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God teaches us in His word that wise counsel is priceless…

Proverbs 19:20-21  (NKJV)

²⁰ Listen to counsel and receive instruction,
That you may be wise in your latter days.

²¹ There are many plans in a man’s heart,
Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.

It’s good to get the benefit from the experience of others. But do you know anyone whose advice you really don’t want? Why? How do people feel about taking advice from you? Why?

Do people make any of these statements about you?

Is _____________ going to be there?

Is______________ going with us?

Are you inviting _________________?

Oh no! Here comes _______________?

HERE ARE 5 REASONS WHY PEOPLE MAY NOT WANT TO TAKE YOUR ADVICE…

1. YOU CAN’T HAVE A CONVERSATION WITHOUT GIVING ADVICE…

Some people don’t know how to have a conversation without giving advice. I know I young man who didn’t have his father around when he grew up. All the men in his life felt they had to mentor him. That’s fine, but not all the time. They would never just laugh and talk. Never could just tell jokes. And, if jokes were told, it was about how the young man wasn’t doing something right. “If I were you I would…”, “When are you going to…”, “Ha, Ha, Ha, that’s not how you do that, here let me show you…” He got to the point that he dreaded when they came around. “Oh know, here comes Uncle ________” he thought. Remember this, every moment doesn’t have to be a teaching moment. Every situation doesn’t have to be a lesson. And, people don’t learn by making fun of what they do wrong.

2. YOU AREN’T A GOOD EXAMPLE…

I had a barber once who loved to give advice about healthy eating. That was fine be he couldn’t cut my hair without his stomach rubbing against me. I also have an acquaintance who is always full of financial advice, but he is not doing very well financially himself. And, most parents get frustrated when people who have never had children try to advice them how to raise their children. I’m not saying people with children can’t give advice, or that you can’t learn from someone else’s financial mistakes, or that someone overweight can’t advice someone else on how to lose weight. But, I am saying that

3. YOU ARE ARROGANT & CONDESCENDING…

Yes, we see your level of success. Yes, we see that you’ve made great decisions. But, know we aren’t looking for advice every time you come around. Because when you give that advice you act as though everyone else is so stupid. When you give advice you belittle what they have done well. When you give advice, your tone is so mean that your advice goes unheard.

4. YOU USE IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRAG ABOUT YOURSELF & FEED YOUR OWN EGO…

These people really aren’t concerned about helping you, they just want an opportunity to glorify themselves. No, we are not interested in how well you planned, how smart you were, or how hard you worked. Because guess what, we planned carefully too. We made intelligent decisions too. We worked very hard too, but sometimes things just don’t work out. Ask any entrepreneur who had a strong business plan, researched their market, sacrificed for their business, put in ‘blood, sweat, and tears’ and because of factors beyond their control, things didn’t work out.

BEFORE YOU SAY YOU DESERVE EVERYTHING YOU HAVE BECAUSE YOU WORKED HARD FOR IT…

5. NO ONE ASKED YOU…

I’m not saying that unsolicited isn’t good sometimes, but most of the time, if people want your advice, they will ask you. If you notice that someone needs some help and aren’t willing to ask, find a way to BE an example of the behavior that you feel could benefit from their experience. Be creative. Pray and ask God for wisdom, or even let the know you’re available if needed, but blurting out unsolicited advice can be so insulting that it goes unheard.

Remember, advice is only good if it received, so stop, think, and pray before you speak into someone’s life.

The next time you get some unwanted advice, come back to this list to see how many reasons apply.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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Those of us who have faith in God through Yeshua the Messiah, with confidence, look forward to the promise of eternal life…

John 3:16 (NKJV)

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

However, Christians, even though some may not admit it, can still experience anxiety and fear from the fact that none of us have ever died before. Even though we are eternal, spiritual beings who are simply occupying our current temporary bodies, its difficult to see beyond what our consciousness has allowed us to experience.

Ecclesiastes 12:7 (NKJV)

⁷ Then the dust will return to the earth as it was,
And the spirit will return to God who gave it.

We are only ‘aware’ of when God allowed us to step into the continuum of ‘time’ and the physical world when we were born.

Many people think about the thousands of years that occurred before we lived and the fact that we have no consciousness of those years.

Many may sometimes wonder if we will return to the ‘nothingness’ of before the moment when God ‘quickened’ us into consciousness or gave life to our spirits and we stepped onto the stage of the world.

But, think about this…

None of us can remember the day we were born or even our first birthday, but we were all most certainly aware, conscious and ALIVE.

None of us can remember when we were in our mother’s womb, but we were most certainly aware, conscious and ALIVE.

So, our existence can’t be limited to what we can remember experiencing. The fact that eternity is something we can’t currently comprehend is confirmed in the word of God…

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

Now consider this…

How many times have you gone to sleep and slept for hours and when you woke up, you didn’t even realize how long you had slept? You couldn’t even remember what you dreamed.

Have you ever been ‘put to sleep’ with anesthesia? If so, all you remember is possibly counting backwards and waking up. You remember nothing about the surgery and activity going on around you while you were ‘out’.

Why?

Because in both instances, just like God, your temporarily existing outside the continuum of time. You have no concept of seconds, minutes or hours. You have no concept of time or the physical world around you.

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Our consciousness while we sleep is a partially spiritual consciousness.

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Notice what the bible says about what will take place when Yeshua returns…

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NKJV)

¹³ But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen ^[a]asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. ¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who ^[b]sleep in Jesus.

¹⁵ For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are ^[c]asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Those who are dead in Christ will be resurrected first. So, it’s very possible that just as when we go into a DEEP SLEEP and don’t notice how much time has passed, it’s very possible that when the Lord returns, those who died 2000 years ago will be no more aware of the time they were ‘sleeping’ than someone who died 20 minutes ago.

