHAT WE HAVE PASSION FOR. God considers WHAT WE PRIORITIZE BEFORE HIM IN OUR HEARTS TO BE WORSHIP!

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Now let’s dig a little deeper. When you prioritize things above HIS CHILDREN, He takes it personal. Remember what Yeshua in Matthew 25…

Matthew 25:44-46  (NKJV)

⁴⁴ “Then they also will answer ^[a]Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ ⁴⁵ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ ⁴⁶ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

So, putting money, animals, possessions, the economy, career, ambition, above people is putting those things above God. Ignoring those who are considered disadvantaged, or what some consider to be undeserving (prisoners) is ignoring God.

Even in contemporary culture, giving pride, arrogance, the economy, heritage, monuments, statues etc. more priority in our hearts than God, or too much priority in our hearts over GOD’S CHILDREN is worshiping those things.

When we allow those in our family or people…our spouse, our children, our parents, our boss, our fraternity, sports team, our sorority, our organization, or political party, our leaders to influence our decisions more than God and His word…it’s worship and idolatry.

Philippians 2:3  (NKJV)

³ Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.

Matthew 7:12  (NKJV)

¹² Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Finally, it’s possible to worship ourselves more than we worship God. I was guilty of this for a season in my life. When we make a point to workout and exercise more than we read and study our bible or spent quality time with Him in devotion and praise. When we spend every moment we can trying to build worldly wealth to the point we even forsake His day of rest…it is worshipping ourselves and idolatry. I have been guilty of this. At one season of my life I would get up first thing and rush through a prayer to hurry to my workout before work. I would would then work out again on my lunch break at work to the point I felt stressed if I didn’t exercise at least twice a day…

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When I was honest with myself, I was worshipping my body, more than I was worshipping God…

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1 Timothy 4:8 (NKJV)

⁸ For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.

Remember this…The devil knows he will never convince us to bow BOW DOWN to a graven image, so he convinces us more subtle ways to violate Exodus 20:4-5.

The reason that we get jealous sometimes when we feel our spouse or children is giving someone else priority over us in their hearts is because we are created in the image of God. We are capable of sharing His attributes and character. Godly jealously is that which is mentioned in Exodus 4:5.

We must be very careful that we are always worshiping God, and not unintentionally asking Him to worship us and our desires. We must study God’s word to find out HOW He wants us to worship Him and do so the way He wants us to, rather than make him settle for the way WE CHOSE to worship Him.

John 4:24 (NKJV)

²⁴ God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

• 

BE BLESSTIFIED!

We all know that no matter how we portray ourselves to the world, God knows what’s really inside our hearts…

1 Samuel 16:7 (NKJV)

⁷ But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have ^[a]refused him. For^[b] the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

None of us are perfect. We all have areas in which we need to grow. Sometimes our weaknesses, bad attitudes, selfishness, prejudices, pride etc., are hidden in our hearts from others and even sometimes from ourselves. Our lives are a lifelong process of learning our true selves.

---

But, God has a way to allow issues, circumstances and even opportunities to arise and reveal what’s really inside us.

Sudden wealth can show how selfish we really are.

Political issues bring to the surface the true feelings and passions of many.

Lapses of or lack of emotional control can quickly reveal what’s really in our hearts.

---

So, just the same as we want someone to tell us that there’s something in our nose, that our pants are unzipped, or that our underwear are visible, let us also hold one another accountable when we are showing how we really feel to make sure it aligns with the word of God.

HEY!…YOU’RE HEART IS SHOWING

BE BLESSTIFIED!

My sweet little niece, Indya Claybrooks, has such a gentle and godly spirit…the kind of spirit you want to protect from all the evil in the world. Then, she let’s you know that God has already prepared her to handle it through Him.

She is just like her uncle and loves to write.

As we were sitting together she said, “Let me show you my poem I wrote a few months ago. It’s in the image above.

Pray that God protects our children from every evil influence that tries to get to their hearts.

Psalm 8:2

^{2 (A)}Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
You have ^[a]ordained strength,
Because of Your enemies,
That You may silence ^(B)the enemy and the avenger.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

This piece is sure to rub some people wrong, but if God addressed it in His word, then I must address it.

People get both married and divorced for many different reasons. But, it’s God’s will for a MAN and WOMAN (only)… FOR THOSE WHO SAY JESUS NEVER ADDRESSED HOMOSEXUALITY…

Matthew 19:3-5 (NKJV)

³ The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?”

⁴ And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who ^[a]made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ ⁵ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? ⁶ So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”

God also makes it clear that He HATES divorce…

Malachi 2:16 (NKJV)

¹⁶ “For the Lord God of Israel says
That He hates divorce,
For it covers one’s garment with violence,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
“Therefore take heed to your spirit,
That you do not deal treacherously.”

