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There are many ‘cliche’s among believers that have become almost as revered as scripture. Some are more common in different Christian subcultures. From “LET GO AND LET GOD” to “GOD CAN DO ANYTHING BUT FAIL”, those who call themselves to be a part of the Body of Christ encourage, admonish and hold one another accountable with several spiritual cliches. For example, saying “PRAYER WORKS” can reduce prayer to a gimmick. However, we must be very careful with how we use these phrases.

Two of the most popular of these phrases among many Christians are the cliches…

“SPEAK IT INTO EXISTENCE!” or “NAME IT AND CLAIM IT!”

These are popular spiritual inferences that are drawn from several scriptures such as:

Proverbs 18:21 (NKJV)

²¹ Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit.

Matthew 21:21 (NKJV)

²¹ So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done.

We must be very careful when we take scriptures and ‘turn them into what we want’. The fact is that when we ‘add to’ what the bible says, it can often do more harm than good.

There are no bible verses that explicitly say we can simply say things and they will happen. And, inferring that some verses mean that we can ‘name it and claim it’ is a dangerous conjecture.

Here are 2 quick reasons why we should be careful before we say, “Speak it into existence” or “Name it and claim it..

1. IT CAN CAUSE SOMEONE TO QUESTION THEIR FAITH

Yes, Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ), told us that whatsoever we ask according to His will, shall be done for us, but, we all know that no matter how many times we pray for something that isn’t according to God’s will, it will not happen. And, having intimate conversation with God in prayer isn’t the spiritual equivalent to arbitrarily saying something out loud so that it will happen. The fact is that a prayer doesn’t even have to be ‘spoken’ or verbalized because God knows when we are speaking to Him in our thoughts without words. So, if someone ‘speaks it into existence’ through prayer, and God doesn’t do it…it can cause someone to question their faith in both God and prayer.

2. ‘SPEAKING IT INTO EXISTENCE’ CAN ACTUALLY ‘SPEAK IT INTO RESISTANCE’

Remember that Satan, his fallen angels and his emissaries on earth are not omniscient nor omnipresent. They aren’t all knowing and can’t be everywhere at the same time. The devil or demons CAN’T know your thoughts unless you make them known to them.

Notice how the bible reminds us that Mary didn’t share what God had told her verbally…

Luke 2:19 (NKJV)

¹⁹ But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Notice how the angel of the Lord acknowledged the spiritual resistance and battle taking place in the ‘spirit world’…

Daniel 10:12-14 (NKJV)

¹² Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. ¹³ But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. ¹⁴ Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come.”

The angel of the Lord dispatched to Daniel met resistance from a high ranking, territorial fallen angel identified as the Prince of Persia. The angel was delayed three weeks!

Notice how Hannah prayed silently when she wanted a child, so that even her husband couldn’t hear.

There are some things we can’t even let our loved ones know we are praying FOR THEM about…because they will get angry or offended.

“I DON’T NEED YOU PRAYING FOR ME!”

“DON’T PRAY FOR MY MARRIAGE!”

“DON’T PRAY FOR ME! GOD MADE ME THIS WAY!”

The truth is sometimes, we say I’M PRAYING FOR YOU as a ‘slick’ insult.

When we verbalize…

Our intentions…

Our hopes…

Our dreams…

Our frustrations…

Our anger…

…God isn’t the only one who hears it. The enemy also hears it, and just the same as a human enemy can respond to undermine, frustrate or harm you based on what you make known with your mouth…so can the devil.

Many times when we arbitrarily SPEAK INTO EXISTSANCE, we’re inviting SPIRITUAL RESISTANCE.

Some things are meant to be between only you and God, spoken in the spiritual language of your heart. One of the beautiful benefits of a relationship with God through Jesus Christ is the fact that His Holy Spirit, (Ruach HaKadosh), speaks for us nonverbally when we don’t know what to say.

Remember, spiritual cliches are NOT scripture.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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God teaches us in His word that wise counsel is priceless…

Proverbs 19:20-21  (NKJV)

²⁰ Listen to counsel and receive instruction,
That you may be wise in your latter days.

²¹ There are many plans in a man’s heart,
Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.

It’s good to get the benefit from the experience of others. But do you know anyone whose advice you really don’t want? Why? How do people feel about taking advice from you? Why?

Do people make any of these statements about you?

Is _____________ going to be there?

Is______________ going with us?

Are you inviting _________________?

Oh no! Here comes _______________?

HERE ARE 5 REASONS WHY PEOPLE MAY NOT WANT TO TAKE YOUR ADVICE…

1. YOU CAN’T HAVE A CONVERSATION WITHOUT GIVING ADVICE…

Some people don’t know how to have a conversation without giving advice. I know a young man who didn’t have his father around when he grew up. All the men in his life felt they had to mentor him. That’s fine, but not all the time.! They would never just laugh and talk. Never could just tell jokes. And, if jokes were told, it was about how the young man wasn’t doing something right. “If I were you I would…”, “When are you going to…”, “Ha, Ha, Ha, that’s not how you do that, here let me show you…” He got to the point that he dreaded when they came around. “Oh know, here comes Uncle ________” he thought. Remember this. Every moment doesn’t have to be a teaching moment. Every situation doesn’t have to be a lesson. And, people don’t learn by making fun of what they do wrong.

2. YOU AREN’T A GOOD EXAMPLE…

I had a barber once who loved to give advice about healthy eating. That was fine be he couldn’t cut my hair without his stomach rubbing against me. I also have an acquaintance who is always full of financial advice, but he is not doing very well financially himself. And, most parents get frustrated when people who have never had children try to advice them how to raise their children. I’m not saying people with children can’t give advice, or that you can’t learn from someone else’s financial mistakes, or that someone overweight can’t advice someone else on how to lose weight. But, I am saying that

3. YOU ARE ARROGANT & CONDESCENDING…

Yes, we see your level of success. Yes, we see that you’ve made great decisions. But, know we aren’t looking for advice every time you come around. Because when you give that advice you act as though everyone else is so stupid. When you give advice you belittle what they have done well. When you give advice, your tone is so mean that your advice goes unheard.

