Category: Devotional, Inspiration

MAYBE, GOD EXPECTS MORE FROM YOU…

Do you sometimes feel that God is unfair to you? 

Do you feel that He sometimes allows others to ‘get away’ with more than you? 

Do you feel He requires more of you than others? 

More disappointments?

More sacrifice? 

More suffering, more patience, more strength? 

Are there some people in your life of whom you expect more? You expect them to treat you better. You expect them to ‘have your back’, you expect them to have more patience with you and for you. 

You expect them to be more loyal, dependable, caring, loving? How does it make you feel when they aren’t? It’s okay when people who don’t know us let us down, but it’s different when those closer to us do…because of our RELATIONSHIP with them. 

Because of our relationship WE EXPECT MORE. 

That’s how God feels about you. Jesus says in…

 Luke 12:48, “For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required.”  

He loves you. He sent HIS only Son to die for you. He’s invested much into His relationship with you and He expects more. He’s invested His Son, grace, mercy, the anointing of His Holy Spirit into you. 

When we think life’s not fair, we must ask ourselves is it fair that Jesus had to die for our sins. You expect some people to be ‘ride or die’. You expect some people to put you first, you expect that some people don’t give up on you…because of your relationship with them.

I just want to remind US today, that’s what God expects of us. God didn’t expect Job to give up. Job’s affictions were not fair, but God knew Job could be trusted with them. They were severe, but they were temporary.

Be encouraged today. What ever you may be going through, even though it seems severe to you, remember that God trusts you with it, and it’s only temporary. He has invested His love into you. He has invested His purpose into you…so don’t give up on Him.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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GUIDANCE FROM BEYOND THE SKY…

REBLOGGING in case you missed it.
Have a BLESSTIFIED Christmas!

Minister Aldtric Johnson M.A.'s avatarBE BLESSTIFIED!

Back in the day, people used to get directions or purchase a road atlas or map, but now most people use GPS technology. They either have it in their car or on their phone. As you know GPS technology works off of the many satellites in space. All you do is put in your destination, and it GUIDES YOUR PATH TURN BY TURN until you, hopefully safely reach your destination.

You can call it GUIDANCE FROM BEYOND THE SKY.

The only problem is that sometimes you can LOSE your signal, and if you don’t have a map, atlas or WRITTEN directions, you can FIND yourself LOST.

Or, sometimes the GPS can take you on on route in which you did’t want to go.

I think by now you get the HOLY ANALOGY I’m making here. Some people trust their GPS more than they trust GOD. Our Heavenly Father…

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WHAT IF BENEVOLENCE WAS TREATED LIKE CHRISTMAS SHOPPING?

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Holiday Hustle..Bustle…FUSStle

Have you noticed that people treat Christmas shopping like a duty, an obligation… almost like a job?

One person will ask…

“Have you finished your Christmas shopping?”

or

“Are you ready for Christmas?”

and another will answer…

“No, I HAVE , GOT to get it done!”

During this season, people spend enough money to make or break many retailers’ fiscal year…

During this time of year some people are prepared because they’ve saved for the holiday…

During this time of year some people spend money they can’t afford in order to buy presents…

During this time of year some people borrow money and end up paying for this Christmas into and beyond the next.

Are any of these people you?

Think about the fervor, the diligence, the stress….

Think of the hustle, the bustle, the FUSStle…

Consider this. What if people approached benevolence with the same attitude they approach the holiday?

Have you given to the poor? homeless? needy? orphaned?

Have you visited the sick? lonely? imprisoned?

No, but I HAVE GOT to get started!!!!

If we, in the Body of Christ, approached cheerful, unobligated giving all year as we do at Christmas…what kind of world would this be?

2 Corinthians 9:7 (NKJV)

7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

Just think about it…

Matthew 25: 31-46

 31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy[c] angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’

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

 Be a blessing beyond December…

 BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

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A PUBLIC EMBARRASSMENT DESERVES A PUBLIC APOLOGY…(Public Displays of Non-Affection)

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DON’T TAKE THE EASY WAY OUT WITH YOUR APOLOGY

Has anyone ever embarrassed, hurt or insulted you openly in public? Have you ever done so? Have you ever made public some information about someone later to find out that information was wrong? Have you ever defamed or slandered someone?

For whatever reason, we all openly hurt one another from time to time. Sometimes we do it on purpose, and sometimes it’s unintentional. These ‘public displays of ‘non-affection’ can leave bad impressions and potentially ruin reputations of all parties involved.

Many times when we realize what we’ve done, truly feel sorry and want to apologize.  We’ll pull the person or persons to the side and tell them, “I’m sorry… I was wrong”. This is good but not good enough…

Acts 16:37 (NKJV)

37 But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us openly, uncondemned Romans, and have thrown us into prison. And now do they put us out secretly? No indeed! Let them come themselves and get us out.”

Those who heard or witnessed the embarrassment may still think you were right. Those who heard or witnessed the insult may still be influenced by what you did or said…that public embarrassment deserves a public apology.

I remember growing up in church that sometimes in testimonies, people would stand before the church and proclaim, “If I’ve ever done anything to hurt anyone here today, I’m sorry”…if you know who you hurt and what you did, this also is not good enough.

If you know that you slapped someone in the face, simply saying, “I’m sorry IF I hurt you” isn’t enough. If you slandered someone, making a blanket statement to a group that, “If I hurt SOMEONE, I’m sorry” is just not enough.

If you know what you did and who you did it to, then you need to show enough respect to call out their name.

 

It’s good to apologize, but if we aren’t careful, we can take the easy way out and not fully respect the person or persons that we have injured.

Matthew 5:23-24 (NKJV)

23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Don’t take the easy way out with your apology.
BE BLESSTIFIED!!!
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ACCEPTING THAT SOMETHING YOU’VE SINCERELY BELIEVED IS WRONG…

 

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“REMOVE THE FICTION FROM YOUR FAITH” maj

 

As we mature in our relationship with God…

As we receive fresh revelation…

As we supplement our bible study with word study, hermeneutics (interpretation), culture, history, and anthropology…

We will be confronted with information that will challenge our personal/preferred theology, traditions and things we always accepted as true.

