We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).
We have all done some things of which we are ashamed…at least I hope so.
Why?
Because our shame is what leads to godly sorrow…which leads to true repentance…
2 Corinthians 7:10 (NKJV)
For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.
Remember that repentance isn’t simply just asking God for forgiveness, but a made up, resolute mind to completely turn from the sin that we’ve committed or have been practicing. Repentance according to Strong’s Concordance literally means “a change of mind”. All sin, no matter how spontaneous, begins with a thought.
Repentance is a legal U-Turn in your mind…
God wants us to REPENT and not REPEAT!
So, it’s good when we have regret of what we did. In fact, we…
As many of you know, along with blogging I’m a published songwriter and my wife is a Gospel/Jazz recording artist.
We’ve even been blessed to have one of our songs, “Urgent”, cleverly covered on The Tonight Show featuring Jimmy Fallon a few years ago (we did a one-year contract that was all GOD and not us)…
One of the things we quickly learned as we entered the Gospel music industry as independent artists is that it’s EXPENSIVE to share your anointing with the world, and the gatekeepers and decision makers aren’t always Christians.
Radio promotion is expensive and no guarantee that your music will be played on mainstream terrestrial or celestial radio, not because the music isn’t good…but because of the system. This is prohibitive to many who deserve to have their music shared with the world.
Radio marketing through a publicist is expensive. Access to official industry press releases, events, and access to the ‘tastemakers’, gatekeepers, and decision makers is determined by those who can afford it.
So, even if a songwriter and artist invests in production, producers, musicians, graphic design, video production and get a high-quality project completed…the industry won’t accept it if they don’t play the game… which still includes payola. That means independents have to WORK and PRAY even harder, while maintaining God’s integrity.
Anything that bears the name Gospel should be held to a higher degree of accountability. However much of the music that you enjoy is only the tip of the iceberg as to what God has poured into anointed psalmists, musicians and writers (many anointed bloggers go unquoted and plagiarized by those who have a larger platform, while they quote the writers they respect). It’s an incredible amount of quality, anointed creativity that you will never hear unless you look for it.
I’m thankful for what the Lord has allowed us to accomplish through the years.
Sometimes I just have to step back and say WOW! Because I’m humbled by the fact that it was only through Him were we able to do any of it.
Our music and each and every blog post I’ve written are ‘seeds in the ground’. Seeds to encourage, inspire, edify, equip, admonish, share God’s love and fulfill our purpose as ministers of reconciliation through our gifts…
2 Corinthians 5:17-19 (NKJV)
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not [a]imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
I have faith in our seed and trust God to makes sure it reaches everyone He intends in spite of a corrupt system. That’s why I don’t like seeing artists, musicians, writers and ‘creatives’ complaining about not getting the support they feel they deserve…STOP WHINING AND WORK YOUR MINISTRY…
As much as the industry is big business, God is still in control.
In the meantime we will continue to share what God has placed inside of us as a team.
Whew! It feels good to get that off my chest. Y’all…
People are constantly looking for answers to crime. I hear cries for police and politicians to find solutions. The truth is that police and politicians can’t stop crime.
Politicians and leaders can ONLY MAKE laws.
Police can ONLY ENFORCE the law.
But neither can make anyone obey the law. Neither can instill the character, integrity, self-control, discipline, respect for the lives, property and opinions of others necessary to reduce or cure crime. Even God Himself watched His people struggle with trying to live up to the standards of the Law, but the Law’s purpose is define right and wrong, to give us boundaries and God’s standards. God Himself gives us the responsibility and power to ‘do the right things’. God has a cure for crime, and it’s really simple…
1. Submit to His will
2. Let His love rule in your heart (let love be the filter for your decisions)
3. Walk in His Spirit
4. Learn to Control Our Emotions
(1) God’s will always puts what’s best for us first, so submitting to His compels us to always do what’s best for one another…
Philippians 2:3 tells us to…
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit and to esteem others better than himself. It’s God’s will that we put others first.