4. YOU USE IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRAG ABOUT YOURSELF & FEED YOUR OWN EGO…

These people really aren’t concerned about helping you, they just want an opportunity to glorify themselves. No, we are not interested in how well you planned, how smart you were, or how hard you worked. Because guess what, we planned carefully too. We made intelligent decisions too. We worked very hard too, but sometimes things just don’t work out. Ask any entrepreneur who had a strong business plan, researched their market, sacrificed for their business, put in ‘blood, sweat, and tears’ and because of factors beyond their control, things didn’t work out.

BEFORE YOU SAY YOU DESERVE EVERYTHING YOU HAVE BECAUSE YOU WORKED HARD FOR IT…

5. NO ONE ASKED YOU…

I’m not saying that unsolicited isn’t good sometimes, but most of the time, if people want your advice, they will ask you. If you notice that someone needs some help and aren’t willing to ask, find a way to BE an example of the behavior that you feel could benefit from their experience. Be creative. Pray and ask God for wisdom, or even let the know you’re available if needed, but blurting out unsolicited advice can be so insulting that it goes unheard.

Remember, advice is only good if it received, so stop, think, and pray before you speak into someone’s life.

The next time you get some unwanted advice, come back to this list to see how many reasons apply.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

How many times have you had an expectation of someone, and they told you they were too busy?

How many times have you given the same reason/excuse? We all say it sometimes because it’s true…most of us have VERY busy lifestyles.

Between work, family, this and that…that and this… and honoring our responsibilities to God we are being pulled on every side.

We all have different levels of responsibility and accountability.

Some of us even have public jobs and responsibilities that affect more people, and not doing the job well can have far reaching consequences.

But, the truth is that all of us are equally busy. Everyone’s BUSY is important to them and the people within their circle.

The problem is when some people act as though their busy is more busy their your busy.

I will never forget when I was in my corporate job, that many times those in executive leadership would walk up to people while in a conversation, or while you working, and either rudely interrupt or expect them to stop in the middle of what they were doing…even for something trivial. They had an over-inflated since of important and assumed their busy was more important than their ‘subordinates’. In reality, everyone in that organization was EQUALLY fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, husbands, wives…just people working for a living.

That’s why we should have realistic expectations in all of our relationships, and do the best we can to honor the expectations and responsibilities to those who are closest to us.

Because the truth is that…

Everyone is busy, so it’s not just about having the time, but it’s about making the time.

Philippians 2:3-4 (NKJV)

³ Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. ⁴ Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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It’s unfortunate that many who claim to be disciples in Christ are so easily impressed by so-called strong words, insults, profanity, threats, retaliation, aggression…what the world calls strength.

In today’s society people consider humility, meekness, and restraint are weakness, while they see arrogance and pride as strength. MEEKNESS ISN’T WEAKNESS…

Think about it. Even some women when asserting themselves claim they have ‘balls’. God never told us to have balls, but rather a tender heart.

The bible clearly, and explicitly lets us know the character He demands of those who claim to be His. He clearly gives us the true evidence, or “Fruit” that we possess His Spirit, character and attributes…

Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV)

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ^23 [a]gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV)

Matthew 5:5 (NKJV)

⁵ Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the ^[a]earth.

Matthew 5:39 (NKJV)

³⁹ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

Think about how many Christians are perfectly comfortable saying, “Hell yeah!” or “Hell no!” when Yeshua clearly said that ANYTHING above “YES” “NO” is from the devil and evil…

Matthew 5:37 (NKJV)

³⁷ But let ^[a]your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

Almost 100 percent of the time, when I present the argument for quiet, Godly strength, the response is always the same...

“What about when Jesus was turning over the money changers in the temple or when He was rebuking the scribes and pharisees?”

Jesus was being no MORE strong when He got angry in the temple than when He was allowing them to insult Him…

Jesus was being no LESS strong when He allowed them to spit on Him, beat Him and insult Him than when He sharply rebuked His antagonists…

Jesus was being HIS STRONGEST when He endured the pain and shame of the cross.

Hebrews 12:2 (NKJV)

² looking unto Jesus, the ^[a]author and ^[b]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.

Don’t let the devil pervert your idea of strength when God clearly told us how He expects us to behave. FOR THE TIMES YOU FEEL YOU JUST CAN’T HELP YOURSELF (RESTRAINT)…

BE BLESSTIFIED

THANK YOU FOR HELPING BE BELESSTIFIED.COM REACH 200,000 VIEWS!

This blog is my youngest child! It’s the only child I have that I’ve birthed instead of my wife.

It’s the platform God made available to me to share what He places inside me and holds me responsible to share with the generations.

I take it very seriously and pray that God’s gifts of exhortation, edification, admonition, inspiration, comfort, laughter, repentance and salvation are perfected in every word.

So, please accept my sincere thank you for helping me reach this milestone of 200,000 views.

It’s my prayer to reach beyond a billion and bring forth a harvest of God fruit through our Savior Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ).

Matthew 6:16-18 (NKJV)

¹⁶ “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the ^[a]hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. ¹⁷ But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you ^[b]openly.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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John 4:24 (NKJV)

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

The traditional ‘nativity scene’ depicting the night that Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) was born is a favorite Christmas decoration and reenactment.

Of course it features Mary, Joseph, the Baby Jesus, the shepherds, and the Magi or ‘wise men’ from the East.

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There’s only one problem…

The Magi or ‘wise men’ were not there that night…not yet.

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When you read the account closely, the location that the wise men found Jesus was not a stable, and He was not in a manger. He was no longer an infant, and Joseph was not present when the wise men visited.

Matthew 2:11 (NKJV)

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.

Luke 2:15-16 (NKJV)

¹⁵ So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.

It says very clearly that they arrived at a house, that Jesus was a young child, and His father wasn’t there at the time. At the scene of the birth Jesus is called a Babe, while at the scene with the wise men He is called a small child.

