Tag: Inspiration

CAN WE BE TOO RIGHTEOUS?

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Most cake recipes call for a little salt. Many of us like to satisfy our sweet tooth with a good slice of cake. In fact, when it’s really good, one bite just makes you want another. The right amount of salt makes cakes taste just right…making you want more with each bite. However, too much salt will make us quickly spit it out of our mouth.

Colossians 4:6 tells us to let our speech be full of grace and seasoned with salt. Ecclesiastes 7:16 says, “Do not be overly righteous,” Nor be overly wise:..”

It’s good to have passion for the Kingdom of God, but when we are over-zealous, arrogant, mean-spirited  self-righteous, we can turn people away rather than attract them to Christ. All things in moderation. If we are trying to talk about the Lord in EVERY conversation, claim we never do anything wrong, or down people who are unbelievers, we can make people avoid us, dread seeing us coming and destroy any influence we may have. But, if we cleverly chose the right moments to ‘sprinkle the salt of the word’ when it’s applicable, people are more likely to listen, receive it, and even soften hardened hearts.

We need to ‘love out loud’ and ‘live out loud’ to let people see God in our character rather than beating them with the bible, making every conversation about God, or punctuating every sentence with a spiritual cliché. Wisely ‘sprinkling the salt’ of God’s word in conversations can make people hungry for more, and establish you as the go-to person on your job, your team, your school, your family when people want to know more about God. Being over zealous makes us seem crazy, and people can conclude, “I don’t want what they have.” God expects us to use wisdom and do everyone His Spirit of excellence. Notice how Paul reasoned with the Epicureans, Stoics, and people of Athens with respect and wisdom in Acts 17. He didn’t ‘beat them over the head’ or talk down to them. He wetted their appetite so that some wanted to hear more.

Psalm 19:10 proclaims God’s word is sweeter than honey in the comb. Yes it is! I love it. But if we don’t handle it wisely, people will spit it out, and we can do more harm than good.

 

BE BLESSTIFIED!

2

WHY ‘GROWING APART’ IS NOT AN EXCUSE FOR DIVORCE…

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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 man separate.”7 They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?” 8 He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.

God knows that no matter how much you love one another, that no two people will be the same after 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 plus years of marriage. It’s impossible. Yes, you will grow apart in some areas of your lives. But, that doesn’t have to come between you.

Think about this. If God expected the arranged marriages to last in the bible days, He expects us to stay with the spouse that we choose.

How can we be ministers of reconciliation for God’s Kingdom if we can’t even reconcile the differences in our homes?

2 Corinthians 5:18-19  (NKJV)

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.

In the words of Al Green, “Let’s stay together”

Here are a few more of my articles on Godly Marriage:

THE REAL, BOTTOM-LINE REASON MARRIAGES FAIL…

MARRIAGE: 3 WAYS TO TELL YOU WERE MEANT TO BE TOGETHER…

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

IS GOD IN AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU?

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

Godly Marriage: THE BLESSING IN WHEN YOU’RE NOT ‘IN THE MOOD’ AT THE SAME TIME…

THE HOLINESS OF WELL-TIMED ROMANCE IN MARRIAGE…

Godly Marriage: THE BLESSING IN WHEN YOU’RE NOT ‘IN THE MOOD’ AT THE SAME TIME…

THERE WILL ALWAYS BE THINGS YOU HATE ABOUT THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE…

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

ONLY ‘GODLY SEX’ IS GOOD SEX…

PROOF THAT GOD DOESN’T FORBID ‘RACE MIXING’, BUT DOES FORBID FAITH MIXING (in case you missed it)…

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

(1) ONE AMAZING, POWERFUL, SIMPLE TIP TO REJUVENATE YOUR MARRIAGE…#30yearsstrong

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

BE BLESSTIFIED!

1

WHY SOME THINGS ARE BEST LEFT UNSAID…

So many people today feel there is such strength in, TELLING IT LIKE IT IS…GIVING THEM A PIECE OF YOUR MIND…or, KEEPING IT REAL!

Yes, there are times when that has its place, but there’s also great strength, dignity and maturity in keeping some things to yourself.

When the angel appeared to Mary to let her know that she had conceived of the Holy Spirit, and what was going to come to pass…she kept it to herself. She knew some people wouldn’t believe her, she knew some people wouldn’t understand, she knew it wasn’t time.

Luke 2:19(NKJV)

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

You don’t have to tell them how pissed off you are…

You don’t have to be the first one to share bad news…

You don’t have to tell them how attracted you are to them (especially if you’re already married)…

You don’t have to tell them how wrong you think they are…

You don’t have to tell them what someone said about them…

We need to stop and think of the immediate and long-term results of sharing what we feel we must say…especially if we are ‘in our emotions’ (anger, lust, disgust, jealousy, fear, sadness, envy, shame, etc…)

Remember what Proverbs says…

Proverbs 17:9 (NKJV)

He who covers a transgression seeks love,
But he who repeats a matter separates friends.

Even God Himself doesn’t reveal some information to us until we’re ready for it, in other words…He leaves some things unsaid for a season.

1 Peter 1:10 (NKJV)

Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you,

Right now, stop and ask God for wisdom and discernment of…

WHEN TO SPEAK AND WHEN TO BE SILENT, BECAUSE…

SOME THINGS ARE BEST LEFT UNSAID!

BE BLESSTIFIED!

0

CAN WE BE TOO RIGHTEOUS?

wp-1472569536852.jpg

Most cake recipes call for a little salt. Many of us like to satisfy our sweet tooth with a good slice of cake. In fact, when it’s really good, one bite just makes you want another. The right amount of salt makes cakes taste just right…making you want more with each bite. However, too much salt will make us quickly spit it out of our mouth.

Colossians 4:6 tells us to let our speech be full of grace and seasoned with salt. Ecclesiastes 7:16 says, “Do not be overly righteous,” Nor be overly wise:..”

