John 4:9 (NKJV)

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

Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Urban, Rural, Ghetto, Northern, Southern, Republican, Democrat, Elderly, Millennial…

Race, Geography, Education, Socio-Economic Status, etc., etc., etc.,

There are negative stereotypes about any group you could mention.

I don’t know what’s worse!

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Those who judge and group people by these negative stereotypes…

Or,

Those whose behavior actually confirms those stereotypes to be true!

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Unfortunately, there are those who seem determined to prove some of these prejudices are valid through their behavior. But, they by far never represent the entire group.

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Stop it!

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Stop judging entire groups based on these stereotypes.

Stop confirming these stereotypes with negative behavior.

Stop putting a spin on acceptable behavior transforming it into a ‘negative’ stereotype.

Remember how the disciple Nathanael unfairly grouped Jesus and those from His town when he first heard about Him…

John 1:45-46 (NKJV)

⁴⁵ Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

⁴⁶ And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”

Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

Could anything good come out of Nazareth?

Yes!

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Many times we hear people say, “What I do in my house is my business”. That’s true, but if it’s wrong…it’s wrong.

Think about the fact David committed his greatest sin while watching ‘soft porn’ at home (2 Samuel 11).

Notice how he affirms to behave at home in Psalm 101…

Psalm 101:1-3 (KJV)

I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O Lord, will I sing. 2 I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. 3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.

Yes, sinning ‘in the street’s’ affects others, but sinning at home alone can be more harmful than many may think.

How?

1. SINNING CAN BECOME EASIER

When we become comfortable sinning alone, it makes committing that sin, and other sins easier.

2. IT DEFILES OUR SPIRITS

God wants us to strive for holiness. That’s why He tells us to lay aside all filthiness and sin because it defiled our spirit.

2 Corinthians 7:1 (NKJV)

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

Remember, God’s Spirit wants to live in a clean ‘temple ( 1 Corinthians 6:19).

3. IT MAKES OUR ‘HOUSE’ (BODIES) A COMFORTABLE PLACE FOR DEMONS

Piggybacking on #2, when our spirits are defiled, we make our bodies and spirits a comfortable place for demons to dwell. And, not just dwell, but thrive.Notice that Revelation 18:2 (KJV) called Babylon a ‘habitation’ for devils. Notice what Jesus said in Matthew 12…

Matthew 12:43-45 (KJV)

43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

We must make sure our spiritual and physical house comfortable for God and not the enemy. What we do or don’t do at home sets the atmosphere.

4. EVEN THOUGH WE’RE ALONE, WE STILL HAVE AN AUDIENCE

Just because you’re in your house with the doors and blinds closed doesn’t mean you’re alone. You’re personal angel(s) watching…

Hebrews 1:14 (NKJV)

14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

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What has your angel(s) witnessed in your IN PRIVATE?

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Be just as careful, if not more careful of your behavior at home. Watch what you watch, listen to, say and do. Watch who you allow inside your house.

Sin at home led David to greater sin, and it can do the same to us.

And, please…please…please don’t ask God to leave only to invite a demon inside…(please click to read) DON’T ASK GOD TO LEAVE FOR A DEMON TO COME IN…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

 

The Pharisees, scribes, and religious leaders were constantly trying to trap and accuse Jesus. Many times that was their sole reason for going to the synagogue when they knew He was there (Mark 3:1-6).

In Luke 14 Jesus was at the home of one of the rulers of the Pharisees. You didn’t get into the home of a ruler without an invitation. This was an invitation only ‘event’ which is confirmed in verse 7 of this chapter ( So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them…). There was also a man with extreme swelling of his arms and legs (dropsy) there, but why was he invited too? Why was this man who was looked down upon invited to the ruler’s home? My thought is they were using him just so see if Jesus would heal him on the Sabbath, just so they could accuse Him.

