In today’s heated political, social, religious and anti-religious climate, between good discussions, debates, dialogue, commentary, arguing and talking AT one another… people love to preface and punctuate his or her points with “I HAVE THE FACTS TO BACK ME UP!”

If I learned one thing in my years as a Marketing Manager and professional Copywriter it’s that facts can be both interpreted and applied subjectively.

Every television station, radio station, business etc., can be #1 at the same time to a different demographic.

Medical research can be manipulated and delivered to satisfy the marketing efforts of pharmaceutical companies.

People have twisted God’s absolute truth to satisfy their own agendas and narratives.

People will quickly assume that the facts and research that fits their particular point-of- view as superior.

This is why in a court case, both the prosecution and defense present their OWN experts that support their OWN story…both armed with FACTS.

After those who sought to ‘kill’ Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) presented their ‘facts’, Pilate replied…

John 18:38 (NIV)

³⁸ “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him.^(A)

John 14:6 (NKJV)

⁶ Jesus said to him, “I am ^(A)the way, ^(B)the truth, and ^(C)the life. ^(D)No one comes to the Father^(E)except through Me.

We must be honest with ourselves when handling ‘facts’ and the ‘truth’. Because ultimately it’s not about us proving we are ‘RIGHT’, but about us being in harmony with God’s truth.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

God is perfect and God is pure love, so that means pure love is perfect.

1 John 4:7 (NKJV)

⁷ Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

But many times when relationships fail, when we hurt one another, or when we see the worst in human behavior, people will conclude that love has failed. When we look at someone that we consider to be pure evil, we can conclude, there’s not enough love in the world to help or save that person. When someone has betrayed us over and over and over and over again, we can conclude we don’t have ‘enough’ love to forgive them.

Yeshua (Jesus) said that in the last days because of the evil and wickedness in the world the love of many would ‘wax cold’, their hearts would begin to harden…

Matthew 24:12  (NIV)

¹² Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,

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This is just a quick reminder that God’s love is perfect but ours isn’t.

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God’s love is 24 karat gold…it’s pure. Our love varies from 1 karat to 23 karats, depending on the situation. Just because ‘gold’ isn’t 24 karat’s doesn’t mean it’s not gold. And, just because our love isn’t 24 karat, doesn’t mean it’s not love.

When our love has failed, it doesn’t mean there wasn’t ‘enough love to give, it just means we didn’t ‘give enough love’.

That’s the reason when people in a marriage or family hurt, betray, deny, embarrass, mistreat, and disrespect one another, it doesn’t mean they don’t love one another. It just means their love isn’t ‘pure’ ‘perfect’ or ‘mature’ enough. And, that’s a life long process.

Think about it like this. Ask yourself the following questions and fill in the blanks YES or NO.

Do I love God? __________

Have I ever hurt God?__________

Have I ever disobeyed God?_________

Have I ever embarrassed God?____________

Have I ever disrespected God?______________

Now…

Does that mean that you don’t love Him?__________________

1 Peter 4:8  (NKJV)

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

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Whether it be that you worship on Saturday or SONday, many parents are forced to make a choice if their children participate on a sports or cheer team.

When games and tournaments are scheduled at the same time as worship, during sports seasons, parents have to make the choice as to whether they should tell the coach, “We can’t make the game”, or to fulfill God’s expectation of regular worship…

Hebrews 10:25 (NKJV)

²⁵ not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

Children are a heritage to the Lord, and it’s parent’s responsibility to teach and model for them Godly choices.

Psalm 127:3 (NKJV)

³ Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.

Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV)

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

When we choose allowing our children to PLAY IN A GAME during worship where we have committed to worship the Lord, that choice is showing our children which is the priority in our lives.

It’s setting an example for them to follow with their children.

Too many people expect God to ‘understand’ or excuses when we have made decided not to honor His day of rest. NOTICE HOW MUCH IT PISSES GOD OFF WHEN WE REFUSE TO REST…

Too many times we expect God to in a sense ‘worship’ or honor‘ our excuses and priorities. His expectations haven’t changed.

Anything we prioritize over what God has told us to do is an idol.

Of course, many parents are going to say, “We’re not under bondage, we’re under grace”, but a ball game does not qualify as an ‘ox in a ditch’..,

Luke 14:5-6 (NKJV)

⁵ Then He answered them, saying, “Which of you, having a ^[a]donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?” ⁶ And they could not answer Him regarding these things.

The fact is, that many times we ‘place an ox in the ditch’ by the choices that we make. God isn’t going to accept our excuses,

Even though we have to live in a society that may not be centered around God…

Even though many people don’t believe in God…

He doesn’t change His expectations of those who do.

He expects us to be different…

1 John 2:15-16 (NKJV)

¹⁵ Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.

1 Peter 2:9 (NKJV)

⁹ But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

Even though we’re under grace, the fact that we stop to worship and rest once every seven days is a sign to the world that we are His…

Ezekiel 20:20 (NKJV)

²⁰ hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God.’

When Yeshua the Messiah was healing on the day of rest, He was doing the work of God. That doesn’t compare to playing a game. A game simply isn’t that important to God.

Consider this. If a parent tells their child to take out the trash at 8pm, but they decide not to do so, would the parent accept the excuse, I’M UNDER GRACE?

Why should God be any different?

God will hold us accountable for how we model relationship with God…

Deuteronomy 6:6-8 (NKJV)

⁶ “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. ⁷ You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. ⁸ You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

We have to be very careful that our church cultures haven’t morphed into being about us instead of God.

From how we dress…

To what’s on our minds during worship…

If we aren’t careful, we can make our time at church about getting others to notice us instead of God.