However, as stated above, people divorce for many different reasons…

Money…

‘Growing apart’…

Careers…

Unequally yoked…

Irreconcilable differences…

And of course…

ADULTERY.

God also clearly says that if one divorces his or her spouse for a reason other than that which God allows commits adultery and causes the one he or she marries to commit adultery…period.

Many Ministers quickly say they would not officiate a homosexual wedding, as I wouldn’t, but I also ask heterosexual couples if they were previously married, and if so, why they got divorced.

Matthew 5:31-32  (KJV)

³¹ It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:

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.

Matthew 19:7-9 (KJV)

⁷ They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?

⁸ He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

⁹ And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

1 Corinthians 7:10-11  (NKJV)

¹⁰ Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. ¹¹ But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife.

---

That’s very strong and very clear. In God’s view, if one puts away their spouse they are bound. Entering into another marriage is viewed by God as adulterous.

So, ask yourself. Does God accept your marriage, or are you living in adultery?

But, what about the spouse that has been put away and wanted to stay married? Are they bound?

1 Corinthians 7:15  (NKJV)

¹⁵ But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace.

Here the Apostle Paul is talking about an unbeliever leaving a believing spouse, but it makes it clear that if your spouse leaves you, then you are not bound. (Please read all of 1 Corinthians Chapter 7 for context).

This is a difficult subject, but one that is not discussed enough. God is clear in His word, and He does not expect us to justify fitting it to our will, but we are to submit to His.

So, is adultery when the spouse has asked for forgiveness an excuse for divorce? For more on that topic, read this…

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

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

I’ve heard and seen this so many times, verbally, on social media and in the comments of blog posts… Someone responds to a comment with , “DO. YOUR RESEARCH!”

The level of arrogance inferred and implied in that statement is amazing to the point it’s almost comical.

To tell someone “DO YOUR RESEARCH” implies three things…

1. You assume that they haven’t already done their research.

2. You assume that your research is superior to theirs.

3. You assume that your sources are more credible.

People love to research, discover and present the FACTS that support their desired narrative. One of the things I learned after years as a Marketing Manager for a Fortune 500 company and years in the radio industry is that research, information and ‘facts’ can be manipulated to support a desired narrative.

This is why in a court case, you will find an ‘expert’ witness for both the prosecution and defense telling two different stories.

Of course, there are some sources that are more credible than others. However, filtering through our biases and perspectives is the real challenge.

Besides, my desired source is to study the word of God, and the history and culture necessary to put in all in proper context and perspective.

Remember, we represent God in how we reason with one another. If God has offered to ‘reason’ with us, then we should be willing to reason with one another with respect.

Isaiah 1:18  (NKJV)

¹⁸ “Come now, and let us reason together,”
Says the Lord,
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

God is perfect and God is pure love, so that means pure love is perfect.

1 John 4:7 (NKJV)

⁷ Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

But many times when relationships fail, when we hurt one another, or when we see the worst in human behavior, people will conclude that love has failed. When we look at someone that we consider to be pure evil, we can conclude, there’s not enough love in the world to help or save that person. When someone has betrayed us over and over and over and over again, we can conclude we don’t have ‘enough’ love to forgive them.

Yeshua (Jesus) said that in the last days because of the evil and wickedness in the world the love of many would ‘wax cold’, their hearts would begin to harden…

Matthew 24:12  (NIV)

¹² Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,

---

This is just a quick reminder that God’s love is perfect but ours isn’t.

---

God’s love is 24 karat gold…it’s pure. Our love varies from 1 karat to 23 karats, depending on the situation. Just because ‘gold’ isn’t 24 karat’s doesn’t mean it’s not gold. And, just because our love isn’t 24 karat, doesn’t mean it’s not love.

When our love has failed, it doesn’t mean there wasn’t ‘enough love to give, it just means we didn’t ‘give enough love’.

That’s the reason when people in a marriage or family hurt, betray, deny, embarrass, mistreat, and disrespect one another, it doesn’t mean they don’t love one another. It just means their love isn’t ‘pure’ ‘perfect’ or ‘mature’ enough. And, that’s a life long process.

Think about it like this. Ask yourself the following questions and fill in the blanks YES or NO.

Do I love God? __________

Have I ever hurt God?__________

Have I ever disobeyed God?_________

Have I ever embarrassed God?____________

Have I ever disrespected God?______________

Now…

Does that mean that you don’t love Him?__________________

1 Peter 4:8  (NKJV)

⁸ And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”

BE BLESSTIFIED!

https://youtu.be/5Qhk7v1i2QI

• 

If we aren’t careful, we can let pride and arrogance creep into our faith. That’s exactly what the Pharisees, Scribes and Chief Priests did. They contended with Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ).