(2) When we allow love to be the filter through which every decision is made, we will not do anything to harm our neighbors…
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 eloquently describes the behavior and character of love…
4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;[a] 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
(3) When we walk in the Spirit, it makes it more difficult to follow through on the urges of our flesh that can lead to crime, as Galatians 5:16 makes very clear…
Galatians 5:16 (ESV)
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
(4) I feel that EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE is the most powerful tool God has given us to cure crime. Psychology Today defines Emotional Intelligence as the ability to identify and manage your own emotions and the emotions of others. This is behavioral science that is in perfect harmony with scripture…
Colossians 3:5-7 (NKJV)
5 Therefore PUT TO DEATH your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.8 But now YOU YOURSELVES ARE TO PUT OFF all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth
1 Peter 2:1 (NKJV)
So PUT AWAY all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.
Ephesians 4:31 (NKJV)
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander BE PUT AWAY from you, along with all malice.
Hebrews 12:1 (NKJV)
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, LET US LAY ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
God commands that WE OURSELVES lay aside, put away, put off, and put to death those things that cause us to stumble.
Most crime comes from a failure to control emotions…
Anger
Lust
Jealousy
Depression
Boredom
Greed
Even apathy leads to sins of omission. Stop and think of various crimes and how they can be linked back to an emotion. We must facilitate cultures of emotional control for crime to reduce. Police can’t do it, Politicians can’t do it, Marches can’t do it…only submitting to God will solve our crime problem. Laws makes our MINDS aware of ‘right and wrong’, but change comes from the HEART.
Why do we ‘bite and devour’ one another? Why do we continue to repeat the same mistakes of history, even when we know them
Galatians 5:15 (NKJV)
15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!
People love to say, “If you don’t know your history, you are condemned to repeat it.”
However, simply knowing history and even learning ‘what happened’ does not prevent us from going down those same paths to destruction.
God continually reminded Israel of the mistakes of their ‘fathers’, but they continued to ‘repent then repeat’, sometimes only one generation later. Go back and read Psalm 78, 1st and 2nd Chronicles and 1st and 2nd Kings.
James 4:1-6 (NKJV)
4 Where do [a]wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires forpleasure (A)that war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and [b]war. [c]Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 (B)You ask and do not receive, (C)because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 [d]Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that (D)friendship with the world is enmity with God? (E)Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, (F)“The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”
Pride,
Greed,
Lust,
Jealousy,
Fear,
Hatred,
Aggression,
Revenge,
Unchecked anger.
The one lesson from history that we never seem to learn is to control our emotions.
Ephesians 4:31-32 (NKJV)
31 (A)Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, [a]clamor, and (B)evil speaking be put away from you, (C)with all malice. 32 And (D)be kind to one another, tenderhearted, (E)forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
In early 2017, my wife and I got a call to write the lyrics for the theme song for a syndicated television show, The Loretta McNary Show. My wife, Mechelle Johnson, would also be performing along with another young lady, Jordan Dodson.
We were asked to turn it around to be in the recording in one week. With God’s help, we did it in about 48 hours.
We did it TWOgether!
Here’s Mechelle and I telling the story on an episode of the show…
And, here’s the song, “Hangin’ with Loretta”…
Ecclesiastes 4:9 (NKJV)
9 Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor.
We have so much fun when we work TWOgether! The bonding…The battles… The beauty of when it all comes together through the creativity given by God.
I’m a Black man and ordained minister living in the United States of America, or an African American if you prefer. I have extreme gratitude for the freedoms I enjoy due to the sacrifice of men and women who gave up their lives and comfort fighting for civil rights and social justice. Many of them are more brave than I am.
Much of this progress came through the church, the Body of Christ. Throughout the Civil Rights Movement and beyond, the church has provided a ‘headquarters’, a venue, and personnel for the fight. Even today, many activists’ names are preceded by the title REVEREND.
But, let those of us in the Body of Christ remember that civil rights should be ‘A’ PRIORITY for the church, but it should not be ‘THE’ PRIORITY of the church.
We can never let any important cause totally distract us from:
Making Disciples…
Matthew 28:19 (NKJV)
19 Go [a]therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV)
9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward [a]us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
Ministering to those in need through provision…
Acts 6:1-5 (NKJV)
6 Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists,[a] because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. 2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; 4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch,
Matthew 25:44-46 (NKJV)
44 “Then they also will answer [a]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, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
1 John 3:17 (NKJV)
17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
Building strong marriages and families…
Acts 16:31-34 (NKJV)
31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34 Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.