It’s good to have passion for the Kingdom of God, but when we are over-zealous, arrogant, mean-spirited  self-righteous, we can turn people away rather than attract them to Christ. All things in moderation. If we are trying to talk about the Lord in EVERY conversation, claim we never do anything wrong, or down people who are unbelievers, we can make people avoid us, dread seeing us coming and destroy any influence we may have. But, if we cleverly chose the right moments to ‘sprinkle the salt of the word’ when it’s applicable, people are more likely to listen, receive it, and even soften hardened hearts.

We need to ‘love out loud’ and ‘live out loud’ to let people see God in our character rather than beating them with the bible, making every conversation about God, or punctuating every sentence with a spiritual cliché. Wisely ‘sprinkling the salt’ of God’s word in conversations can make people hungry for more, and establish you as the go-to person on your job, your team, your school, your family when people want to know more about God. Being over zealous makes us seem crazy, and people can conclude, “I don’t want what they have.” God expects us to use wisdom and do everyone His Spirit of excellence. Notice how Paul reasoned with the Epicureans, Stoics, and people of Athens with respect and wisdom in Acts 17. He didn’t ‘beat them over the head’ or talk down to them. He wetted their appetite so that some wanted to hear more.

Psalm 19:10 proclaims God’s word is sweeter than honey in the comb. Yes it is! I love it. But if we don’t handle it wisely, people will spit it out, and we can do more harm than good.

 

BE BLESSTIFIED!

2

EVEN THE MOST EFFECTIVE LEADERS DON’T ‘HAVE IT ALL TOGETHER’…

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Leaders are very highly scrutinized and often criticized if they ‘don’t have it all together’. We can find ourselves expecting them to be near perfect. But, when we read the bible, we find that many of God’s most anointed…those whom He gave great responsibility were lacking in many areas.

Moses and the Apostle Paul weren’t the greatest speakers.

Exodus 4:10 (NKJV)

10 Then Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”

2 Corinthians 11:6 (NKJV)

6 Even though I am untrained in speech, yet I am not in knowledge. But we have been thoroughly manifested among you in all things.

Eli the anointed High Priest and Judge had corrupt, disobedient sons (1 Samuel 3).

1 Samuel 3:13  (NKJV)

13 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them.

Peter was quick to speak before he thought, and was even rebuked by Paul for being a hypocrite to the point that it influenced other leaders.

Galatians 2:11-13(NKJV)

11 Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; 12 for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. 13 And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.

Just because one is anointed by God doesn’t mean that he or she doesn’t need any help. Every great leader needs a strong support system. They need to be surrounded by gifted, anointed people they can trust to delegate responsibility and help with their weaknesses. I think that’s God’s system of checks and balances.

We sometimes see charismatic, polished and sometimes affluent leaders and assume they have ‘it all together’ and that we could never qualify for leadership in God’s Kingdom because of our personal issues and weaknesses.

But, let me assure you that all leaders…

ARE NOT CHARISMATIC

It’s easy to confuse charisma for anointing or confidence. Many great leaders are soft-spoken and reserved. There are many of charismatic leaders who can motivate a crowd but have absolutely no vision. There are others who have the WRONG vision and can motivate millions to do the wrong thing. Never confuse charisma with anointing. Check out this post for more on that… 4 WAYS TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PREACHING & A PERFORMANCE….

ARE NOT GOOD AT MANAGING MONEY

The ability to manage money can either be a gift or an acquired discipline. For those of whom that it doesn’t come so naturally, they can struggle with the discipline, detail and organization it takes to be a great money manager. Remember how one of the devoted prophets in the Old Testament died in poverty leaving his sons to be sold into slavery…

2 Kings 4:1 (NIV)

4 The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.

ARE NOT ORGANIZED

Here again some people are more naturally inclined to be organized. They pay great attention to detail. They are uneasy when things aren’t in place. They even organize things in their minds as they observe them, while others struggle to be organized. They make a sincere effort, but slowly find themselves slipping into their old habits. Notice how the rich nobleman in Luke 16:1-13 had a shrewd manager hired to manage his affairs.

DON’T HAVE THE BEST BEHAVED CHILDREN

Yes, I know what the bible says…

1 Timothy 3:4-5 (NKJV)

4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence 5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?)

…and this is not a contradiction. I had a friend tell me that his dad, a very sincere, devout man of God resigned as a deacon because his son, (my friends brother) was addicted to  drugs and in and out of jail. Well, the devil found out how to move a great leader out of the way. We are all God’s children and we don’t always behave as He commands us, does that mean that He’s not a good Father? Does that mean that God is not a good leader? No! God set’s the standard of behavior and doesn’t waver. He tells us, “NO!” to certain things. It’s up to us to love and respect Him enough to obey. That’s what God expects us to do…set the rules and boundaries in the home. To say, “No!” and don’t waver. As mentioned earlier, Eli, a great man of God, didn’t restrain his sons in 1 Samuel Chapters 2 and 3. But, he was still highly respected and used by God.

DON’T HAVE THE PERFECT MARRIAGE

Any stromg leader will tell you that leadership itself is a challenge to marriage. Responsibilities sometimes force the leader to choose between his or her spouse and duties. Leadership cuts into quality time, occupies the leaders mind during personal time, and even sometimes affects the desire for intimacy. It was obvious that ministry took some apostles a way from their wives, which is sure to put a strain on marriage…

1 Corinthians 9:5 (NKJV)

 5 Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? 

DON’T HAVE A GREAT CREDIT SCORE

Of course God expects leaders to honor their commitments and responsibilities…

Psalm 37:21 (NKJV)

21 The wicked borrows and does not repay,
But the righteous shows mercy and gives.

But, when responsibilities aren’t met, it not always due to intentional carelessness. It’s not necessarily because of over extending, but sometimes life happens. Sometimes illness, job loss, an unwanted divorce and other things beyond the leaders control can happen damaging his or her credit.

