Let me first say that this article is in no way excusing the sin, shortcomings of weaknesses of any preacher, but rather acknowledging them. I know that God expects us as ministers and teachers to set the standard of behavior and holds us to a higher degree of accountability.

1 Peter 5:2 (NKJV)

² Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly,^[a] not for dishonest gain but eagerly;

1 Corinthians 11:1 (NKJV)

11 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.

1 Timothy 3:2-12 (NKJV)

² A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; ³ not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money,^[a] but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; ⁴ one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence ⁵ (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); ⁶ not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. ⁷ Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

 James 3:1 (NKJV)

My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.

1 Timothy 5:19-20 (NKJV)

¹⁹ Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses. ²⁰ Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear.

But, I do ask you to remember and consider this…

Police officers sometimes speed while off duty…

Doctors don’t always eat healthy…

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And, preachers haven’t always perfected what they preach.

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The Word of God cuts preachers as He gives them inspiration, revelation and the anointing to share it. It convicts preachers of their sins as God reveals it to them.

Even the apostles were caught in and admitted to human moments…

Galatians 2:11-13 (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.

 The Apostle Paul…

 Romans 7:19-25 (NKJV)

¹⁹ For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 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! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

Sometimes preachers may even be transparent about what they are dealing with in their lives in their sermons or what they may write.

People particularly get upset with ministers as they call out particular sins and warn of their consequences….accusing them of judging. However, they are simply practicing, and sometimes struggling with what they preach, as they teach, instruct, encourage, admonish/warn those whom they are charged with.

Many people either do one of two things, they are oh, too ready to acknowledge that preachers are only human and diminish the authority that God has given them in the word.

Or,

People put them on a pedestal and treat them like ‘man gods’, which is blasphemous and wrong.

I just want to give everyone a reminder that preachers are the same is everyone else, that just like police officers and doctors preachers are the same as everyone else. Police officers are subject to the same laws they have been charged to enforce. Doctors are vulnerable to the same sicknesses that they have been educated to treat. And, preachers are clothed in sinful flesh and working out their own salvation, while also being charged with watching over the souls of the Body of Christ.

The next time you see a preacher repenting after having a human moment, or even a moral failure, remember that God didn’t remove King David’s anointing or kingship after his acts of murder, deception and adultery…because He repented. Yes, there were consequences, but God still allowed Him to remain in authority.

Also, remember if you see a preacher somewhere that you think they should not be…you shouldn’t be there either.

You might also find this interesting…EVEN THE MOST EFFECTIVE LEADERS DON’T ‘HAVE IT ALL TOGETHER’…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

 

• 

Conversation:

Them: “Al, doesn’t that get on your nerves? There’s no way I would want work with my wife and be together with her all day, every day.”

Me: “I understand dude. There’s no way I would want to be with YOUR wife all day every day either… but I LOVE doing so with mine.“

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I made a career change after a decade as a corporate Marketing Manager and Copywriter and became a teacher at the age of 50 three years ago.

My wife has been a teacher for the past twenty years.

Before then, in our 20’s, we opened a beauty supply store ‘TWO-GETHER’…

In our 40’s we launched our music ministry, literally ‘making beautiful music ‘TWO-GETHER’…

But, she has always inspired me to become a part of the ministry of teaching. She’s a phenomenal math teacher.

When I started, we were teaching in two different local districts, but then God did the amazing… He opened the door for us to both teach at THE SAME SCHOOL.

Hallelujah!

I’ve heard so many couples who seem as though they can’t wait to get time apart from one another, but not us.

Even after 34 years of marriage we LOVE being ‘TWO-GETHER’, so this was a dream come true.

HERE’S 10 REASONS WHY THE COUPLE THAT TEACHES AT THE SAME SCHOOL TWO-GETHER, STAYS TWO-GETHER…

1. We help each other pack lunches and get out of the house on time.

2. We get to have a therapeutic ride to work together every day.

3. We have the opportunity check in on one another during breaks to make sure the day is going okay.

4. We help each other remember duties and responsibilities in a fast-paced environment of high expectations.

5. We give other tips, advice and help through the daily challenges .

6. We enjoy a therapeutic ride home together.

7. We help each other with the duties we take home.

8. We save money on the daily commute.

9. We get our breaks, holidays and summers together!

10. We can totally relate to each other’s job related joys and challenges!

Ecclesiastes 4:9-11 (ESV)

⁹ Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.¹⁰ For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! ¹¹ Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?

After 34 years of marriage…God has given us something for which we have hoped for years. Hallelujah!

https://youtu.be/cRyli_SsPNU

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

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!”

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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.

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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!

You finally got it! That promotion you worked so hard for, or it may be that you didn’t earn or deserve it. Either way, you got it.