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Notice also that the events recorded in Matthew 2:1-12 took place AFTER Yeshua was born. And, one must consider the took some time…

Matthew 2:1-12 (NKJV)

Now AFTER Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, ^[a]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.’ ”

⁷ Then Herod, when he had secretly called the ^[b]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.

After the LORD was born, the wise men traveled to Jerusalem after seeing the star and inquired of where they could find Jesus…that took some time.

After hearing of this, Herod gathered the chief priests and scribes and asked them where Christ was born…that took some time.

Herod then secretly requested that the wise men come to him. After determining when the star appeared, he asked the wise men to CAREFULLY (take you time) search for the “young child”… that took some time.

After finding the LORD, the wise men didn’t return to Herod, but went straight to their own country, further implying a longer journey…that took some time.

Consider this from my post, “Accepting That Something You’ve Sincerely Believed Is Wrong”…

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.

Some people 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.

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The fact is that the shepherds and wise men visited Jesus on two different occasions, possibly separated by about two years.

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Many of those who have the traditional nativity scene ingrained in their minds may ask, “What does it matter?”

Again, because God said that anything done to worship Him MUST be done in spirit and not truth. Unfortunately, Christians are notorious for twisting and compromising to fit traditions and their will instead of God’s.

If you’re going to celebrate the Son of God’s birth, do it in SPIRIT AND TRUTH!

The traditional nativity scene is not truth.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

We need to learn to replace the words ‘blame’ and ‘fault’ with ‘responsible’.

Blame and fault are negative; Responsibility is positive.

Blame shifts responsibility or refuses to accept it.

Fault encourages one to pass the buck to protect themselves.

Have you ever blamed someone else when you were responsible?

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Telling someone ‘I blame you’  or ‘it’s your fault will likely make them defensive.

But, telling them ‘It’s your responsibility’ or ‘we all make mistakes’ is more will likely make them be accountable.

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The enemy is always looking for opportunities to provoke us to sin so he can blame and accuse us.

Revelation 12:10 (NKJV)

¹⁰ Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.

Romans 14:11-12  (NKJV)

¹¹ For it is written:

¹² So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.

Galatians 6:5 (NKJV)

⁵ For each one shall bear his own load.

God expects us to hold one another responsible and accountable, sometimes with rebuke…

Proverbs 27:17  (NKJV)

 

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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‘Social distancing has become the ‘buzzword’ of 2020 (or biblical year 5780). Everyone around the world knows that means keeping a distance of at least 6 feet from one another while in public to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. From COVID-19, to worldwide protests against racism and social injustice, to a layer of dust traveling across the Atlantic Ocean from Africa, now is not the time to practice ‘SPIRITUAL DISTANCING’ from God.

It’s amazing how many people who claim to be disciples of Yeshua the Messiah allow their pride (national, racial, family or personal), prejudice, arrogance, opinion, personal theology, dedication to traditions or flesh come between themselves and God.

Do we expect a faith of comfort and convenience or are we willing to ‘get our hands dirty’. Are we showing true love for Christ through our genuine concern and real effort to help those He called ‘the least of them’ (Matthew 25:31-45)?

Yes, they claim to know Him, but their actions prove that just like the Pharisees, they are putting their perspective, desires and expectations before God’s.

SOME ‘CHRISTIANS’ USE RELIGION AS A TOOL FOR THEIR OWN AGENDA

Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for this behavior by quoting what God, our Elohim, told us through the prophet Isaiah…

Matthew 15:8-9 (NKJV)

⁸ ‘These people ^[a]draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
⁹ And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ 

It’s easy to point a ‘self-righteous finger’ at Peter by following Yeshua from a distance, but if we aren’t careful we can find ourselves doing the same thing.

Matthew 26:58 (NKJV)

⁵⁸ But Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest’s courtyard. And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end.

Too many Christians are unintentionally guilty of expecting God to worship their expectations, traditions, hopes, dreams, opinions and personal theology.

Look very closely at how Yeshua rebuked the Scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23.

Matthew 23  (NKJV)

23 Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, ² saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. ³ Therefore whatever they tell you ^[a]to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. ⁴ For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. ⁵ But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. ⁶ They love the ^[b]best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, ⁷ greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’ ⁸ But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your ^[c]Teacher, ^[d]the Christ, and you are all brethren. ⁹ Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. ¹⁰ And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. ¹¹ But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. ¹² And whoever exalts himself will be ^[e]humbled, and he who humbles himself will be ^[f]exalted.

¹³ “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. ^14 [g]Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.

¹⁵ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of ^[h]hell as yourselves.

¹⁶ “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.’ ¹⁷ Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that ^[i]sanctifies the gold? ¹⁸ And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.’ ¹⁹ Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? ²⁰ Therefore he who ^[j]swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it. ²¹ He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who ^[k]dwells in it. ²² And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it.

²³ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. ²⁴ Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

²⁵ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and ^[l]self-indulgence. ²⁶ Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.

²⁷ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. ²⁸ Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

²⁹ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and ^[m]adorn the monuments of the righteous, ³⁰ and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’

³¹ “Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. ³² Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ guilt. ³³ Serpents, brood^[n] of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? ³⁴ Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, ³⁵ that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. ³⁶ Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.

Notice how He harshly rebuked them for putting their traditions before God’s word.

⁷ And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

Mark 7:7-8 (NKJV)

⁸ For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—^[a]the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”

Remember this is not Jesus rebuking ‘sinners’ but those who claim to be believers!

To the many Americans who are afraid of losing their ‘freedoms’ and blaming it on sinners, let me remind you that Jesus was holding the religious accountable for their ‘SPIRITUAL DISTANCING’ (dedication to traditions and hypocrisy) as He predicted the destruction of Jerusalem.

Not the Romans…

Not the ‘sinners’ in the land…

But, the people ‘of faith’.

To the many Americans who are afraid of ‘socialism’ let me remind you that God, Yah, Adonai, our Elohim, held Israel accountable throughout the Old Testament for their ‘SPIRITUAL DISTANCING’ (spiritual adultery, compromise and assimilation) as His prophets predicted Israel and Judah loosing their nation and being taken away to Babylon.