If we aren’t careful, we can allow fiction into our faith. We can find ourselves sincerely believing things that aren’t true. Unfortunately, Christianity is fragmented into numerous denominations and groups…and none of US have everything 100% true. That’s we must always be students of the word and have open hearts and minds to growth.

Accepting something false as true is a problem for all Christians, but this can present a challenge to sincere Christians, but especially to Pastors, Ministers, Teachers or Evangelists who must sometimes admit to themselves that even though they are God-called, sincere, saved, sanctified and filled with the Holy Spirit…they’ve been believing, teaching and preaching something WRONG.

For example, during Christmas time most Christians include the traditional nativity scene as a part of their decorations and celebrations. They show the Baby Jesus, Joseph, Mary, the shepherds and the wise men or magi…

However, with a little study combined with common sense, we realize that the wise men or magi were not there during that night when Jesus was in the manger. Look more closely at Matthew 2…

Matthew 2:1-12

 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.’”[a]

7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”

9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

  1. According to verses 9-10, when they came to where the star stood over where the YOUNG CHILD was (not baby), they came into THE HOUSE (not stable) and found Jesus with His mother (Joseph wasn’t present at the time).

  2. According to verse 12, after being warned in a dream, they departed into their own country…you can’t do all of that in one night’s time.

  3. In verses 16 Herod ordered that all male children age 2 and under be killed…because that’s when the star first appeared.

  4. After the wise men leave, that’s when Joseph’s name reappears as he takes his family into Egypt.

The problem is, that many are so accustomed to believing the wise men were there in the stable, that rather than accept that may not be true and they came later, we start trying to find a way to prove what wish to believe is true…rather than seek the real truth.

If we’re not careful, this is the approach we can take to all scripture when our theology is challenged.

God just wants us to worship Him, but wants us to worship Him in Spirit and truth…

John 4:24 (NKJV)

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

God doesn’t just want us to be passionate and zealous for Him, but that our passion is according to knowledge…

Romans 10:1-3 (NKJV)

 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel[a] is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.

We owe it to God to seek His truth and not just defend our traditions or what we want to believe. God left His perfect word with perfect man, which means we have all received some erroneous teaching and information…sometimes intentional and sometimes unintentional.

Take your study beyond the bible to other resources to further establish you in your faith in God.

Remember this…

Challenging your personal theology isn’t necessarily challenging your faith. Faith is like a marriage. Sometimes love isn’t proven unless it’s undergone a real challenge…

Challenging your theology isn’t necessarily challenging your faith.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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REMEMBER…EVERYONE’S NOT DREAMING OF A WHITE CHRISTMAS.

REBLOGGING this important Holiday message…

Minister Aldtric Johnson M.A.'s avatarBE BLESSTIFIED!

wp-1481505572201.jpg “YOUR WINTER FUN IS SOMEONE’S WINTER FEAR” maj

So many people love the cozy idea of sitting by a warm fire, and sipping egg nog or hot chocolate as they unwrap gifts with family or friends.

So many people get excited when they hear the weather forecaster announce snow is coming.

But, while some people rush the grocery stores for extra food in case they are snowed in…

While some people prepare to cook hot meals and watch the snow fall…

While so many children get excited over the thought of a snow day…

While some say, “Hmmm, what will we eat?”…

Others cringe at the thought of snow coming…

Others wait to see what the grocery stores will throw away…

Others wonder what cooked meals they can find in a dumpster…

Others wonder how they will keep their children warm on a snow day…

Others say, “what will we…

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EVERYONE HAS FAITH IN SOMETHING…


I feel one of the most revealing and powerful facts in  scripture is that God has given everyone a measure of faith (Romans 12:3). Eventhough everone doesn’t believe in God, everyone not only has faith, but lives by faith,  and puts their faith in something, whether they believe it, or not. They just haven’t found the right fit for their faith.
 Hebrews 12:1 defines faith as the evidence of what we can’t see. 

Even those who don’t believe in God exercise and live by their measure of faith every day.

Everyone CAN’T SEE, MORE THAN THEY CAN SEE. 

Everyone DOESN’T KNOW MORE THAN THEY DO KNOW.

Every one begins the day not knowing what will happen, everyone sometimes trusts food they didn’t prepare , drives in a vehicle fully confident that it will stop when they’re ready. 

Unbelievers drive over bridges confident it will stand, work jobs in faith that they will get paid. 

Many people will take an umbrella when the weather forecaster calls for rain, even though the sun may be shining. 

Eventhough many don’t believe in the bible, unbelivers still put faith in knowledge and teaching of other people, believing their theories, facts and beliefs …everyone lives by faith. 

Our challenge as Christians is to help everyone put the faith that God gave them in Him. 

It’s God’s will that all come to the knowledge of Him, that all be saved, and that none should perish (2: Peter 3:9 and (1Timothy 2:4). 

God has equipped everyone with the capacity to believe in Him. Everyone puts their faith in something… 

It is our responsibility to help them find the right fit for their faith.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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GOD DOESN’T HAVE TO CHOOSE SIDES…WE DO!

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It’s interesting how many people quickly claim, “God’s on my side!”

Sometimes it’s people (or on a larger scale denominations) on both sides of an argument, issue, situation…how is God on everyone’s side?

Many times people will go through the bible, selfishly  hand picking scriptures out of context  to prove their point.This is reading or using the bible carnally.

God promises TO BE WITH US, as made perfectly clear in…

Romans 8-28-38. Verse 31 asks rhetorically, “If God is FOR US, who can be against us?” 

But notice verse 28 says all things work for the good of those who are “CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE”.

Yes, God is with us, but that doesn’t mean that we have ‘a side’. God is WITH US when we are on HIS SIDE.

In John 15:16, Jesus tells us, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.”

Jesus told us no one can serve two masters ( Matthew 6:24). When Jesus died on the cross and arose from the dead, all power in heaven and earth was placed in Him( Matthew 28:18)…it’s HIS SIDE because He paid for it with His blood.

When we accept the call of God through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we are ON HIS SIDE, so if we are on His side, then by default He’s with us….our battles become His battles as God told Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20:15.