The first thing you want to do is make sure that it’s from God. But, how can you tell? It’s really very easy.

Here are 7 quick ways to tell whether your promotion or job is a blessing or a curse in disguise.

Make sure the expectations of your new duties don’t…

1. Make you behave contrary to God’s will.

2. Make your compromise God’s character and integrity.

3. Prevent you from attending regular worship service.

4. Force you to make a choice between your career/occupation and your calling.

5. Force you to be disrespectful to others

6. Force you to endorse, encourage or excuse ungodly lifestyles.

7. Did you pray about it first?

Number 7 is really big. I probably should have put it first, but it would have messed up my transition:-) How can God bless something that you didn’t pray about first? Making any decision, but especially big decisions without God is foolishly stepping out on your own.

Remember, no matter what your role, job title, or job description…you are God’s representative at work. You are His ambassador…

2 Corinthians 5:20(NKJV)

²⁰ Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.

Even in an ungodly culture, God has sent you behind enemy lines to set the standard of behavior in the most difficult circumstances.

If God gave it to you…Congratulations!

If not, you would be better off with less money if it comes between you and God. And, any influence you may have lost in the world is multiplies in God’s Kingdom.

Mark 8:36-37 (NKJV)

³⁶ For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?³⁷ Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

BE BLESSTIFIED.

God uses imperfect people to carry out His perfect will. That being said, we know that the church is made up of those imperfect people. It’s unavoidable that the church has historically made some mistakes. What’s important is that we continue to learn from those mistakes…and change.

I feel that one of the most damaging mistakes that’s been made in many churches is about GIVING. I’m not talking about HOW MUCH. I’m talking about WHY?

Too many people have been taught to GIVE SELFISHLY. Too many people have been taught and are being taught to approach God and give carnally. The ‘prosperity’ movement has reduced giving to a selfless act, based on our culture of greed, as a ‘tool’ to get what you want out of life from God. This allows the idolatry (Colossians 3:5) of worshiping oneself to pervert faith. They believe God can do it, but the motivation is wrong.

This actually comes from a biblical truth in the concept of giving when the bible says…

Malachi 3:10-12 (NKJV)

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,

That there may be food in My house,

And try Me now in this,”

Says the Lord of hosts,

“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven

And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it. ¹¹ “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,

So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground,

Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,”

Says the Lord of hosts; ¹² “And all nations will call you blessed,

For you will be a delightful land,”

Says the Lord of hosts.

Again, this post isn’t about the AMOUNT, but about the WHY. Of course God can and will bless you for giving from the heart, but when they’re honest with themselves…too many people give so they can release the blessings of verses 10 through 12 into THEIR OWN LIVES, “open the windows of heaven”…”pour out a blessing that there will not be room to receive it”, “rebuke the devourer for your sakes”, “all the nations of the world will call you blessed”.

When they’re honest with themselves, many Christians only give so they can get. It is their BLE$$ING bill, their BLE$$ING note…no different than their utility bill, cell phone bill, mortgage, rent, car payment…that if they DON’T give God will cut off their blessings.

They prove this in their behavior. These same people who won’t get caught missing an opportunity to give don’t seem to have a problem with not reading regularly, not praying regularly, not sharing their faith with unbelievers, not being generous beyond what they think is the minimum, not helping those in need, and not even having a regular prayer life.

When we’re honest with ourselves, even when we help others sometimes, we aren’t doing it to be a blessing, but so we can feel good about ourselves, or so others can see what we’ve done. A good example…so many people rush to feed those in need in shelters during Thanksgiving, as if these people don’t need to eat 365 days per year. Jesus clearly tells us that when we do things for our own glory, that we have already received our reward…

Matthew 6:1-2 (NKJV)

“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. ² Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

Does that mean that it’s always wrong to share when you’ve blessed someone? No, because we are told to let our light shine…however God also knows the reason why we shared it.

We must always be honest with ourselves of even why we do good.

God wants us to give unselfishly, wishing for nothing in return. He wants us to give to fund the growth of His Kingdom in the earth. He wants us to give to simply plant seeds of His love. He wants us to give to be A BLESSING and not ONLY TO BE BLESSED.

Look at some of the verses concerning unselfish giving, and think of how infrequently you hear some of them or all of them…

Luke 6:34-35 (NKJV)

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, 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.

 2 Corinthians 9:5-15 (NKJV)

 ⁵ Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation. ⁶ But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. ⁷ So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ And God I sable to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. ⁹ As it is written:

“He has dispersed abroad,

He has given to the poor;

His righteousness endures forever.”^[b]

¹⁰ Now may^[c] He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, ¹¹ while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. ¹² For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, ¹³ while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, ¹⁴ and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you. ¹⁵ Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

 Ephesians 4:28 (NKJV)

 ²⁸ Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.