It’s very possible that as soon as you ‘die’ you immediately experience waking up to Christ’s return even if it’s 1000 years from now. You’ve just simply stepped out of ‘time’ and the ‘physical’ world.

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God is preparing us for death each time we go to sleep.

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So, if you feel some anxiety or fear of when you experience your last moment in this body, don’t be too hard on yourself. God knows that the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41).

BE BLESSTIFIED!

We have all done this. The one and only interaction that you had with someone was a bad one. You left a bad impression. Someone caught you on your worst behavior. Someone caught you on your worst day. Someone caught you in the heat of your anger and frustration. You were rude. You were mean. You were short. You were arrogant. You were proud. You were jealous. You were horny. You were apathetic. You were unholy. You were in your flesh.

It was the one and only time he, she or they interacted with you on a personal level, and you were at your worst behavior.

You were out of your character, but they didn’t know that. It was a lapse in your character, but they were left thinking…that’s just how you are.

Even though we are commanded to love one another, you gave them a good reason to not like you.

That person or those people were left thinking you weren’t a very good person.

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Has this happened to you?

How can you fix it? What can you do?

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Well who in the bible left a horrible first impression ? Let’s look at one well know example…the Apostle Paul.

We all know that Paul was passionate in his persecution of the church. His first impression was negative to countless Christians whom he persecuted, and his reputation preceded him.

Acts 8:3 (NKJV)

³ As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.

 Galatians 1:13-14 (NKJV)

¹³ For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. ¹⁴ And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

But, once Paul was converted, he began to build a new reputation, which took time. He was even more passionate and more zealous for sharing the word of God than he was when he persecuted the church.

1 Corinthians 15:9-10 (NKJV)

⁹ For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. ¹⁰ But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Through his labor and his sincere effort to share God’s word and God’s love, Paul built a new reputation, and many of those who knew him to be a persecutor of the church recognized him as a devout preacher whom they didn’t fear, but respected.

 Galatians 1:23  (NKJV)

²³ But they were hearing only, “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.”

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So, what can you do about the bad impressions that you have left behind? What can you do about the bad seeds that you have planted? It’s nothing deep, and really quite simple…

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You may never get an opportunity to see those people again, but if you do, make sure they see the real you, no matter how they act.

You have to work hard just as Paul did to leave behind enough new good impressions to outweigh the bad. You have to continue to prove that those bad impressions were not your true character.

You have to establish your reputation so that if any of those people who you hurt, snapped at, provoked to sin, left a bad impression can’t help but think… “That wasn’t him or her”.

Of course, there will be some people who will always be convinced you are the bad person that you introduced to them, but overall, just like Paul, you will be known for who your are.

God has promised that your good character and integrity will protect and preserve you…

Psalm 25:21 (NKJV)

²¹ Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,
For I wait for You.

 

BE BLESSTIFIED!

What? What are you talking about Aldtric? When God causes division in your relationship?

Well check this out…

Matthew 10:34-36 (NKJV)

³⁴ “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. ³⁵ For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; ³⁶ and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’^[a]

Wow! Why would Jesus say this? I thought Jesus was all about peace…harmony…agreement. I have to admit that years ago I used to let this scripture trouble me.

Let’s read one more verse that brings it all home…

Matthew 10:37 (NKJV)

³⁷ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.

God demands that we love Him first and that we always put Him first, even when it comes to family. He knows how much we love our parents. He knows how much we love our spouses. He knows how much we love our children…especially our children.

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God wants to make sure that we don’t allow our love for those closest to us to become worship…the idolatry of putting them first.

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He knows that sometimes the love we have for those closest to us will cause a spiritual conflict and dilemma.

God knows sometimes we will have disagreements in our homes over spiritual things. Because of the verses above, I believe that sometimes God Himself presents these situations.

It could be over where to go to church, when to go to church, how much to give, what changes we will make in our household.

We all know that even when both people in the relationship are believers, they aren’t always on the same page. Couples don’t always mature spiritually in harmony. They don’t always  receive and respond to the word the same.

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Have you ever had a disagreement in your family over something spiritual?

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Sometimes, God will present to you an opportunity to choose between you and your loved one. He will give you the opportunity to assert to those closest to you that you will put Him first, and will not compromise…even then it comes to them. And, when you choose Him and His will, you then have to trust God to bring peace.

There are also some situations where there may be a married couple who does not believe in God. One of the two may come to believe before the other…here God did not bring peace, but division, just as the scripture said. This most likely happened very often in the early days of the church, and perfect provision was made for this situation in 1 Corinthians Chapter 7.

You may have a child who wants to participate in an activity that will prevent them from attending worship service. If do what we are supposed to do as parents and assert that nothing comes before worship, it will cause division.

How about this one, your child wants to listen to music that is inappropriate…this can cause division.

Sometimes the person who’s closest to you may want you to go somewhere, do something, read something or watch something that you feel may be displeasing to God… this will cause division.

But, when this takes place, God is still working it out for the good of everyone involved. When you find yourself being put in the position to put God’s desires before you loved one’s desires…

 

1. Stand your ground based on the bible and not how you feel.
2. Go and pray that God soften your loved one’s heart to submit to His will.
3. This is a big one! Regularly pray for His spirit of agreement in your relationship, just as He is one with our Lord and Savior, Yeshua Christ Jesus. (Read John 17:20-23)
4. Trust God to THEN bring peace into your relationship.

 

One more thing…

The next time you are frustrated with God, or feel He is being unfair to you. Be careful that you DO NOT share how you feel with your loved one. You don’t want their love your you to cause them to be upset with go too. Trust God! He will eventually resolve the situation that’s troubling you, and when He does, you don’t want to have been a stumbling block their relationship with Him.