Notice when David slew Goliath, David  wasn’t about proving how mighty he was, but he was standing for God and His armies. (1 Samuel 17:45) 

We are on HIS SIDE and, it’s our responsibility to be IN HARMONY WITH HIS TRUTH. Issues, situations, disputes and disagreements are much bigger than whether or not we are ‘RIGHT’ or ‘WRONG’.

We can easily get caught up in trying to prove we’re ‘RIGHT’, or someone else other group is WRONG, rather than be IN HARMONY WITH GOD’S TRUTH. We as individuals and groups can get caught up in being more concerned with what WE WANT TO BELIEVE, and OUR PREFERRED VIEW of the bible, which becomes a static doctrine that we feel compelled defend rather than trying to defend our faith and be in harmony with God’s truth.

That’s how you can tell who is in harmony with God’s truth when two people or groups are looking at the same scripture with two points of view…which person or group is removing how THEY WANT TO see it and their own will out of the way and is only seeking God’s point of view and His will. So, let’s be careful how we loosely throw around, “God’s on my side”, and strive to always be on His.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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WINDY DAYS…

​Stop and enjoy your life. Trear yourself. Play with your children. Spend quailty time with the people who are special to you. 

Yes we have to work, yes we have responsibilities, but God expects us to enjoy ourselves, our families and the fruit of our work too. 

So many people are striving to make a living, but aren’t living. 

They are living to work rather than working to live. 

They brag about, “I got to the office hours early or stayed hours late”. “I volunteered for hours of overtime.” That’s good and it has its place at times, but too many people are missing years, and some of life’s best memories trying to make it, get more or take care of what they may have over obligated themselves to. That’s not God’s will for our lives. 

Working…and working…and working…without stopping to enjoy life is like chasing wind. That’s what the book of Ecclesiastes says. And, even if we stop and enjoy all that God has blessed us to obtain and achieve, we will still find void, emptiness and incompleteness without a relationship with Him through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That’s why material things are never enough, it’s like chasing and grasping at the wind. 

Only enjoying and sharing what we have through a relationship with God can fulfill us. Don’t just spend your days in the pursuit of life, but never living. Read Ecclesiastes Chapters 1, 2, 6 and 12….notice what it says about CHASING THE WIND…so you can avoid WINDY DAYS.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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IS IT GRACE OR LUCK?

In case you missed it…

Minister Aldtric Johnson M.A.'s avatarBE BLESSTIFIED!

I often hear some Christians say, “I don’t believe in luck because I have grace”. Well that’s partially true. Yes, those of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior enjoy the benefits of God’s grace, which as you know is God’s unmerited, undeserved favor reserved for His people. Grace can’t be earned. As stated in Ephesians 2:8-9 and Ephesians 4:7, grace comes only through our faith in God through Christ, and it’s a free gift for each of us. 

Grace is God’s favor that all things will work for our good no matter what the circumstances, so what the world calls COINCIDENCES, Christians call CONFIRMATIONS. Since God is working on our behalf in all things Christians aren’t lucky. 

So if grace is God’s favor reserved for His people, then what is it when those who aren’t in the Body of Christ have unexpected, serendipitous, good things happen?…

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CAN YOU REALLY TRUST YOUR HEART?

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“Trust your heart!” “Follow your heart!” “The heart doesn’t lie!” How many times have you received or given that advice?

 Jeremiah 17:9

“The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? 

The fact is that we can’t always trust what lies within our hearts.

How much trouble has your heart gotten you into? Our passions, our desires, our motives, even our dreams aren’t always within God’s will.

How much trouble has ‘your heart’ gotten  you into?

How many bad relationships?

How many bad purchases?

How many bad decisions?

We can’t even trust our hearts when it comes to what we do for God. Just because we have it in our hearts to do something for God doesn’t necessarily mean it’s His will for us.

David had it in His heart to build a house for God…

1 Kings 8:17-19

Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a temple[a] for the name of the Lord God of Israel. 18 But the Lord said to my father David, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a temple for My name, you did well that it was in your heart. 19 Nevertheless you shall not build the temple, but your son who will come from your body, he shall build the temple for My name.’

Just because it’s in your heart to do it for God, it may not be His will for you! David was a man of war, musician, psalmist, king…but not it wasn’t for him to build the temple. You need to KNOW YOUR CALLING, YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS…KNOW YOUR ANOINTING.

It may be your passion to be an Olympic athlete, but you may not be athletic enough to do so. There are some preachers who are gifted speakers, but they don’t have the ability to lead as a Pastor.

The adage, “Trust your heart” is an example of the world’s wisdom which God warns us to beware of…

1 Corinthians 3:19 (ESV)

For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,”.

James 3:15 (ESV)

This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

God expects His children to rely on His wisdom and the guidance of His Holy Spirit…

James 3:17 (ESV)

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Romans 8:14 (ESV)

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

John 14:26

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

From relationships, to choosing a job, to finding your purpose in God, our Heavenly Father never meant for us to allow our flesh to lead us, but to be led by His Spirit…

Galatians 5:16 (ESV)

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

With the help and guidance of God’s Holy Spirit, we don’t have to worry about trusting our hearts – all we have to do is trust Him!

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

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IF THE ‘BIG O’ WAS TOO BIG (GOD’S WISDOM)…

Thy Kingdom Come…

When you stop and take look, you can see God’s wisdom in everything…and I mean EVERYTHING!

God’s first institution established in His Kingdom was the family. He put man and woman together with a plan. He told us to be fruitful and multiply because God wasn’t going to continue creating men from dust or women from men’s ribs.

God gave us the gift of physical intimacy (sex) to bring children into the world, and to enhance our marriages. God wants us to enjoy one another just as much as he wants us to enjoy Him, and that’s  very clear in the bible.

Proverbs 5:19 (NKJV)

As a loving deer and a graceful doe,
Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;
And always be enraptured with her love.