If we aren’t careful, we can focus on convincing God to respond to our pain, desires, troubles, healing… our temporal concerns, rather than focusing on giving Him the worship He desires and deserves.

Psalm 115:1 (NKJV)

Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us,
But to Your name give glory,
Because of Your mercy,
Because of Your truth.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

One of the most disturbing and confusing accounts in the bible is that of when Uzzah reached out to prevent the Ark of the Covenant from falling and God struck him dead.

2 Samuel 6:6-8 (NKJV)

⁶ And when they came to Nachon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and ^[a]took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. ⁷ Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his ^[b]error; and he died there by the ark of God. ⁸ And David became angry because of the Lord’s outbreak against Uzzah; and he called the name of the place ^[c]Perez Uzzah to this day.

Wow! That seemed so unfair. Uzzah obviously meant well and was paid with death.

Remember this…the Old Testament gives us numerous extreme examples of how God reacts to our behavior. These reactions teach and and leave examples of not only what He loves and what He hates, but also to what extreme. For example, when we totally forsake His day of rest every seven days, even under grace, to do work we could have easily done another day…God considers it worthy of death (Numbers 15:32-36). Yes, Yeshua said it’s okay to remove an ox from a ditch, but too many people have ‘oxen’ that fall in the ditch during the middle of the week and wait until The Lord’s Day to remove them.

Notice what God teaches through Paul about Old Testament examples…

1 Corinthians 10:1-10 (NKJV)

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.

So, what about Uzzah?

God said very clearly that no one was to ever touch the Ark of the Convenant, period. God said DON’T TOUCH IT.

When God says NO, He means NO!

Even though Uzzah was doing it for the right reason…NO still meant NO!. God left behind an example that we can never do something He told us never to do for what we judge to be the right reason.

Is it confusing? Yes. Even if it doesn’t make sense to us, it’s God’s word and remember what He told us through Isaiah…

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.

One contemporary example of people doing the wrong thing for the right reason is when a parent gives their adolescent daughter birth control because they don’t want them to get pregnant, or gives their son condoms so they won’t get a sexually transmitted disease. If God commands no fornication, parents must as well. If the child choses to be disobedient, then that’s between them and God.

Can you think of when you many have done the wrong thing for the right reason?

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

If you’ve read several of my blog posts, you will find I’m intentionally redundant with this message…

I’m VERY concerned with not just the character of America, but also those who call themselves Christians.

I’m concerned with how much the sin of PRIDE has been validated, justified and excused.

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PRIDE IS AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN CONSIDERED BY GOD AN ABOMINATION!

Proverbs 16:5

⁵ Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
Though they join ^[a]forces, none will go unpunished.

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Remember, that even though sin is sin, some sins make God more angry. That’s not hard to understand because some sins make us more angry. It would make you angry if someone mistreats you, but it make you more angry if they try to kill you.

So, PRIDE makes God more angry than some sins we may consider greater sins.

And, pride leads to the idolatry of worshipping (giving too much priority in our hearts) that which we are proud of…

Our country…

Our race…

Our heritage…

Our family…

Our children…

Our accomplishments…

Our education…

Our flag…

God has not given us permission to be proud of any of these things.

If your mind is immediately trying to find reasons to justify it, then you may be trying to impose your will over God’s word. That’s dangerous.

So, how should you feel about what you are PROUD OF?

It’s simple. From now on, anytime when you want to say…

“I’M PROUD OF____________________!”

Instead, say…

“I’M THANKFUL FOR ______________________!”

Don’t allow pride to become the accepted abomination. HOW PRIDE HAS BECOME THE ACCEPTED ABOMINATION…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

“Hallowed be your Name” means “May your Name be KEPT holy”. Yeshua the Messiah, Jesus Christ, taught us in the Model prayer that referencing God should always be kept HOLY and never taken lightly.

For those of us who believe in God through His only Son and take the Word of God seriously, blasphemy is a big deal.

To make it simple, blasphemy is…

Elevating humans to God’s level…

Reducing God to human level…

Making God equal to man…

Making idol gods equal to the Lord God of Israel from Everlasting to Everlasting…

Attributing the works of God to the devil…

And, just plain making jokes about or belittling the sovereign God of our creation.

This is why the religious leaders continued to accuse Jesus, the Son of God, of blasphemy…

Luke 5:21 (NIV)

²¹ The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”^(A)

This is why Jesus warned them when they accused Him of having an unclean spirit…

Mark 3:28-30 (NKJV)

²⁸ “Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter;²⁹ but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation”— ³⁰ because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

So when people like the popular radio/television/social media personality Lenard McKelvey calls himself by the name Charlemagne Tha God (it bothers me to even type that)…it is just as offensive as insulting one’s father or mother.

It’s an insult to God’s holiness, reverence and Oneness.

It’s foolishness.

Especially because he chose that moniker it because he was quoted as saying “IT SOUNDED COOL”. I’ve read was raised in a Christian home and now claims to be a Muslim. However, they consider it blasphemy too.

He even has a talk show called THE GOD’S HONEST TRUTH, referring to himself.

So, if he wants to foolishly blaspheme, that’s his business. But, he is provoking others to blaspheme just to address or refer to him.

Call no man or woman god…

Not seriously…

Not for fun…

It may be marketable, but it’s not cool.

No matter how much ego, notoriety, money, influence, intelligence, wisdom or perceived power one may have…

No one who DIES can LIVE up to that claim.

WHY GOD DOES NOT NEED AN ORIGIN STORY…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

(2 Samuel 11-12)

King David of Israel was a man after God’s own heart, but He was still a man. He had personal flaws and weaknesses just as we all do. However, the difference between David and King Saul is that David had a truly repentant heart when He came to the realization of His sins, while Saul did not. That’s what made David not only a man of God, but a man after His own heart (1 Samuel 13:14).