Whether it’s a marriage, parent child relationship, close friends or whatever…

When God causes division in your relationship, it isn’t to tear you apart, it’s to bring both of you closer to Him.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

God’s wisdom is amazing! Have you ever thought about God’s wisdom in raising up a FAITH rather than RACE?

WHEN GOD CALLED ABRAM, HE WASN’T CREATING A RACE OF PEOPLE, GOD WAS CREATING A PEOPLE OF FAITH.

Abraham was not called based on his heritage, but his FAITH.

Genesis 15:6 (NIV)

6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness

God is not Black, White, Asian, or any other RACE. RACE is of the flesh, and God is a SPIRIT.

Colossians 1:15(NKJV)

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation

People need to stop trying to claim God for themselves, He is an invisible spirit and Jesus, Yeshua, represents the invisible God bodily…

Colossians 2:9(NKJV)

9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

He was born into the Jewish/Hebrew faith because that’s the people the one true and living God raised up to introduce/reveal Himself to the world…and remember Jesus (The Living Word) was also there in the beginning…

Genesis 1:16 

“Let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness.

John 1:1-3 (NKJV)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

There is only one description of the Son of Man after He was resurrected in the scriptures, and you rarely see Him portrayed accordingly…

Revelation 1:12-18(NKJV)

12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters;

Trying to attribute a RACE to God the Father is one of the enemy’s tricks to divide people of FAITH…Portraying Jesus as anything other than Mediterranean is, well…silly.

John 4:24 (NKJV)

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

BE BLESSTIFIED!

When God delivered Lot from Sodom, Lot really didn’t want to go. God had to literally snatch him out, and gave them a stern warning that they DO NOT LOOK BACK!

Genesis 19:15-17  (NKJV)

¹⁵ When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, “Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city.” ¹⁶ And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife’s hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. ¹⁷ So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that ^[a]he said, “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be ^[b]destroyed.”

Looking back implies that you don’t want to go...

Looking back implies that you regret leaving…

Looking back implies that your heart is still there...

We all know what happened to Lot’s wife when she looked back. She turned into a pillar of salt as an extreme example for us of the dangers in LOOKING BACK…

Genesis 19:26  (NKJV)

²⁶ But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

Remember what God taught us through the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians Chapter 10…

1 Corinthians 10:11  (NKJV)

¹¹ Now ^[a]all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our ^[b]admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

God doesn’t change. God gets just as angry when we look back as He got when Lot’s wife did. He get’s just as frustrated when want to hang on to what we should let go of.

So, let me warn us of some situations when we should never look back.

IF IT MAKES YOU ANGRY

Unmanaged anger leads to rage and rage leads to hatred and wrath. Wrath is the result of uncontrolled anger. Why continue to look back on things that can lead to greater sin? Why look back on things that can prevent you from forgiving?

IF IT MADE YOU HORNY

We all know that lust leads to a variety of sins, but lust must be fed. It is fed through our senses. What we see…What we hear…What we smell…What we touch…What we taste… So, some pictures or videos you don’t need to see or watch ever again. Some colognes or perfumes you may never need to use again if it reminds you of a relationship that you should not have been in. Some text messages and phone calls you do not need to return..

Don’t look back!

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IF IT MAKES YOU FEEL DEPRESSED

Depression is real, but just like lust it can be fed with the thought on which we choose to linger. So, don’t look back on those triggers that make you feel bad. It could be as simple as you may be depressed that you can’t afford a vacation. Well, then you don’t need to spend time on social media scrolling through people’s vacation pictures and videos if you know it will depress you…Don’t look back!

IF YOU’RE TRYING TO STOP

Remember God had to snatch Lot from Sodom, but He would have much rather that Lot left on his own. The same goes for us. If you are trying to stop a behavior, habit or relationship that you know is displeasing to God, then stop putting yourself in the position to continue. There are some routes home that you may never need to take anymore. If you are trying to stop getting drunk, then stop walking down the aisle in the store with alcoholic beverages, until you’re strong enough. Again, don’t answer that phone call or respond to that text message if you know it’s someone that you need to leave alone. AS A MATTER OF FACT DELETE THEIR NUMBERS AND EMAIL. SINFUL RELATIONSHIPS DON’T NEED CLOSURE. THE NEED FOR CLOSURE IS LOOKING BACK. JUST STOP 🛑…Don’t look back!

IF IT MAKES YOU COVET

We live in a society where covetousness can sneak up on the best of us. There is nothing wrong with wanting more, but an excessive desire for wealth, possessions or something that someone else has leads to what you desire becoming your god…

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 list is by no means exhaustive, but I think you get the idea. You know you better than anyone. What are some things that can come between you and God that you know you shouldn’t look back at? Looking back can make your weaknesses stronger than your strengths.

DON’T LET YOUR WEAKNESSES OVERPOWER YOUR STRENGTHS…

HOW GOD HELPS US MANAGE OUR WEAKNESSES, LUSTS & VICES…

GOD IS GREATER THAN THE WEAKNESSES THAT HE GAVE YOU…

HOW GOD’S DELIVERANCE HAS BEEN TAUGHT WRONG…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

We have a tendency to categorize sins based on our culture, experiences, perceptions and personal theology. We tend to have BIG sins and little sins.

And, there are even some people who actually even feel that they don’t sin because they feel they aren’t committing the BIG sins.

We have this idea of what’s ‘evil’. When think of ‘evil’ things like violence, illicit sex, porn, drug abuse, physical abuse, oppression, racism, profanity, etc., etc., etc., come to mind.

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However evil is simply that what is contrary to God’s will and falls short of His expectations.

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Think about when Jesus was telling His disciples about His coming death and resurrection what Peter blurted out…in so many words he said, “No way! I got your back!”