1 John 3:17 (NKJV)

 ¹⁷ But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

There are many more verses where God makes it clear that we should give unselfishly.

Yes, we should always be obedient and give as God told us to do. We should be generous as God told us to be.

But, we must always be honest with ourselves as to why we’re giving or being generous…because He already knows.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

How many times has this happened to you?

Someone did something to hurt you, but felt genuinely sorry.  It may have been immediately or it may have been much later, but they did feel bad about what they did, said, didn’t do, or didn’t say. They came to you to offer a sincere apology but…

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You weren’t ready to hear it, and you weren’t ready to accept it.

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When they said, “I’m sorry.” Have you ever said…

“I don’t want to hear it!”

“I KNOW you’re SORRY!”

“Leave me alone!”

“I’ll never forgive you!”

Did you curse them out?

Did you get loud and try to publicly embarrass them?

Did you you just ignore them. Did you snap back, going through every detail of what happened? Did you throw everything they ever did to hurt you up in their face?

You were still hurt. You were still angry. You were still embarrassed. Your pride got in the way. You were still ‘in your feelings’ about what they did. When someone comes to you to apologize the shift in spiritual responsibility shifts from them to you…

Colossians 3:13  (NKJV)

 ¹³ bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.

God expects us to always be ready to forgive just as He is…

Psalm 86:5 (NKJV)

 ⁵ For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You

Sometimes we aren’t ready to let go of our anger, especially if the hurt that was done to us made us feel weak, vulnerable, stupid or naïve. Retaining our anger and withholding forgiveness can actually make us feel stronger and in control.

Here’s the thing. We all know that apologizing is not an easy thing to do. We have to swallow our pride. We have to humble ourselves. We have to confront the person we have hurt. And, we know that we may sometimes meet resistance.

Think about Joseph in Genesis (Chapters 37-50). His brothers not only despised him, plotted to murder him and sold him into slavery. Later God elevated Joseph and placed him in position to save their lives. They were afraid of how Joseph would react…but he was READY to forgive…

Genesis 50:19-21 (NKJV)

 ¹⁹ Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? ²⁰ But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. ²¹ Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

Joseph saw the big picture of how God not only allowed the hurt and betrayal, but worked it out for the good of everyone…

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.

So I encourage you today…

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Be easy to apologize to!

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Be ready to forgive. I know it’s not easy, but it’s situations like this when Philippians 4:13 is most powerful in our lives.

Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)

 ¹³ I can do all things through Christ^[a] who strengthens me

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You could have a apology waiting you right now that’s being withheld simply because they are too ashamed or afraid to come to you.

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Pray for a forgiving heart. Swallow you pride. Rise above your pain. Be easy to apologize to – because we all know sometimes we’re the one seeking forgiveness.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

We live in a society when some people say, “We the people” as if those who don’t agree as they do are NOT ‘the people’.

One such ‘American’ characteristic is the love of dogs.

I don’t HATE dogs, but I’m definitely not a dog enthusiast.

My wife loves dogs, and we have a family dog… Sasha.

Dog lovers think that things such as when they destroy shoes or chew things up is cute…it annoys people who aren’t ‘dog lovers’.

Dog lovers love feeding dogs and giving them baths…people who don’t love dogs not so much.

Many dog lovers think it’s cute when their dog wants to sniff and play with you while on an evening walk…people who aren’t dog lovers want to just ‘keep it moving’.

And yes, there is biblical evidence of beloved family pets, as in the Prophet Nathan’s story he used to illustrate King David’s sin to him in 2 Samuel Chapter 4.

So, to those of you who sometimes may be made felt that there’s something wrong or unAmerican about you because you aren’t an avid dog lover…it’s okay.

And for those of you who do love dogs, please don’t project your passion on everyone else. Because there’s always something that someone else is passionate about that you could care less.

Remember, some people don’t like hot dogs and apple pie either ( I dig those though).

By the way, Sasha is a sweet dog and is just like part of the family. I just don’t give her baths:-)

BE BLESSTIFIED!

If you’ve grown up in church like me, you’ve heard the phrase, “It only takes a LITTLE faith.” Of course this is based on the scriptures about ‘mustard seed faith’, such as…

Matthew 17:20 (NKJV)

²⁰ So Jesus said to them, “Because of your ^[a]unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

BUT THINK ABOUT THIS…

Yeshua said, “As a grain of mustard seed.”

It takes GREAT FAITH for something as small as a grain of mustard seed to move mountains, not little faith. We must have faith as a grain of mustard seed would have to possess to grow.

NOW THINK ABOUT THIS…

Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) ALWAYS rebuked His disciples for having SMALL (LITTLE) faith…

Matthew 20:17 a

²⁰ So Jesus said to them, “Because of your ^[e]unbelief; 

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Matthew 8:25-26 (NKJV)

²⁵ Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!”