Psalm 51:1-17 (NKJV)

Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.
² Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.

³ For I acknowledge my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me.
⁴ Against You, You only, have I sinned,
And done this evil in Your sight—
That You may be found just ^[a]when You speak,
And blameless when You judge.

⁵ Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
⁶ Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,
And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.

⁷ Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
⁸ Make me hear joy and gladness,
That the bones You have broken may rejoice.
⁹ Hide Your face from my sins,
And blot out all my iniquities.

¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

¹² Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
¹³ Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners shall be converted to You.

¹⁴ Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
The God of my salvation,
And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.
¹⁵ O Lord, open my lips,
And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.
¹⁶ For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it
You do not delight in burnt offering.
¹⁷ The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart—
These, O God, You will not despise.

We all have done things of which we are ashamed, some worse than others. But, it doesn’t get much worse than sleeping with the wife of a man who is loyal to you, getting her pregnant, trying to conceal the pregnancy, and finally having that man killed so you can have his wife.

That is what David did. And, he paid a huge price for that sin. Read 2 Samuel Chapters 11 and 12 again to refresh your memory of what happened.

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It’s interesting that when the Prophet Nathan rebuked David on the behalf of God that God DID NOT tell David could not be King anymore. His sin did not disqualify David’s anointing. God still fulfilled His promise to David.

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God went on to use David to write most of the Psalms in the bible. These Psalms teach us how to praise, pray, worship and even lament to God.

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The fact is that God knew what David would do even before He chose Him to be King. David did not surprise God when He sinned, and neither do we.

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In today’s culture, not only would David not have been allowed to remain king, but once people discovered what he did, they would have wanted to take all of His Psalms out of the bible.

It is important for us to strive for holiness, but God made us and He knows we are just flesh…

Psalm 103:13-14 (NKJV)

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

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This is good news!

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Your sin and your failures don’t necessarily disqualify your anointing. Like David, it’s your attitude after you sin that determines if God will continue to use you.

Be careful how you jump on the bandwagon when a Pastor, leader or public figure has a moral failure that becomes public, and thank God that no one knows your most shameful secrets. Please read this… AREN’T YOU GLAD GOD ALLOWED SOME THINGS IN YOUR LIFE TO REMAIN SECRET?

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

 

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Have you ever caught yourself complaining about something that you asked God for? You hoped for it. You prayed for it. You thanked God for it when you got it, but now, for whatever reason…you’re complaining about it.

Your job.

Your spouse.

Your child.

Your car.

Your house.

Your __________. You fill in the blank.

It may well be a blessing from God that you didn’t ask for, but God gave it to you. One great example is peace. How many times has God-given you peace and you complained that you were bored?

As I already discussed in SEVEN (7) REASONS GOD HATES COMPLAINING…, complaining is the exact opposite of thanksgiving.

I want to also remind you how much God hates complaining.

1 Corinthians 10:10 (NKJV)

¹⁰ nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.

Complaining usually has one or two of three results…

 

1. It irritates people because they don’t want to hear it.

 

2. The pity party creates sympathy from the those who hear.

 

3. It causes the person or people who hear, and may very well be content at the time, to complain too. I mean they’re good at the time, but then here comes somebody putting their mouth in someone else’s peace. This causes the complainer to be a stumbling block…

Matthew 18:7 (NKJV)

⁷ Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!

Pray for God to help you guard your tongue. When you find your self with a complaining spirit, offer up thanksgiving to God instead for His goodness, His mercy, His grace, His abundant love, and His salvation.

This is always appropriate…

Psalm 118:1 (NKJV)

Even if you have a legitimate reason to be upset, be very careful how you respond. Even if you wonder why God is allowing whatever is going on in your life to happen, be very careful that you don’t complain.

You can even lament to God in humility, as in so many of the Psalms, (3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 17, 22, 25, 44, 58, 60, 74, 79 & 80 to name a few) however, there’s a difference in a humble lamentation and an arrogant complaint.

Praise God and thank Him when you want to complain.

Turn your pity party into a praise party.

https://www.facebook.com/aldtric.johnson?hc_ref=ARRLM9_gAub71rD8ZDGiE3IYbMFdFEhRyH7la2CKG9oaFKQbVridnZY57iG2e1ZmJMc

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

Even though I’ve never used them, I can truly understand sometimes why some people use drugs.

Some days responsibilities, burdens and uncertainties can stretch our faith to the limits. That’s what they are designed to do so our faith can grow.

Some nights anxieties won’t allow you to sleep or when you do sleep your mind doesn’t really rest.

We can go through entire seasons of our lives in a ‘fog’. Our days can be a blur and a shadow. As we live through the consequences of our sins, decisions and weaknesses sometimes all we can do is just sigh…

Psalm 90:9 (NKJV)

⁹ For all our days have passed away in Your wrath;
We finish our years like a sigh.

 We can become so lonely, either or with people all around us, to the point that we can feel no one cares about us.

Through both the blessing of so many options or the lack thereof can allow ourselves to grow bored.

These are some of the reasons that people do drugs.

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Sometimes it’s not because they are in the depths of indecency but because they are in the depths of despair and depression.

Sometimes it’s not because they are looking for an escape from the world, but they are looking for an escape from pain…physical pain, emotional pain, psychological pain.

Sometimes it’s not because they don’t have a heart, but it’s because their heart has been broken.

Sometimes we can feel we have lost all joy and hope.

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In essence, people use drugs to fill the void that God wants to occupy in our lives because He truly loves us and wants us to truly love Him. He wants a real relationship with us and not religion.