Their spirits live on today in many of those who claim to be Christians. I had a conversation with a man earlier this week. He had shared a post that was going around social media around Independence Day. I responded to the post with a scripture from the word of God, and a brief on-line conversation followed. Below is the post followed by the conversation in the form of a dialogue…

HERE’S THE POST:

“I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservations or purpose of evasion; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States, and the Officers appointed over me according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice.I took this oath on June 15th, 1984 my oath has no expiration date.********For all my military retired and veteran friends, I challenge you to copy and paste this as your status. Replace my name and date with yours. Happy Independence Day!”

---

As you notice the statement is an oath. Those entering the military or public office take this or a similar oath before beginning service. There is only one problem with that, God clearly has forbidden swearing or taking oaths. Our Lord told us to simply let our YES be YES and our NO be NO, in other words, let the truth in our words stand on it’s own as He does.

---

So here’s the conversation:

ME:

Matthew 5:34-37 (NKJV)Jesus Forbids Oaths34 But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 But let [b]your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.https://beblesstified.com/2020/06/25/why-the-word-swear-needs-to-be-removed-from-the-constitution-asap/

HIM: (Justifying what he wants to believe in spite of what Jesus said)

“The only reason God forbids you from swearing to an oath is that he wants us to realize that when you swear to something, he is going to hold you to it. I swore to this oath and with God’s help I will hold to it and I stand by it. If he didn’t want us to swear to something then why did he swear in Isaiah that ever knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

As far as taking swear out of the constitution only weakens the meaning of it and would make it null and void and that is what the powers that be want.“

He was referring to Isaiah,,,

Isaiah 45:23 (NKJV)

²³ I have sworn by Myself;
The word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness,
And shall not return,
That to Me every knee shall bow,
Every tongue shall take an oath.

(This is God swearing by Himself. We are not God)

ME:

“Yeshua forbade us from swearing because He wants the truth in our words to stand on its on, like His. That’s why He said ‘Let your yes be yes, and your no be know’. You are trying to justify doing something that God clearly said DO NOT DO.Taking the word swear out does not weaken anything if God said don’t do it. As far as Isaiah, That was God swearing by Himself…we are not God. You already know that oaths were permitted in the Old Testament, just like ‘an eye for an eye’. James 5:12 But above all, my brethren, (A)do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into [a]judgment. God bless you my brother”

HIM:

 “I still stand by my word and I’m sure all others will as well.”

ME:

That’s fine and quite frankly that’s the problem. This is the type arrogance and pride that is bringing this country down. (pride comes before a fall). You are standing on YOUR word. I am standing on GOD’S word. I gave you scriptures from Matthew and James and explained the context of Isaiah. What you are doing is expecting God’s word to submit to YOUR will instead of submitting to HIS. Do you realize how dangerous that is? Do you realize that’s exactly what the Pharisees, Chief Priests, and Scribes did? I have done my duty in planting a seed of truth. God bless you. https://beblesstified.com/2020/07/05/worried-about-losing-your-freedom-look-at-your-own-pride-first/

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This concluded the conversation.

Friends, so many Americans feel their freedoms are being challenged through masks, socialist ideology and ‘sinners’ in the land. I am 100% AGAIST SOCIALISM, but one would have to ask oneself why God might allow that to happen. Remember, that Israel lost their freedom and were exiled into Babylon not because of the pagans in the land, but because of their own compromise, arrogance, hypocrisy and spiritual adultery. WORRIED ABOUT LOSING YOUR FREEDOM? LOOK AT YOUR OWN PRIDE FIRST…

Remember, Yeshua sharply rebuked the Pharisees for giving the traditions they wanted to keep above the word of God…

Matthew 15:3-9  (NKJV)

³ He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? ⁴ For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ ⁵ But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”— ⁶ then he need not honor his father ^[a]or mother.’ Thus you have made the ^[b]commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. ⁷ Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

⁸ ‘These people ^[c]draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
⁹ And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”

Matthew 15:3-9 is a classic example of what the gentleman with whom I had the conversation was doing. He asserted that despite what God said in Matthew 5 and James 5, he was ‘standing on his word’. That’s dangerous.

I pray in the name of Yeshua the Messiah that God softens his heart to submit to His word, His will and His truth.

Be very careful that you aren’t claiming you have more authority than God by putting your will or traditions above His.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

Proverbs 6:16-19  (NKJV)

¹⁶ These six things the Lord hates,
Yes, seven are an abomination to ^[a]Him:
¹⁷ A^[b] proud look,
A lying tongue,
Hands that shed innocent blood,
¹⁸ A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that are swift in running to evil,
¹⁹ A false witness who speaks lies,
And one who sows discord among brethren.