Not the pagans…

Not the heathen…

Not the ‘sinners’ in the land…

But, HIS people.

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.

So, let us all examine ourselves…our motives…our reactions…our passions…our devotions and ask ourselves are they in line with the word of God. When something makes us angry, is it Godly anger for Godly change, or is it the enemy trying to manipulate us through our flesh?

Let us make sure that we in the Body of Christ, aren’t SPIRITUAL DISTANCING, by following Him from a distance.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to create areas of division in the United States and around the world.

One of the most recent hot topics is that many parents say it’s their right as to whether or not their child should wear a mask in school.

It’s interesting that some parents don’t stop and think that ‘parent choice’ works both ways.

What if another parent chooses that they don’t want their child in a classroom, or sitting next to an unmasked child?

What makes one ‘group’ of parents think their rights are more valid? What makes some feel choice skews to their perspective.

The key to conflict resolution is COMMON GROUND.

The problem is that too many people on both sides of the issue don’t want it.

Amos 3:3 (NKJV)

³ Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?

If God is willing to reason with us…

If God is willing to find common ground with us…

We should work harder at finding it with each other.

Isaiah 1:18-20 (NKJV)

¹⁸ “Come now, and let us ^(A)reason together,”
Says the Lord,
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
^(B)They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool.
¹⁹ If you are willing and obedient,
You shall eat the good of the land;
²⁰ But if you refuse and rebel,
You shall be devoured by the sword”;
^(C)For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

I remember two different conversations with two different ‘professionals’ that said the same thing, and both made me stop and think.

Years ago there was a gentleman who was promoted to be one of the many Vice Presidents of a company at which I worked. He had previously been a director and he lived in the same subdivision as me. He was excited about his new position. A few months later, as we was settling into his role I asked him how were things going. He said, “They are going well. I’m looking for a new house that ‘fits the role'”. Hmmmmm. House that fits the role. The has he was living in was already very nice.

Fast forward to after I entered the profession of education. I was talking to a young man who had recently been promoted to the position of Assistant Principal. In a conversation about what he did over the weekend, he mentioned shopping for another car that ‘looked the part’ and ‘fit the role’.

WHAT DOES ‘LOOK THE PART’ and ‘FIT THE ROLE’ MEAN?

It’s amazing how much emphasis that people in our western culture places on appearances.

Where should an upper level executive live?

What should an administrator in education drive?

How should a preacher dress?

There are people who make a good living crafting the ‘images’ of public figures. However the people who really know them look on and think, ‘who is that’?

Should you be able to tell a person’s role on their job by their vehicles in the parking lot?

Are we that shallow?

Yes.

That’s why people will allow themselves into the slavery of enormous debt because they want to portray a certain image. An image. An image.

Hmmmmm. Portray an image.

If we find ourselves driven to pursue AN IMAGE, we are dangerously close to a subtle form of idolatry. Even if that image is ourselves. Remember, idols don’t all have to be GRAVEN images…

Colossians 3:5 NKJV

⁵ Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

The bible says that borrowers are slaves to those whom they owe…

Proverbs 22:7 (NKJV)

⁷ The rich rules over the poor,
And the borrower is servant to the lender.

Both gentlemen mentioned above, even though they were both in nice cars and vehicles, were diving deeper in debt, not because it was something they needed or even wanted…but because of how it looked.

Have you ever made a decision because of how you felt you looked to others? In a sense, it’s chasing emptiness. If you drive past someone in a very expensive car, and they think, WOW! What value did that thought add to your life? If someone visits your huge, elaborately decorated home and tells you, WOW! You’ve done quite well for yourself. It is beautiful! What value did that add to your life?

If you get a promotion based on appearances, does that lead to more and more pressure to keep up this ‘image’ you’ve created for yourself?

When you think about it…it chasing emptiness. It’s chasing wind.

Ecclesiastes 1:14 (NKJV)

¹⁴ I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind.

Be very careful of what image you are working to conform to…

Romans 8:29 (KNJV)

²⁹ For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

You can love someone and disagree with their lifestyle, behavior and decisions.

It happens all the time in families. It happens among people who love one another deeply.

We all have different sins with which we struggle, even those who call themselves disciples Christ.

Yet, we also have the responsibility of holding one another accountable and warning those who aren’t a part of the Body of Christ.

Calling out a lifestyle of fornication, adultery, gluttony, greed, pride or homosexuality isn’t a PHOBIA or fear or judging …it’s our responsibility.

If someone disagrees with someone else living a vegan lifestyle… that’s not VEGANPHOBIA.

If someone disagrees with someone else living a promiscuous lifestyle… that’s not PROMISCUPHOBIA.

If someone disagrees with someone else regularly smoking marijuana… that’s not WEEDPHOBIA.

Don’t misdiagnose someone because they disagree with you.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (NKJV)

⁹ Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. ^(A)Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor ^[a]homosexuals, nor ^[b]sodomites, ¹⁰ nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

Remember, Yeshua the Messiah was accused of being a drunk, glutton and blasphemer.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

There’s a day that I don’t remember,

that keeps coming to my mind.

It’s not a daydream.

It’s not a memory…

But, it’s there from time to time.

A smell I don’t remember…

A song heard years ago…

The most beautiful childhood afternoon…

I desperately again want to know.

But, just before I can grasp the images

of that wonderful day.

The day I don’t remember, quickly fades away.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Nothing deep, profound or complex here. This is just a reminder or revelation that…

There’s always someone who has forgiven not only what you consider to be unforgivable, but also something much worse than what you refuse to forgive. And, God holds us all to the same level of accountability.

Ephesians 4:31-32 (NKJV)

³¹ Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, ^[a]clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. ³² And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Situations such as this is when this verse is most applicable and powerful…

Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)

¹³ I can do all things ^(A)through ^[a]Christ who strengthens me.

One more thing. When God forgives us when we sin against Him, and truly repent…He remains in relationship with us.

This is not minimizing the pain of what someone did to hurt you, just reminding that God expects you to forgive it, especially if you want your sins forgiven.