Joshua 24:15 (NKJV)
15 And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of [a]the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Strengthening the members of the church for good works…
Ephesians 4:11-12 (NKJV)
11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the [a]edifying of the body of Christ,
Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV)
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Making sure the church maintains an eternal perspective.
Colossians 3:2 (NKJV)
2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
Matthew 28:19 (NKJV)
19 Go [a]therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Joshua 24:15 (NKJV)
15 And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of [a]the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
The enemy has so many methods at keeping the church (us, not the building) distracted from it’s core mission.
Fighting for our:
Families…
Marriages…
Children…
Rights…
Equality…
Equity…
It is impossible to be focused on Kingdom building when we are fighting for what the love of God inside us should ensure.
Just as it’s wrong for a Pastor to IGNORE civil rights and social justice, it’s also wrong for a Pastor to ONLY dwell on those topics.
Even with my blog, with everything going on in the world right now, I found myself to be distracted. I had to refocus on the Gospel and edification.
Body of Christ! Keep up the good fight for what’s right, but don’t ignore or neglect the fight for the Gospel.
The rich young ruler in the books of Matthew 19 and Mark 10 told Jesus that he kept all of the commandments from his youth up, but the Lord quickly reminded him that he was lacking something.
That’s true for all of us. No matter how much we may try to live upright, we will always remain lacking in some area.
You may not be a fornicator, an adulterer, a drunk, a murderer…you may go to church every time the doors open. You may be very generous in your giving …
BUT DO YOU COMPLAIN?
God HATES complaining. He doesn’t hate complainers, but He does hate it when we complain. One of Israel’s greatest, most consistent sins while in the wilderness was that of complaining and murmuring. In fact, it was their complaining that made an 11-day trip last 40 years.
God hates complaining so much he allowed His own children…
Just as in any other situation, one can’t judge ‘good’ preachers, ministers or pastors because of the ‘bad’ ones.
And, let it also be noted that God has ordained that those who PREACH the Gospel should earn their living from the Gospel…
1 Corinthians 9:14 (NKJV)
14 Even so (A)the Lord has commanded (B)that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.
Does that mean the church should makes a Pastor rich? No!
But, it also doesn’t mean they should keep him in poverty if they have the means. If anything, his income should be an average of the members.
But, the truth remains that there are some Pastors and preachers who look at the ministry, not as a calling from God to make disciples and edify the Body of Christ but…
To some it’s a hustle.
To some it’s just an income.
To some it’s a means to have influence.
Many who were once passionate about their calling and sincere in their message, it’s become a job in which they compromise the truth and responsibility of sometimes upsetting the congregation because they don’t want to lose their income….so they ‘sugarcoat the Gospel’.
And, there are those who could easily post their sermons and sermon series on YouTube for the world to enjoy for free. But instead, they peddle them for a price.
We as ministers must be very careful that we aren’t PEDDLING the Gospel.
2 Corinthians 2:17 (NKJV)
17 For we are not, as [a]so many, (A)peddling[b] the word of God; but as (B)of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.
Yes, ministers are free to share their thoughts and creativity in books and other creative outlets beyond the church, but they must always remain true to their purpose and calling.
Whether a little or a lot, any minister in it for the money is ‘peddling’ the Gospel.
Our focus, passion and priority must always be making disciples, building the Body of Christ, and unselfishly shepherding God’s flock.
1 Peter 5:1-4 (ESV)
5 So I exhort the elders among you, (A)as a fellow elder and (B)a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2 (C)shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight,[a](D)not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you;[b](E)not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not (F)domineering over those in your charge, but (G)being examples to the flock. 4 And when (H)the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the (I)unfading (J)crown of glory.
If there’s one constant question atheists always ask when discussing the existence of God is…WHERE IS THE EVIDENCE?
It’s always been that way. Notice what the Apostle Paul stated…
Corinthians 1:20-23 (NKJV)
20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the [a]disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a [b]stumbling block and to the [c]Greeks foolishness,
The Greeks seek after WISDOM. The Greeks of that day wanted PROOF and without that proof they considered the message of the Gospel to be FOOLISHNESS.