Hebrews 13:4 (NKJV)

4 Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

He even told husbands and wives to ‘take care of each other’ intimately so neither is tempted…

1 Corinthians 7: 1-5

Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me:

It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2 Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. 3 Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

God made sex a physical crescendo that builds to a climactic, brief culmination of intense pleasure sought after by both those who are married and unfortunately, unmarried….We will use the euphemism ‘THE BIG O’.  Everything God did has a holy purpose. It’s not God’s fault that we misuse His gift…and what a perfect gift!

Here’s where God’s wisdom comes in.

God knew…

If we were going to ‘be fruitful and multiply’…

If we were going to have long, healthy marriages…

Our gift would need to be something we look forward to…something we crave and not something we dread.

Few people want the physical crescendo without the ‘BIG O’…

And, few people want the ‘BIG O’ to come too soon…

But, dig this!

As much as we enjoy…

As much we anticipate the ‘BIG O’.

As much as we enjoy reaching that brief moment of euphoria…God was wise enough to make it brief.

It’s brief enough for us to look forward to it, but it’s short enough for us to enjoy it.

Think about it…no one would be able to withstand 5, 10, 15 uninterrupted minutes of the ‘BIG O’. I don’t even know if our bodies could take it.

If the ‘BIG O’ was too big or too long…we would dread it.

If the ‘BIG O’ was too big we would avoid it.

There would be no ‘be fruitful and multiply’.

There would be a strain on marriages due to lack of intimacy.

Even the most holy person can admit that a well-timed ‘BIG O’ is just the pressure release valve needed sometime to relieve us of the stresses of life.

God knew just how good to make it…Just how strong to make it…and just how long to make it.

I told you when you stop and look at it, you can see God’s wisdom in EVERYTHING.

It’s easy to see why the apostle Paul proclaimed…

Romans 11:33 (NKJV)

33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

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YOU CAN’T CHANGE THE MIND UNTIL GOD CHANGES THE HEART…

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Change the heart and the mind will follow.
How many times have you heard someone say, “You aren’t going to change my mind”?
As Christians, we say that to anyone who tries to convince us to reject Jesus. So, as we strive to promote the love of Christ, and to convince people to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, it’s easy to understand how some people who were born and raised in other faiths or no faith will say the same thing.

But, we must understand that our challenge as Christians isn’t to change MINDS, but to touch HEARTS. When you touch someone’s HEART with the love of Christ, their THINKING changes.

In Jeremiah 33:31, God promises us, 
“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their HEARTS. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
Notice, God didn’t say He’d put His word in our minds, but hearts.

How many times have you struggled to change someone’s mind?

Some have even married people determined to change their MINDS and thinking.
Any effective social movement such as the Civil Rights Movement was successful because it changes hearts. You can’t FORCE people to change how they think, but when you touch their HEARTS, their thinking will change. The NON-VIOLENT protests of the 50’s and 60’s were designed to change hearts.
People will tell you, “You can talk to me until you’re blue in the face, you won’t change my mind!” And they’re right. Talk makes people defensive of their thinking, but God’s love has the power to change their heart. Talk is CHEAP, but LOVE is action.
Don’t beat your head against the wall trying to change someone’s mind.
Don’t rely on LOUD talk and FORCE to change someone’s mind.
LIVE out loud and LOVE out loud to change the HEART, and the MIND will follow.
BE BLESSTIFIED!
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GOD’S CREDIT REPAIR

In case you missed it…

Minister Aldtric Johnson M.A.'s avatarBE BLESSTIFIED!

20160914_234510.jpgOne of the most frustrating things for some people is trying to repair bad credit. Good credit gives you access to a world of material things and services. Good credit makes navigating the material world much easier, but on the flip side, bad credit makes the material world more difficult, more expensive and in some ways…impossible. Bad credit closes some doors. Buying homes, cars and other things can be a fun experience with many choices when one has good credit, but bad credit makes it a stressful, limited, and dreaded experience for many. Even if one changes their behavior, it can take years to establish good credit after it’s been bad, with bad items still coming up on your credit report years after…AREN’T YOU GLAD GOD ISN’T LIKE THE CREDIT BUREAUS?

From the earliest days of God’s interaction with His people, not only can GOOD CREDIT be instant, but easy…

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GOD DOESN’T NEED A LANGUAGE IN ORDER TO SPEAK…

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When God WILLS it…God SAYS it.

Genesis 1:3

3 “Then God said…”

God doesn’t need a language to speak.

What is HIS language?

Who was there when God ‘SAID’ “Let there be…”? There was no audience. Moses wasn’t there…the revelation of creation was given to him much later.

The Hebrew word for “said”, AMAR, according to The NAS Old Hebrew Lexicon means, to say, to answer, to say in one’s heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend.

When God wills it…God says it.

God’s will is His words. He wills and it happens.

Jesus Christ, Yeshua, IS the living word. Jesus was there in the beginning as the Word and later became flesh. Just as your spirit, your essence of life, is invisible but your body is the image of your invisible spirit. God is a Spirit and Jesus Christ is not only the Word that was there in the beginning, He is the image of the invisible God.

 

Colossians 1:15 (NKJV)

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

John 1:1-3, 14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

But what is ‘word’? The Greek words RHEMA and LOGOS are used as equivalents for the Hebrew word DABAR, as the Word of God or Divine Word.

God’s will is His words. He wills and it happens.

God can place His will, thoughts and desires inside of us, it is us that must use language to communicate. Language is for us, not God.

Language is what we use to communicate our thoughts, our intents…what’s in our hearts. We use language to communicate…God doesn’t have to. God is not limited to English, Igbo, Spanish, French, Portuguese or any other language.

His ways our not our ways and thoughts our not our thoughts. God can communicate with us through a thought. God knows your thoughts…does God hear them in a language? Or, does He just KNOW what’s in your heart.

Yes, we confess with our mouth, for the benefit of others, but we aren’t saved until we believe in our heart that God raised Jesus from the dead. How does God know you believe? Does He need a language to do that?

Many times people are critical when someone says, “The Lord told me”… And rightly so, because people tend to say that very loosely…too loosely. People will critically and sarcastically say, “What did God SAY to you?” Did you HEAR His voice?”