ARE SOMETIMES TROUBLED BY DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES

Jesus Himself was troubled in the garden the night before He went to the cross.

John 12:27 (NKJV)

27 “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.

Sometimes we don’t expect our leaders to be visibly troubled by circumstances. But, that only shows their humanity. If Jesus Himself was troubled, the greatest leader of them all, then surely we will be too.

These are only a few of the reasons is why good leaders should be honest with themselves and aware of their natural weaknesses, so they can surround themselves with the right support to carry out their vision. They must also be confident enough in themselves to not be threatened by their support, but have the discernment to know who may actually be a threat to their leadership.

And, those whom they lead must be humble enough to follow in spite of their weaknesses, offering help towards the vision where possible. They must also realize that some weaknesses don’t disqualify the leader from leading. For example, the prophet Nathan didn’t tell David that he wasn’t qualified to be king after murder and adultery. (1 Samuel 12)

 Leaders are only human, and they will all have lapses in character, but overall they must be…

Trustworthy.

Integrity…

Calm in Crisis…

One who unites rather than divides…

One who resolves conflict…

And, most of all led by God and a student of His word.

Remember, God uses imperfect people to carry out His perfect will. All good leaders need good help.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

2

YOU CAN FORGIVE ANYTHING…TODAY! #FORGIVENESS

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Ephesians 4:31-32 (NKJV)

31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, 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

 

MORE THAN CONQUERORS (Romans 8:37)

Isn’t it funny how some of us can claim to be more than conquerors…

Be filled with the Holy Spirit…

Blessed and highly favored…

Testifying every time we can get a chance…

Claim, “I love everybody!”…

…And REFUSE to forgive!

We can serve as a deacon, preach every weekend, sing in the choir, give to the poor…BUT WON’T FORGIVE.

There are preachers who get up and preach to some members whose souls they are responsible…and are withholding forgiveness from some of them.

Too many of us are holding on to…

Anger…

Animosity…

Hatred…

Resentment…

Bitterness…

Wrath…

PAIN…

What ever emotions, moods and attitudes that prevent us from FORGIVING.

Withholding forgiveness is one of the enemy’s most successful distractions.

We can’t love like God expects us to when we don’t forgive.

The enemy doesn’t mind you going to church or even serving in the Kingdom of God if you don’t forgive because it dims the light of God in you.

WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD (Matthew 5:14)…We can’t be light if we are DISTRACTED! Being unforgiving is a distraction…

Think about this…

The SUN provides light & the MOON reflects…

Sometimes Moon blocks light from Sun…This is an eclipse.

Sometimes Man blocks light from Son…This is a spiritual eclipse.

Distractions block eclipse our light from the SON…

Anger is a spiritual eclipse…

Bitterness is a spiritual eclipse…

Being unforgiving is a spiritual eclipse!

Our marriages, families…relationships CAN NOT exist WITHOUT forgiveness, but sometimes it’s so hard because of the pain…Because we are flesh.

Matthew 26:41 (NKJV)

41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

God understands we are flesh, but he also expects more from us. It is not God’s will for us to go day in and day out holding on to STUFF!

Matthew 18:21-22 (KJV)

21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

FORGIVENESS CAN BE A STRUGGLE FOR MOST CHRISTIANS.

We can put effort into ‘conquering’ everything, but forginvenss….getting a house, car, job, promotion, man, woman, getting a closet full of shoes, purses, ties…our neighborhoods full of crime, immorality, poverty, while many Christians are worried about conquering the ‘good life’.

That’s why some of us give, just so we can get….to some giving is a BLE$$ING bill. That’s why sometimes cousins, sisters, brothers  and relatives keep coming asking for money cause that’s the only way God can get some people to spend money on someone besides themselves. Does anyone owe you money and you haven’t forgiven them?

The enemy knows God ONLY forgives us AS we forgive others…(Matthew 6:12)

That means if there is something that you haven’t forgiven someone for…your sin that you asked forgiveness for is still there.

Don’t let someone die before you let them know THEY ARE FORGIVEN!

Is anyone you refuse to forgive WORTH forfeiting your forgiveness over? Don’t let your feelings towards them come between you and God.

Remember, there’s someone out there that you have hurt too…

You may not know what you did, but most of the time you do!

THE ENEMY KNOWS WHAT’S HARDEST FOR YOU TO FORGIVE…

The enemy knows how to present the right situation to you…

The right person…

That one thing that he knows that’s most difficult for you to forgive…

That’s the thing that he will use.

It could be your wife, your husband, your sister or brother, mother or father, best friend…it could be a pastor, that job who fired you, that team that didn’t pick you….you know what it is.

Stop right now and think about that one thing you are still holding on to.

God WANTS…DESIRES…TO FORGIVE US!

Think about how much we hurt God and He forgives us…

Psalm 103:8-12 (NKJV)

8 The Lord is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
9 He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor punished us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
12 As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

 

We (his church) are the bride of Christ…we ‘cheat on God’ every time we sin/ That’s why I know we can even forgive infidelity.

Every shameful thing done in the presence of His angels supposed to be there to protect you

He is there when we are tempted

He is there when we think about the fact that this is wrong and we still decide to do it

He is there when we do it.

That same conversation that the enemy had with God about Job, he had about you…Consider my servant ____________ !

Job 1:8a (NKJV)

8 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job…”

God witnesses us every time we cheat on Him…Every time we put Him to open shame…

He is willing to forgive us…

How could He be so willing to forgive? Because He WANTS to forgive us!

Isaiah 1:18

“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool…

God is practically begging us to come to Him for forgiveness.

 God wants to forgive you! God gets angry, but He doesn’t stay angry!

Psalm 103:8-9 (KKJV)

The Lord is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
9 He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.