²⁶ But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.

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Matthew 6:30 (NKJV)

³⁰ Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

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Matthew 14:31

³¹ And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

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Every time the disciples faith was challenged and proven to be small, He REBUKED them for having ‘LITTLE’ FAITH. He never congratulated, confirmed, celebrated, approved of, or gave a ‘thumbs up’ to small faith.

NOW CONSIDER THIS…

The Lord was ALWAYS IMPRESSED by GREAT FAITH…

Matthew 8:10 (NKJV)

¹⁰ When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!

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Matthew 15:28 (NKJV)

²⁸ Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

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Yeshua ALWAYS celebrated, congratulated, was impressed by, approved of, and REWARDED GREAT FAITH!

We must immediately STOP teaching that it ONLY TAKES A LITTLE faith to please God.

Carefully listen to this sermon by my Senior Pastor W. Michael Martin…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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https://videopress.com/v/0Nnij4pF?resizeToParent=true&preloadContent=metadata

Pure love is supposed to be unconditional and priceless.

It is.

The problem is that none of us have achieved pure love. We haven’t perfected our ability to love.

Too many times we’re putting conditions and ‘price tags’ on the love we have for those who are closest to us. We all do it sometimes. Why? Because none of us have perfected love.

When we judge and measure by things that HAVE A PRICE we’re diminishing love. Never base your love on:

How much $ they spend on you.

Base love on…

How much FORGIVENE$$ they ‘spend’ on you.

How much KINDNE$$ they ‘spend’ on you.

How much GOODNE$$ they ‘spend’ on you.

How much FAITHFULNE$$ they ‘spend’ on you.

How much GENTLENE$$ they ‘spend’ on you.

How much $ELF-CONTROL they ‘spend’ on you.

Base it on how much JOY they give you for just being in your life, even if you have NOTHING.

And remember, when we fall short, it’s not because LOVE isn’t there, it just means our love isn’t perfect.

Only God’s is.

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.

1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)

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

Let’s pray that God helps us to love one another like He loves us, through peace.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

5th Graders: “Mr. Johnson! What’s your favorite color?”

Me: “I like black and purple.”

30 minutes later:

I’ve been an ordained minister for the past 25 years, but that’s not how I’ve paid my bills.

After years as a Marketing Copywriting Manager, two years ago I began a second career as a teacher at 50 years old.

I have also worked as a Radio Marketing Consultant, Mortgage Loan Originator, Beauty Supply Store Owner, Welder, Machine Operator, Retail Salesperson. I’ve done Nursing Home Ministry, Prison Ministry, Homeless Ministry…however teaching is by far the most challenging work I’ve done.

BUT IT’S SO REWARDING!

This week I had another subtle, but unmistakable defining moment that helped confirm I made the right choice (the conversation and pictures above).

I’m at a school in a system that seems ideal for my personality and skill set. I started my new career in an inner-city school system where my approach was considered by many to be ‘weakness’. I was pleased to establish great relationships with both parents and students, but some people have an idea of ‘toughness’ with which I disagree.

So, as I’ve been settling into a new school system ( I work at the same school as my wife too) I have again established some beautiful relationships with both students and parents…it’s the little things that confirm you’re really appreciated, like the little bracelet my students made for me.

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I’m also reminded every October. In my previous job we received a bonus based on performance that was many times five figures. It’s the same week as our school Fall Break… I’de rather have the break!

To God be the glory!!!!

Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV)

⁶ Train up a child in the way he should go,
^[a]And when he is old he will not depart from it.

Teaching is a ministry.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Them: When’s your birthday?

Me: September 26th.

Them: So you’re a Libra!

Me: Nope.

Have you ever heard anyone make this statement, or have made it yourself?

“You won’t go to Hell for doing it.”

Too many Christians feel as though as long as they are paying their tithes and going to church regularly that, ‘they’re good’.

Sometimes times there will be an issue or behavior that is questionable or vague, or maybe not even addressed directly in the bible. Many times there will be an issue or behavior that we really enjoy, but there is reason to believe it might be displeasing to God. Then there are issues that are addressed, but many people either don’t make the connection, or don’t care about how those issues relate to us today.

There are many Christians who don’t only define themselves as children of God, they also define themselves by ‘their’ zodiac sign.

How does God feel about someone asking, “What’s your sign?”

Zephaniah 1:5-6 (NKJV)

5.“Those who worship the host of heaven on the housetops; Those who worship and swear oaths by the LORD, But also swear by Milcom (or Molech) 6.Those who have turned back from following the LORD, And have not sought the LORD, nor inquired of Him.

“I’m a Gemini so you better watch our for me….”

“I’m a Pisces so you can trust me…”

You get the picture?