But the God of our salvation is ready to:

Strengthen your faith,

Relieve your anxieties,

Give your mind peace and rest,

Lift you from despair and depression,

Deliver from the consequences of your sins, bad decisions and weaknesses,

Heal or help you deal with your pain

He is ready to restore your joy and hope through our LORD and Savior Yeshua, Christ Jesus.

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God wants to be your drug.

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GOD IS HOLY ANTIDEPRESSANT/STIMULANT:

Nehemiah 8:10 (NKJV)

¹⁰ Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

 Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV)

³¹ But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

 Psalm 118:24  (NKJV)

²⁴ This is the day the Lord has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.

 Psalm 46:1-3 (NKJV)

God is our refuge and strength,
A^[a] very present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the ^[b]midst of the sea;
³ Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah

 Hebrews 12:12-15  (NKJV)

¹² Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, ¹³ and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

¹⁴ Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: ¹⁵ looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;

 GOD IS A HOLY SEDATIVE:

Psalm 94:19  (NKJV)

¹⁹ In the multitude of my anxieties within me,
Your comforts delight my soul.

 John 14:27 (NKJV)

²⁷ Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

 Philippians 4:6-7  (NKJV)

⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

 Numbers 6:24-26  (NKJV)

²⁴ “The Lord bless you and keep you;
²⁵ The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
²⁶ The Lord ^[a]lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.” ’

 GOD IS A PAIN RELIEVER/HEALER:

Psalm 34:18 (NKJV)

¹⁸ The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,
And saves such as ^[a]have a contrite spirit.

 Isaiah 38:16-17 (NLT)

¹⁶ Lord, your discipline is good,
for it leads to life and health.
You restore my health
and allow me to live!
¹⁷ Yes, this anguish was good for me,
for you have rescued me from death
and forgiven all my sins.

 Jeremiah 17:14 (NKJV)

¹⁴ Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed;
Save me, and I shall be saved,
For You are my praise.

 James 5:13-16  (NKJV)

¹³ Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. ¹⁴ Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. ^16 [a]Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, ^[b]fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NKJV)

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.

GOD WILL RESTORE YOUR HOPE:

Romans 15:13  (NKJV)

¹³ Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

1 Peter 1:8-9  (NKJV)

⁸ whom having not ^[a]seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, ⁹ receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

GOD HAS APPROVED YOUR CELEBRATION

Ecclesiastes 9:7 (NKJV)

⁷ Go, eat your bread with joy,
And drink your wine with a merry heart;
For God has already accepted your works.

 Philippians 4:4 (NKJV)

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

 Psalm 30 (NKJV)

I will extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up,
And have not let my foes rejoice over me.
² O Lord my God, I cried out to You,
And You healed me.
³ O Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave;
You have kept me alive, ^[a]that I should not go down to the pit.

⁴ Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His,
And give thanks at the remembrance of ^[b]His holy name.
⁵ For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for life;
Weeping may endure for a night,
But ^[c]joy comes in the morning.

⁶ Now in my prosperity I said,
“I shall never be ^[d]moved.”
⁷ Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong;
You hid Your face, and I was troubled.

⁸ I cried out to You, O Lord;
And to the Lord I made supplication:
⁹ “What profit is there in my blood,
When I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise You?
Will it declare Your truth?
¹⁰ Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me;
Lord, be my helper!”

¹¹ You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
You have put off ^[e]my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,
¹² To the end that my ^[f]glory may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.

God is ready to fill any and every void in your life, if you allow Him…

Psalm 16 (NKJV)

This article may also blesstify you: BEFORE YOU JUDGE A DRUG ADDICT, READ THIS…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Yes, you have faith in God. Not only do you believe in Him, but you also love Him and trust Him.

You’re not saying that because it’s the right thing to say. You really mean it from your heart. You even know, acknowledge and are thankful for what He’s already done in your life.

You know you are blessed, and that there is always someone in a ‘worse situation’ than you…But,

Some days you are STILL overwhelmed.

Some days you feel your current situation will never change for the better or fear it will change for the worse.

It’s not that you don’t believe God can change your situation. You just don’t know if He will.

You’re wondering what IS His will for you. So much so, that you are beginning to lose hope.

You know what Job said…

Job 13:15 (NKJV)

 

Yes, you surrender to God’s will, but of course you don’t want God to ‘slay you’.

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So what do you do when your hope needs help?

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There is help in the Psalms. The Psalms of lament are rich with guidance of how to approach God when you feel your faith is strong, but your hope is gone.

Personal Psalms of Lament: 3, 4, 5, 7, 9-10, 13, 14, 17, 22, 25,- 28, 31, 36, 39-43, 52-57, 59, 61, 64, 70, 71, 77, 86, 89, 120, 139, 141, 142.

Community Psalms of Lament: 12, 44, 60, 74, 79, 80, 85, 90, 94, 123, 126, 129

Here are two…

Psalm 13 (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.

Psalm 142  (NKJV)

I cry out to the Lord with my voice;
With my voice to the Lord I make my supplication.
² I pour out my complaint before Him;
I declare before Him my trouble.

³ When my spirit ^[b]was overwhelmed within me,
Then You knew my path.
In the way in which I walk
They have secretly set a snare for me.
⁴ Look on my right hand and see,
For there is no one who acknowledges me;
Refuge has failed me;
No one cares for my soul.

⁵ I cried out to You, O Lord:
I said, “You are my refuge,
My portion in the land of the living.
^6 [c]Attend to my cry,
For I am brought very low;
Deliver me from my persecutors,
For they are stronger than I.
⁷ Bring my soul out of prison,
That I may praise Your name;
The righteous shall surround me,
For You shall deal bountifully with me.”