God can forgive us over and over because He DESIRES to do so! And He doesn’t WANT to stay angry.

God CHOOSES to forgive us!

Forgiveness is OUR CHOICE.

You can’t control how people treat you, but you can control how you react.

When we are honest with ourselves, we don’t forgive because WE DON’T WANT TO.. WE want to stay angry!

If we forgive…we take away our ‘excuse’ to be angry…

You can even hear the person who hurt you has made a change for the good, and it can make you angry…you don’t want them to do better. This can lead you to judge them saying, “They’re change isn’t sincere!” You can get to the point that you don’t even care about their salvation.

We don’t want to forgive due to our pain…

We don’t want to forgive because of our pride…

We don’t want to forgive because of our shame…

No matter how heavy it is, uncomfortable it is…we still hold on to it, because we want to do so! When our arms up…after a while we have to put it down, because they get too heavy

That’s what we have to do with our pain…put it down.

How?

Stop asking God to TAKE AWAY what He told you to PUT DOWN!

If your spouse is cheating, and you love them, do you want to make them stop, or for them to stop on their own?

Notice God Always tells you to put it down…

Colossians 3:8 (NKJV)

But now YOU YOURSELVES are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.

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,

FORGIVENESS IS EASIER THAN YOU MAY THINK! AND WHEN IT HAPPENS…IT’S INSTANT!

No matter how slow or gradual any transition may seem…when you think about it, the change…the moment of change…the instant of change…no matter how minute the shift in thought or direction – THE CHANGE IS ALWAYS INSTANT!

MAKE UP YOUR MIND, AND IT WILL CHANGE!

This is simple but powerful…

TELL YOURSELF AND MAKE UP OUR MIND… “I DON’T WANT TO BE MAD ABOUT THAT ANYMORE!”

I’m tired of being angry…

I’m tired of being sad…

I’m tired of being bitter…

I’m tired of being resentful…

I’m tired of avoiding them…

I’m tired of wanting everybody else to be mad at them too…

I REFUSE TO FEEL THIS WAY ANYMORE!!!!!

Romans 12…Be transformed by the renewing of you MIND!

Refuse to let your emotions dictate how you feel and behave.

Controlling your EMOTIONS is the closest you can come to controlling your world.

Hebrews 12…How did Jesus react to Emotion? He “scorned” the shame of the cross for the “joy” thats set before him.

Once you make up your mind, and REFUSE to be angry….it will go away.

Once you make up your mind, and REFUSE to be angry….you can forgive.

Once you make up your mind, and REFUSE to be angry…you can forget.

Let me define forget…you will still think of it, but not the same way! You will forget that frame of mind…such as “What was I thinking when I dated him or her!”

Once you make up your mind, and REFUSE to be angry…you won’t even need an apology.

Why do you not need an apology? Because God still keeps showing you His love and kindness…even when you haven’t apologized or repented…

He keeps letting your heart beat…

He keeps feeding you and letting you live in the home He provided…

He keeps giving you strength to work…

He keeps on protecting you from harm…

He’s willing to forgive, even when He knows you will do it again.

One of the best exercises you can have in patience is to hold it together when you are being mistreated. Going on without an apology…showing character and patience of God will help you grow.

Once you make up your mind, and REFUSE to be angry…you can actually feel sorry for the one who hurt you. GUESS what? You are doing what God does! You are learning to love and learning to forgive like GOD!

That’s how you can even feel sorry for your enemies.

Jesus died on the cross to give the opportunity of salvation to those He knew would not only ask appreciate it, ask Him for forgiveness, or even believe in Him.

Exercise in forgiveness…Pray for God’s Spirit and Get a picture or go to a place, whatever reminds you of your pain. And practice looking at it and telling yourself..I don’t want to be mad at you…I don’t want to be bitter…sad and tell yourself that you won’t…

That’s what God does to us.

Sometimes people will try you back acting like they DON’T APPRECIATE YOUR FORGIVENESS…Be strong, cause that’s how we treat God sometimes.

Let your light shine…Get back your peace….Forgive as God is willing to forgive you!

YOU CAN GET OVER ANYTHING…TODAY!

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

0

WHY SOME THINGS ARE BEST LEFT UNSAID…

So many people today feel there is such strength in, TELLING IT LIKE IT IS…GIVING THEM A PIECE OF YOUR MIND…or, KEEPING IT REAL!

Yes, there are times when that has its place, but there’s also great strength, dignity and maturity in keeping some things to yourself.

When the angel appeared to Mary to let her know that she had conceived of the Holy Spirit, and what was going to come to pass…she kept it to herself. She knew some people wouldn’t believe her, she knew some people wouldn’t understand, she knew it wasn’t time.

Luke 2:19(NKJV)

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

You don’t have to tell them how pissed off you are…

You don’t have to be the first one to share bad news…

You don’t have to tell them how attracted you are to them (especially if you’re already married)…

You don’t have to tell them how wrong you think they are…

You don’t have to tell them what someone said about them…

We need to stop and think of the immediate and long-term results of sharing what we feel we must say…especially if we are ‘in our emotions’ (anger, lust, disgust, jealousy, fear, sadness, envy, shame, etc…)

Remember what Proverbs says…

Proverbs 17:9 (NKJV)

He who covers a transgression seeks love,
But he who repeats a matter separates friends.

Even God Himself doesn’t reveal some information to us until we’re ready for it, in other words…He leaves some things unsaid for a season.

1 Peter 1:10 (NKJV)

Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you,

Right now, stop and ask God for wisdom and discernment of…

WHEN TO SPEAK AND WHEN TO BE SILENT, BECAUSE…

SOME THINGS ARE BEST LEFT UNSAID!

BE BLESSTIFIED!

1

WHY ‘GROWING APART’ IS NOT AN EXCUSE FOR DIVORCE…

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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 man separate.”7 They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?” 8 He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.