The same is true today. Unbelievers consider belief in God foolishness. They say there is no evidence that He lives, even though the bible reminds us that evidence that He lives is all around us…
Romans 1:20 (NKJV)
20For 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 [a]Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
But, their response to this is where is your evidence beyond the bible?
However, the greatest evidence that God lives ‘all in our head’.
God is invisible and Yeshua the Messiah represents Him in bodily form…
Colossians 2:8-10 NKJV
8Beware lest anyone [a]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 [b]bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all [c]principality and power.
The bible also asserts…
1 Corinthians 15:45 NLT
45 The Scriptures tell us, “The first man, Adam, became a living person.”[a] But the last Adam—that is, Christ—is a life-giving Spirit.
Life giving (quickening) Spirit.
What makes you alive?
Is it brain activity? There are those in a coma with brain activity but are not conscious.
Is it breathing? There are those who are on a breathing machine but are not conscious.
Is it a beating heart? There are those who are on life support, but have no consciousness.
Is it your body? But, your body is still YOU even when your ‘spirit’, your ‘soul’, ‘your consciousness has left your body.
So LIFE IS CONSCIOUSNESS. LIFE IS AWARENESS. What good is it for you to be alive if you aren’t aware?
But, where is your consciousness? Where is your awareness? Where is your ability to see, think and reason?
Can you see it when it enters your body? Can you see it when it leaves the body? Does it begin in the womb?
No one can remember when they were one week old, so how do we know we weren’t ‘aware’ of what was going on in the womb. Just because you can’t remember it does’t mean you weren’t aware in the womb. And, just because you can’t remember doesn’t mean you weren’t aware at some level before you were born.
The evidence that you are real is not that we can see your body, but that your spirit that’s inside you gives your body (the vehicle for your spirit) life. That’s the evidence that you are you. The fact that you are aware is the evidence of the POWER of your SPIRIT that dwells within your body.
It’s the same for the only Living God. He is a spirit. You can’t see it, hear it, or smell it, but you can only but the evidence of His power…His creation…the natural laws that testify of His essence. Consider this except from my post IF YOU BELIEVE IN SCIENCE, YOU CAN BELIEVE IN GOD (HERE’S A PERFECT EXAMPLE)…
For example: The Law of Conservation of Energy, one of the basic accepted laws of physics…
Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, but only transferred or changed from one form to another.
That being said, please consider this…If you can accept: No one can see energy.
You can accept: No one can see God.
Colossians 1:15 (NKJV)
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
If you can accept: Energy wasn’t created. You can accept: God wasn’t created.
Psalm 90:2 (NKJV)
2 Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.
If you can accept: Energy can’t be destroyed. You can accept: God can’t be destroyed.
Isaiah 40:28 (NKJV)
28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.If you can accept: Energy is power. You can accept: God is power. Revelation 19:6 (NKJV)
6 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the[a] Lord God Omnipotent reigns!
If you can accept: You can’t see energy…only evidence of its power. You can accept: You can’t see God…only evidence of His power.
The fact that you can read and comprehend this article, and that you have the free will to accept or reject it is proof that you are alive and aware just like the God of whom your spirit is an offspring…
Acts 17:28 (NKJV)
28 for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’
Now, I know that this sounds like foolishness to some of you. But, isn’t that what the God said through the Apostle Paul in the first place?
19 Go [a]therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Are you looking for opportunities to do good to what Yeshua called, “The least of them..”
Matthew 25:37-46 (NKJV)
37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
44 “Then they also will answer [a]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, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Are you looking for opportunities to be a blessing and answered prayer to someone in need?
1 John 3:16-18 (NASB)
16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his [a]heart [b]against him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.
James 2:15-17 (KJV)
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
And, our you making sure that God is sovereign and established in your home?
Joshua 24:15 (NKJV)
15 And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of [a]the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
The fact is that during a pandemic, there are even MORE opportunities to help people in need and share an example of God’s love because there are even more people in need.
In a pandemic there are even more atheists digging deeper into their unbelief and even more believers questioning their faith.
In our current social and political climate hearts are becoming harder, hatred is speaking louder and acting out more viciously and we have even more opportunities to be light.
