Most of us lead very busy lives. How many times have you thought, said or heard someone say…I don’t have time to read, or study my bible, pray or go to church?

How many feel that God happily accepts being an after thought or ignored?

How many feel it’s okay to say you believe, but never live like God is real or like they are in true relationship with Him?

How many people say through…

Jobs…

Careers…

Family…

Organizations…

Youth Sports and Activities…

Even church activities…

That they don’t have time for God, prayer, reading and studying their bible or worship?

The truth is that God doesn’t give us blessings to replace Him.

Our blessings should never become barriers or burdens to our relationship with Him.

Here are a few simple, easy suggestions to carve out quality time with God.

1. WHEN YOU CAN’T SLEEP AT NIGHT

We all have those nights when we can’t sleep. You may not even necessarily be worried. You may be excited about the next day. You may have awaken to use the bathroom and couldn’t go back to sleep. For whatever reason, you just lie there in the bed. You may turn on the television. Maybe God is trying to squeeze in some quality time with you before you get busy during the day. It’s the ideal time to be close to Him. No distractions. No noise. Just you and God. You can lie there and pray…get on your knees…get up and lift up your hands and praise God…You can go outside and adore His awesome creation…You can read your bible, or even study a specific topic. God can give you fresh revelation during these intimate times. You will find yourself feeling so much closer to Him, but most of all you will please and bless Him. Best of all, you will find yourself yawning and going back into a wonderful restful sleep for the rest ot the night (or morning).

Psalm 16:7 (NKJV)

⁷ I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel;
My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.

 Psalm 63:6 (NKJV)

⁶ When I remember You on my bed,
I meditate on You in the night watches.

 2. WHEN YOU FIRST WAKE UP

I used to be in the habit of going to the gym early in the morning to start my day. I would say a short prayer and then go ‘work out my body’. I ruptured my Achilles tendon one day and found myself in a boot and a cast for several months. Not much later, God cultivated out of that the practice of going outside on my porch, and spending rich quality time in prayer and praise before I do anything else. I replaced worshiping my flesh in a sense with worshiping Him. Now, you don’t have to go outside, but it’s not difficult to kneel and pray as soon as you wake up. Before you drink your coffee. Before you watch the news. Before you check your social media. I think it is a foolish thing to begin the day without submitting ourselves to and talking to God first. Even if you don’t get on your knees…lie in your bed…get up and bow your head…lift up holy hands…just make sure your heart is humble and your prayer is sincere and not rushed.

Psalm 63:1 (NKJV)

63 O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.

3. WHEN YOU ARE USING THE BATHROOM IN THE MORNING.

This is something we all have to do when we wake up. Keep a bible in the bathroom, or use your bible app on your phone. This is another time when you are alone and can choose a verse of the day on which to meditate or even read a chapter each morning. A verse of the day is good for memory or meditation, but it should never take the place of real in-depth bible study. God doesn’t mind you making His word #1 while you do #2.

4. THANK GOD FOR AND BLESS EVERY MEAL (EVEN SNACKS)

Make it a point to thank God for every meal you eat. It doesn’t have to be a long drawn out prayer, but a sincere thank you for the awesome blessing of having food to eat. Don’t be ashamed to thank Him for your food while you are in public…at lunch with co-workers…at a lunch meeting. Also, it’s very important to bless each meal and ask God that it nourish your body and not harm it. Much of our food we don’t prepare ourselves and we don’t know how it could harm are bodies…Always bless every meal and shack.

1 Timothy 4:4-5 (NKJV)

⁴ For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; ⁵ for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

5. WHILE YOU’RE DRINKING YOUR COFFEE

Whether you have a relaxing cup of coffee, tea, juice or whatever your morning beverage may be, it’s an ideal time to read God’s word…pray…or even praise God each morning. What do you read or watch while you sip on your coffee? Why not make it God’s word?