God knows that no matter how much you love one another, that no two people will be the same after 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 plus years of marriage. It’s impossible. Yes, you will grow apart in some areas of your lives. But, that doesn’t have to come between you.

Think about this. If God expected the arranged marriages to last in the bible days, He expects us to stay with the spouse that we choose.

How can we be ministers of reconciliation for God’s Kingdom if we can’t even reconcile the differences in our homes?

2 Corinthians 5:18-19  (NKJV)

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.

In the words of Al Green, “Let’s stay together”

Here are a few more of my articles on Godly Marriage:

THE REAL, BOTTOM-LINE REASON MARRIAGES FAIL…

MARRIAGE: 3 WAYS TO TELL YOU WERE MEANT TO BE TOGETHER…

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

IS GOD IN AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU?

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

Godly Marriage: THE BLESSING IN WHEN YOU’RE NOT ‘IN THE MOOD’ AT THE SAME TIME…

THE HOLINESS OF WELL-TIMED ROMANCE IN MARRIAGE…

Godly Marriage: THE BLESSING IN WHEN YOU’RE NOT ‘IN THE MOOD’ AT THE SAME TIME…

THERE WILL ALWAYS BE THINGS YOU HATE ABOUT THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE…

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

ONLY ‘GODLY SEX’ IS GOOD SEX…

PROOF THAT GOD DOESN’T FORBID ‘RACE MIXING’, BUT DOES FORBID FAITH MIXING (in case you missed it)…

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

(1) ONE AMAZING, POWERFUL, SIMPLE TIP TO REJUVENATE YOUR MARRIAGE…#30yearsstrong

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

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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HOW GOD EXPECTS YOU TO MAKE LEMONADE WITHOUT SUGAR…

wp-1472302013866.jpgPeople love clichés.

A well-placed cliché makes conversations, speeches and even sermons more interesting. One very popular cliché used when people have misfortune is or difficulty is, “When life gives you lemons make lemonade”.

BUT WHAT IF YOU DON’T HAVE ANY SUGAR?

What if you have a health condition that doesn’t allow you to have sugar?

Sometimes in life we have to faith our way through some difficult days…

Sometimes we have to take some medicine that just doesn’t taste good…

Sometimes you have to swallow a really big pill that’s hard to get down…

Some people can’t have sugar in their diet…

Sometimes your healing comes from something bitter.

AREN’T YOU GLAD THAT JESUS DIDN’T MAKE LEMONADE ON THE CROSS?

2 Timothy 2:3 tells us to endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 12:2 teaches us to look to Jesus, who endured the cross for the joy that was set before Him.

People love quoting Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me” when they are trying to make their dreams come true, but this verse is most powerful when we are enduring life’s most difficult situations.

God wants us to always be able to make something good out of difficult situations, and to always see His will in them. As good soldiers of Jesus Christ, sometimes there’s nothing to make some situations feel ‘or taste’ better.

We just have to faith our way through and learn to sometimes drink lemonade without sugar.

 Psalm 3:19 (ESV)

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
If this post blessed you, please follow like and follow my blog:-)

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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WHY GOD DOESN’T ALLOW US TO ‘KILL THEM WITH KINDNESS’…

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Be careful of what’s in your heart when you decide to “KILL THEM WITH KINDNESS”.

That IS NOT what God told us to do. He told us to love our enemies.

Love’s intention is to give life, not kill.

Love’s intention is to build up, not tear down.

God says don’t seek revenge, that belongs to Him. God says don’t repay evil for evil, but instead to help your enemy.

The problem is, that many of us choose to ‘kill them with kindness’, ONLY to “heap coals of fire on their heads“. Many of us are only being kind because we see heaping coals of fire on their head as just another way to get even.

If we’re honest with ourselves, we may just be showing kindness to show them up, to annoy them, to make them feel bad…if that’s the intention then we’ve totally missed God’s meaning.

Helping your enemy is an exercise in developing God’s character. It is planting seeds of  love for the enemy and those who witness. It’s allowing everyone to see the power of God. The goal is overcoming evil with good. Well, what about the coals of fire on their head? That’s just the end result of how acts of kindness affect an enemy…it’s a result, not an intent.

The goal is REPENTANCE AND RECONCILIATION. Remember, ‘kill them with kindness’ is catchy, but not of God.
Romans 12:19-21
Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,”[a] says the Lord. 20 Therefore, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

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5 TIPS ON HOW TO WORK WITH PEOPLE YOU DON’T TRUST…

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Your success, effectiveness and peace is not only determined by how well you relate with people you DO TRUST…but how well you are at relating with people that you DON’T TRUST.

Our ultimate trust is in God, but He didn’t put us on this earth alone.

God has also ordained it that there is little that we can accomplish alone.

Even God Himself uses His angels to relate to us…

Hebrews 11:14 (NKJV)

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

God let the captives in Babylon know that though they trusted Him, they were to pray for the peace of the city in which they lived because their peace was dependent on the city’s peace…

Jeremiah 29:7(NKJV)

And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace.

Jesus sent the first disciples out in pairs (Mark 6:7, Luke 10:1)…

The apostles worked in pairs, teams and even depended heavily on the early church for help.

As much as we are interdependent on another in this life, God also warned us about putting our trust in people rather than Him…

Psalm 118:8 (NKJV)

It is better to trust in the Lord. Than to put confidence in man.

Of course we all want to be in relationships and situations with people we trust, but that’s not always possible…Sometimes we can’t even trust our own selves.

It seems it’s getting harder and harder to trust people these days.

We have families, jobs, churches, communities, organizations that we are all a part of in which to live, but the fact is that you KNOW you can’t trust everyone…

In your family…

On your job…

In your church…

In your community…

In our government…

Sometimes we go through seasons and situations when we can’t trust our spouse, children, parents or even friends…because we are human beings being human.