God hates pride, and that has never changed. Yet, it has become common and accepted to be proud and express that pride. To be clear…

Racial pride is a sin…

National pride (disguised as patriotism) is a sin…

Gay pride is a sin…

Being proud of your accomplishments is a sin…

Being proud of your children is a sin…

---

“I’m a proud American!”

“I’m proud to be Black!”

“I’m proud to be White!”

“I’m proud of my heritage!”

“I’m proud of our traditions!”

“I’m proud of my child!”

‘I’m proud of my accomplishments!”

God does not excuse pride, no matter how we justify it.

---

Proverbs 16:18 (NKJV)

¹⁸ Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 16:5 (NKJV)

⁵ Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
Though they join forces, none will go unpunished.

Did you see that? The bible just said that being proud is an abomination, something that stinks in the nostrils of God. Yes, sin is sin, all sin is wrong, but an abomination is a sin that really ‘pisses’ God off and kindles His anger even more. Kinda like…it’s one thing for someone to pinch you, but it’s a another thing if they were to shoot you.

PRIDE DISGUISED AS ARROGANCE IS A PLAGUE OF THE SPIRIT IN AMERICA

Just watch the news. Just look at social media. Just read some blogs. Humility is viewed by many as weakness, but being loud, being mean, being ‘tough’, being insulting, being condescending, being disrespectful is being validated by too many of our national leaders. The shame is those who call themselves disciples of Christ are not holding leaders accountable. The result will be the next generation will grow to believe this is behavior that is acceptable by God.

God resists those who are proud…

James 4:6  (NKJV)

⁶ But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:

“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”

Humility pleases God. Look at the Fruit (evidence) of God’s Holy 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.

In our culture, too many people view people with these qualities as weak.

Remember this. Anytime that you feel compelled to say, I’M PROUD, saying I’M THANKFUL is always more appropriate.

“I’m thankful for my children” rather than “I’m proud of my children”.

Try it.

WHY YOU SHOULD BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU SAY, “I’M PROUD OF___________”

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Sometimes it’s unsolicited. Sometimes it’s because of something you said or did. Sometimes it’s a response to something you posted…

An insult is hurled at you!

It happened to Yeshua the Messiah often. They called him…

A glutton…

A drunk (winebibber)…

Crazy…

They accused him of being possessed by a demon.

He was mocked the night before He was crucified. He endured all that foolishness for us.

And, He warned us that we would be treated the same way too for speaking up for Him…

John 15:18-25 (NIV)

¹⁸ “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. ¹⁹ If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’^[a] If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.²¹ They will treat you this way because of my name,for they do not know the one who sent me. ²² If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. ²³ Whoever hates me hates my Father as well.²⁴ If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. ²⁵ But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’^[b]

So, what do we do when someone insults us? Do we insult them back?

The Lord made it very clear what we are to do…

1 Peter 3:9
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing,because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

We are to bless them.

“God bless you.”

“Peace to you.”

“I love you with the love of Christ!”

Even though it’s not your intention to offend them, it usually frustrates people when you respond to their insult with a blessing. The demons that are provoking the insult get irritated, just as they got restless when Yeshua, Jesus, approached them in the Bible.

Matthew 8:28-29 (NKJV)

²⁸ When He had come to the other side, to the country of the ^[a]Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. ²⁹ And suddenly they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”

After blessing them, pray that God softens their heart to His love, will, and word.

And remember this…

Matthew 5:10-12 (NKJV)

¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹ Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. ¹² Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

Shame on those who claim to be in the Body of Christ but ‘cherry-pick’ the sins they feel are important.

Is homosexuality a sin? YES!

Is abortion a sin? YES!

Are these the only two sins that God prioritizes. NO!

Look at what God said through the prophet Isaiah…

Isaiah 10  (NKJV)

“Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees,
Who write misfortune,
Which they have prescribed
² To rob the needy of justice,
And to take what is right from the poor of My people,
That widows may be their prey,
And that they may rob the fatherless.
³ What will you do in the day of punishment,
And in the desolation which will come from afar?
To whom will you flee for help?
And where will you leave your glory?
⁴ Without Me they shall bow down among the prisoners,
And they shall fall ^[a]among the slain.”

For all this His anger is not turned away,
But His hand is stretched out still.

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For those of you who require New Testament support, notice what Yeshua told the Pharisees and religious leaders. He rebuked them sharply for their hypocrisy…

Matthew 23:23  (NKJV)

²³ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the WEIGHTIER matters of the law: JUSTICE and MERCY and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.

The spirit of the Pharisees is alive and well in many of those who claim to be Christians who act as though Jesus dies and gave them ONE NARROW NARRATIVE.