They usually begin with the psalmist expressing deep despair, feeling abandoned and being overwhelmed…

ACKNOWLEDGE & ADMIT

Sometimes we can feel we are letting God down when we admit how we feel. Some people will even tell you that your heavy heart means you don’t have faith. THAT’S NOT TRUE!

Jesus was deeply troubled the night He was betrayed.

Matthew 26:38  (NKJV)

³⁸ Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”

He expressed His agony on the cross…

Matthew 27:46 (NKJV)

⁴⁶ And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

Does this mean that Jesus didn’t have faith? Of course not. And, notice the fact that He told those closest to Him that His soul was sorrowful. He didn’t try to hide it. He didn’t try to be ‘macho’, and He wasn’t ashamed.

TURN YOUR PITY PARTY INTO A PRAISE PARTY

This isn’t always easy, but it’s so powerful. Every Psalm of lament ends in praise and thanksgiving to God as an example to us. There is power in sincerely praising God. Not as a gimmick or means of manipulating Him to move on our behalf, but sincerely letting Him know with the fruit of our lips that we love Him and trust Him…

Hebrews 13:15  (NKJV)

¹⁵ Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, ^[a]giving thanks to His name.

Hebrews 12:12-15  (NKJV)

¹² Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, ¹³ and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

¹⁴ Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: ¹⁵ looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;

God has a way of allowing our hope to be renewed and peace to spring forth from nowhere in the midst of our despair and sorrow.

On the days that you feel your hope is low, or gone…go back and read through the book of Psalms. Stop in the midst of your sorrow and give praise and thanks to God. And remember His promises to His people…

Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV)

HEY! WHERE’D THAT PEACE COME FROM?

HOW TO TURN YOUR PITY PARTY INTO A PRAISE PARTY…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If its something that you feel uncomfortable praying about first, you probably…

Don’t need to do it.

Don’t need to say it.

Don’t need to go.

Don’t need to buy it.

Psalm 32:8-9  (NKJV)

⁸ I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will guide you with My eye.
⁹ Do not be like the horse or like the mule,
Which have no understanding,
Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle,
Else they will not come near you.

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If it’s something you can’t ask God to bless or protect you need to leave it alone.

It it’s something you would be ashamed for your angel, the one that God has assigned to protect and minister to you, see you doing – you need to NOT DO IT.

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Hebrews 1:13-14  (NKJV)

¹³ But to which of the angels has He ever said:

“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”?

¹⁴ Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?

If it’s something you feel you will need to ask God to forgive you afterward…let it go.

Proverbs 3:6  (NKJV)

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

BE BLESSTIFIED!

I like to define science as humans’ attempt to give a physical explanation for spritual things.
Every thing that exists was spoken into existence by God, so everthing is a physical expression and extention of our invisible and spiritual God…

Romans 1: 20 (NKJV)

“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse…”

I’m not against science, we have benefited greatly through scientific and medical discoveries and research. But, rather than disprove God…I feel it proves Him.

Notice the chronology in Genesis 1 is the same as what science claimes…

1st water…

Then the creatures in water…

Then plants and vegetation…

Then the creatures on land…

Then humans.

Physics…

Chemistry…

Biology…

Astronomy…

All Medical Science…

Can explain many things…

BUT,

Science can NEVER explain the invisible attributes of God that define how we are made in His image…

Those NON-PHYSICAL attributes He shares with us…

Those NON-PHYSICAL ELEMENTS that make us ‘look’ like Him.

Think about it…

Love…

Joy…

Peace…

Faith…

Kindness…

Hope…

Consciousness…

Science can NEVER isolate our spirits entering our bodies at the beginning of life…

Or, leaving our bodies at the end of life.

I call them GOD’S TANGIBLE INTANGIBLES…

Those things that your senses can’t exerience…

You can’t see, touch, taste, hear or smell love…

Only your spirit can experience it.

There’s no telescope or microscope that can see it…

No microphone thar can hear it…

No device that can measure it…

No computer that can create it…

Because LOVE IS OF GOD.

Love is even of God in the ungodly.

This proves God’s existence and sovereignty to me more than anything else.

God will never allow science to PROVE everything.

First of all because then man would claim he is God…

But most of all…then there would be no need of faith.

Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV)

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

One of the most difficult things for many to grasp is how God can be triune. How can He be, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. How can he be three ‘persons’ and one God?

Well think about this…

We are all created in His image, so take me for example…

My name is Al,

I’m a father…

I’m a son…

And, I have spirit (a soul).

That’s tree personalities or authorities in one person…Al.

Just as Yeshua, Christ Jesus, represents ‘God’ bodily…

Colossians 2:9 (NKJV)

⁹ For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead ^[a]bodily;

Our bodies represent the fullness of us (our spirits/souls) bodily. That’s three personalities, or authorities in ONE God.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

Forgiveness isn’t easy. That’s because there’s a spiritual battle going on in our mind. The battle comes from the anger, shame, embarrassment, disappointment resulting from the betrayal or whatever was done, said, (or not done or said) to hurt us.

But, you can win that battle. You can chose what you think about.

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Stop focusing on what they did to hurt you, and think about they ways they have shown love to you…

…every time those painful thoughts enter you mind. When you find yourself thinking about the ‘unforgivable’ things they said, think about how they comforted you in the past when you were down. Think about the good times you’ve had with them.

Remember, you control your thoughts…

Philippians 4:8-9  (CJB)

⁸ In conclusion, brothers, focus your thoughts on what is true, noble, righteous, pure, lovable or admirable, on some virtue or on something praiseworthy. ⁹ Keep doing what you have learned and received from me, what you have heard and seen me doing; then the God who gives shalom will be with you.