Do we abandon these relationships and resources because of the lack of trust or total trust?

Of course not!

Your ability to be successful, effective and have peace in your life is just as dependent upon your ability to work and relate with people you DON’T trust as well as those you DO trust.

How do you do it?

First of all trust God first. If He has you in a situation, or you have allowed yourself into a situation where trust is limited…you still have to lean on His word, truth, character and TRUST HIM.

Second pray for wisdom and discernment so you can know WHO to trust and WHO NOT to trust.

Third pray for those whom you don’t trust that they submit themselves to God through our Lord and Savior Yeshua, Jesus Christ. It’s bigger than just you or me…Ultimately it’s more about their relationship with God than ours with them.

Fourth, remain in God’s character so that you can set a standard and example of behavior and plant good seeds for God’s Kingdom. You do this by walking in the Spirit as defined in Galatians 5:22, 23.

Fifth, always make are always faithful and trustworthy in all your relationships.

And finally, remember that God had equipped you with everything you need for this LIFE and GODLINESS in this life, through His divine nature that is now inside you…

2 PETER 1:2-8 (NKJV)

2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

No you can’t trust everyone…

The fact that we aren’t always faithful means that God can’t always trust us. But, we can always trust Him.

So,

Trust God…

Trust Yourself…

Be Trustworthy…

And remember, GOD IS GREATER THAN THOSE WHOM YOU DON’T TRUST.

Add this to your prayer life…”Lord give me the ability to relate with those I don’t trust.”

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

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HOW PRINCE INSPIRES ME AS A CHRISTIAN…

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

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

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

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

Luke 16 (NKJV)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prince’s Gifts and Talents

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

That inspires me to do the same for God.

Prince’s Vision

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

 Then the Lord answered me and said:

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

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

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

That also inspires me in ministry.

Princes Dedication to Perfection

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

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

Prince’s Boldness

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

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

Prince’s Influence

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

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

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

Am I a fan of Prince…Yes.

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

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

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

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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FOR THE UNAPPRECIATED: ARE YOU BRICKS OR MORTAR?

 

Sometimes we get discouraged because we aren’t acknowledged, noticed or appreciated, even though what we have to offer is just as important, or more important than those who get noticed. But, think about this…Every beautiful building needs a strong foundation, but who notices the foundation? 

When we see a beautiful brick home, everyone notices the bricks, but no one notices or appreciates the mortar holding it together.

Who says, “Wow look at that beautiful mortar”!

No, we say, “Look at those beautiful bricks”! “Look at that beautiful building!” The cornerstone may have the glory of the names, and the bricks may be beautiful, but no one would see either if it weren’t for the mortar supporting and holding.

Some of us are bricks and some of us are mortar. Some of us are an architectural roof, and some of us are the foundation. We have been placed in some relationships to hold them up, and hold them together.

Rather than complain, we should recognize that it’s an anointing and an honor.

Christ is our foundation.

David couldn’t have been the mighty warrior that he was without his armor bearer.

There were many disciples and people martyred for the Gospel, and we don’t even know their names.

If you feel you bear the emotional, financial, physical, or spiritual WEIGHT in some of your relationships, then maybe that’s your PURPOSE in those relationships. Maybe that marriage, family, church or organization wouldn’t remain together if it wasn’t for your strength. Romans 15:1 says, We who are strong must bear the infirmities/failings of the weak and not please ourselves.

Let’s stop complaining if we aren’t noticed or appreciated. Let’s stop complaining if we are bearing the weight in some our relationships, and always remember to thank God for those who are holding us up. If you get upset and fall apart…everything your holding together  and supporting may collapse.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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EVEN THE MOST EFFECTIVE LEADERS DON’T ‘HAVE IT ALL TOGETHER’…

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Leaders, especially spiritual leaders , are very highly scrutinized and often criticized if they ‘don’t have it all together’. We can find ourselves expecting them to be near perfect. But, when we read our bibles, we find that many of God’s most anointed…those whom He gave great responsibility were lacking in many areas.

Moses and the Apostle Paul weren’t the greatest speakers.

Exodus 4:10 (NKJV)

10 Then Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”

2 Corinthians 11:6 (NKJV)

6 Even though I am untrained in speech, yet I am not in knowledge. But we have been thoroughly manifested among you in all things.

Eli the anointed High Priest and Judge had corrupt, disobedient sons (1 Samuel 3).

1 Samuel 3:13  (NKJV)

13 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them.

Peter was quick to speak before he thought, and was even rebuked by Paul for being a hypocrite to the point that it influenced other leaders.

Galatians 2:11-13(NKJV)

11 Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; 12 for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. 13 And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.

Just because one is anointed by God doesn’t mean that he or she doesn’t need any help. Every great leader needs a strong support system. They need to be surrounded by gifted, anointed people they can trust to delegate responsibility and help with their weaknesses. I think that’s God’s system of checks and balances.

We sometimes see charismatic, polished and sometimes affluent leaders and assume they have ‘it all together’ and that we could never qualify for leadership in God’s Kingdom because of our personal issues and weaknesses.

But, let me assure you that all leaders…

ARE NOT CHARISMATIC

It’s easy to confuse charisma for anointing or confidence. Many great leaders are soft-spoken and reserved. There are many of charismatic leaders who can motivate a crowd but have absolutely no vision. There are others who have the WRONG vision and can motivate millions to do the wrong thing. Never confuse charisma with anointing. Check out this post for more on that… 4 WAYS TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PREACHING & A PERFORMANCE….