Matthew 16:21-23  (NKJV)

 ²¹ From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.

²² Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, ^[a]“Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!”

²³ But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are ^[b]an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

Notice how Jesus responded. Even though what Peter said sounded noble, it was contrary to God’s will. That’s was sin. It’s not malicious. It’s not sexual. It’s wasn’t criminal, but it is WAS evil.

Now consider this example I often use. Jesus clearly forbids taking oaths and swearing under any circumstances.

Matthew 5:33-37  (NKJV)

 ³³ “Again you have heard that it was said to those of ^[a]old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ ³⁴ 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.

But, even the U.S. Constitution demands an oath or affirmation office (President, for example Article II, section 1, clause 8). Now it has become tradition to swear in elected officials, military, law enforcement and sometimes on the very bible that forbids it.

Our culture today values pride and arrogance that is disguised as confidence and sometimes patriotism.

How many times have we ignored a beggar or someone in need?

How many days have we gone without praying for someone else?

How many opportunities to share our faith have we squandered because we were afraid, ashamed. or it just wasn’t a priority. That is the sole reason for many of our interactions and relationships to be God’s representatives.

Remember what Jesus said…

James 4:17 (NKJV)

17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

 You don’t have to be ‘bad’ to be ‘evil’, and you don’t have break one of the Ten Commandments to sin.

Now is a great time to stop and thank God for His grace and mercy.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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Atheists love to prove not only Christians to be wrong, but anyone who they consider to be a ‘theist’.

In their passion to discredit the God, the bible, and those of us who believe wrong, many go to two sources…

SCIENCE

THE BIBLE

The fact is that if you have had a conversation with atheists, or monitored/participated in an online or physical forum with them, they often quote scriptures from the bible…

Questioning them…

Belittling them…

Mocking them…

Trying to find contradictions in them…

Trying to disqualify them and anyone who believes them.

Many of them dig pretty deep and go as far as to STUDY the bible trying to look for evidence to make their case against it stronger.

However, this tactic is not new. Even the devil himself knows the bible and tried to use it against Yeshua (Jesus Christ) in the wilderness…

Matthew 4:1-11 (NKJV)

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ² And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. ³ Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” ⁴ But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ” ⁵ Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, ⁶ and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ” ⁷ Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not ^[a]tempt the Lord your God.’ ” ⁸ Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. ⁹ And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to him, ^[b]“Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” ¹¹ Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.

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It’s unfortunate that many Christians are not equipped to contend against an atheist whose using the word of God because they don’t read and study it enough for themselves. It is essential that we in the Body of Christ study the work of God not only for our own relationship with God and spiritual maturity, but so we can be ready to give an answer to those who refute it…

2 Timothy 2:15 (NKJV)

¹⁵ Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

1 Peter 3:15 (NKJV)

¹⁵ But ^[a]sanctify ^[b]the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

Psalm 119:11 (NKJV)

¹¹ Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You.

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The word of God should be a part of our daily spiritual nourishment. Any Christian who goes days, weeks, months and even years without studying God’s word along with history, culture, biblical language and anthropology…is seriously spiritually malnourished. In many ways believers who don’t study God’s word do more harm to the Kingdom of God than good.

It’s a good practice to add to you prayer life prayers for atheists who read the bible trying to disprove it, that God will let what they read be ‘good seed in good soil’. Pray that God will actually give increase to the ‘seed of the word’ that they read so that they can believe in Him through Jesus Christ. Pray that God actually makes them laborers for His harvest, and give them a passion FOR Him that is even greater than the passion they had against them…

Matthew 9:38 (NKJV)

³⁸ Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

If Saul/Paul, a man who passionately worked to destroy the church can be converted…anyone can.

How often do you enjoy quality time with God in His word? PLEASE don’t dishonor God by allowing an atheist to know more about His word than you.

A ‘VERSE OF THE DAY’ is not enough!

BE BLESSTIFED!

What if you smelled like your thoughts?

What if your odor revealed what’s on your mind?

What if people could sniff what’s in your heart?

Would it reveal a dirty mind? Or, a mind meditating on what is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report and praiseworthy?

Philippians 4:8 (NKJV)

⁸ Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

Would it reveal the works of the flesh or the Fruit of the Spirit?

Would it reveal malice or good intent?

How would you smell at work? At school? While sitting in your home? While looking at your smartphone?

How would you smell while sitting in church?

How often would you smell good? How often would you stink?

What do you think?

BE BLESSTIFIED!

What is it that you like least about yourself? When was the last time you got ‘fed up’ with some aspect of your own character?

When was the last time you felt like the Apostle Paul when he said…

Romans 7:20-25 (NKJV)

²⁰ Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

²¹ I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. ²² For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. ²³ But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. ²⁴ O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? ²⁵ I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!

When was the last time you examined …

Your heart?

Your motives?

Your moods?

Your behavior?

Your prejudices?

Your priorities?

How you manage your emotions?

What makes you angry?

What makes you happy?

What impresses you? And why?

Are you a good, Godly influence to the people in your circle?

When was the last time you really thought about what God thinks about your character?

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

• 

Be careful when you’re more devoted to a person than the cause.

Be careful when the hope for the victories you seek has shifted from God to an individual — that’s dangerous.

Be careful when the person in whom you are submitting to as a leader does not display the Fruit of the Spirit or the character the God demands, no matter what so-called ‘good’ they may do…

Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV)

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

James 3:17-18 (NKJV)

¹⁷ But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. ¹⁸ Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Never forget the warning God gave us in order to identify false prophets, and leaders who have been appointed by the devil rather than God…

2 Corinthians 11:13-14 (NKJV)

¹³ For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

YOU CAN’T AVOID THEIR CHARACTER!