6. WHILE CHECKING YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA STATUS

How many times a day do your check your social media? Many people check their’s as soon as they wake up…then claim they don’t have time to read the bible. Check out what God has posted in His word before you check out what’s going on in social media. There’s nothing wrong with checking you Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or whatever. Of, course there are even devotionals on there just like this one, but never let it take the place of reading and studying your bible.

7. DURING YOUR LUNCH BREAK AT WORK OR AFTERNOON BREAK

Your lunch break is your time. Why not dedicate a few moment of it, or even an entire lunch break once a week to reading and studying God’s word. You can even volunteer at a mission or serve others in some way during your lunch break from time to time. It’s just another opportunity to spend quality time with God during your day. To prove to Him and yourself that you really value time with Him and love Him. You will find it to be not a burden or task, but a time of refreshing and fellowship to help you stay focused and make it through the rest of the day.

8. TAKE A VACATION DAY JUST TO SPEND WITH GOD

Most of us have vacation days. Have you ever taken a vacation day just to spend in prayer, study, praise and fellowship with God? Devoting one of your vacation days to God is an awesome mini-sabbatical opportunity to grow closer to the God of our salvation through our Lord and Savior, Yeshua, Jesus Christ.

9. LISTEN TO GOSPEL MUSIC SOMETIMES OTHER THAN IN WORSHIP

Of course there’s nothing wrong with fun music or love songs as long as they don’t contain ungodly lyrics. But, there’s a world of good Gospel music of every genre that you can use to turn your leisure time into worship time. It doesn’t have to be a hymnal. Like my wife, Gospel Jazz Artist Mechelle Johnson (Yep that’s a plug:-) But, good Gospel music is another way to help stay focused while you work or play.

God knows that we make time for what and who are important to us. These are just a few suggestions of how to make more time for God. There’s no excuse to say we are too busy for Him.

Proverbs 3:6 (NKJV)

⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct^[a] your paths.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Asking forgiveness isn’t repentance. In fact, God doesn’t emphasize asking Him for forgiveness as much as He does telling us to confess our sins (Psalm 32:5, Psalm 38:18, 1 John 1:9) — then He will forgive us. Yes, we should ask God for His forgiveness, but He knows that words are cheap. How many times have you asked for forgiveness only to do it again…and sometimes again and again and again?

God demands repentance.

Repentance doesn’t begin with your MOUTH it begins with your MIND

Look at how God beautifully defines repentance and then gives us a beautiful promise through the prophet Isaiah. There are others like 2 Chronicles 7:14 and 2 Corinthians 7:10, but I love the way God says it here…I’m just going to let you read it and allow it bless you because the Word speaks for itself.

Isaiah 55:6-7 (NKJV)

⁶ SEEK THE LORD while He may be found,
Call upon Him while He is near.
⁷ Let the wicked FORSAKE HIS WAY,
And the unrighteous man HIS THOUGHTS;
Let him RETURN to the Lord,
And He WILL HAVE MERCY on him;
And to our God,
For He WILL ABUNDANTLY PARDON.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Have you ever noticed that some people are naturally funny? They have a wit so quick, you wonder, how could they think of that so fast.

Why?

Think about these verses in the context of laughter…

James 1:17 (NKJV)

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

Romans 12:8 (NIV)

⁸ if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously;if it is to lead,^[a] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Proverbs 17:22 (NKJV)

²² A merry heart does good, like medicine,^[a]
But a broken spirit dries the bones.

I’m convinced that comedy is a God-given spiritual gift of exhortation.

I mean, what is more encouraging than a good laugh? A well-placed laugh in a good sermon only helps keep the audience engaged and possibly drive a point home.

The bible tells us that one of the promises from God is that we will all see trouble during our days on this earth…

Job 14:1(NKJV)

14 “Man who is born of woman
Is of few days and full of trouble.

It’s God’s gift of laughter that gets us through many of those tough days.

 I’m convinced that God has appointed some of us Ministers of Laughter…

So, do you know anyone with a special anointing to make the best situations better and inject some encouraging humor into the worst. Those who can make us smile when we feel like crying. Is it you?