If you are a Christian, and have never spoken out against social injustice…

If you are a Pastor and have never preached against social and racial inequality and inequity…

If you don’t have compassion for the poor in the land…

Not only are you are not being true to the entire message of Yeshua the Messiah, Jesus Christ, but the spirit of the Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes and High Priests during the Lords earthly ministry still lives in you today.

You prove on which side of history you would have stood by your heart and attitude today…HOW YOU PROVE WHICH SIDE YOU WOULD HAVE CHOSEN IF YOU LIVED IN BIBLE DAYS BY YOUR ATTITUDE TODAY…

I pray that God softens your heart through peace to submit to His love, His will and His entire word.

WHY ARE EVANGELICALS SO QUIET ABOUT SOCIAL JUSTICE & CIVIL RIGHTS…

BE BLESSTIFED!

YES, of course homosexuals are welcome in the church.

Matthew 11:28 (NKJV)

²⁸ Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

NO, it does not excuse nor condone that particular sin. All sinners must repent and work on turning from lifestyles displeasing to God.

Romans 1:26-27 (NKJV)

²⁶ For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. ²⁷ Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

YES, there are fornicators and adulterers in the church…

1 Corinthians 5:1 (NKJV)

5 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named^[a] among the Gentiles—that a man has his father’s wife!

NO, their sins are not excused or condoned either.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (NKJV)

⁹ Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals,^[a] nor sodomites, ¹⁰ nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

YES, we are to speak out against homosexuality as any other sin…

Ezekiel 3:19 (NKJV)

¹⁹ Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.

NO, speaking out against it doesn’t equate to hate speech or judging.

Hebrews 3:13 (NKJV)

¹³ but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

YES, the church isn’t perfect…

1 Corinthians 11:18 (NKJV)

¹⁸ For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it.

NO, that doesn’t make the church as a whole bad. We are all works in progress.

Ephesians 5:26-27 (NKJV)

²⁶ that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, ²⁷ that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

YES, some people are passionate in their feelings against this sin…

Romans 10:2 (NKJV)

² For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

NO, that’s not an excuse to call people derogatory, hurtful, mean-spirited names.

Galatians 6:1 (NKJV)

Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.

YES, people are born with innate desires they didn’t ask for…

 Psalm 51:5 (NKJV)

⁵ Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.

NO, that doesn’t necessarily make them okay.

Romans 1:29-32 (NKJV)

²⁹ being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality,^[a] wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, ³⁰ backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, ³¹ undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving,^[b] unmerciful; ³² who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them

Romans 2:1 (NKJV)

Therefore, you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.

YES, this post is to provoke healthy, respectful dialogue.

Isaiah 1:18 (NKJV)

¹⁸ “Come now, and let us reason together,”
Says the Lord,
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool.

NO, I know everyone won’t agree with me.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

• 

“Hosanna!” is the praise the crowds shouted as Jesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem, but by the end of the week the crowds were shouting “Crucify Him!”

That’s why the Gospel of John reminds us…

John 2:23-25 23 “Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. 24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, 25 and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.”
Jesus knew (and knows) that we as people are fickle. We care about what you can do for us. People want to know, “What have you done for me lately?”

People believed because of the signs, because of the miracles, because they were fed, but when Jesus told the people that we had to ‘eat His flesh and drink His blood many left him to follow Him no more (John 6:22-66). This happened right after miraculously fed over 5000 people.

Fickle people will leave when the going gets tough.

Fickle people will leave when the money is gone.

Fickle people will leave when the relationship isn’t fun anymore.

Fickle people will leave when they are given the truth about themselves that they don’t want to accept.

Fickle people will lay you off work when they feel someone they see as smarter, or younger, or quicker, or more talented comes along.

People can be fickle with God when He seems to be moving too slow, or not moving at all. You get the picture. All that being said, we need to remember…

1. We need to strive to please God and not man.

2. We need to be thankful for, and nurture our closest relationships (Even Jesus had an inner circle that He leaned on more…Peter, James and John)

3. We will be sometimes be fickle with those closest to us… (Peter denied Jesus and they all scattered)

4. In our relationships with God and one another we must move from being FICKLE to FAITHFUL. (Eventhough they sometimes doubted Jesus, Eventhough their faith was sometimes weak, Even though Peter denied Him, Eventhough they scattered when Jesus was crucified…the disciples went on to suffer for and spread the Gospel!

The disciples went from FICKLE to FAITHFUL! Have you?

BE BLESSTIFIED!!!

• 

The crisis and calamities going on globally today are of a biblical proportion. As many people struggle to understand why, I ask you to consider this…

When and where did it become acceptable for those who believe in God through Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) to have pride?

God has made it very clear that pride is one of the deadliest sins… That He hates it…and that He resists it!