ARE NOT GOOD AT MANAGING MONEY

The ability to manage money can either be a gift or an acquired discipline. For those of whom that it doesn’t come so naturally, they can struggle with the discipline, detail and organization it takes to be a great money manager. Remember how one of the devoted prophets in the Old Testament died in poverty leaving his sons to be sold into slavery…

2 Kings 4:1 (NIV)

4 The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.

ARE NOT ORGANIZED

Here again some people are more naturally inclined to be organized. They pay great attention to detail. They are uneasy when things aren’t in place. They even organize things in their minds as they observe them, while others struggle to be organized. They make a sincere effort, but slowly find themselves slipping into their old habits. Notice how the rich nobleman in Luke 16:1-13 had a shrewd manager hired to manage his affairs.

DON’T HAVE THE BEST BEHAVED CHILDREN

Yes, I know what the bible says…

1 Timothy 3:4-5 (NKJV)

4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence 5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?)

…and this is not a contradiction. I had a friend tell me that his dad, a very sincere, devout man of God resigned as a deacon because his son, (my friends brother) was addicted to  drugs and in and out of jail. Well, the devil found out how to move a great leader out of the way. We are all God’s children and we don’t always behave as He commands us, does that mean that He’s not a good Father? Does that mean that God is not a good leader? No! God set’s the standard of behavior and doesn’t waver. He tells us, “NO!” to certain things. It’s up to us to love and respect Him enough to obey. That’s what God expects us to do…set the rules and boundaries in the home. To say, “No!” and don’t waver. As mentioned earlier, Eli, a great man of God, didn’t restrain his sons in 1 Samuel Chapters 2 and 3. But, he was still highly respected and used by God.

DON’T HAVE THE PERFECT MARRIAGE

Any stromg leader will tell you that leadership itself is a challenge to marriage. Responsibilities sometimes force the leader to choose between his or her spouse and duties. Leadership cuts into quality time, occupies the leaders mind during personal time, and even sometimes affects the desire for intimacy. It was obvious that ministry took some apostles a way from their wives, which is sure to put a strain on marriage…

1 Corinthians 9:5 (NKJV)

 5 Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? 

DON’T HAVE A GREAT CREDIT SCORE

Of course God expects leaders to honor their commitments and responsibilities…

Psalm 37:21 (NKJV)

21 The wicked borrows and does not repay,
But the righteous shows mercy and gives.

But, when responsibilities aren’t met, it not always due to intentional carelessness. It’s not necessarily because of over extending, but sometimes life happens. Sometimes illness, job loss, an unwanted divorce and other things beyond the leaders control can happen damaging his or her credit.

ARE SOMETIMES TROUBLED BY DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES

Jesus Himself was troubled in the garden the night before He went to the cross.

John 12:27 (NKJV)

27 “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.

Sometimes we don’t expect our leaders to be visibly troubled by circumstances. But, that only shows their humanity. If Jesus Himself was troubled, the greatest leader of them all, then surely we will be too.

These are only a few of the reasons is why good leaders should be honest with themselves and aware of their natural weaknesses, so they can surround themselves with the right support to carry out their vision. They must also be confident enough in themselves to not be threatened by their support, but have the discernment to know who may actually be a threat to their leadership.

And, those whom they lead must be humble enough to follow in spite of their weaknesses, offering help towards the vision where possible. They must also realize that some weaknesses don’t disqualify the leader from leading. For example, the prophet Nathan didn’t tell David that he wasn’t qualified to be king after murder and adultery. (1 Samuel 12)

 Leaders are only human, and they will all have lapses in character, but overall they must be…

Trustworthy.

Integrity…

Calm in Crisis…

One who unites rather than divides…

One who resolves conflict…

And, most of all led by God and a student of His word.

Remember, God uses imperfect people to carry out His perfect will. All good leaders need good help.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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WHY ‘GROWING APART’ IS NOT AN EXCUSE FOR DIVORCE…

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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 man separate.”7 They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?” 8 He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.

God knows that no matter how much you love one another, that no two people will be the same after 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 plus years of marriage. It’s impossible. Yes, you will grow apart in some areas of your lives. But, that doesn’t have to come between you.

Think about this. If God expected the arranged marriages to last in the bible days, He expects us to stay with the spouse that we choose.

How can we be ministers of reconciliation for God’s Kingdom if we can’t even reconcile the differences in our homes?

2 Corinthians 5:18-19  (NKJV)

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.

In the words of Al Green, “Let’s stay together”

Here are a few more of my articles on Godly Marriage:

THE REAL, BOTTOM-LINE REASON MARRIAGES FAIL…

MARRIAGE: 3 WAYS TO TELL YOU WERE MEANT TO BE TOGETHER…

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

IS GOD IN AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU?

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

Godly Marriage: THE BLESSING IN WHEN YOU’RE NOT ‘IN THE MOOD’ AT THE SAME TIME…

THE HOLINESS OF WELL-TIMED ROMANCE IN MARRIAGE…

Godly Marriage: THE BLESSING IN WHEN YOU’RE NOT ‘IN THE MOOD’ AT THE SAME TIME…

THERE WILL ALWAYS BE THINGS YOU HATE ABOUT THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE…

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

ONLY ‘GODLY SEX’ IS GOOD SEX…

PROOF THAT GOD DOESN’T FORBID ‘RACE MIXING’, BUT DOES FORBID FAITH MIXING (in case you missed it)…

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

(1) ONE AMAZING, POWERFUL, SIMPLE TIP TO REJUVENATE YOUR MARRIAGE…#30yearsstrong

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

BE BLESSTIFIED!

0

ARE YOUR RESPONSIBLE WITH YOUR AUDIENCE?

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There are many celebrities, politicians, athletes and ministers who have huge audiences. They have great NAME RECOGNITION, people know them nearly everywhere they go, listen to what they have to say and even imitate their behavior. They have huge influence with their fans or followers. It’s disappointing to see what some people do with their voice and influence. Some are blessed with a social stage or public platform only to squander their voice and influence on foolishness or themselves.