Most of us know that it became very popular in the latter part of the 20^th Century to refer to zodiac signs to determine if two people were compatible in relationships.

Some people will even check out their daily horoscope for guidance for the day. How many Christians have you seen post the daily horoscope on their timeline?

Have you ever taken the time to research the origin of zodiac signs. Think about this…zodiac signs are treated as proper nouns.

Check this out…

Deuteronomy 4:19 (NKJV)

And take heed, lest you lift up your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the LORD your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage.

Remember, worship is beyond ‘going to church’. Think about Romans 12:1…

Romans 12:1 (NIV)

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Our worship extends into how we live our lives on a daily basis. God expects us to get our guidance from Him and Him alone. He has given us His Holy Spirit to lead us, guide us, convict us, to help us make the right decisions.

Isaiah 47:13 (NKJV)

13 You are wearied in the multitude of your counsels;
Let now the astrologers, the stargazers,
And the monthly prognosticators
Stand up and save you
From what shall come upon you.

One of the beautiful things about the Old Testament is that it gave us extreme examples of what behavior God loves and what behavior He hates. Even though Jesus fulfilled the law, we can gain great insight looking at the behavior of ancient Israel and how God reacted to it.

Think about this. When Moses was given the task of going into Egypt to free the children of Israel, God told Moses to tell them, “I AM has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:14). I AM is God’s name. It’s who He is. It’s His essence. It’s what He does. And so are you. Be very careful what you say behind your, “I am”. Check this out…BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SAY BEHIND YOUR, “I AM…”

“I am a Virgo.” “I am a Libra.” Do you feel comfortable defining yourself as something God has forbidden?

Do you feel comfortable getting guidance from something God has forbidden?

Do you feel comfortable choosing a mate based on something God has forbidden?

Do you feel comfortable basing your personality on something God has forbidden?

Or, do you enjoy it so much that right now you are reasoning within yourself how I’m wrong and looking for verses or justification to keep doing it. That may be a ‘sign’ that you are too connected to it.

Well if God forbids it, why do the personality traits seem so on point sometimes? We all know that the enemy disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14).

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But, here’s the number one reason I think that people of God should ignore the horoscope…

BECAUSE IT HURTS GOD!

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Even if He won’t send you to Hell for it. Even if you think it’s harmless. If God said don’t do it, that means it hurts Him. When you love someone, there’s some things you don’t do not because you think they will leave you, but because you know it hurts them.

Have you ever noticed that before God got angry, He was always hurt first? Have you noticed how God sometimes pleaded with and appealed to Israel like a hurt lover?

Micah 6 1:3 (NKJV)

“Oh My people, what have I done to you? And how have I wearied you? Testify against Me.”

The #1 reason we should ignore the horoscope is because it hurts the God of our Salvation.

Please think about this before you ask someone, “What is your sign?”

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

1 Kings 11:1-2 (NKJV)

But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites— ² from the nations of whom the Lord had said to the children of Israel, “You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love.

Anyone who reads the bible knows that King Solomon is recognized as the wisest man who every lived. They also know that he loved women and had many wives and concubines. So, it very be easily concluded that Solomon’s sex drive and love for women was a weakness. He allowed the women he loved to compromise his devotion to God – the wisest man who ever lived.

King Solomon’s wisdom was his greatest strength. His sex drive was his greatest weakness. And, both of them were given to him by God.

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We all have strengths and weaknesses that are God given.

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I’m not as organized as I would like to be, and when I put great effort into becoming more organized…I find myself slipping back into being less organized (notice how I’m trying to avoid saying unorganized:-)

I also don’t have much rhythm. As much as I try, there are some things that I just can’t do well physically (dancing for example). I am however very strong physically.

I was born with those weaknesses. I didn’t ask for them. They’re innate…

God gave them to me.

I believe that just the same as we have physical weaknesses, we also have spiritual weaknesses. We have weaknesses in our personalities. Some have difficulty paying attention. Some are naturally poor with words, and have trouble relating with others. Some are naturally poor with numbers and can’t manage money well, no matter how hard they try. Some have learning disabilities, even if the disabilities aren’t severe, they could still be considered a weakness. Some people are poor listeners and have trouble staying focused. The ‘weaknesses’ I’m talking about are things that can’t be taught. They are just a part of who we are. Just as I mentioned about Solomon, some have an unquenchable sexual appetite, that they didn’t ask for. Some have an attraction to the same sex, that they didn’t ask for. Some have a natural propensity for violence…that they didn’t even necessarily learn.

What is your weakness? What are your weaknesses?

The good news is that God is greater than any weakness that He gave us. God can bless you and you can be a blessing to others in spite of your weaknesses.