Yes God has spoken audibly at times for our benefit…Moses, The Mount of Transfiguration…but God doesn’t have to SPEAK audibly to SPEAK…

Nehemiah 2:12 (NKJV)

12 Then I arose in the night, I and a few men with me; I told no one what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem; nor was there any animal with me, except the one on which I rode.

Jeremiah 31:33 (NKJV)

33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

Matthew 16:17 (NKJV)

17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

Hebrews 8:10 (NKJV)

10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

Revelation 17:17 (NKJV)

17 For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.

Remember. Those who rejected Jesus (Pharisees, Scribes etc.) heard Him with their ears… They heard Him speak in their language…but they didn’t hear Him in their heart.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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ARE YOU IN A RUT?

No matter how successful, everyone falls into a rut sometimes. I’m talking about beyond the financial rut we can all fall into, but also physical, emotional, relational or especially SPIRITUAL.

Ruts along our journey have their place in our overall purpose. A well-placed rut, or ditch has a way of keeping us humble…

Yeah…let’s look at our ‘rut’ as a ditch. Have you ever fallen into a ditch?…a big ditch?

You could have:

Carelessly fallen into the ditch…

Been pushed or tricked into the ditch…

Or, the ground on which you were standing could have just collapsed.

Just been in the wrong place.

Either way…you fell and you’re in a ditch.

Sometimes if you fall into a big ditch, you can’t just climb out in the same place from which you’ve fallen.

Sometimes you have to walk for a while in that ditch until you can find the right place, which many times is the only spot in which you can either climb out or be lifted out.

The right place to get out:

Usually isn’t the same spot where you fell…

Has enough light to see your way out…

Has walls that you can either crawl, climb, jump for be lifted out of…

Has stable ground on the outside strong enough to prevent falling right back in…

If you’re in a rut, or a ditch. Don’t get discouraged while you’re working your way to the right place to get out. Remember, that no ditch goes on forever, even the big ones (valleys). And, always remember to avoid going back to the same spot in which you stumbled.

As you keep your eyes open for the LIGHT to get out…

Keep praying…

Keep praising…

and keep progressing!

God will not leave you in the ditch if you keep your eyes on the Light.

Hebrews 12:2 (NKJV)

2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.


Matthew 15:14 (NKJV)

14 Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch

BE BLESSTIFIED!!!

 

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WORD TO THE HUMBLE…

If they praise you now…

If to you they bow…

Then you already have your reward.

But, every time you bring…

Glory to the King…

In heaven yours is stored.

Don’t set your pleasures…

On earthly treasures…

They only pass away.

The love of Jesus…

Is enough to please us…

If we just let Him have His way.

maj 2002

Matthew 6:1-4

 “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. 3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.<span data-fn="#fen-NKJV-23287a" class="footnote" data-link="[a]” style=”box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;”>[a]
Be Blesstified!

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GOOD SEED IN GOOD SOIL (CAN YOU DIG IT?)

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Why don’t more people accept the truth of God’s word? Let me rephrase that…why don’t WE, those who call ourselves HIS people, why don’t we always accept it? I’m not talking to those super spiritual people who claim they always gladly accept God’s word, but those who are willing to admit that sometimes what God requires can be difficult for our flesh. Also, when I say accept, I don’t just mean hear it. I mean those who hear it…receive it…and make the immediate appropriate changes in their lives according to it….ACCEPT IT.

Yes , God’s word is perfect…In what we call the Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13, Jesus calls the word SEED…GOOD SEED.

Matthew 13: 18-23 (NKJV)

 18 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

Good seed only grows in good ground.

Sometimes, our mindset, our attitude, and how we let our circumstances affect both can make our hearts bad soil, or bad ground.

Have you ever received the truth of the word when you were…

Unforgiving?

Unfaithful?

Angry with God?

Angry at the world?

In a bad lifestyle?

In a bad relationship?

In the midst of doing wrong?

Had doubt in the source from which you received the word?

While you were self-righteous and could see fault in others but not yourself?

Dig this…

Whatever the reason, when we’re honest with ourselves. Most of the time we know when what we’re hearing or reading is right…

We know when it’s speaking specifically to us…

We know when it convicts us…

Sometimes, we just aren’t ready to accept it yet.

God works hard to make sure our hearts are ‘good ground’ for His word to be planted.  Seeds can’t be planted unless the ground is broken, and sometimes the difficult situations that we endure is God’s way of breaking our ground so we can be ready to accept the seed of the word. Some digging has to take place. Once that good seed is planted in good ground, it can produce a harvest of good fruit… that leads to future harvests.

We must be careful not to let life’s challenges harden our hearts and our ground.

We must be careful not to allow our flesh to harden our hearts and our ground.

We just be careful not to allow weak faith to harden our hearts and our ground.

Let us always make it our daily prayer that our hearts are always GOOD GROUND FOR GOOD SEED.

Can you dig it?

BE BLESSTIFIED!!!

 

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EMPATHY FOR GOD…

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If you ever get frustrated when those closest to you:

Don’t do what you want…

Do what you don’t want…

Say no when you want them to say yes…

Say yes when you want them to say no…

Hurt you…

intentionally,

with forethought, then say…

“I’m sorry.”

If you’ve seen them take your love…kindness…and patience for granted.

But, you still feel compelled to love them anyway because…THEY’RE YOURS.

Stop and PRAISE GOD for His love because…NOW, you see how He feels about US.

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV)

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

BE BLESSTIFIED!!!!

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REMEMBER…EVERYONE’S NOT DREAMING OF A WHITE CHRISTMAS.

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“YOUR WINTER FUN IS SOMEONE’S WINTER FEAR” maj

So many people love the cozy idea of sitting by a warm fire, and sipping egg nog or hot chocolate as they unwrap gifts with family or friends.

So many people get excited when they hear the weather forecaster announce snow is coming.

But, while some people rush the grocery stores for extra food in case they are snowed in…

While some people prepare to cook hot meals and watch the snow fall…

While so many children get excited over the thought of a snow day…

While some say, “Hmmm, what will we eat?”…

Others cringe at the thought of snow coming…

Others wait to see what the grocery stores will throw away…

Others wonder what cooked meals they can find in a dumpster…

Others wonder how they will keep their children warm on a snow day…

Others say, “what will we eat?”…wondering IF? rather than WHAT?!

wp-1481505705955.jpgAs we enjoy the blessings of warmth, food and shelter during the Holiday season, let us not forget those who have no place to lay their heads…no place for their children.