BE BLESSTIFIFED!

Don’t worry, I’m not going rated ‘R’ on you but, I really think this is going to bless someone.

This is a much too common insult in our culture, and yes, the bad grammar is always intentional…

“You ain’t worth s**t! Of course, implying that someone doesn’t have the value of feces, crap, refuse, doo-doo, dung, ‘ish’.

It can be very hurtful if you allow it, especially if you are insecure or struggle with self-esteem. Or, if it’s told to a child by a parent, authority figure or peer. It’s damage can last well into adulthood.

So, let me give you a little ammunition with biblical support in case someone ever tells you, “You ain’t worth shiggity!”

God created everything with value. Everything! Even doo-doo! We all know that there’s an industry built around the use of animal dung to make mulch and fertilizer.

Why?

Because God put purpose and power, even in poop. Not only does it have value, but great value.

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People pay good money for a sack of s**t at Home Depot and Lowe’s.

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God, in His wisdom gave waste the power to make things grow…so even waste doesn’t have to be wasted.

But, let’s look at the bible. There, we find the ‘S’-word was used for two ‘F’-words…both FERTILIZER and FUEL. Not only did they use it to grow their food, but they used it as fuel/coal to heat their food too.

Luke 13:7-8 (NKJV)

⁷ Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’ ⁸ But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it.

Ezekiel 4:15 (NKJV)

¹⁵ Then He said to me, “See, I am giving you cow dung instead of human waste, and you shall prepare your bread over it.”

So, don’t get it twisted. God has value for dung. He has a purpose for poo, and He has a purpose for you.

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Feces is used to diagnose illnesses, research for cures for disease, and do scientific research. There’s value in doo doo!

So, if anybody ever tells you that “You aren’t worth s**t,” tell them thank you! Tell them of it’s value. And then, remind them that if they ‘ain’t’ working God’s purpose for their life, tell them “S**t is worth more than you!”

BE BLESSTIFIED!

I strongly feel that one of God’s spiritual purposes for allowing COVID-19 to interrupt in-person worship is so we can pause and take a good look at how we approach worship and our traditions.

One of the reasons the religious establishment sought to kill Jesus was because He challenged their traditions.

Matthew 15:3 (ESV)

³ He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?

He also made it clear that God demands that we worship Him in spirit and truth, not just what we choose to believe…

John 4:24 (NKJV)

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

One of those traditions that I think that God wants us to reconsider is what we call ‘Good Friday’ or the day when Yeshua was crucified and buried. I can’t count the times I’ve heard or read arguments trying to make Friday through Sunday 3 days and 3 nights. And quite frankly, it always sounds like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.

Many Christians feel they have to justify making two days into three because they don’t want to contradict what we have been taught… a tradition.

It’s like trying to fit a square peg into a circle.

Consider this.

Take another look at the account of the day Yeshua was on the cross taking into consideration that the Jewish day began at what we call 6pm or sunset to sunrise.

The Gospels say that Yeshua cried out and breathed His last breath around the 9th hour, or 3pm…

Mark 15:33-37 (NKJV)

³³ Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. ³⁴ And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

³⁵ Some of those who stood by, when they heard that, said, “Look, He is calling for Elijah!” ³⁶ Then someone ran and filled a sponge full of sour wine, put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink, saying, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down.”

³⁷ And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last.

As we move forward to verse 42, it is now EVENING and Yeshua is still on the cross as Joseph of Arimathea asks Pilate for the body.

Mark 15:42-43 (NKJV)

⁴² Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, ⁴³ Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

Upon the arrival of evening, it’s no longer the same day as it was when Yeshua was crucified.

Genesis 1:5 (NKJV)

⁵ God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. ^[a]So the evening and the morning were the first day.

God gave us His word from a Jewish perspective. Problems arise when we try and view it through the lens of our western perspective.

Notice everything that had to take place after before Jesus could be placed into the tomb after 3pm…

John 19:31-42 (NKJV)

³¹ Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. ³² Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. ³³ But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. ³⁴ But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. ³⁵ And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. ³⁶ For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken.” ³⁷ And again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.”

³⁸ After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus. ³⁹ And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. ⁴⁰ Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. ⁴¹ Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. ⁴² So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews’ Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.

Remember, harmonizing with Mark 15:42, it was EVENING when Joseph of Arimathea asked for the body of Yeshua. This was AFTER the soldiers came to break His legs (this was evening too) and realized He was already dead. This was after he was given sour wine to drink before He died. All this was after 3pm and took time. It took time for Joseph to go to Pilate, ask for the body, get His linen cloth, properly wrap His body in the cloth, get the body of our Savior off the cross, and take it to the tomb.

This all happened after evening had arrived…the next biblical day according to the Jewish perspective of a day beginning in the evening rather than at 12 midnight.

So, with the ARRIVAL of evening came the Day of Preparation, or what we call Friday, which means everything that happened BEFORE evening was on the previous day, what we call Thursday.

If the crucifixion occurred on what we call Thursday, then one can easily justify three days and three nights… no trying to fit a square peg into a circle.

Of course, some are so devoted to a tradition that doesn’t make sense, they will ask, “What does it matter?”

It matters because God demands to be worshipped in spirit and truth.

It matters because we don’t want to be guilty of teaching, preaching and believing a lie.

It matters because the Adversary wants to pervert everything holy (NAMES MATTER (WHY WE SHOULD STOP CALLING EASTER…EASTER).

I’m sure some ‘seasoned’ theologians will read this and try and make me seem as though I don’t know what I’m talking about…and that’s exactly what happened to Jesus.

Think about it.

BE BLESSTIFED!

• 

Jesus Christ came to die for our sins, but that’s not the ONLY reason He came.