Maybe God is trying to give the church an opportunity to RETHINK worship, praise and service.
Maybe God is trying to give the church an opportunity to prove it’s not just about just assembling together…some feeling as though they are doing God a favor…others who treat church as a ‘holy’ social club… and others who enjoy the fellowship, word, worship and praise, but neglect the responsibilities of discipleship.
Maybe God is giving the church the opportunity that it can survive underground just as the church had to do in previous generations.
God intends for marriage to be a lifelong commitment between a man and a woman, no matter how much our modern society makes and accepts excuses to ‘get out of it’. Especially what we call ‘irreconcilable differences’ or ‘we’re just growing apart’.
Malachi 2:16 (NKJV)
16 “For the Lord God of Israel says
That He hates divorce,
For it covers one’s garment with violence,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
“Therefore take heed to your spirit,
That you do not deal treacherously.”
Matthew 19:4-8 (NKJV)
4 And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who [a]made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let not…
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.”
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.
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!”
One of the greatest benefits of a relationship with God through Yeshua the Messiah is our own angels assigned to watch over us…
Hebrews 1:13-14 NKJV
13 But to which of the angels has He ever said:
(A)“Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”?
14 (B)Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will (C)inherit salvation?
Matthew 18:10 NKJV
10 “Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven (B)their angels always (C)see the face of My Father who is in heaven.
Think of all the shameful, dangerous, and embarrassing situations your angel has witnessed while watching over you.
Think of the battles your angels have had to fight in the spiritual world, contending against demons for you, just like Daniel…
Daniel 10:10-13 NKJV
10 (A)Suddenly, a hand touched me, which made me tremble on my knees and on the palms of my hands. 11 And he said to me, “O Daniel, (B)man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.” While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling.
12 Then he said to me, (C)“Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, (D)your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. 13 (E)But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, (F)Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.
So while you’re praying for peace in your life, marriage or family…
Please don’t forget to ask God to give your angels peace while they minister to you.
19 For (A)your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be (B)wise in what is good, and [a]simple concerning evil.
But, too many time you hear Christians say with pride instead of regret…
“I’ve done it all…”
“I’ve seen it all…”
“I’ve been there and done that…”
“I haven’t been saved all my life…”
Don’t make me go back to my old self…”
Too many people feel they are missing out on life if they aren’t doing wrong in the eyes of God.
They feel men aren’t being men if they aren’t ‘sowing their wild oats’ or ready to be violent, or
They feel women are weak if they are modest, humble.
It’s seems that so many people today are anxious to exchange their innocence for behavior they will later regret…hopefully.
Psalm 19:13 ESV
Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.
I am by no means a vegan or vegetarian, but I LOVE vegetables. I have to admit that as much as I love my grandmother and her cooking (God rest her soul) that she was from a culture that cooked vegetables until they weren’t as healthy…with a hunk of meat in them that made them less healthy. (They were good though!)
I also love eating healthy and trying my best to maintain a good quality of life as long as possible. I also know this is God’s will for us…
3 John 2 (NKJV)
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
That being said, I experimented with a delicious and healthy combination of vegetables that was prepared quickly and is very filling.
I named it after an old school Gospel song I used to always hear in church growing up. I call it, “THERE’S A ‘LEEK’ IN THIS OLD BUILDING”…
It’s sauteed (in olive oil) Leeks, Collard Greens, Mushrooms and Sugar Snap Peas sprinkled with shredded Parmesan Cheese. Seasoned with onion and garlic powder and a little Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base.
This post is not to debate the correct day for the Sabbath, or His commanded day of rest.
The purpose is to quickly show how angry God gets when we refuse to rest every seven days.
One of my greatest take aways from The Old Testament is that it gives us great insight into the heart of God.
If you look closely to how He reacts to Israel when they either met or fell short of His expectations we learn what He loves and what He hates.
While some sins displeased Him enough to get someone kicked out of town (out of the camp) others, at the time, carried a death sentence to illustrate and teach us the level of anger that particular sin gave God.
For example, from creation, God gave us the gift of a day of rest. He commanded that it’s okay to labor for six days, but on the 7th day we are to rest. Of course there were no Saturdays and Sundays at the time because there was no Gregorian calendar at the time.