Let us remember those who have to struggle looking for someplace to use the bathroom with dignity after a night of sleeping on the street.

Beyond the holiday season, remember your WINTER FUN is someone’s WINTER FEAR.

And, take advantage of the opportunities that God gives you to be a blessing to someone in need. It’s good to PRAY for them, but it’s even better to be the answer to your own prayer for them.

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?

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Please help me share this message…

BE BLESSTIFIED!!!!

 

 

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X-TREME X-AMLES IN THE OLD TESTAMTENT…

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 1 Corinthians 10:1-11

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 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. 11 Now all[b] these things HAPPENED TO THEM as examples, and they were WRITTEN FOR OUR ADMONITION, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

The Old Testament introduced us to God… through Israel. We learn who He is, and since we’re made in His image we learn who we are. We learn His expectations. We learn how He reacts when we sin. We learn through what I like to call EXTREME EXAMPLES what He loves and what He hates through His interactions with Isreal. We learn that when we sin, before He gets angry – He’s hurt….as implied in Judges 2:1-2…

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

Here God asks, “Why have you done this?”

Have you ever asked that to a loved one that hurt you?

Have you ever said that to a child before you punished them?

We learn God’s heart through His interactions with Israel. Through EXTREME examples of judgement we learn how much He hates some behaviors. We also learn through EXTREME acts of mercy and miracles what behaviors He loves.

Those extreme judgements are much like a police officer pulling over ONE speeding driver, when many are speeding. Every now and then they will have to remind drivers of the law by making an example of some drivers and not all.

Some say we don’t have those EXTREME judgements as in the Old Testament anymore…but don’t be too quick to assume so. Many of the natural disasters and calamities of TODAY could be God getting our attention and reminding us of His expectations.

As you read the history of the Old Testament, from now on as you read an EXTREME judgement  (such as the earth opening up and swallowing people in Numbers 26:10, or the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19) pay particular attention to the reasons God did it.

Pay attention to the behaviors that He was responding to.

Pay particular attention to what He calls abominations.

God doesn’t change, if He hated it then, He hates it now.

Let’s LEARN FROM OUR EXTREME EXAMPLES

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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LEMONADE WITHOUT SUGAR…

Weekend REBLOG in case you missed it…

Minister Aldtric Johnson M.A.'s avatarBE BLESSTIFIED!

wp-1472302013866.jpgPeople love clichés. A well-placed cliché makes conversations, speeches and even sermons more interesting. One very popular cliché used when people have misfortune is or difficulty is, “When life gives you lemons make lemonade”. BUT WHAT IF YOU DON’T HAVE ANY SUGAR? What if you have a health condition that doesn’t allow you to have sugar? Sometimes in life we have to faith our way through some difficult days. Sometimes we have to take some medicine that just doesn’t taste good. Sometimes you have to swallow a really big pill that’s hard to get down. Some people can’t have sugar in their diet. Sometimes your healing comes from something bitter.

AREN’T YOU GLAD THAT JESUS DIDN’T MAKE LEMONADE ON THE CROSS?2 Timothy 2:3 tells us to endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 12:2 teaches us to look to Jesus, who endured the cross for…

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R U OVERWHELMED?

 

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FOR THE DAYS YOU FEEL YOU’RE GOING TO EXPLODE

Some days…Some days…. Some days life can be so HEAVY!

You want to stay in bed, but as you close your eyes…your troubles are STILL staring right at you.

You get up and they follow you everywhere you go…

Even if you forget them for a brief period of happiness, they come rushing from the back of your mind whispering loudly…RHHEMMEMBER USSS???

Some days, even the strongest of us don’t feel we are going to make it.We  feel overwhelmed emotionally, physically, financially and most of all SPIRITUALLY.

There are days that we may not even feel like praying or worshiping. It’s okay, you can admit it. God knows your heart anyway…and that’s a blessing.

It’s a blessing that God knows His children… because  He knows we are flesh.

Psalm 103:13-14 (NKJV)

13 As a father pities his children,
So the Lord pities those who fear Him.
14 For He knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust.

Isn’t that good to know?

Remember when Jesus prayed in the garden before He was betrayed, he found His closest disciples, His inner circle sleeping in His darkest hour….

Matthew 26:40-41 (NKJV)

Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? 41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Jesus knows that no matter how willing we may be, and how good are intentions may be, that the flesh HE PLACED US IN, GETS WEAK. He knows this…

Peter, James and John were overwhelmed physically and were about to be overwhelmed spiritually and scattered, that’s why Jesus told them to WATCH and PRAY, then acknowledged and warned them and us that the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

When we don’t FEEL like praying or worshiping is when we need to most.

PRAY and PRAISE your way through. It doesn’t have to be deep, eloquent or profound.

“Lord help me!” “Lord have mercy”,

Or, the battle cry of praise…“PRAISE THE LORD, YOUR MERCY ENDURES FOREVER!”(2 Chronicles 20:21, Psalm 106:1, Psalm 136:1).

The truth is that, when it comes to your UTILITIES, if you don’t PAY you lose CONNECTION to your POWER SOURCE.

If you don’t PRAY you lose CONNECTION to your SPIRITUAL POWER SOURCE.

You still have your account with the utility company, you just have to PAY to stay connected.

And yes, you still have your ACCOUNT with God through JESUS CHRIST . You just have to PRAY and PRAISE to stay connected.

If you’re OVERWHELMED today, God is STILL worthy of your praise, and still listening for your prayers. Pray and praise your way through, because just like Jesus in the garden, even though your situation may not turn around, God WILL give you the strength to endure.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

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YES…SOME THINGS SHOULD BE DONE ‘JUST FOR SHOW’

THE SON IS THE STAR!