Matthew 6:14-16 (NKJV)

¹⁴ “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

When you’re pursuing your God-given purpose,

When you’re loving and forgiving,

When you’re sharing God’s love, it frustrates the devil.

But, he has absolutely no power over your life except that what God allows…

 Job 1:12 (NKJV)

 ¹² And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your ^[a]power; only do not lay a hand on his person.”

So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

God gets glory out of our lives when we overcome the devil, just as He did when He allowed the enemy to have temporary access to Job.

He bragged on Job, and sometimes God is bragging on you…

Job 1:8  (NKJV)

⁸ Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you ^[a]considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and ^[b]shuns evil?”

That’s why sometimes frustrations come from nowhere…

Frustrations to your health…

Frustrations to your finances…

Frustrations in your relationships…

Frustrations on your jobs…

Those aches and pains. That boil on your behind. That person who has been frustrating you in traffic for the past 20 miles. That co-worker who continues to conspire against you. Those people who are insensitive, inconsiderate and unapologetic.

The devil see’s when you’re not letting those frustrations get to you. So, he sends another frustration…and another…and another, until God tells Him, “That’s enough!”

The enemy knows He has no real power over your life, so those frustrations are just him ‘giving you the finger’…

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He’s flipping you off because you’ve pissed him off.

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So, don’t let him get the best of you! Keep your cool. Praise God. And, let God get glory out of your story.

More BE BLESSTIFIED articles about the devil:

7 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO PISS THE DEVIL OFF TODAY…

WHEN THE DEVIL GET’S ‘THE BEST OF YOU’…

WHY THE DEVIL IS NOT A PYROMANIAC…

DON’T ASK GOD TO LEAVE TO INVITE IN A DEMON (Short & to the Point)…

TRADITIONS FROM HELL…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

 

One of the devil’s favorite tactics is to pervert that which is holy. He convinces us to defile what is supposed to be dedicated to God by perverting its holy intent.

Godly sex is perverted by fornication, adultery and homosexuality. YES/NO: HOMOSEXUALITY & OTHER SINS IN THE CHURCH…

Forgiveness is perverted by turning it into a selfish act when we claim, “It’s not for them, it’s to free you.” LET’S TALK ABOUT WHEN FORGIVENESS IS REDUCED TO A SELFISH ACT…

And, fasting is perverted by our motivations.

Fasting is a tool God has given us to draw closer to Him. It’s a tool He has given us to overcome the desires of our flesh. It’s a tool God has given us to intercede for others.

However, many times we reduce it to a selfish act when we want to use it as a means to manipulate God to doing what we want.

Notice what God says about fasting in Zechariah and Isaiah…

Zechariah 7:4-5 (NKJV)

⁴ Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, ⁵ “Say to all the people of the land, and to the priests: ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me—for Me?

Isaiah 55:3-5 (NKJV)

³ ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You have not seen?
Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’

“In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure,
And ^[a]exploit all your laborers.
⁴ Indeed you fast for strife and debate,
And to strike with the fist of wickedness.
You will not fast as you do this day,
To make your voice heard on high.
⁵ Is it a fast that I have chosen,
A day for a man to afflict his soul?
Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush,
And to spread out sackcloth and ashes?
Would you call this a fast,
And an acceptable day to the Lord?

⁶ “Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the ^[b]heavy burdens,
To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?
⁷ Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are ^[c]cast out;
When you see the naked, that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
⁸ Then your light shall break forth like the morning,
Your healing shall spring forth speedily,
And your righteousness shall go before you;
The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
⁹ Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’

“If you take away the yoke from your midst,
The ^[d]pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,

Yeshua warned about fasting to ‘APPEAR’ holy…

Matthew 6:16-18 (NKJV)

¹⁶ “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the ^[a]hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. ¹⁷ But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you ^[b]openly.

Fasting is a powerful tool to enhance our relationships with God and be a blessing to others. Don’t let the devil influence you to reducing it to a selfish act.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

When Jesus’ eyelids grew heavy

From carrying the weight of the world…

Did He dream…

…of returning to His heavenly home?

…that everyone would accept His precious gift?

Did He fantasize about the joys of a wife and family?

Did He dream of salvation without the cross?

Or, were His nightmares that He would be left down here in this mess?

If we felt it…He felt it.

As we were tempted…He was tempted.

If we endured it…The Lord endured it.

When He submitted Himself to the weakness of our flesh…

He had to hunger.

He had to thirst.

He had to hurt.

He had to hope.

He had to dream…

What do you think the Son of God dreamed about?

You? Me? Eternity?

 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.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

We must love God  for who He is, not what He can do.

Can He heal? Yes!

Can He deliver? Yes!

Can He restore your marriage? Yes!

Can He make a way out of no way? Of course!

But, those aren’t the only reasons we should come to Jesus, or tell people to come to Him. Who wants to be in relationship with someone only because of what you can do for them? We need to make sure that our prayers aren’t only about us, but that we consistently intercede for others.

We even need to be careful of how we teach giving, and why we give. I hear so many people say, “give so you can be blessed”. If that’s your only reason for giving, then that’s giving selfishly. We need to give so we can be a blessing, to fund Kingdom work, and out of obedience, not just so we can be blessed. We must also make sure we aren’t serving God only for personal glory because when we do we already have our reward (Matthew 6:2).

In John 6, the multitude followed Jesus after He fed over 5000, He told them that they followed Him not because of the signs they saw, but because they were filled with food. Jesus told them don’t labor for what is temporary, for what’s eternal. Read this entire powerful chapter (John 6) for context.

When people come to church, pray, serve God or give for what’s temporary, or carnal reasons, one of three things can happen…

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God moves on their behalf and they leave…

God doesn’t move fast enough, and they leave…

…or we church people just run them away.

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We must come to God and encourage people to come to God for SALVATION and for a real RELATIONSHIP with Him. And, must we must examine ourselves daily to make sure we are in relationship with God because we love Him…that we aren’t just USING Him for what we can get out of Him.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

We were all created in God’s image, which means we are able to have His character… His attributes… His emotions.