Moses wasn’t an eloquent speaker. In fact, he considered it to be a weakness. God didn’t allow the weakness He GAVE Moses to get in the way of his purpose…

Exodus 4:10 (NKJV)

¹⁰ Then Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I amslow of speech and slow of tongue.”

Remember, what the Apostle Paul had a weakness that he didn’t ask for. God gave it to Him, but also remember…

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NKJV)

⁷ And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. ⁸ Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. ⁹ And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰ Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

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God’s strength is made perfect in our weaknesses. God can and will bless us and use us in spite of your weaknesses!

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God wants us and others can know that every blessing, every success, every victory, is because of him and not ourselves. He wants us to bring Him glory and that any glory we have is through Him.

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Just as Paul said, when we work through our weaknesses, God’s power is resting on us.

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He wants to use our weaknesses to show us His power so we can lean on Him, depend on Him, trust Him and love Him.

Anyone and everyone that you know who is successful has multiple weaknesses. We spend so much time focusing on their strengths, talents and abilities that we think make them successful that we don’t notice their weaknesses…unless one of their weaknesses causes them to fall.

Yes, you are far from perfect, but so is every person that God has ever used.

God fulfills His perfect will through imperfect people.

So, acknowledge your weaknesses that God gave you. Pray for God to help you with them and through them. Leverage your strengths to God’s glory.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

Be very careful when you say, “I can love them from a distance!”

“I’m not ‘fooling’ with them anymore!” “I’m not dealing with them anymore!”

There’s usually a form of this statement for every regional or social dialect.

Have you ever heard anyone say something like that? Have you ever said something like that yourself?

Yes, sometimes things can happen when relationships will never be the same but be very careful when you judge that someone doesn’t deserve fellowship with you anymore. Matthew 7:1 is broad in its application…

Matthew 7:1-2  (NKJV)

“Judge^[a] not, that you be not judged. ² For with what ^[b]judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.

When you judge someone doesn’t deserve your fellowship are you opening up yourself to the same judgement from God?

Not only is forgiveness one of the greatest gifts we receive from God, but we are supposed to forgive AS He forgives us…not LIKE He gives us. We are supposed to forgive in the same way…

Ephesians 4:32  (NKJV)

³² And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

So, what if God said, “I forgive YOU, but I’m not going to ‘fool with you’ anymore?”

Remember, He forgives us AS (in the same way) we forgive others. That means He withholds forgiveness in the same way we do….

Matthew 6:14-15 (NIV)

¹⁴ For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.^{(A) 15} But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.^(B)

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

It’s that undefinable moment that slipped past you almost undetected, but you suddenly notice it…

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WAIT A MINUTE, YOUR PAIN OVER __________ DOESN’T HURT ANYMORE!

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It could have been a betrayal. It could have been an abuse. It could have been an abandonment. It could be something they said. It could be something they did. It could be something they didn’t do. You know how they hurt you. You may still be in relationship with them, but THAT ONE thing suddenly doesn’t hurt you anymore.

It used to obsess you. It used to bother you. On good days the thought of it would rush to the front of your mind and say, “What are you smiling for? Remember me?”

But, WOW! You realize that it doesn’t bother you anymore. You even try to make it bother you for a moment and you can’t.

Why?

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It’s not because God took it from you. It’s because you finally gave it to Him.

Remember God never promised TAKE anything from us. He tells us to GIVE it to Him.

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1 Peter 5:7 (NKJV)

⁷ CASTING all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Hebrews 12:1  (NKJV)

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, LET US LAY ASIDE every WEIGHT, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

The pain is gone now. Please don’t go looking for it again.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Yehovah Yireh provides perfectly through our Lord and Savior Yeshua the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

We must always be careful that we never dishonor Him because we have our wants confused with our needs.

It didn’t take long for Israel to get tired of the ‘bread from heaven provided by God…

Numbers 11:1-20 (NKJV)

11 Now ^(A)when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; ^(B)for the Lord heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the ^(C)fire of the Lordburned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp. ² Then the people ^(D)cried out to Moses, and when Moses ^(E)prayed to the Lord, the fire was ^[a]quenched. ³ So he called the name of the place ^[b]Taberah, because the fire of the Lord had burned among them.

⁴ Now the ^(F)mixed multitude who were among them ^[c]yielded to ^(G)intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: ^(H)“Who will give us meat to eat? ^{5 (I)}We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; ⁶ but now ^(J)our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!”

⁷ Now ^(K)the manna was like coriander seed, and its color like the color of bdellium. ⁸ The people went about and gathered it, ground it on millstones or beat it in the mortar, cooked it in pans, and made cakes of it; and ^(L)its taste was like the taste of pastry prepared with oil. ⁹ And ^(M)when the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna fell on it.