There have been many self-appointed Messiahs, but many times peoples’ confidence and loyalty to a leader can morph into worship, and ignoring their character.

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Be careful when your faith is in a man or woman to save the nation, church, or even family rather than God.

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Remember, what Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) did when the crowds wanted to take Him by force and make Him king.

John 6:14-16 (NASB)
14 Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
15 So Jesus, aware that they intended to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself,

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

Relationships are complicated and difficult, even good ones. But as we all know some relationships can slip into the category of ‘abusive’. And, abusive doesn’t always mean physical abuse.

When someone takes advantage of someone else’s love and mistreats them verbally or emotionally, that’s abusive.

When someone loves you enough to allow you to hurt them over and over again while always willing to forgive and move forward as if nothing happened, that’s abusive.

Micah 7:19 (NKJV)

¹⁹ He will again have compassion on us,
And will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all ^[a]our sins
Into the depths of the sea.

Isaiah 43:25-26 (NKJV)

²⁵ “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake;
And I will not remember your sins.
²⁶ Put Me in remembrance;
Let us contend together;
State your case, that you may be ^[a]acquitted.

That’s how powerful God’s loves is for us.

How many times have we abused Him verbally by taking His name in vain, or simply not giving it proper reverence and respect? Remember, YOU DON’T HAVE TO SAY “GD” TO TAKE GOD’S NAME IN VAIN…

How many times have we taken advantage of His love by promising we wouldn’t do something again, only to do it again…numerous times?

Psalm 103:10-14 (NKJV)

¹⁰ He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor punished us according to our iniquities.

¹¹ For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
¹² As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
¹³ As a father pities his children,
So the Lord pities those who fear Him.
¹⁴ For He ^[a]knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust.

How many times have we hurt Him emotionally buy putting others and things before Him?

How many times have we provoked Him to jealously?

Psalm 78:58 (NKJV)

⁵⁸ For they provoked Him to anger with their high places,
And moved Him to jealousy with their carved images.

How many times has He witnessed us committing spiritual adultery right in front of Him only to stand with His arms wide open welcoming us back into His love?

Notice how sometimes in the bible, God sounded almost like a hurt lover before He got angry at Israel’s sin…

Judges 2 (NKJV)

2 Then the Angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said: “I led you up from Egypt and brought you to the land of which I swore to your fathers; and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you. ² And you shall make no ^[a]covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed My voice. Why have you done this?

How many times have we put Him to open shame before His enemy and our adversary, choosing the devil over Him in our decisions.

How many times has the enemy had the same conversation with God about us that he had concerning Job? Have we always maintained God’s character through our trials?

Job 1:9-11 (NKJV)

⁹ So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? ¹⁰ Have You not ^[a]made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. ¹¹ But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse^[b] You to Your face!”

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How many times have we physically abused the Lord?

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Isaiah 53:5 (NKJV)

⁵ But He was wounded^[a] for our transgressions,
He was ^[b]bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes^[c] we are healed.

Hebrews 6:4-6 (NKJV)

⁴ For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, ^{6 [a]}if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

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Have you crucified Christ again today?

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The fact is that if this were a marriage (and our relationship with Him actually is) many of us would have ended it a long time ago.

2 Corinthians 11:2 (NKJV)

² For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

Isaiah 54:5 (NKJV)

⁵ For your Maker is your husband,
The Lord of hosts is His name;
And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel;
He is called the God of the whole earth.

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God loves us with a relentless love. He allows us to hurt Him over and over again. Quite frankly, that’s abuse.

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Never take for granted God’s grace, mercy and faithfulness to us. He endures our ‘abuse’ every day and allows gives us brand new mercies every morning.

Lamentations 3:22-23 (NKJV)

²² Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
²³ They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.

The first thing we tell people in abusive relationships is to GET OUT! Aren’t you glad that God hasn’t gotten out of His relationship with you?

BE BLESSTIFIED!

There’s nothing wrong with being recognized and awarded, but it can be a problem when we come to expect it. I was recently watching a Gospel music industry award show. The glitz. The glamour. The red carpet. The speeches… It almost seems like sometimes we’re saying, “The world has a red carpet, and we want one too!”

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Here again, I’m not saying there is anything wrong with it, but we must be careful that those of us in Gospel aren’t conforming, but reforming.

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Romans 12:2 (NKJV)

² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

And as I said, we also must be very careful that we don’t allow pride to slip in to the point that we EXPECT rewards, awards and recognition.

I wonder how many artists, songwriters, producers, etc., were actually disappointed or angry they didn’t win, or jealous of those who did? How many thought in their hearts, “They didn’t deserve it!”. Not to mention the thousands of people laboring for Christ, whose work is just as good, but are never recognized. In fact, in many cases, it tends to be the same group of people who continue to win or be honored.

We are human, and sometimes we can feel hurt when we see others getting all of the attention…especially when God’s anointing is working powerfully in your life.

On those days, remember this…

Remember that during His earthly ministry Jesus wasn’t:

Nominated for an award…

Accepted by the establishment…

Appreciated by those who needed Him most…

The ONE and ONLY time He was triumphantly celebrated (Matthew 21:1-11)…

Some of the same people shouted for, consented to, mocked at and celebrated His death (Matthew 27:16-26).

If you feel that you aren’t ‘getting what you deserve’…

If you feel that others are getting recognition while you’re being ignored…

Don’t get caught up complaining, whining, lashing out at the world for ignoring you.

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Stay focused and work your ministry.

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Our Lord has been waiting over 2000 years for His glory. If He can wait. So can we.

John 17:24 (NKJV)

²⁴ “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Does everyone ALWAYS practice what they preach? Do we always hold true to our standards, values, morals, disciplines…all the time? Do we all sometimes have lapses in our character?