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Proverbs 6:16-19  (NKJV)

¹⁶ These six things the Lord hates,
Yes, seven are an abomination to ^[a]Him:
¹⁷ A^[b] proud look,
A lying tongue,
Hands that shed innocent blood,
¹⁸ A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that are swift in running to evil,
¹⁹ A false witness who speaks lies,
And one who sows discord among brethren.

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James 4:6  (NKJV)

⁶ But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:

“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”

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God resists THE PROUD and He resists THAT OF WHICH WE ARE PROUD OF!

God has not given us permission to be proud of ANYTHING!

Race,

Nation,

Accomplishments,

History,

Heritage,

Children,

Family,

Education,

Any monument,

Any statue,

Any flag,

ANYTHING!

From pride comes arrogance, hatred, racism, exclusion, supremacy, and the idolatry self-worship or worshipping the institutions we have established.

God does not allow us to be proud to be Black, White, Latino, American, European, or African. He doesn’t give us permission to be proud of any institution that we have established.

Pride is the source of many of the problems in our society today. You do know it’s the devil that’s convinced us this is okay…right?

The problems we are TOO PROUD and NOT THANKFUL enough. Think about it, God has commanded that we be thankful and not proud…

1 Thessalonians 5:18  (NKJV)

¹⁸ in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

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Anytime we use the word ‘PRIDE’ or ‘PROUD’, the word ‘THANKFU’L is always more appropriate! Try it!

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“I’m proud of my race”…. “I’m thankful for my race.”

“I’m proud of my country”…”I’m thankful for my country.”

“I’m proud of my accomplishments… “I’m thankful for my accomplishments.”

“I’m proud of my heritage… “I’m thankful for my heritage.”

“I’m proud of my children,,,”I’m thankful for my children.”

Once we claim we are proud, we’ve opened the door for the devil to pervert that pride into idolatry. Remember, you don’t have to bow to a graven image to commit idolatry…that’s why God said that covetousness (greed) is idolatry…

Colossians 3:5  (NKJV)

⁵ Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

Israel was exiled from their land and lost their freedom, not because of the sinners in the land, but because of their own PRIDE, ARROGANCE, COMPROMISE, COMPLA ASSIMILATION, and SPIRITUAL ADULTERY! That’s why God said…

2 Chronicles 7:14  (NKJV)

¹⁴ if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Many Americans are afraid of losing their freedom and pointing their fingers at many causes. Before you blame the potential loss of your freedom on anything…look at your own pride.

If you don’t agree, just look at what God said Himself…

Proverbs 16:18 (NKJV)

¹⁸ Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before ^[a]a fall.

Maybe, just maybe God is tearing down the idols of our hearts (Economy, Sports, Politics, Heritage). The real enemy ‘within’ is the enemy within us.

WHY GOD’S JUDGEMENT CAN’T BE BLAMED ONLY ON UNBELIEVERS & ‘SINNERS’…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

John 4:9 (NKJV)

⁹ Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.

Even though Jews and Samaritans were all the seed of Abraham, because the Jews felt the Samaritans were ‘less pure’ they detested them and did not associate with them.

Sound familiar?

Racism and prejudice have been around long before then though. But, let me first clarify that you can’t equate God’s prohibition from the Jews ‘mixing’ with other people as the equivalent to racism. This was purely spiritual because the nations around them served other Gods… It was a matter of faith and not race…

ENCOURAGEMENT FOR INTERRACIAL MARRIAGES: GOD DOESN’T FORBID ‘RACE MIXING’, BUT DOES FORBID ‘FAITH MIXING’…

FAITH, NOT RACE…
Deuteronomy 7:3-4 (NKJV)
³ Nor shall you make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughter to their son, nor take their daughter for your son. ⁴ For they will turn your sons away from following Me, to serve other gods; so the anger of the Lord will be aroused against you and destroy you suddenly.

Because we also notice how God punished Moses’ brother and sister when they protested his marriage to an Ethiopian woman and began to murmur against it…
Numbers 12:1-10 (NKJV)

12 Then Miriam and Aaron ^[a]spoke against Moses because of the ^[b]Ethiopian woman whom he had married; for he had married an Ethiopian woman. ² So they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it. ³ (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.)

⁴ Suddenly the Lord said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tabernacle of meeting!” So the three came out. ⁵ Then the Lord came down in the pillar of cloud and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam. And they both went forward. ⁶ Then He said,

⁹ So the anger of the Lord was aroused against them, and He departed. ¹⁰ And when the cloud departed from above the tabernacle, suddenly Miriam becameleprous, as white as snow. Then Aaron turned toward Miriam, and there she was, a leper.