¹⁰ Then Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, everyone at the door of his tent; and ^(N)the anger of the Lord was greatly aroused; Moses also was displeased. ^{11 (O)}So Moses said to the Lord, “Why have You afflicted Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the ^[d]burden of all these people on me? ¹² Did I conceive all these people? Did I beget them, that You should say to me, ^(P)‘Carry them in your bosom, as a ^(Q)guardian carries a nursing child,’ to the land which You ^(R)swore^[e] to their fathers? ^{13 (S)}Where am I to get meat to give to all these people? For they weep all over me, saying, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ ^{14 (T)}I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me. ¹⁵ If You treat me like this, please kill me here and now—if I have found favor in Your sight—and ^(U)do not let me see my wretchedness!”

¹⁶ So the Lord said to Moses: “Gather to Me ^(V)seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and ^(W)officers over them; bring them to the tabernacle of meeting, that they may stand there with you. ¹⁷ Then I will come down and talk with you there. ^(X)I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone. ¹⁸ Then you shall say to the people, ^[f]‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat; for you have wept ^(Y)in the hearing of the Lord, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat? For it was well with us in Egypt.” Therefore the Lord will give you meat, and you shall eat. ¹⁹ You shall eat, not one day, nor two days, nor five days, nor ten days, nor twenty days, ^{20 (Z)}but for a whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have ^(AA)despised the Lord who is among you, and have wept before Him, saying, ^(AB)“Why did we ever come up out of Egypt?” ’ ”

How many times have you looked in the refrigerator, pantry or cabinet and said, “There’s nothing to eat” because it wasn’t what you wanted?

How many times have you complained about the job you prayed for and God is using to sustain your life this season?

How many times have you complained about the spouse, children or family that God gave you because they don’t always see eye-to-eye with you? Remember the children of Israel complained in the wilderness against Moses’ leadership over and over again.

Complaining is one of the sins that pisses Him off the most…

1 Corinthians 10:10 (NKJV)

¹⁰ nor complain, as ^(A)some of them also complained, and ^(B)were destroyed by ^(C)the destroyer.

Remember, complaining is the opposite of thanksgiving.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Remember this.

Humility doesn’t mean that you have to let people ‘run all over you’.

It doesn’t mean that they have a right to demean or belittle you, your knowledge, your experience, your character, who you are…especially just to feed their ego, or sense of pride.

It’s not a sin to assert yourself as long as you do it in a Godly manner.

Look at what Job said when his friends, who were supposed to be there to comfort him, began to blame his troubles on him…

Job 12:3  (NKJV)

³ But I have ^[a]understanding as well as you;
I am not inferior to you.
Indeed, who does not know such things as these?

So, if someone expects you to feed their ego by belittling you, here’s some help if you ever can’t think of what to say…

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I respect you. But, I lick my lips too many times a day to kiss your butt.

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It’s not a sin to assert yourself!

BE BLESSTIFIED!

34 YEARS (September 25th 1987) was a long time ago…

Sometimes we’ve felt like James & Florida (struggles)…

Sometimes like George & Weezy (Movin’ on up)…

But, there’ll still NEVER BEEN A BETTER LOVE!

We’re 33 Years Strong representing godly marriage between a man and a woman!

Perfect? No.

Perfect for each other?

Yes!

Matthew 19:5 (NIV)

⁵ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’^[a]?

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Rejection.

No one likes being rejected.

But, if you believe in God’s sovereignty, it’s never just those who rejected you saying NO!

It’s God saying no.

God has the power to MAKE them say yes if He wants.

For whatever reason, a rejected resume is God’s way of saying…

That church isn’t for you…

That job isn’t for you…

For whatever reason.

I admit that when I ‘tested the waters’ to see if Pastoring is a part of my purpose, that when the church chose someone else over me, my ‘pride’ wanted to take it personal. The devil wanted me to think I wasn’t good enough.

Many times I will run into members who will tell me, “I wish we had chosen you”.

Have I sometimes been ‘in my feelings’? Yes.

Have I sometimes felt jealous? Yes.

Have I sometimes felt not good enough? Yes.

Do I sometimes think I’ve published enough pieces for a lifetime of sermons? Yes.

But, my wife will often remind me, “That wasn’t for you.”.

I’ve even wondered if God wanted me to start a fellowship.

I also know that the role of Pastor isn’t for everyone.

As an associate minister and blogger, sometimes within church culture, when you are’t in a ‘fraternity of pastors’, they can make you feel less important…whether intentionally or unintentionally.

However, my Senior Pastor W. Michael Martin, told me that I can reach and influence many more singers than he does.

The Pastor who ordained me back in 1996, Dr. Lonnie Black, told me that many churches don’t want a Pastor that speaks on the range of topics that you do.

From my preaching ministry, to my blog, to my published music, just like anyone else…

I want it to be a blessing to millions upon millions…

I want it to be acknowledged…

I want it to be valued…

But, most of all I want it to please God.