Yes!

The apostle Peter was with Jesus from the beginning of His earthly ministry. He was there when Jesus performed miracles. He was an intimate part of Jesus’ inner circle. We all know that he betrayed the Lord, but Jesus warned him beforehand and restored him afterward.

Luke 22:31-34 (NKJV)

³¹ And the Lord said,^[a] “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. ³² But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” ³³ But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.” ³⁴ Then He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.”

John 21:17 (NKJV)

¹⁷ He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah,^[a] do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.

Peter went on to be used by God to help birth the church, spread the Gospel, perform miracles himself and co-author the New Testament. To say he was anointed and used by God would be an understatement, but he was also far from perfect…just like us.

In fact, Paul (as Saul), who didn’t walk with Jesus. Who wasn’t there for the miracles. Who may have even consented to His death at the cross was also eventually anointed and used mightily by God. Notice what happened when Peter would associate and eat with Gentile believers unless Jews were around…then he would separate himself from them fearing what they would say and how they would react.

Galatians 2:11-16 (NKJV)

¹¹ Now when Peter^[a] had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; ¹² for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. ¹³ And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. ¹⁴ But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you^[b] compel Gentiles to live as Jews?^[c]

Peter was being a hypocrite. Paul withstood Peter to his face, called him out and corrected him…publicly.

I know you are saved and sanctified. I know that you love God. I know that you are devoted to God, but are you a hypocrite sometimes too?

When have you found yourself acting outside of your integrity?

Sometimes publicly.

Sometimes privately.

Sometimes no one knows about it but you and God…but you do know. Don’t you? You notice it. You think about it. You may even pray about it and ask forgiveness, or you may be comfortable as long as no one else knows.

I’m not going to go through a list of the possible areas in life that we are sometimes hypocrites, but it could be as simple as…you portray yourself or even brag about being a law abiding citizen, but you sometimes drive above the speed limit.

That’s why God’s grace and mercy should never be taken for granted, because it is impossible for us to totally avoid sin, and hypocrisy is a subtle manipulation from the enemy which we ALL fall for sometimes.

The truth is that even when someone you love or someone you know has a hypocritical moment, you still know their true character…

So, let’s make sure that any lapse in our character is just that…a lapse. Because enough lapses in your character becomes your character.

Let’s hold one another accountable in love.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

• 

During the American Reconstruction after the Civil War, many of the first domestic terrorists used masks and violence to protect their ‘way of life’, that included the oppression and suppression of those who were recently freed from slavery. They even had the audacity to claim that God supported their evil cause. They did this by interpreting the bible through their own perspective, which is a sin…

2 Peter 1:20-21 (NKJV)

²⁰ knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private ^[a]interpretation, ²¹ for prophecy never came by the will of man, but ^[b]holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

Many people want to claim the fact that disciples of Christ are no longer under the law, but they want to use the violence that God allowed as He fulfilled His promise to Abraham and his seed to give them the Promised Land — that has been accomplished.

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Search the scriptures and you will not find ONE (1) example of Jesus or His Apostles using violence to build the Kingdom of God…not ONE.

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To the contrary, Jesus let it be known that was an option that He didn’t choose.

John 18:36 (NKJV)

³⁶ Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.

God let us know that promoting peace is a sign of those who are His children…

Matthew 5:9 (NKJV)

⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.

He let us know that displaying the Fruit of the Spirit is true strength…

Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV)

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

Too many Christians are impressed by violence rather than peace.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

If you’re a father, mother, son, daughter or child of God, at least one of these links will be a blessing to you. If you feel that you or your family is far from perfect, but you trust God with your family…click them all.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NKJV)

⁴ Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not ^[a]puffed up; ⁵ does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, ^[b]thinks no evil; ⁶ does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; ⁷ bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things

1. WHY EVEN GOD CAN’T BE A MOTHER…

2. 3 REASONS FATHERS SHOULD KISS THEIR SONS TOO…

3. THE HUSBANDS, WIVES, PARENTS & CHILDREN IN THE BIBLE WERE MESSED UP TOO…

4. LEARNING TO FUNCTION IN DYSFUNCTION…

5. IF YOU EVER THINK YOUR CHILDREN DON’T APPRECIATE YOU, THINK ABOUT THIS…

6. EVEN IF YOUR FATHER WASN’T WHAT HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN…

7. HOW TO PROTECT YOUR CHILDREN FROM THE ANXIETIES OF THE WORLD…

8. WHAT GOD MAY BE TRYING TO TEACH YOU WHEN YOUR CHILDREN ARE DISOBEDIENT OR DISRESPECTFUL…

9. WHAT HAVE YOU TAUGHT YOUR CHILDREN TO FEAR?

10. WHY IT’S NOT OKAY FOR COACHES TO CURSE YOUR CHILDREN…

11. WHEN GOD’S CHILDREN GET ANGRY AT HIM…

12. IF WE DON’T DO A BETTER JOB OF ‘MODELING’ ADULTHOOD, OUR CHILDREN DON’T HAVE A CHANCE…

13. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL BLESSINGS YOU CAN PRONOUNCE OVER YOUR FAMILY…

14. WHY YOU SHOULD MAKE SURE YOUR HOME & FAMILY ARE ‘COVERED’/2021 MAY BE WORSE…

15. THE DAY GOD DELIVERED MY FAMILY FROM DEATH…LITERALLY!

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

Too many people who claim to have faith in God feel justified to share their faith in anger, slurs, violence…with a mean spirit.

If history has proven anything, it’s proven that you can’t force your faith on anyone.

Notice how the Apostle Paul shared his faith in love and respect in Athens…

Acts 17:22-31  (NKJV)

Addressing the Areopagus

²² Then Paul stood in the midst of the ^[a]Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; ²³ for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription:

TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.

Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: ²⁴ God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. ²⁵ Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. ²⁶ And He has made from one ^[b]blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, ²⁷ so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; ²⁸ for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’ ²⁹ Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising. ³⁰ Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, ³¹ because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”

The enemy loves to disguise himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14).

Yeshua, (Christ Jesus) never forced faith on anyone. The apostles never forced their faith on anyone. The message of the Gospel has always been presented in love and that has not changed.

The fact is that Jesus showed kindness and compassion to sinners, while reserving His most scathing rebukes for hypocritical believers and those who are displaying ‘small’ faith.

If you feel you have to share your faith in hatred, anger or through insult…it’s a sure sign that your faith (your personal theology) is fake.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

1 Peter 1:7 (NKJV)
⁷ that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,

Once we are baptized into the Body of Christ, then comes of lifetime of growth in our faith. That public affirmation, testimony and ‘marriage ceremony’ of what has taken place on the inside is symbolized by being totally immersed in water.

But, as God matures us sometimes through trials and challenges. Difficulty in your life doesn’t always mean you’re being punished…sometimes you’re being perfected.

1 Peter 1:7 (NKJV)
⁷ that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
Malachi 3:2-3 (NKJV)

Remember,

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What water cleans, fire purifies.

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BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

• 

• 

Marriage is much sweeter with FLOWERS 🌺 and FRUIT 🍌!

Sex isn’t only for ‘procreation’, but it’s also for Godly ‘recreation’ within the boundaries of Godly marriage between a man and a woman. Unfortunately, from fornication, to adultery, to homosexuality, to pornography to cybersex…the enemy tries to provoke us to pervert God’s gift. However, God’s wisdom is interwoven into the ‘oneness’ of Godly intimacy.

Here are 11 of my BE BLESSTIFIED! articles about Godly sex, from a fresh “HEY, I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT IT LIKE THAT BEFORE” perspective…

1. GODLY MARRIAGE: WHAT IF THE ‘BIG O’ WAS TOO BIG (Adult but Holy)…

2. GODLY MARRIAGE: HOW SEX IS SUBMISSION AND HONOR PERFECTED (Graphic but Holy)…

3. ONLY ‘GODLY SEX’ IS GOOD SEX…

4. Godly Marriage: THE BLESSING IN WHEN YOU’RE NOT ‘IN THE MOOD’ AT THE SAME TIME…

5. THE BIBLE SAYS THAT BOOBS AREN’T JUST FOR THE BABIES…

6. HOME ALONE: THE BIBLE SAYS DON’T HOLD OUT ON YOUR SPOUSE!

7. FOR THOSE WHO SAY JESUS NEVER ADDRESSED HOMOSEXUALITY…

8. WHY IT’S STILL A SIN EVEN IF YOU WERE, “BORN THAT WAY”…

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

10. THE BIBLE SAYS THAT BOOBS AREN’T JUST FOR THE BABIES…

11. FINALLY HOME ALONE: THE BIBLE SAYS DON’T HOLD OUT ON YOUR SPOUSE!

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

Even though there are many races and cultures in America, it’s undeniable that many of America’s issues are in ‘Black & White’. That’s unfortunate because when God called Abram, and renamed Him Abraham…He created a faith, not a race. Faith in God through Yeshua the Messiah is based on faith and not race.

However, part of the ‘race’ problem in America is that all races have their ‘cultural demons’ that are immediately deflected, especially if presented by someone of the ‘other race’.

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You know what ‘DEFLECT’ means…

TRANSITIVE VERB

If you deflect something such as criticism or attention, you act in a way that prevents it from being directed t toward you or affecting you.

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The key to conflict resolution is common ground. So, I’m pointing out a ‘cultural demon’ from both races that are constantly deflected by many instead of addressed to change the culture.

WHITE PRIVILEGE

As I stated in a previous post:

Many say, I NEVER OWNED SLAVES!

Others say, I WAS BORN POOR AND WORKED HARD FOR EVERYTHING I HAVE!

And some say, I HAVE NEVER BENEFITED FROM ‘WHITE PRIVILEGE’.

Others assert, I’M NOT RACIST, I HAVE BLACK FRIENDS, SO WHY SHOULD I FEEL GUILTY?

I’m asking everyone who respects the Bible as the Word of God to consider this…

It is undeniable that in our nation’s history there wasn’t a hint of equality or equity for non-white Americans until the late 60’s.

Even if you had nothing to do with any of the evils towards Black people through the generations,, legacies and benefits of their behavior and systems transcends generations…culturally, economically, socially psychologically, and spiritually. Narratives and paradigms are set.

The Romans in the New Testament (the people not the book) are the perfect biblical example. They thought they were superior (even though many White people today don’t). They subjugated the Jews. The ‘system’ of their empire was set up to benefit them. Even if you had nothing to do with any of the evils towards Black people through the generations,, legacies and benefits of the system that has established thought and behavior and systems transcends generations…culturally, economically, socially psychologically, and spiritually. Narratives and paradigms are set.

However, rather than admit this, the response is too often…”There’s no such thing as White Privilege!” That’s deflecting.

BLACK ON BLACK CRIME

Black on Black crime is an unfortunate reality in America.

Again, this is from a previous post that I made:

There’s too many Black people killing Black people!

There’s too many Black people terrorizing Black people!

There’s too many Black people doing racists a favor by doing their job for them!

RACISTS DON’T HAVE TO FIRE A SHOT OR TIE A NOOSE WHEN BLACK PEOPLE ARE KILLING ONE ANOTHER!

And marches…speeches…block parties…the police or politicians can’t solve it.

But, rather than admit and address it, too many times when Black-on-Black crime is mentioned, the response is…’There’s no such thing as Black-on-Black crime.” That’s defecting.