One of those emotions is hatred.

God hates evil. He hates evil behavior. He hates sin. He hates the works of the devil.

God hates sin, but He loves the sinner.

He hates the behavior and not the person.

What if we directed our hatred to what God hates instead of towards each other?

Think of how much enemy we waste hating each other.

Think of how many people we hate but won’t admit to ourselves that we do.

How much stress can we relieve hating what God allows us to hate?

The enemy…

Sin…

Poverty…

Homelessness…

Oppression…

Pride…

Arrogance…

Complaining…

Do a study of the things that God hates.

Ask Him to help you direct your hatred where it belongs.

THINGS IT’S OKAY WITH GOD FOR US TO HATE ABOUT PEOPLE…

WHY GOD HATES ‘BIGG BUTTS’…

7 REASONS GOD HATES COMPLAINING…

WHO HAS THE DEVIL CONVINCED YOU TO HATE (BUT YOU WON’T ADMIT IT TO YOURSELF)…

Proverbs 6:16-19 (NKJV

¹⁶ These six things the Lord hates,
Yes, seven are an abomination to ^[a]Him:
¹⁷ A^[b] proud look,
A lying tongue,
Hands that shed innocent blood,
¹⁸ A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that are swift in running to evil,
¹⁹ A false witness who speaks lies,
And one who sows discord among brethren.

Psalm 97:10 (NKJV)

¹⁰ You who love the Lord, hate evil!
He preserves the souls of His saints;
He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.

BEBLESSTIFIED!

In my life I’ve received the best and worst of every race equally.

It just proves that you can’t trust anyone simply based on race, but only as they submit to the love, word and will of God through Jesus Christ.

That’s what Jesus did…

John 2:24-25 (NLT)

²⁴ But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew all about people. ²⁵ No one needed to tell him about human nature, for he knew what was in each person’s heart.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Remember when Yeshua fed over 5000 people with just two fish and five loaves of bread that they had more left over than what they had in the beginning…
Matthew 14:13-21 (NKJV)

¹³ When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities. ¹⁴ And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. ¹⁵ When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food.”

¹⁶ But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

¹⁷ And they said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.”

¹⁸ He said, “Bring them here to Me.” ¹⁹ Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. ²⁰ So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained.

The LORD performed this miracle so they would have over flow from what seemed to be not enough.

So many times in our lives we may feel that we don’t have ‘enough’.

But, we need to…

1. Be thankful for what God has provided.
2. Pray for the wisdom to effectively manage what He had provided.
3. Have the discipline to manage what God has provided according to His wisdom.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

I have 3 children adult children, who of course, don’t always get along perfectly. Siblings disagree and the bible confirms that. Joseph of Genesis brothers disliked him. Jacob and Esau were rivals over the family blessing and birthright. Even David, a man after God’s own heart, had children who were not only rivals, but extremely dysfunctional.

My children and I’m quite certain your children or you and your siblings, if you have them, are no different.

There have been times that my children have claimed that my wife and I were not being fair toward one of them relative to one of them, or the other two. They have each compared what we do or don’t do for each of them to one another.

My response…

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God isn’t ‘fair’ with His children. God does what He pleases or doesn’t do as He pleases for His own reasons.

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I can’t explain why one person has a terminal illness, and another rarely ever has a sick day. I can’t complain why everything one person touches turns to gold, while there are other devout Christians live in a country with no clean water or infrastructure for things to get better anytime soon. However, many times this type of poverty is an opportunity for those who are blessed more materially to be obedient and do good to ‘the least of them’ (Matthew 25).

But, look at what Jesus said in a sense about ‘fairness’ in the bible…

 Luke 4:24-27(NKJV)

²⁴ Then He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country. ²⁵ But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; ²⁶ but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath,^[a] in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. ²⁷ And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”

God used the prophet Elijah to help the widow in Zarephath, however there were many others who didn’t receive help. There were many with leprosy in those days, but Jesus declares only Naaman was healed. Were either of these situations ‘fair’?

Have you ever looked at t he lives of others and felt that God wasn’t being fair to you? It may seem others are being blessed, some who you feel may not ‘deserve’ blessing as much as you. It may seem that others are being healed. It may seem that others who are a lot less sincere are doing a lot better than you.

You may not say it out loud, you may feel God is being unfair.

You may not say it out loud, you may even be jealous of your Christian brother and sisters…

Family…

Marriage…

‘Success’…

Children…

Health…

Influence…

Ministry…

You may even to begin to consider them your rival, placing yourself in some unspoken competition with them. This can cause great dysfunction in the Body of Christ.

Remember, that just as a parent loves all their children, God loves all of His. But, also remember that just as each of your children are not the same, neither are all of God’s.

Sometimes God lets us see how He feels through our relationships. We can compare our frustration with our children with His frustration with us. After all, we were all made in His image.

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Rather than hear a random complaint from your child about how unfair you are, wouldn’t you rather hear a random, “THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR ME”?

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So, the next time you think that God is being unfair to you. The next time you find yourself complaining about how He is treating one of your ‘siblings’… stop and thank Him for how good He is to you. Thank Him for what He IS doing in your life. Thank Him for what He is protecting you from. Thanks

BE BLESSTIFIED!

We all notice the unmistakable silence of Yeshua, Christ Jesus from 12 years of age until 30.

Luke 2:41-52 (NKJV)

⁴¹ His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. ⁴² And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. ⁴³ When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother^[a] did not know it;⁴⁴ but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. ⁴⁵ So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. ⁴⁶ Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. ⁴⁸ So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.” ⁴⁹ And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” ⁵⁰ But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them. ⁵¹ Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart. ⁵² And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

I have heard and read much speculation and conjecture as to what happened during that time. There are even apocryphal accounts (Book of Thomas) of events that took place when Jesus was young. However, I think there is enough information given to us in Matthew 13 and John 2 to let us know that nothing miraculous happened. That, after amazing the teachers when He was twelve years old, Jesus went back to being an ‘apparently’ very good boy and young man. No Jesus didn’t sin. His ‘goodness’ ( much like Joseph in Genesis) could have led to His brothers’ initial unbelief and antagonism…

John 7:5-7 (NKJV)

⁵ For even His brothers did not believe in Him.