So let me encourage anyone else who has felt rejected. God has not rejected you. Trust that everyone He will make sure everyone HE intends to benefit from your ministry will do so.

WHEN GOD USES THE ‘N-WORD’…

STOP WHINING & DO WHAT GOD CALLED YOU TO DO!

BE BLESSTIFIED!

It’s been said that we only use a small fraction of the human brain’s capacity. I believe that’s true – thus, we limit our abilities. If we were able to utilize our entire brain, we could possibly achieve what is believed to be superhuman.

In much the same way, I believe that many of us only know a fraction of who God is because we have limited ourselves through the lens of the perspective of the church culture in which we were ‘introduced’ to God.

It may be the church culture in which we were raised…

It may be the church culture we chose as an adult…

If you are a member of the Body of Christ, take a moment and think about your church culture.

Think about how you approach worship.

Think about how you approach ministry outside of the church.

Think about the music ministry.

Think about the prayers… what topics are addressed during the public prayers.

Think about the sermons… What topics are addressed? Through which perspective are they addressed? What topics are avoided?

Our worship can sometimes be influenced by our past…our socio-economic status…how we experience family…how we experience America, or what ever country in which you live.

Many times our prayers and expectations can be centered around…

Our health…

Our economic status…

Our social views…

Our political views…

Sometimes we can reduce God to a genie in a bottle.

Sometimes we can expect God to worship our hopes, dreams, desires, expectations, pains, worries, our viewpoints when our worship is centered around these things.

Get the picuture?

Some people equate worship music to exuberant shouting, while others equate it being reserved and quiet…why can’t it be both sometimes?

The bulk of some church culture’s worship is centered around crying, lamenting and asking God for help, while others mainly consists of thanking God and acknowledging the beauty of His creation.

Historical example…

Christians during the Civil Rights Movement were introduced to God through how their ancestors experienced America…this varied based on race, geography, etc.

This directly affected how they worshipped, prayed.

It affected what songs they chose for worship.

It affected how they approached social issues.

It affected how they approached politics.

And, this is how they introduced and introduce God to the present generation.

How will this generation introduce God to future generations?

God is a healer.

God is a deliverer.

God is a keeper.

God is a God of love and kindness.

God is a God of anger and wrath.

God IS!

Psalm 71:18 (NKJV)

¹⁸ Now also when I am old and grayheaded,
O God, do not forsake me,
Until I declare Your strength to this generation,
Your power to everyone who is to come.

Have you ‘experienced’ God from the perspective and context of…

Oppression?

Abuse?

Success?

Addiction?

Struggle?

How you perceive freedom?

This is why we have ‘images’ of Yeshua as White, Black, Mediterranean, Asian etc.

Don’t limit your relationship to God and definitely don’t limit Him when you share your faith.

CLIQUE-‘ISH’ IN THE CHURCH (YEP, ‘ISH’ IS A EUPHEMISM)…

WHEN WE MAKE CHURCH ABOUT US INSTEAD OF GOD…

WHEN WE GO TO CHURCH EXPECTING GOD TO WORSHIP US…

CIVIL RIGHTS & SOCIAL JUSTICE SHOULD BE ‘A’ PRIORITY BUT NOT ‘THE’ PRIORITY OF THE CHURCH…

QUICK FYI: 4 REASONS NEW MEMBERS QUIT COMING TO CHURCH…

7 ‘CHURCHY’ CLICHES THAT WE SHOULD BE CAREFUL OF HOW WE SAY…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

How many times have you typed something on a device and decided that wasn’t what you wanted to say?

How many times have you done something on a device and decided it wasn’t an action that you wanted to do?

Did you throw away your device?

No.

You clicked UNDO.

Clicking UNDO allows you to totally wipe out what you didn’t want without affecting anything else you’re working on.

When you’ve typed or done something wrong, it allows you the opportunity to ‘change directions’ and do it right.

When you confess your sins to God, and commit to change directions, you’ve clicked God’s UNDO button.

When you repent, God wipes out what you’ve said, done or thought.

When you repent, God doesn’t hold what you said, did, or thought against you anymore…

When you repent, God allows you to continue with your life as if you’ve never did what you did…

When you repent, God allows you to start over and do it the right way…

As long as you don’t RETYPE the SAME thing again.

ASKING GOD FOR FORGIVENESS ISN’T REPENTANCE (QUICK DEFINITION)…

THERE’S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REMORSE & REPENTANCE…

WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE AN APOLOGY OR REPENTANCE?

GOD DIDN’T ASK FOR AN APOLOGY, HE DEMANDS REPENTANCE…

2 Corinthians 7:9-10 (NKJV)

⁹ Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. ¹⁰ For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

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.

BE BLESSTIFIED!