It’s clear here that God did not have a problem with Moses’ marriage, but He did have a problem with their prejudice. That has not changed.

So, where does this come from, the hatred for others because of their race, heritage or culture?

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To make it simple, racism is sin. It’s an old tool of the enemy to divide those created in God’s image.

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Racism is a sin that is the fruit of and birthed from other sins. This is not definitely not exhaustive, but here are 5 reasons why I feel racism won’t go away until Jesus returns…

PRIDE

“I’m proud of my race.” “White power” “Black power” etc., can cause people to think their race is better, smarter and entiltled. The devil has even manipulated some to feel they are entitled by God. Even when God calls the Jews, ‘His people’, it’s not because they are better. He just ‘chose’ them to be the people He would use to introduce reveal Himself and His plan to the world, but this also came with great responsibility. In fact, Abraham already had a race. God didnt raise up a race, He raised a faith…FAITH, NOT RACE….

We must remember that God forbids pride. Anything good we accomplish is only because God did it thorugh us or allowed it. It is never of our own, so anything you find yourself being saying you’re ‘proud of something’ would be better expressed, ‘I’m thankful for…’.

Racial pride always leads to racism. Humility always leads to respect and love.
Proverbs 16:18 (NKJV)

FEAR

Much of racism comes from the fear of other races. Fear of sterotypes and quite frankly fear from those who chose to live their lives to validate some sterotypes. However, those stereotypes never represent an entire race. Yes, we all have some cultural norms and tendencies, but the truth is that we all have much more in common that goes beyond race.

When you find yourself being afraid (if you’ll admit it to yourself) of another race or culture even if you feel that other race is more violent, more manipulative, more ‘dangerous’ for what ever reason…remember everyone isn’t the same and…
2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)
⁷ For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

JEALOUSLY

Many times racism is provoked by jealousy. Isn’t it amazing how God uses all things for His purpose. He even uses this jealousy to provoke ‘His people’ to accept Yeshua, Christ Jesus as LORD and Savior, while bringing salvation to the Gentiles…
Romans 11:11-12 (NKJV)
¹¹ I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their ^[a]fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. ¹² Now if their ^[b]fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!

GREED

Throughout history nations and races have lusted after the resources of another, then decided for themselves that the other nation or race is inferior, incapable or unable to manage their own resources. They have decided that God has entitled them to the the resources, land and even to own others. I feel this is the main justification for colonization, and conquering throughout history. People have even tried to justifying their lust and pursuit of others’ resources by comparing their missions to that of Isreal conquering the lands around them in the book of Joshua. But, THAT was God fulfilling His promise to Abraham, while pronouncing judgment on the surrounding nations as an example…totally different.

Think of how much the enemy has used racism to even allow those within the church to justify their predjudices. The church is still largley segregated, mainly because of culture. There’s no harm in this unless a particular church excludes those of other races.

BLAME

Here’s a big one. People love to blame! Blame the problems and issues of this world on others. Hitler used this to blame the problems of Germany, Europe and the world on the Jews. Unfortunatley, people are doing the same thing today. They are blaming the limited resources, crime, social issues etc. on other races and cultures.

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But here’s the good news, just like any other sin and weakness we can win our personal battles and tendacies towards racist behavior IF WE REALLY WANT TO DO SO.

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Too many Christians work on their other sins, but find reasons to justify their racism. This is when this scripture is most powerful…
Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)
¹³ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

In the meantime, the enemy will still continue to use this effective tool to divide us. He will continue to use it to make fools of us
Galatians 3:27-28 (NKJV)
²⁷ For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. ²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

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The truth is that racism won’t go away until the return of Yeshua, Christ Jesus, and we all become citizens of the kingdom that He is establishing right now on the earth…

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Philippians 3:20 (NKJV)
²⁰ For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

Please don’t let the current political, social and economic climate allow the devil to manipulate you with racism.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

Even though it’s not perfect I’m thankful to God to live in a country, The United States of America, that allows you to protest…allows you to hold leaders accountable…allows you the freedom to help this country grow into being the country that God has called it to be.

Psalm 33:12  (NKJV)

¹² Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.

The United States was born through protest. The colonists felt they were being oppressed by England and their protest resulted in the USA.

We all know there are nations where if you speak out against the leader, you will be killed. There are many nations today where if you attempt to publicly protest, you will be imprisoned. That’s why it’s dangerous when you see a leader who fires or tries to discredit those who disagree with him or her, because if conditions were right, they have the potential to be a dictator.

When you think about it, part of America’s character and turbulent history is the protests. The southern states rebelled because they felt they were being oppressed by the Federal government. Even though they seceded, they were welcomed back in after losing. The United States fought for freedom around the world during WWI and WWII, while many it’s own citizens had second class citizenship. Many soldiers went to war, fought for freedom and were ‘put back in their place’ when they returned home. This is unfortunate.