Have you ever heard someone say, “Awwe, they’re just doing that ‘for show’!” Or, “Awwe, they’re just doing that to be seen”? Jesus warned us about doing things only to be seen and to bring glory to ourselves…

Matthew 6: 1-3

“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. 

Jesus told us when we do things merely to be seen, whatever glory we receive from that act, we already have our reward.

However, that DOESN’T mean that some things should NEVER be done to be seen.

How else can God get glory?

How else can people witness His love?

How else can people witness His power?

How else can people be drawn to Him through us…unless they see Him through us?

Yes, it’s necessary that some things be done TO BE SEEN. It’s the intent of the heart as to whether or not God approves.

Matthew 5:16 (NKJV)

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

It is true that Jesus loved Mary, Martha and Lazarus, but Jesus resurrecting Lazarus from the dead in John 11 was about more than giving the sisters back their brother. It was done so that others COULD SEE AND BELIEVE.

It was done FOR SHOW!

Jesus wept so others could see how much He loved Lazarus, Mary and Martha.

It was done FOR SHOW!

John 11:32 – 40 (NKJV)

32 Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”

33 Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. 34 And He said, “Where have you laid him?”

They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.”

35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!”

37 And some of them said, “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?”

38 Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”

Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.”

40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” 

Be sure and check your motives when you do anything that could bring glory to yourself. God is willing to share His glory, but we must give Him priority in our hearts.

 Also, be very careful when you’re judging someone else’s intentions as to why they are doing what they do.

When you decide for them their motives, and what’s in their hearts you can be guilty of judging, and when we judge wrongly, we are inviting the same judgement on ourselves.

Matthew 7:1 (NKJV)

Judge not, that you be not judged.

Look upon every act you do in public as an opportunity to let your light shine. Pray that God allow others to be drawn to HIM THROUGH YOU and not YOU THROUGH HIM. Take advantage of the opportunities that God gives you to build His Kingdom through you and remember that…SOME THINGS SHOULD BE DONE FOR SHOW!

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

 

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HOW PRINCE INSPIRES ME AS A CHRISTIAN…

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Prince’s music is definitely a huge part of the soundtrack of my life, especially my younger days. I enjoy the genius of his artistry..He wasn’t just a singer, but a singer/performer/entertainer/entrepreneur/activist/philanthropist. His influence on music, fashion and culture is undeniable.

It’s also very evident that Prince, as we all do, had a strong spiritual side and a strong carnal side. He wrote songs that were sexually explicit as well as songs that were beautiful and spiritual, such as “God”, which was the B-Side to “Purple Rain” (for younger readers who may not know, a B-Side was another song on the opposite side of the single of a vinyl record). In fact, sometimes Prince was a spiritual paradox…again, as we all have been.

The purpose of this post isn’t to judge Prince’s spirituality or his carnality, but how both inspire me.

Many of you may be thinking, how can a man of God be inspired by carnality? Well, remember Luke 16: 1-12, “The Parable of the Unjust Steward”?

Luke 16 (NKJV)

He also said to His disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. 2 So he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’

3 “Then the steward said within himself, ‘What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg. 4 I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.’

5 “So he called every one of his master’s debtors to him, and said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 And he said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ So he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ 7 Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ So he said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ 8 So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.

9 “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. 10 He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. 11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?

Notice that the rich man (representing God in this parable) commended the unjust steward or manager. The steward acted very shrewdly in regard to the rich man’s money. Jesus proclaimed that “the children of this world are more shrewd (wiser in some translations) in THEIR GENERATION than the sons of light”. In other words, Jesus was saying that there are some lessons that Christians can learn from ‘the world’…that’s another post that’s coming soon.

When I look at the life of Prince and the way he pursued and released what was inside of him…the way he made the most of his talents and gifts… I’m inspired in my pursuit of ministry and releasing what God has placed inside of me.

Prince’s Gifts and Talents

Prince was one of the most gifted individuals of our time, THAT WE KNOW OF. I say “that we know of” because there are probably scores of other gifted individuals out there that will let their talents and abilities die with them. Gifts and talents are no good if we allow them to remain dormant…or keep them to ourselves. God gives us gifts and talents so we can use them to reveal His glory to the world, and as tools to build His Kingdom. Prince didn’t allow his gifts to remain dormant or to himself. He didn’t come from ‘money’. He wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He didn’t allow circumstances or excuses to negate his gifts. He FOUND WAYS to make it happen…

That inspires me to do the same for God.

Prince’s Vision

God drives home the importance of vision in Habakkuk 2:1-3…

 Then the Lord answered me and said:

“Write the vision, And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.

For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry.

Prince had vision of where he wanted to go. He had a clear picture of where, what and who he wanted to be. Vision is a snapshot of how you see yourself in the future, and it is what drives you to reach the smaller goals along the way to get to your destination. No one can move with the trajectory and momentum of Prince, even through setbacks, without vision…

That also inspires me in ministry.

Princes Dedication to Perfection

In the bible, perfection in regard to man, isn’t flawless, but mature (Teleios, Strong’s Concordance). It means being ‘perfect’ for each level as you progress, as a 4th grader who is ready to be promoted to 5th grade…not yet ready for high school, but perfect for the current level. Prince honed his talents and the talents of those around him. He consistently got better, and he made those around him better. As an instrumentalist, song writer, producer, performer, entertainer, he was never satisfied. He always strove for perfection. This is what we should do as Christians. We should always be growing, maturing and perfecting the gifts and talents that God gives us…

This inspires me as a minister, songwriter, writer, husband, father, man of God.

Prince’s Boldness

It was clear that Prince had the boldness to do what he felt he needed to do to be seen and promote who and how he wanted to be perceived. Of course coming on stage almost naked, and using profanity was not good or Godly. In an interview with Tavis Smiley, Prince stated that he did a lot of things early in his career to be as “flashy” and as”noisey” as he could be to deal with and compensate for getting teased in school. He focused on getting better at what he did to deal with the pain of his past. His boldness to write what he felt, perform as he felt, dress as he felt is what gave him his platform. After signing with Warner Brothers, after being offered one of the hottest producers in the industry at the time, Maurice White, he insisted on producing himself….now that’s bold for a teenager…

This inspires me as a minister to be bold for Christ.