Unfortunately, many comedians and comediennes use their gift to glorify the enemy through vulgarity and profanity, but that doesn’t mean the gift isn’t from God. It’s just misdirected.

Are you a Minister of Laughter? If so, walk in your anointing. You’re important to the Kingdom of God!

BE BLESSTIFIED!

How many times have you prayed and God answered your prayers?

He’s done it more times than I can count, sometimes prayers that were for me and sometimes prayers I have made for others.

What unbelievers, skeptics, and critics call COINCIDENCE…believers call CONFIRMATION.

But, one of the things I really love about God is when He sometimes hits the bullseye by answering a prayer so specifically that there is absolutely no way it can be a coincidence.

Every now and then God does something completely amazing to be a reminder in your moments of doubt so that they don’t become seasons of doubt.

How about stopping what you’re doing right now and give Him some love by praising Him. Tell Him thank you! Tell Him you love Him! And, tell Him you trust Him I’m the name of Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ).

Psalm 28:6-7 (NKJV)

⁶ Blessed be the Lord,
Because He has heard the voice of my supplications!
⁷ The Lord is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,
And with my song I will praise Him.

ARE YOU SURPRISED WHEN GOD ANSWERS YOUR PRAYERS?

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Have you ever noticed how a negative person can sap the energy out of a room? Have you ever noticed how negativity can steal the joy from a moment? Have you ever noticed how a person who complains can convince a person who is completely content and satisfied to be unhappy?

This is why God hates pessimism. This is why God hates negativity. This is why God hates complaining…7 REASONS GOD HATES COMPLAINING…

Remember that God had promised Israel victory, but they had to go in and claim the Promised Land that He had committed to giving them. As they travelled in the wilderness, Moses sent out spies to ‘check out the land’. To make a long story short, Joshua and Caleb brought back positive news in the form of a good report. However, the other spies brought back negative news and pessimism in the form of a ‘bad report’…

Numbers 13:21-33 (NKJV)

²¹ So they went up and spied out the land from the Wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob, near the entrance of Hamath. ²² And they went up through the South and came to Hebron; Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, were there. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) ²³ Then they came to the ^[a]Valley of Eshcol, and there cut down a branch with one cluster of grapes; they carried it between two of them on a pole. They also brought some of the pomegranates and figs. ²⁴ The place was called the Valley of ^[b]Eshcol, because of the cluster which the men of Israel cut down there. ²⁵ And they returned from spying out the land after forty days.

²⁶ Now they departed and came back to Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the children of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. ²⁷ Then they told him, and said: “We went to the land where you sent us. It truly ^[c]flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. ²⁸ Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there. ²⁹ The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan.”

³⁰ Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.”

³¹ But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.” ³² And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. ³³ There we saw the ^[d]giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like^[e] grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”

Numbers 14:1-4 (NKJV)

14 So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. ² And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! ³ Why has the Lord brought us to this land to ^[a]fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” ⁴ So they said to one another, “Let us select a leader and return to Egypt.”

This pessimism and negativity pissed off the God of our Salvation because it discouraged the people! It pissed Him off A LOT!

Numbers 14:11-25  (NKJV)

¹¹ Then the Lord said to Moses: “How long will these people reject^[a] Me? And how long will they not believe Me, with all the ^[b]signs which I have performed among them? ¹² I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.”

¹³ And Moses said to the Lord: “Then the Egyptians will hear it, for by Your might You brought these people up from among them, ¹⁴ and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that You, Lord, are among these people; that You, Lord, are seen face to face and Your cloud stands above them, and You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. ¹⁵ Now if You kill these people as one man, then the nations which have heard of Your fame will speak, saying, ¹⁶ ‘Because the Lord was not able to bring this people to the land which He swore to give them, therefore He killed them in the wilderness.’ ¹⁷ And now, I pray, let the power of my Lord be great, just as You have spoken, saying, ¹⁸ ‘The Lord is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He by no means clears the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation.’ ¹⁹ Pardon the iniquity of this people, I pray, according to the greatness of Your mercy, just as You have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.”