⁶ Then Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. ⁷ The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil.

Think about what is reported in Matthew 13 when Jesus was rejected in His hometown of Nazareth…

Matthew 13:53-58 (NKJV)

⁵³ Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there. ⁵⁴ When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? ⁵⁵ Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses,^[a] Simon, and Judas? ⁵⁶ And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?” ⁵⁷ So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” ⁵⁸ Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

…If Jesus had spent His youth sharing His wisdom and His supernatural powers, the people of His town would not have wondered ‘where did this man get this wisdom?’. They would have known He was unique among His half-brothers and sisters. They would have recognized Him beyond being ‘Joseph’s son’ and a carpenter. They were around Jesus every day as He grew and would not have been surprised at His wisdom if He had revealed that He was special after 12 years of age.

In fact, this implies to me that Jesus spent His teenage years and twenties doing the work of a carpenter while He and Mary held His divinity in their hearts.

As Jesus said at the wedding in Cana after His first miracle, His time had not yet come. And, yes John Chapter 2 confirms that turning the water to wine was Jesus’ first miracle. So no miracles could have happened before that.

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The fact that Mary was anxious for Jesus to do something about the wine dilemma at the wedding could imply that she was ready for Him to ‘get the show started’.

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She hadn’t even told her other children about their Holy brother. We all know how hard it can be to hold some things in our hearts. How hard it can be to keep a huge secret…especially one this big.

John 2:1-12  (NKJV)

2 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. ² Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. ³ And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” ⁴ Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” ⁵ His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” ⁶ Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. ⁷ Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. ⁸ And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. ⁹ When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. ¹⁰ And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!” ¹¹ This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.

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PROTECTED BY ANONYMITY?

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We all know how the enemy used Herod to kill baby boys Jesus’ age killed trying to prevent the prophecy from being fulfilled. God very well could have been protecting Jesus in anonymity to protect Him and His identity until His time had come.

Matthew 2:16-18 (NKJV)

¹⁶ Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. ¹⁷ Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:

¹⁸ “A voice was heard in Ramah,
Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children,
Refusing to be comforted,
Because they are no more.”^[a]

God’s wisdom goes beyond our desire to know what happened before Jesus began His earthly ministry. As I said earlier, we can speculate and guess, but that is all it is…guessing and speculation.

Besides, what’s most important is what happened after Jesus began His earthly ministry. His occupation was carpenter but His calling and purpose was SAVIOR.

Jesus’ silent years are one of the greatest lessons in the wisdom of God doing all things in HIS OWN TIMING. And, that we should relate this lesson to our own lives. Even the Son of God didn’t begin His purpose before it was time.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NKJV)

To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

 

 

 

 

When an atheist loves or does good, is it from God?

Is a spiritual truth from another faith still wisdom from God, even though it may not be attributed to the one true God?

The fact of the matter is there are some atheists and people of other faiths more loving, friendly and generous than many of us Christians.

We were all made in God’s image. God IS love, and any love that is in us is from Him. Just because some people don’t attribute that love to Him doesn’t mean it doesn’t come from Him. Love definitely cannot come from the devil.

Genesis 1:27 (NKJV)

²⁷ So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

But, being made in God’s image doesn’t mean that we look like Him physically because He is a spirit.

John 4:24 (NKJV)

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

In fact, Jesus represents our invisible Father in bodily form…

Colossians 1:15 (NKJV)

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

Colossians 2:8-9(NKJV)

⁸ Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. ⁹ For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

But, being made in His image means we look like Him spiritually. It means we can have His character…His heart…His attributes…His mind.

1 Corinthians 2:16 (NKJV)

¹⁶ For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?”^[a] But we have the mind of Christ.

It means we can love like Him. We can hurt like Him. We can be angry like Him. We can feel like Him.

He gives EVERYONE of us a measure of faith…

Romans 12:3

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.

He also gave us free will, and because of that free will, some choose place that faith in idol Gods…other religions…themselves…or no one at all.

It’s just like a son who looks just like His father but resents and rejects him saying, “You’re not my father!” “I look nothing like you!”

Consider this verse…

Romans 2: 14-16

14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) 16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.

Anyone’s ability to love and do good comes from God, even if they don’t believe in Him, it still originates from Him.

Also, since God is all-knowing, and the source of all knowledge…then even the wisdom of other religions is still from God. They just don’t attribute it to Him….

Romans 1:20-23 (NKJV)

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, ²¹ because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. ²² Professing to be wise, they became fools, ²³ and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

Just because that same son we mentioned earlier doesn’t want to admit that he inherited his intelligence or talents from his father or mother, doesn’t mean that he didn’t.

It’s evident in everything the son does, he proves he came from his parents, he proves they exist or existed…whether he admits it or not.

So, when unbelievers love. When someone of another faith speaks wisdom. When either of them are generous…it still comes from God. They are still created in His image. They just don’t give Him credit as the source.

For example, the wisdom behind ‘karma’ is still the same Godly knowledge of ‘reaping what you sow’…

Galatians 6:7-9(NKJV)

⁷ Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

When you hear truth coming from an atheist or someone of another faith…the fact that they don’t believe in the one true and living God through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ doesn’t prevent it from being truth…in fact, they are proving God is real.

It is our responsibility to convince them to give their measure of faith to God.

BE BLESSTIFIED!!!

“Sheep!

“Sheeple”

It’s amazing to see how many Christians hurl these words at one another as an insult.

They say this implying someone is blindly following some ‘pied piper’ without any intelligence (especially politically), while they can’t see themselves doing the very same thing they are accusing others of…following some person, group, party or ideology.

These terms SHEEP and SHEEPLE are also used by atheists when attempting to insult Christians.

However, they don’t realize they are telling the truth. I’m glad to be one of Yeshua the Messiah’s ‘SHEEP’.