God got angry numerous times in the Old Testament when His people forsook ( or abandoned) His day of rest. Even if we aren’t under the law, God expects us to rest.
One such occasion that illustrates the level of anger created in God when we refuse to rest…
Numbers 15:32-36 (NKJV)
32 Now while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day. 33 And those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation. 34 They put him under guard, because it had not been explained what should be done to him.
35 Then the Lord said to Moses, “The man must surely be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp.” 36 So, as the Lord commanded Moses, all the congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him with stones, and he died.
I’m sure this man had a good reason for picking up sticks, but apparently it wasn’t good enough for God.
The death sentence gave us example of how He feels…
1 Corinthians 10:11 (NKJV)
11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
It’s interesting how people say REST IN PEACE when someone dies.
Rest is a gift. In today’s busy society, we need to learn to REST IN PEACE BEFORE WE DIE!
As I use this Christian blog as a platform for Christ, I sometimes get insulting, and demeaning responses and replies from either atheists, people of other faiths, or believers whose hearts have been hardened.
Before my blog, there was a time when I would engage in argumentative cyber dialogue on social media, Facebook in particular, with people who disagreed with me, thinking I was planting more good seed. This usually only drove them deeper into their resentment and unbelief.
The initial statement(s) that I made which provoked the negative response was the ‘good seed’.
I would also at times tell them, “I’m praying for you”, sometimes out of sincerity, but sometimes I admit I was being ‘spiritually shady, using the statement as a spiritual insult out of frustration and anger rather than love. Either way, it usually pissed them off even more.
As I prayed for God to increase my passion to reach out to those who don’t believe in Him, and give me strategies to effectively touch them…it hit me.
I call it SECRET CYBER MINISTRY.
People don’t have to know you are praying for them for God to hear it and respond.
Negative responses, as well as social pages and groups provide an abundant pool of names – real people to pray for God to touch.
You can stop right now, get on Facebook, search for pages dedicated to atheists. There you will find names (and faces) of people passionate about their unbelief. You can begin regularly calling out those names to God. You can present those names to your prayer groups and prayer partners. You can secretly make these specific people your focus in prayer. Lift these names up to God several times a day during your quiet time.
No matter how deep someone may be in his or her unbelief, God has given everyone a measure of faith and the ability to believe.
Romans 12:3 (NKJV)
3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
You can pick out certain individuals and make it a point to consistently pray that God will soften their hearts to believe in Him through our Lord and Savior, Yeshua, Christ Jesus. That, He rebuke the devil and spirits of unbelief out of them. That, they attribute their measure of faith to Him. That they be saved, their faith be established, that it increases and they can bring forth a bountiful harvest of good fruit for God.
Not only do they not have to know you are praying for them, in fact, it’s probably best they don’t.
Facebook, blogs, and other social media is a fertile field for cyber for secret cyber ministry.
You can look at the cyber environment like Jesus did when He saw the crowds…
Matthew 9:35-38 New (NKJV)
35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.[a]36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary[b] and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”
This is a powerful way to use technology and be a Laborer for God’s Harvest.
The older I get, the more I want to maintain my physical health as well as my spiritual health…
3 John 2 (NKJV)
2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
We can be much more effective for God in doing Kingdom work if we are in good health. Too many times people who exercise and eat well, don’t necessarily do it to BE fit, but to LOOK fit. It’s easy for vanity to slip in. That’s why most gyms and diet plans promote LOOKING good instead of being HEALTHY.
So, in order to be fit and monitor our health, we have to learn to not just watch WHAT GOES INTO our bodies, but also MONITOR WHAT COMES OUT. It’s an indicator of our gastrointestinal health.
Even Yeshua the Messiah let us know that everyone has to poop…
Matthew 15:17 (NKJV)
17 Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated?
If your poop is not normal for a prolonged period of time, it’s a good idea to visit your doctor. I love the way a recent Healthline article explained how to easily ‘know your poop’…
The article included the Bristol Scale that greatly simplifies knowing your _______________.
Remember, our bodies are temples in which the Spirit of the Living God lives. And, just like ministry, taking care of them isn’t always pretty or pleasant.