²⁰ Then the Lord said: “I have pardoned, according to your word; ²¹ but truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord— ²² because all these men who have seen My glory and the signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have put Me to the test now these ten times, and have not heeded My voice, ²³ they certainly shall not see the land of which I ^[c]swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected Me see it. ²⁴ But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it. ²⁵ Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwell in the valley; tomorrow turn and move out into the wilderness by the Way of the Red Sea.”

How many times have you negatively influenced someone who was perfectly content? How many times have you spread the contagious spirit of negativity?

God gets just as angry now as He did then. As a matter of fact, His extreme judgments in the Old Testament are recorded for us as examples of how angry pessimism, negativity and complaining makes Him…

1 Corinthians 10:1-10  (NKJV)

10 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, ² all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, ³ all ate the same spiritual food, ⁴ and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. ⁵ But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

⁶ Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. ⁷ And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” ⁸ Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; ⁹ nor let us ^[a]tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; ¹⁰ nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.

As much as we are working hard to prevent the spread of contagious diseases, please make sure that you aren’t responsible for contributing to the pandemic of pessimism.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

We encourage others when we testify of the depths of sin from which God delivered us… when we admit how low we allowed the devil to convince us to go. It can help others who are going through the same struggles, but be careful…especially with the details.

You must use wisdom, discernment and discretion when sharing your ‘testimony’. You don’t have to and sometimes can’t tell ALL YOUR BUSINESS and give all the details when sharing your lowest and worst. Why?

Because just as others can and will draw strength from your story of ‘how low you allowed yourself to go’, and how God delivered you…others can and will be discouraged or feel justified in their sin.

Some details are best not shared.

Some experiences that God allowed to remain secret, should remain secret.

We all know that Saul/Paul persecuted the church, but God didn’t give us all of the details.

We all know that Saul/Paul had a ‘thorn in the flesh’, but God didn’t allow us to know what it was.

We all know that Peter denied Christ, but we don’t know any of his other sins.

Think how Paul expressed his internal battle with good and evil…

Romans 7:15-20 (NKJV)

¹⁵ For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. ¹⁶ If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. ¹⁷ But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. ¹⁸ For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 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.

Some people aren’t concerned about the spiritual lesson in your story, they’re just nosey.

Yes, we should encourage others who can benefit from what we’ve gone through, but pray for wisdom in what needs to remain between you and God.

YOU CAN SHARE YOUR TESTIMONY WITHOUT TELLING ALL OF YOUR BUSINESS…

WHY YOU SHOULD THANK GOD HE ALLOWED SOME THINGS IN YOUR LIFE TO REMAIN SECRET…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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

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

Matthew 19:3-5 (NKJV)

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

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

God also makes it clear that He HATES divorce…

Malachi 2:16 (NKJV)

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

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

Money…

‘Growing apart’…

Careers…

Unequally yoked…

Irreconcilable differences…

And of course…

ADULTERY.

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

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

Matthew 5:31-32  (KJV)

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

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

Matthew 19:7-9 (KJV)

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

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

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

1 Corinthians 7:10-11  (NKJV)

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

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

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

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

1 Corinthians 7:15  (NKJV)

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

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

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

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

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

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Too many people want to look like BIG MONEY —

When God just wants us to be CHANGE!

Mark 8:36  (NKJV)

³⁶ For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?

Matthew 5:14-16  (NKJV)

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

Hebrews 10:24  (NKJV)

²⁴ And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,

Matthew 28:19  (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,

Galatians 6:9  (NKJV)

⁹ And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Anyone who believes in God has been asked these questions.

Most if not all believers, if they are willing to admit it to themselves, have asked some of these questions.

Not only are there some difficult things to understand in the Bible, but there are things God does today that are difficult to explain.

Why does God allow babies and children to suffer with terminal illnesses?

Why does the bible not explicitly forbid slavery?