God wanted to show us that even though He is …

All powerful (Omnipotent),

All knowing (Omniscient), and 

Everywhere at the same time (Omnipresent)…

There were still some things that He COULD NOT DO.

I’m not talking about the old cliché, that God can do everything but fail…yes that’s very true.

God wanted us to know that with even through all His power and authority, He could still empathize with our fragile, weak flesh. He wanted to show us that He could feel what we feel through His Son.

Because a perfect, all-powerful, all-knowing Spirit, God could never…

Sweat…

Bruise…

Bleed…

Get sick…

Feel weak…

Feel hungry…

Get a stomach ache…

Feel tempted sexually…

But most importantly God could never… DIE!

Jesus came to SUBMIT Himself to endure the weaknesses of a body so that He could feel what we feel…that He too could have the human experience.

Stop and GIVE GOD SOME PRAISE for loving us so much that he would, “Take a long walk in our shoes”. I think He deserves it. Don’t you?

JESUS TOOK A WALK IN YOUR SHOES…

IF JESUS WAS TEMPTED IN ‘ALL’ POINTS LIKE US, THEN THAT MEANS HE WAS TEMPTED BY __________TOO?

Hebrews 4:15 (NKJV)

15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

I first published a version of this piece back in 2017, and I hope the revision helps us to realize that just as God sent His Son to empathize with us, we should try empathize with Him.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

There’s an unexplainable, intangible anxiety that sometimes troubles a creative spirit craving a connection with the eyes, ears and attention of the millions who will appreciate and be blessed by what God has placed inside them.

A fervent frustration…

A relentless restlessness…

A chronic concern…

A sudden sadness…

For those who will admit it…it’s an occasional inner storm of anger, jealousy, and envy of those who have a huge audience and squander it on foolishness or their own ego.

IT’S WHEN YOUR CREATIVITY IS CRYING.

Writers…

Bloggers…

Artists…

Songwriters…

Musicians…

Singers…

Actors…

Inventors…

Chefs…

Photographers…

Painters…

Preachers…

Ministers…

Speakers…

Does your creativity ever cry?

Keep sharing what God has placed inside you!

Appreciate the audience that God has given you!

God will make sure your gift reaches everyone whom He intends.

Trust Him and be faithful, even if your audience is just one person.

Ecclesiastes 11 (NKJV)

11 Cast your bread ^(A)upon the waters,
^(B)For you will find it after many days.

ARE YOUR RESPONSIBLE WITH YOUR AUDIENCE?

FOR THOSE WHO FEEL IT’S TAKING TOO LONG FOR THINGS TO ‘TAKE OFF’ FOR THEM…

STOP WHINING & DO WHAT GOD CALLED YOU TO DO!

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.

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

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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!

Sometimes we can get frustrated when we share God’s truth or fresh revelation and people don’t respond the way we had hoped.

They may respond negatively…

They may even tell you that they don’t want to hear it…

They may tell you that you’re confused…

They may tell you that they just aren’t ready to change…

Once you plant a seed, you can’t force it to grow…We plant and water, but God gives the increase.

1 Corinthians 3:6-8 (NKJV)

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. ⁷ So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.

We must remember…we didn’t always immediate agree with everything we heard concerning God the first time.

We didn’t immediately take heed to every bit of good, sound spiritual advice we received.

We didn’t immediately stop sinful practices when someone warned us.

There were seeds planted in all of us that took some time to grow.

There were habits, behaviors and attitudes that we had to work through.

There were difficult truths that we weren’t immediately willing to accept…

In fact, there are still some spiritual truths that we have not yet accepted. Just because we haven’t accepted it yet doesn’t prevent it from being God’s truth.

Pray for an ear, heart, mind and attitude that you can be good soil for the good seed that’s planted in you as in the Parable of the Sower

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.”

Be patient when you share the word of God, or give spiritual advice to others…

Think about the fact that when Jesus was in His human form, his biological brothers (Mary’s other sons) did not believe in Him…

John 7:18 (NKJV)

 ³ His brothers therefore said to Him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. ⁴ For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” ⁵ For even His brothers did not believe in Him.

BUT,

Eventually they did believe. In fact, the letters of Jude and James are now part of the New Testament.

Give people time to change.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

 

Spiritual maturity is realizing that there are some things that caused you so much pain — you’ll never get OVER them. It doesn’t mean you don’t forgive. It just means the thought will always hurt you.

Every time it comes to mind — the thought will hurt you.

Whenever something or someone reminds you of it — you will feel pain.

People spend years of energy trying to make a horrible memory— not hurt.

That’s wasted energy.

You will never get OVER it.

But, you CAN get past it.

You can control how the pain controls you, and how you react to it.

You can prevent IT from preventing YOU from moving on.

Even God Himself felt pain when He thought of how His chosen people consistently turned their backs on Him…

Notice how God sounds like a ‘hurt lover’ as He expresses His pain against how they have treated Him…

Micah 6:3-5 (NKJV)

³ “O My people, what have I done to you?
And how have I wearied you?
Testify against Me.
⁴ For I brought you up from the land of Egypt,
I redeemed you from the house of bondage;
And I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
⁵ O My people, remember now
What Balak king of Moab counseled,
And what Balaam the son of Beor answered him,
From ^[a]Acacia Grove to Gilgal,
That you may know the righteousness of the Lord.”

Remember, just because God said He will forget our sins doesn’t mean that He CAN’T remember them.

He is all powerful!

You will never remember something that our all powerful God can’t. It’s just a figurative way of saying that He will never hold our sins against us once we truly repent. WHEN GOD FORGETS, IT DOESN’T MEAN HE CAN’T REMEMBER…

I really believe this is going to set someone free…

Accept the fact that you will never get OVER some things.