Luke 14 (NKJV)

14 Now it happened, as He went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched Him closely. 2 And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy. 3 And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”4 But they kept silent. And He took him and healed him, and let him go. 5 Then He answered them, saying, “Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?” 6 And they could not answer Him regarding these things.

Wow!

Luke 5:17 records another occasion where Jesus was in a house, and the rulers had come from every town of Galilee for the sole purpose of accusing Him. But it goes on to let us know that the power of the LORD was present to heal them. But rather than get healing and deliverance, they chose to accuse. Their attitudes prevented them from the blessing of being in the Lord’s presence. Here a paralyzed man was brought to Jesus by His friends and healed. The same healing was available to them.

Luke 5:17  (NKJV)

¹⁷ Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.^[a]

But, the blessing here is that even though the man with dropsy (Luke 14) was being used. He was in the right place to get healed by Jesus. Being used positioned him for his blessing. (Just as in Mark 3:1-6). They meant it for evil, but God meant it for good (Genesis 50:20). 

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So, when it’s clear people are using you, don’t just ‘bail’. Don’t just leave. Don’t just let your pride get the best of you and say, “I’m not having this!” Don’t ‘cuss’ them out or ‘go off’.

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Romans 8:28 reminds us that God is working all things TOGETHER for our good…even when we are being used.

If you know what they are up to, use it to your advantage. Stay strong in your faith in God. Don’t let the enemy poison your attitude. God promises that He will get glory out of your story.

Remember, people don’t use what has no value.

Is someone using you? Stay cool, and let God use them using you.

3 SIGNS YOUR HATERS REALLY SEE THE VALUE IN YOU…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

 

 

 

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Remember this.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean that you will never think about what they did to you anymore.

It doesn’t mean that you won’t hurt when it crosses your mind.

Forgiveness means that you won’t condemn them anymore for what they did. It means that you no longer want to get even, or see them ‘get what they deserve’ for what they did.

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Forgiveness means you want them free from the guilt of what they did. But, that doesn’t mean that it still doesn’t hurt or make you angry when you think about it. Especially if it’s someone who you truly love.

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Yes, the bible says that when God forgives us that He forgets our iniquities and remembers them no more…

Hebrews 10:16-17  (NKJV)

¹⁶ “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” ¹⁷ then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

Micah 7:18-19 (NKJV)

¹⁸ Who is a God like You,
Pardoning iniquity
And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?

He does not retain His anger forever,
Because He delights in mercy.^[a]
19 He will again have compassion on us,
And will subdue our iniquities.

You will cast all ^[b]our sins
Into the depths of the sea.

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But, do you think that means that God no longer knows what we did? Of course not. If our All-Powerful God can no longer remember something that we can remember, that gives us more power than Him in that area.

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When God forgives ‘and forgets’ it means that He no longer condemns us for that sin as long as we have truly repented. Notice that God would often remind Israel of the sins He had forgiven when they backslid because their repentance wasn’t real.

YES, EVEN GOD SOMETIMES BROUGHT UP THE PAST AFTER HE FORGAVE…

Do you think that when the Apostle Paul said, “forgetting those things which are behind…” that he meant he could no longer remember how he persecuted the church? No. It means he no longer let those thoughts rule him or influence his future.

Philippians 3:13  (NKJV)

¹³ Brethren, I do not count myself to have ^[a]apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,

So don’t beat yourself up because you still feel pain or occasional anger over something that you have forgiven. Just don’t linger on those thoughts. Remember, forgiveness is a continual process. You will continue to forgive ‘them’ in your mind over and over again.

The key is that they never know it.

WHY WE SHOULD STOP SAYING, “FORGIVENESS ISN’T FOR THEM, IT’S FOR YOU…”

LET’S TALK ABOUT WHEN FORGIVENESS IS REDUCED TO A SELFISH ACT…

ARE YOU EASY TO APOLOGIZE TO…?

WHY A PUBLIC EMBARRASSMENT DESERVES A PUBLIC APOLOGY…

BE BLESSTIFIED!