This scripture applies to both individual and ‘corporate’ sins…

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.

Let’s all do better everybody.

It’s time to stop deflected and start connecting.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

Some were surprised, while others say they weren’t. The world watched people who claimed to be ‘patriots’ storm the United States Capital. While vilifying both peaceful and violent protests during 2020, they portrayed their cause as noble. Really?

It’s amazing how some people feel they own the narrative of what takes place in America. They feel they get to determine what’s unacceptable and what’s necessary…What’s disgraceful and what’s honorable based on their myopic perspective.

As people responded to this foolishness, I heard many people rationalize, “This isn’t who we are!” “This is not how we solve things in America. “

I do agree that conflicts should be solved peacefully, but to say, ‘THAT’S NOT US’ simply isn’t true.

Our nation was born through violence.

The land we all enjoy was violently taken from Native Americans and instead of honoring them… gave them less than second class status.

When freed slaves simply wanted to enjoy their new freedom, before the Reconstruction could ‘reconstruct’, they were quickly, and violently ‘put back into their place’ to ‘protect their former oppressors ‘way of life’.

As descendants of slaves struggled for decency, they were harassed, lynched, beaten, and shot by people who claimed to represent our Lord and Savior Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ).

My grandparents and their contemporaries were threatened, beaten and murdered if they tried to exercise their right to vote.

Our movies portrayed Native Americans as savages while fighting to protect their land and painted the cowboys as heroes.

Americans love to see the action heroes violently ‘put down’ the criminals while sexing up the women.

Movie theaters and living rooms erupt in cheers as ‘nerd’ who’s been bullied throughout the entire movie finally ‘beats up’ the bully.

Organize crime and gangs of all races thrive through violence.

Christians love so-called ‘strong language’ and threats to blow our enemies off the map if they ‘mess with’ the United States.

Believers put more effort into defending their gun rights than they did to keep prayer in schools. Rather than embrace 2 Chronicles 20 when the priest declared to Jehoshaphat that, “The battle isn’t yours, it’s the Lords” and God fought their battle for them…they want to be King David who ‘killed his ten thousands’. But, because of the blood on his hands was not allowed by God to build the temple (2 Samuel Chapter 7).

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People are more passionate about the ‘right to bear arms’ than ‘thou shalt not kill’.

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Too many Christians are quick to subtly threaten you by saying, “I haven’t been saved all my life” or “Don’t make me go back to my old self”.

America loves bumper stickers that say, “I will shoot you in the yard and drag you in the house!”

Sometimes it takes so little to bring out the worst in us, but so much to bring out the best!

Ideally, in a perfect world, we solve our problems through peace, but when you look at America’s history and look at our country today…America is

Impressed by…

Celebrates…

and justifies violence when convenient.

Unfortunately,

This is us!

I love the way so many people of both sides of the current political battle have denounced the D.C. riots, but some are still subtly justifying it as noble cause.

I love America. We are better than this.

That’s why I’m sharing this reminder and admonition…

This is a season for Americans of all races and cultures to repent of how we grieve the Spirit of God with our weaknesses.

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV)

¹⁴ If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

When Jesus was in the home of Mary and Martha, He reminded Martha that she had become distracted by what was ‘going on in the house’ rather than focusing on ‘who’ was in the house…

Luke 10:41-42 (NASB)

⁴¹ But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; ⁴² but only one thing is necessary; for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

Think about those who call themselves Christians.

Think about those who claim they make their decisions based on the bible.

Think about those who claim that they speak for God.

Has the enemy distracted believers from the core mission and message that Yeshua the Messiah gave us…

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.

Is making disciples a priority?

Is sharing God’s love a priority?

Is ‘being the peace’ in chaos a priority?

Is sharing God’s forgiveness a priority?

Is sharing God’s gift of salvation a priority?

Are we as believers repenting of our own sins? Or blaming EVERYTHING that’s wrong on ‘sinners’?

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.

Have we forgotten that we are all sinners saved by grace?

Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV)

⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Or, have we become distracted, just like Martha?

What do you think?

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

You are the object of someone’s fantasy!

Someone’s watching you, and they want what you have.

Yes, they want your body…

Your cancer-free body…

Your disease-free body…

Your two working legs and arms…

They want your ability to walk and run.

They want your ability to go to work every day.

They want your strength. Not you super strength, but your strength to take care of yourself.

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They want ‘What you’ve got!’

NOT the opportunity to fulfill their LUST,

BUT the opportunity to fulfill their LIFE.

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They want your freedom.

They want a family like yours.

They want to be just like you.

They want a roof over their heads…Food to eat…Clothes to wear.

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They fantasize about going to the grocery store and filling a shopping cart…

rather than carrying everything they own in one.

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They fantasize about buying a pair of shoes…About going where they want, when they want, in a car.

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They fantasize about going to the doctor for check-ups and not treatments.

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Someone would trade their good credit for your health…their riches for your peace. They’re watching you.

Please don’t allow our prosperous society to spoil you to the point of covetousness and being ungrateful.

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Don’t allow the ‘blessings of abundance’ to become ‘burdens’ to make you feel God is mistreating you if you don’t have everything you want. If you don’ have perfect health. If you don’t have ideal circumstances

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The bible teaches us to be content with food and clothes…

1 Timothy 6:8  (NKJV)

⁸ And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.

God teaches us to not worry about our needs…

Matthew 6:31-34 (NKJV)

³¹ “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

And, He teaches us to be thankful in all things.

1 Thessalonians 5:18  (NKJV)

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

Don’t get your wants confused with your needs. And remember, there is always someone ‘less fortunate’ than you…fantasizing to have what you may be taking for granted.

BE BLESSTIFIED