John 10:11-15 NKJV

^{11 (A)}“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. ¹² But a ^[a]hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and ^(B)leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. ¹³ The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. ¹⁴ I am the good shepherd; and ^(C)I know My sheep,and ^(D)am known by My own. ^{15 (E)}As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; ^(F)and I lay down My life for the sheep.

Matthew 25:31-46 NKJV

^{31 (A)}“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the ^[a]holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. ^{32 (B)}All the nations will be gathered before Him, and ^(C)He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. ³³ And He will set the ^(D)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, ^(E)inherit the kingdom^(F)prepared for you from the foundation of the world: ^{35 (G)}for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; ^(H)I was a stranger and you took Me in; ³⁶ I was ^(I)naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; ^(J)I was in prison and you came to Me.’

⁴¹ “Then He will also say to those on the left hand,^(L)‘Depart from Me, you cursed, ^(M)into the everlasting fire prepared for ^(N)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 ^[b]Him, 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, ^(O)inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ ⁴⁶ And ^(P)these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

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And apparently, King David was honored to be one of God’s sheep.

Psalm 23 NKJV

A Psalm of David.

23 The Lord is ^(A)my shepherd;
^(B)I shall not ^[a]want.
^{2 (C)}He makes me to lie down in ^[b]green pastures;
^(D)He leads me beside the ^[c]still waters.
³ He restores my soul;
^(E)He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of ^(F)the shadow of death,
^(G)I will fear no evil;
^(H)For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

⁵ You ^(I)prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You ^(J)anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will ^[d]dwell in the house of the Lord
^[e]Forever.

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So, if someone calls you a SHEEP, they are most likely ignoring the fact they are following some ‘shepherd’ themselves.

And, if someone calls me a sheep I will quickly say, “THAT’S RIGHT, AND THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD!”

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Have you ever felt overlooked or ignored by someone whose attention you REALLY wanted?

Is there someone in your life who when you see they’re calling you on the phone you pause and say, “Oh No!” because you don’t want to be bothered by them.

Do you know someone who gets on your nerves because they’re always ‘bothering you’ at the wrong time.

Have you ever wanted the attention of someone who you felt had influence, authority, prestige while getting the attention of those who don’t?

Never take for granted those who see value in you because you don’t see enough value in them.

Matthew 25:40 (NKJV)

⁴⁰ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, ^(A)inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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Sex is a gift from God. Even though it’s the means He intended for us to be fruitful and multiply, it is also meant to be enjoyed within the bonds of holy matrimony between a man and a woman.

Our bodies with their various curves, shapes, textures, contrast of colors, smells etc., are meant to provoke sexual arousal. It’s up to us to control these urges so that they are only fulfilled within marriage.

One of those divine combinations of curves, shapes, textures, and contrast of colors is the female breast.

Yes, these were created for mothers to make sure their children are nourished, but that’s not all.

They were also created for the mutual pleasure of the husband and the wife. Breasts were created:

As a means of seducing her husband…

For her pleasure during times of intimacy…

To be aesthetically pleasing to entice her husband…

For his enjoyment during times of intimacy…

The fact is that even though God created female breasts to nurse their children, that boobs aren’t just for the babies. Check out these bible verses about female breasts and intimacy within marriage.

Proverbs 5:18-19  (NKJV)

¹⁸ Let your fountain be blessed,
And rejoice with the wife of your youth.
¹⁹ As a loving deer and a graceful doe,
Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;
And always be ^[a]enraptured with her love.

Song of Solomon 1:12-13  (NKJV)

¹² While the king is at his table,
My ^[a]spikenard sends forth its fragrance.
¹³ A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me,
That lies all night between my breasts.

Song of Solomon 4:4-5  (NKJV)

⁴ Your neck is like the tower of David,
Built for an armory,
On which hang a thousand ^[a]bucklers,
All shields of mighty men.
⁵ Your two breasts are like two fawns,
Twins of a gazelle,
Which feed among the lilies

Song of Solomon 7:2-3, 8(NKJV)

² Your navel is a rounded goblet;
It lacks no ^[a]blended beverage.
Your waist is a heap of wheat
Set about with lilies.
³ Your two breasts are like two fawns,
Twins of a gazelle.

Song of Solomon 7:8  (NKJV)

⁸ I said, “I will go up to the palm tree,
I will take hold of its branches.”
Let now your breasts be like clusters of the vine,
The fragrance of your ^[a]breath like apples,

Song of Solomon 8:10  (NKJV)

¹⁰ I am a wall,
And my breasts like towers;
Then I became in his eyes
As one who found peace.

Hebrews 13:4 (NKJV)

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

1 Corinthians 7:2-5 (NLT)

² But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband.

³ The husband should fulfill his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband’s needs. ⁴ The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife.

⁵ Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

So, couples enjoy one another, and may your marriages…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

You may also enjoy these BE BLESSTIFIED articles on Godly marriage…

GODLY MARRIAGE: WHAT IF THE ‘BIG O’ WAS TOO BIG (Adult but Holy)…

GODLY MARRIAGE: HOW SEX IS SUBMISSION AND HONOR PERFECTED (Graphic but Holy)…

4 SIMPLE THINGS THAT CAN MAKE YOUR MARRIAGE BETTER IMMEDIATELY…

GODLY MARRIAGE: YOU CAN’T GET ROMANTIC WITH A HYMNAL…

MARRIAGE ADVICE: IT’S YOUR DIFFERENCES THAT MAKE YOU A PERFECT FIT…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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

Why don’t you go to church?

Let’s go feed the homeless.

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

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

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

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

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

“I would, BUT I can’t afford to…”

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

“I would, BUT my kids have sports…”

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

Luke 14:18-24 (NKJV)

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

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

BUSINESS. WORK. CAREER

“I bought a piece of ground…”

“I bought a yoke of oxen…”

SPOUSE. CHILDREN. FAMILY

“I have married a wife…

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

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

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

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

BE BLESSTIFIED!

BE BLESSTIFIED!