Prince’s Influence

Prince will always be remembered as one of the greatest influences on music, culture, fashion, expression, etc., of our time, and possibly all time. Not only did he set the standard, but he raised the bar. You can hear Prince’s influence in various genres of music. His audience is one of the most diverse of any artist. His influence extends beyond race, gender, culture and ethnicity. He has inspired artistry, professionalism, excellence and greatness in countless others that will continue to shape our world…

This inspires me as a minister, writer and man of God.

Again, this post is not to judge any aspect of his life.

Am I a fan of Prince…Yes.

Do I agree with everything that he did or the way he did it…No.

However,  we have to learn to make the most of the good and bad in all of our lives…and Prince Rogers Nelson is and will remain to be the one of the greatest influences in the life of Minister Aldtric Johnson and my ministry.

Is there someone or something that inspires you in your walk with Christ, that may make others say….”REALLY? Tell me how!” If so, please leave a reply, and tell me how. It may inspire others too.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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DON’T GIVE UP IN THE ‘TURN AROUND’!

REBLOGGING FOR YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT COMING OUT OF A CHALLENGING YEAR…

Minister Aldtric Johnson M.A.'s avatarBE BLESSTIFIED!

DON’T TURN AROUND  IN YOUR TURNAROUND!

God told us we will have trials and tribulations in life. He also gave us a promise. 

“Many are the affictions of the righteous, but God delivers him out of them all” Psalm 34:19.

The devil knows of this promise and does everything he can to convince you to give up not only during the trial, but when things are TURNING AROUND. He may even attack harder. I’m in a turn around season myself, and the devil is trying to discourage me even as I type this word to inspire US.

I declare in the name of Jesus Christ that the devil is a liar! My wife and I can tell God is turning things around. If you are sensitive to God, and in constant prayer, you can tell that a change for the better is coming. You can tell that things are…

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IT TAKES THE SAME FAITH…

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“for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith AS a mustard seed…”

Have you ever been critical of those who opposed Jesus both during His earthly ministry and now?

Many saw Him perform miracles, but because Jesus challenged their theology, traditions and culture they rejected Him and those who supported Him.

In John Chapter 9 after they could clearly see he healed a man who had been blind since birth, rather than accepting the miracle, they sought to put the healed man and his family out of the synagogue and to destroy Jesus.

John 9: 28-29 (NKJV)

Then they reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. 29 We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.”

They claimed to be disciples of Moses.

BUT….

It took THE SAME FAITH to believe in Jesus that it took to believe in Moses. The children of Israel saw the signs and miracles that Moses performed just as the Pharisees saw Jesus.

The children of Israel heard Moses proclaim God’s word just as the Pharisees heard Jesus.

So, if their hearts were hard enough to reject Jesus, it’s likely they would have rejected Moses had they lived in his day.

Why?

Because it took the SAME FAITH to believe in Moses who they claimed to follow as it took to believe in Jesus who they rejected.

It took the SAME FAITH to believe Noah….

It took the SAME FAITH to believe the apostles…

It takes the SAME FAITH to believe the preached word today.

God still performs miracles. 

God still gives confirmations

God still grants His mercy.

God still makes Himself known through His creation…but people don’t acknowledge Him.

Romans 1: 18- 20 (NKJV)

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse…

Those  who resist, oppose or reject Jesus today are without excuse. 

God has given everyone a measure of faith…and that’s all we need to believe.

Romans 12:3 (NKJV)

3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

Matthew 17:20 (NKJV)

20 So Jesus said to them, “Because of your 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.

It takes the SAME FAITH to…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

 

 

 

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NEW DAY…NEW YOU!

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THE PEOPLE WHO YOU HAVEN’T MET YET WILL ONLY KNOW THE NEW YOU!

We all have made some bad choices and bad decisions in life. Sometimes those bad choices can define who we are to ourselves and others.

If you don’t like the person that you have been…

If you don’t like the person that are right now…

Please remember that each NEW day is a NEW opportunity to become the NEW YOU!

Once you accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, your NEW nature begins to shape, refine and define the NEW you…

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

You begin a life long process of progress…you will no longer be the person you were as long as you walk in the Spirit of God and move away from gratifying the works of the flesh that can define us, our character, our personality and ruin our testimony. 

Galatians 5:17-21

16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

The NEW you in Christ Jesus is the ‘you’ that is led by and displays the Fruit of the Spirit…

Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control.

Just think for a moment about the fact that there are scores of people who haven’t met yet, but will meet. There’s an innumerable number of people are destined to hear about you even though you may not know them.

These people will only know who are now…these people will only know THE NEW YOU. 

Even in Christ, we will continue to make mistakes, but remember to view each NEW day as a blessing and opportunity to ‘get it right’. 

Get it right with God…

Get it right with your ‘fellow man’…

Get it right with YOUrself…

Each day is a NEW opportunity to become the NEW you. 

BE BLESSTIFIED!!

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WHO WILL YOU DOWNLOAD INTO YOUR ‘HEART DRIVE’?

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When we CHOOSE to download or install an APP, that APP asks for permission to ACCESS what is INSIDE our device…

Our images

Our videos

Our audio

Our contacts

Our storage.

Our HARD DRIVES.

In other words before we can begin using an app, it asks for AUTHORITY over our smart phone, device or computer.

The same thing occurs in our spiritual lives. Both God and the enemy are asking for permission and access into us…

Our hearts

Our minds

Our spirits

Our contacts

Our storage/memory

Our ‘HEART DRIVES’.

In other words, both God and the enemy are asking for AUTHORITY and influence over our lives. Some apps even ask if they can post or act on our behalf.

But just as with a smart device, no one gets access and authority unless we DOWNLOAD them by choice and give them permission.

Some APPS are good, but there are many that are bad and can even infect our devices…but none of them get access unless we give them permission.

Don’t give the enemy permission to infect your HEART DRIVE. Don’t give him the permission to ‘post’ on your behalf …only allow the Good Shepherd access into YOU.

Who will you give permission to today?

For whom will you click…ACCEPT?

John 10:1-5

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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