Not long after that brave Americans who wanted equality and equity began to protest in what became known as the Civil Rights Movement. Many were killed because some Americans did’t want them to enjoy the same freedoms they enjoyed.

The right to protest peacefully is one of our most precious rights, and should never be taken for granted.

As you’re thanking God for the freedom to…

Come and go as you please…

Own your own weapons…

Pursue your own success…

Say what you want to say (with boundaries of course)…

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In the words of Prince Rogers Nelson,

“Be glad you are free,

free to change your mind,

free to go most anywhere, anytime,

be glad you are free,

many a man who’s not,

be glad for what you have and what you’ve got.”

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Stop and thank God for allowing you to live in a country that allows you to say what pisses you off, and work towards change with like-minded people.

As long as you do it peacefully and in a way that does not dishonor God, the Father of your Lord and Savior Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ).

Protesting peacefully doesn’t mean you don’t appreciate America.. It means you are exercising one of your most sacred rights.

1 Thessalonians 5:18  (NKJV)

¹⁸ in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

Have you ever stopped to think about how many blessings you may have missed out on because you said either out loud or in your heart, “I CAN’T”?

Many people comfort themselves when something doesn’t work out by saying, “Well, it was never meant to be.” That may be true sometimes, but definitely not always. Consider this…

What if the man who was waiting at the Pool of Bathesda told Yeshua, I CAN’T when he was told to take up his bed and walk…

John 5:8-9 (NKJV)

⁸ Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” ⁹ And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.

And that day was the Sabbath.

…He would not have been healed.

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What if the man who had been born blind said I CAN’T when Yeshua put clay made from spit on his eyes and told him to go wash in the pool of Siloam…

John 9:6-8 (NKJV)

⁶ When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. ⁷ And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.

⁸ Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was ^[a]blind said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?”

…He would not have received his sight.

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What if the woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years (had spent all her money on physicians who could not help her) had said to herself when she heard that Jesus was coming through the crowd, “I CAN’T! It’s too many people. I won’t be able to get to Him”…

Luke 8:43-47 (NKJV)

⁴³ Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, ⁴⁴ came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped.

⁴⁵ And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?”

When all denied it, Peter ^[a]and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, ^[b]and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”

⁴⁶ But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.” ⁴⁷ Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.

…She would not have been healed.

The Lord may not be telling you to take up your bed and walk. He may not be telling you to wash in the pool of Siloam. You may not be trying to get to Him in a crowd.

But, how many blessings have you missed out on because you said I CAN’T when He told you to…

FORGIVE…“I can’t forgive that!”

TURN THE OTHER CHEEK… “I can’t let them get away with that!”

GIVE… “I can’t give that preacher my money!”

HELP… “I can’t help that homeless person!”

SERVE… “I can’t, I don’t have time!”

PRAY FOR YOUR ENEMY… “I can’t, they hate me.”

Remember, the word CAN’T is the word CAN with a ‘KNOT’ tied at the end.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

There are so many times in today’s society that those who claim to believe in God through Yeshua the Messiah try to justify their behavior or the behavior of someone they support even when it’s contrary to what the Lord said.

When we do this, we are expecting God to submit to our will rather than us submit to His.

Example, I remember a few years ago Sara Huckabee Sanders, when questioned about the President’s so-called ‘strong words’ said, we elected him because he is strong and “when he is struck he strikes back”. This in direct conflict with Yeshua’s command to ‘turn the other cheek’. He didn’t say ‘unless you’re the President’.

So many times we feel justified in retaliating against an enemy. But, the Lord made it clear we are to bless them and look for opportunities to do good to them.

Yeshua gave some very clear commands in Luke Chapter 6 and they apply to everyone. Notice that the word UNLESS doesn’t follow any of these statements…

Luke 6:27-36 (NKJV)

²⁷ “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸ bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. ²⁹ To him who strikes you on the onecheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold yourtunic either. ³⁰ Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. ³¹ And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.

³² “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. ³³ And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. ³⁴ And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. ³⁵ But love your enemies, do good, and lend, ^[a]hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. ³⁶ Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.

How many times do you try to put an ‘unless’ behind what God said?

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Imagine yourself in the deepest, darkness reaches of outer space.

You’re surrounded by total darkness, so thick that you can’t even see your hand in front of your face.

Since God is EVERYWHERE that means He’s there with you in the middle of NOWHERE!

Imagine you have a small bulb that gives just a little light, and you turn it ON.

Suddenly, TOTAL darkness is erased. It only takes a little light to overcome total darkness…

Be that light.

Matthew 5:14-16 (NKJV)

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven

BE BLESSTIFIED!