Understand that some thoughts will ALWAYS cause you pain.

Ask God to help you get past the pain and move on.

Ask Him to help you to be strong enough to not let painful memories control you.

Ask God to help you move on, just like He moves on when we hurt Him.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

Few people ever talk about the women who followed Jesus and supported Him financially, Not, just the women, but the ‘type’ of women…

Luke 8:1-3 (NKJV)

Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and ^[a]bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him, ² and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and ^[b]infirmities—Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, ³ and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for ^[c]Him from their ^[d]substance.

So, you had a woman who many believed was a prostitute…

Wives of ‘important’ men…

And, many other women who were following the LORD and supporting Him financially.

We all know that would be beyond scandalous today.

We all know many of the people who claim to love Jesus would have criticized that.

How many men would co-sign on their wives following and giving money to a broke, uneducated, controversial traveling preacher?

It’s easy to be sitting pretty over 2,000 years later and judge the behavior of those living during Jesus’s earthly ministry — but we prove how we would have reacted if we lived then by how we react today.

Be honest with yourself.

This piece was an edited excerpt from my article 8 REASONS WHY MANY OF TODAY’S ‘CHRISTIANS’ WOULDN’T HAVE FOLLOWED ‘CHRIST’…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

It is clear what the bible says about adultery and fornication, it is strictly forbidden. God expects those who are married to forsake all others and be intimate only with one another…

1 Corinthians 7:1-2 (NKJV)

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. 

Most of us also enjoy a good movie, television show or play, and appreciate a great performance from a talented actor or actress. Some of the movies, shows or plays have love scenes. It could range from a kiss…to partially clothed making out…to fully nude, erotic love scenes. I’m not talking about porn, I’m talking about the movies that are accepted and even awarded by the mainstream population.

Sometimes these actors and actresses are not only married, but profess to be Christians. Let me be clear that I AM NOT JUDGING THEIR FAITH OR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, but I do have a challenging question.

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IS IT CONSIDERED CHEATING WHEN A MARRIED ACTOR OR ACTRESS DOES A LOVE SCENE?

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The kisses are real.

The touching is real.

Sometimes, the nudity is real.

Even if they aren’t having intercourse, they are having sexual contact with someone other than their husband or wife.

If you aren’t an actor, how do feel about your spouse kissing or touching someone else? Most people say “No Way!”. Now, how do you feel about your spouse getting paid to have sexual contact with someone else…again a definite, “No!”

Now here’s the real challenging question for us as Christians. It their intimate contact is considered by God to be sin, does watching it and enjoying it make us partakers with them? Is it shameful for us to talk about the scenes in our daily conversation? Consider this…

Ephesians 5:5-10 (NKJV)

 ⁵ For this you know,^[a] that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. ⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore do not be partakers with them. ⁸ For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light ⁹ (for the fruit of the Spirit^[b] is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), ¹⁰ finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. ¹¹ And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. ¹² For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 

Does God change the rules just because of our occupation? Does the fact that they are ‘acting’ mean it’s not real contact? And, if God considers it to be wrong, do we share in the sin when we watch, enjoy and share what we watched?

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Has this become the ‘accepted’ open relationship?

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Think about it. Pray about it. Feel free to reply and tell me what you think.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The painting portrays the evening that the Lord ate the Passover meal and instituted the Lord’s Supper with His disciples before He was betrayed.

Remember, Jesus Himself told us that God is a spirit and demands to be worshipped in spirit and TRUTH…

John 4:24 (NKJV)

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

We also live in time when people claim to love THE TRUTH and reject FAKE NEWS.

So, with all that being said, what’s wrong with the famous painting, THE LORD’S SUPPER, based on these scriptures according to the Complete Jewish Bible translation…

Mark 14:18 (CJB)

¹⁸ As they were reclining and eating, Yeshua said, “Yes! I tell you that one of you is going to betray me.”

Matthew 26:20 (CJB)

²⁰ When evening came, Yeshua reclined with the twelve talmidim;

According to the scriptures as well as the context of culture and time…THEY WERE NOT SITTING. THEY WERE RECLINING.

Of course there will be some who say, “Why does this matter?”

Those of us who claim to be Christians can be the worst at sometimes deciding ‘that doesn’t matter’ when it threatens our traditions and what we choose to believe.

So, why does it matter?

Because the painting does not depict the way it happened, and that’s not truth.

Because every painting or picture intended to portray Jesus has influenced thought for centuries.

Because every painting and picture intended to portray Jesus has shaped what and how people believe and has had an influence on the faith.

Because it shapes the way people ‘experience’ their faith and what they think is correct and incorrect.

Do you want people publishing images of you depicting an event in your honor wrongly, falsely or inaccurately? Of course not. Why should our Lord and Savior be any different?

The fact is that when you present some people with the truth, they are reluctant to, or refuse to accept it because they have been influenced by art that very well MAY NOT have been commissioned by God.

Maybe this is why He clearly commanded in regard to likenesses of Him…

Exodus 20:4 (NKJV)

⁴ “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;

BE BLESSTIFIED!

John 4:9 (NKJV)

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

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

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

There are negative stereotypes about any group you could mention.

I don’t know what’s worse!

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Those who judge and group people by these negative stereotypes…

Or,

Those whose behavior actually confirms those stereotypes to be true!

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

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Stop it!

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Stop judging entire groups based on these stereotypes.

Stop confirming these stereotypes with negative behavior.

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

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

John 1:45-46 (NKJV)

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

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

Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

Could anything good come out of Nazareth?

Yes!

BE BLESSTIFIED!