Make sure you are always ‘doo dooing’ what it takes to take care of yourself.
Calling someone something or accusing them is pronouncing them to be guilty of that…
Pronouncing them guilty is judgement…
Deciding that you know what’s in someone else’s heart is judgement…
So be sure you KNOW someone is lying or guilty when you say he or she is lying or make any accusation…
Because if they’re not, you’ve opened the door to being judged a liar or guilty when you’re actually not…
Matthew 7:1-2 (NKJV)
7 “Judge[a] not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what [b]judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.
Nothing deep here. My daughter was bullied years ago.
I remember the days she begged us to let her stay home from school.
I remember the joy and anticipation of each new year quickly crushed by her peers.
I remember my wife and I feeling powerless.
So, yes COVID-19 is horrible and my heart goes out to everyone who has lost family members and who are struggling to recover.
But, the fact that many schools are offering online, virtual learning means some bullied children have been delivered from their ‘oppressors’.
Let’s pray that they are able to now focus on getting a good, safe education and use it to make this world a better place.
Do you know a child that’s excited about NOT having to go back to school?
Matthew 18:5-7 (ESV)
5 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, 6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,[a] it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.
My Be Blesstified definition of SCIENCE is: Our attempt to give a physical explanation to a spiritual world.
For example: The Law of Conservation of Energy, one of the basic accepted laws of physics…
Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, but only transferred or changed from one form to another.
That being said, please consider this…
If you can accept: No one can see energy.
You can accept: No one can see God.
Colossians 1:15(NKJV)
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
If you can accept: Energy wasn’t created. You can accept: God wasn’t created.
Psalm 90:2 (NKJV)
2 Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.
If you can accept: Energy can’t be destroyed. You can accept: God can’t be destroyed.
Isaiah 40:28(NKJV)
28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.
If you can accept: Energy is power. You can accept: God is power. Revelation 19:6 (NKJV)
6 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the[a] Lord God Omnipotent reigns!
If you can accept: You can’t see energy…only evidence of its power. You can accept: You can’t see God…only evidence of His power.
Romans 1:20 (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,
If you can accept: Energy can be transferred from one form to another. It can be separate but whole. You can accept: God was transferred to the form of a man, yet remained one God.
John 1:14 (NKJV)
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
Philippians 2:7 (NKJV)
7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
In my opinion, The Law of Conservation of Energy unintentionally gives a physical explanation for God. I think it actually defines God.
If you can accept The Law of Conservation of Energy….
You can believe in God.
If this blessed you, you might also enjoy…GOD’S GRAVITY
It’s okay to want things done the way you feel is right. It’s okay to be particular…to be a perfectionist…it’s okay to be detailed.
It’s okay to provide constructive criticism, but it’s not okay to be petty or hypocritical.
It’s not okay to hold people to a higher standard that you hold yourself.
It’s okay to try to maintain control in your life, but not everyone elses.
Remember how Jesus rebuked the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23. Read the entire chapter for context, but check out this verse…
Matthew 23:4 (NKJV)
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.
Jesus rebuked them for being ‘nitpicky’ and overly critical hypocrites. They were obsessive about criticizing others and expressing their expectations while not holding themselves to the same standard.
People are much more willing to hear what we have to say if we aren’t nitpicky over every little detail in regard to them. We can get to the point to where people won’t even listen to us when we are right.
People not only will avoid your good advice. They will avoid you.
People will view you as obnoxious, nasty, and overly opinionated…even those closest to you.
The term for this obsession, derived from Freudian psychoanalysis, is referred to as anal-retentiveness, or simply ‘anal’.
Don’t be so ‘anal’ that you become an a**
Remember what the Apostle Paul said…
Romans 12:18 (NKJV)
If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
It’s time to re-examine our traditions that are clearly in conflict with the word of God, and stop making excuses to justify what we want to do.
Matthew 5:33-37 (NKJV)
33 “Again you have heard that (A)it was said to those of [a]old, (B)‘You shall not swear falsely, but (C)shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ 34 But I say to you,(D)do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is(E)God’s throne; 35 nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of(F)the great King. 36 Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 (G)But let [b]your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.
James 5:12 (NKJV)
12 But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into [a]judgment.
BE BLESSTIFIED! 