Why does God allow abusive parents to have children, while others who would be loving, nurturing parents to go childless?

Why does God allow some people to be healed but other people, some we would even call ‘good’ people, to not be healed?

Luke 4:27 (NKJV)

²⁷ And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”

There are countless questions that atheists and some believers ask concerning God, either arrogantly or anxiously waiting for answers.

God gave us the example through the Psalms that He will allow us to question Him in humility, as long as we continue to trust Him…

Psalm 13:1-2 (NKJV)

How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever?
How long will You hide Your face from me?
² How long shall I take counsel in my soul,
Having sorrow in my heart daily?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?

³ Consider and hear me, O Lord my God;
Enlighten my eyes,
Lest I sleep the sleep of death;
⁴ Lest my enemy say,
“I have prevailed against him”;
Lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved.

⁵ But I have trusted in Your mercy;
My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.
⁶ I will sing to the Lord,
Because He has dealt bountifully with me.

If you’re like me, sometimes you feel pressured to give a quick and definite answer to ‘defend’ God. Sometimes you want a definite answer to satisfy yourself. 

But the truth is that some things we simply don’t know.

That means sometimes the best answer is…

I DON’T KNOW!

Even those who depend on science to shape their beliefs have to admit that with all of our advances in science and medicine, there is still more that’s unknown than is known.

Scientists still have to sometimes say…

I DON’T KNOW!

Doctors have to sometimes admit…

I DON’T KNOW!

There are times that after a deadly diagnoses that the illness sometimes disappears and the physician has to admit…

I DON’T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED!

So, no one should really scoff when a believer says they simply don’t know.

The fact is, there is great peace in admitting that even though you don’t know…you still trust God. He has told us that there are things that will be beyond are human minds, and even science helps prove that. There is much in science well beyond the reach of scientific knowledge.

Isaiah 55:8-9 (NKJV)

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

Don’t deny yourself the blessing and peace of simply saying…”I DON’T KNOW!”

Psalm 131:1 (NKJV)

Lord, my heart is not ^[a]haughty,
Nor my eyes ^[b]lofty.
Neither do I ^[c]concern myself with great matters,
Nor with things too ^[d]profound for me.

Admitting that you don’t know doesn’t confirm God isn’t God, it just confirms that we are human.

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!

We must be very careful of the excuses we give why we aren’t doing what God has called us to do.

What do people say when confronted with doing what God expects of them or has called them to do?

Why don’t you go to church?

Let’s go feed the homeless.

Let’s go visit and minister people in prison and hospitals…

Why don’t you give the firstfruits of all your increase to God?

Usually before we make an excuse, we usually give a big BUT…

“I would, BUT the people in church aren’t right themselves…”

“I would, BUT those homeless people will just spend it on drugs, cigarettes and alcohol…”

“I would, BUT I can’t afford to…”

“I would, BUT I don’t have time to visit…”

“I would, BUT my kids have sports…”

Yeshua, Christ Jesus, gave us a parable to illustrate how much He hates our excuses. He let us know how much He hates our BIG BUTS…

Luke 14:18-24 (NKJV)

¹⁸ BUT they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ ¹⁹ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’ ²⁰ Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ ²¹ So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the ^[a]maimed and the lame and the blind.’ ²² And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’ ²³ Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. ²⁴ For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’ ”

Notice that each of these excuses addressed the same excuses we give today.

BUSINESS. WORK. CAREER

“I bought a piece of ground…”

“I bought a yoke of oxen…”

SPOUSE. CHILDREN. FAMILY

“I have married a wife…

These excuses made the master of the house (Jesus) angry. So, He invited the very people who those who were initially invited were called to serve instead.

He then said those who makes excuses and rejected His invitation will not ‘taste His supper’ (will not enter His Kingdom).

Jesus hates our excuses! However, the enemy loves our BIG BUTS! He loves our excuses.
 

Don’t let your BIG BUT keep you out of the Kingdom of God!

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.

We all have strengths and weaknesses that are God given.

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.

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

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.

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

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!