We may not all be celebrities, but God has given all of us an audience and a voice. In your home, job, school, church, the park, the shopping center, in traffic, the restaurant people are watching you and listening to you. What are you doing with your audience? Many times we claim we want God to ‘enlarge our territory’ just as Jabez prayed in 1 Chronicles 4:10. We ask Him to give us more resources and influence, but are we being responsible with that we already have? Are we being responsible with those in our circle of influence, no matter how small?

How do you handle disappointment on the job?…in front of your children? 

How do you act when you get bad service in the restaurant?…or in a store?

How do you behave when frustrated in traffic?…(That one hit me!)

Do you speak up for the right things when it’s not popular to do so or remain silent? 

How do you represent yourself on social media? 

How do you dress? 

God tells us in 1 Peter 2:12 …

“Having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.” 

Colossians 4:5 says… “Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.” 

And of course In Matthew Jesus says…

Matthew 5:14-16… “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. God expects us to be His Light in the world. 

Too many people want God to move them to bigger and better when they aren’t even thriving where they’re planted. 

Are you thriving where you’re planted? 

What are you doing with your voice and influence? 

How are you perceived in your circles? 

Whether you have an audience of  one or one million, God expects you to honor Him and be light. Men, Women and Children of God…let’s be responsible with our audience.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

6

WHAT IS BOOMER-ANGER? (In case you missed it)…

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You’ve seen it happen before. Anger always comes back…usually harder.
Words and actions released in anger always come back, but rarely return in peace. Only love can cool anger’s searing heat.

Put your anger in check before it turns into wrath, because even though love conquers wrath, sometimes the damage remains.

Wrath kills…both figuratively and literally.

Anger is a seed, if it is used wisely, it can ignite passion that allows love to diffuse the anger and plant seeds that lead to good fruit…

Such as being angry enough at wrong to do something about it…

Such as not returning an insult, can end an argument and lead to a lifelong friendship.

If anger is NOT put in check, it ignites emotions that allow wrath to plant weeds instead of good seeds…

Such as returning an insult can lead to a fight, and animosity that lasts for years and spreads to others…anger is a seed.

The next time you’re angry, stop, think…let your anger cease before you speak or act, if you don’t, not only will come back, but it can come back harder…JUST LIKE A BOOMERANG.

Psalms 37:8
“Cease from anger, and forsake wrath;
Do not fret—it only causes harm.”
Proverbs 15:1
“A soft answer turns away wrath,
But a harsh word stirs up anger.
1 Peter 4:8.”
“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”

BE BLESSTIFIED!

6

WHY ‘GROWING APART’ IS NOT AN EXCUSE FOR DIVORCE…

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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 man separate.”7 They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?” 8 He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.

God knows that no matter how much you love one another, that no two people will be the same after 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 plus years of marriage. It’s impossible. Yes, you will grow apart in some areas of your lives. But, that doesn’t have to come between you.

Think about this. If God expected the arranged marriages to last in the bible days, He expects us to stay with the spouse that we choose.

How can we be ministers of reconciliation for God’s Kingdom if we can’t even reconcile the differences in our homes?

2 Corinthians 5:18-19  (NKJV)

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.

In the words of Al Green, “Let’s stay together”

Here are a few more of my articles on Godly Marriage:

THE REAL, BOTTOM-LINE REASON MARRIAGES FAIL…

MARRIAGE: 3 WAYS TO TELL YOU WERE MEANT TO BE TOGETHER…

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

IS GOD IN AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU?

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

Godly Marriage: THE BLESSING IN WHEN YOU’RE NOT ‘IN THE MOOD’ AT THE SAME TIME…

THE HOLINESS OF WELL-TIMED ROMANCE IN MARRIAGE…

Godly Marriage: THE BLESSING IN WHEN YOU’RE NOT ‘IN THE MOOD’ AT THE SAME TIME…

THERE WILL ALWAYS BE THINGS YOU HATE ABOUT THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE…

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

ONLY ‘GODLY SEX’ IS GOOD SEX…

PROOF THAT GOD DOESN’T FORBID ‘RACE MIXING’, BUT DOES FORBID FAITH MIXING (in case you missed it)…

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

(1) ONE AMAZING, POWERFUL, SIMPLE TIP TO REJUVENATE YOUR MARRIAGE…#30yearsstrong

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

BE BLESSTIFIED!

4

HOW GOD EXPECTS YOU TO MAKE LEMONADE WITHOUT SUGAR…

wp-1472302013866.jpgPeople love clichés.

A well-placed cliché makes conversations, speeches and even sermons more interesting. One very popular cliché used when people have misfortune is or difficulty is, “When life gives you lemons make lemonade”.

BUT WHAT IF YOU DON’T HAVE ANY SUGAR?

What if you have a health condition that doesn’t allow you to have sugar?

Sometimes in life we have to faith our way through some difficult days…

Sometimes we have to take some medicine that just doesn’t taste good…

Sometimes you have to swallow a really big pill that’s hard to get down…

Some people can’t have sugar in their diet…

Sometimes your healing comes from something bitter.

AREN’T YOU GLAD THAT JESUS DIDN’T MAKE LEMONADE ON THE CROSS?

2 Timothy 2:3 tells us to endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 12:2 teaches us to look to Jesus, who endured the cross for the joy that was set before Him.

People love quoting Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me” when they are trying to make their dreams come true, but this verse is most powerful when we are enduring life’s most difficult situations.

God wants us to always be able to make something good out of difficult situations, and to always see His will in them. As good soldiers of Jesus Christ, sometimes there’s nothing to make some situations feel ‘or taste’ better.

We just have to faith our way through and learn to sometimes drink lemonade without sugar.

 Psalm 3:19 (ESV)

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
If this post blessed you, please follow like and follow my blog:-)

BE BLESSTIFIED!

25

WHY WE SHOULD NEVER SAY “KILL THEM WITH KINDNESS”…

Be careful of what’s in your heart when you decide to “KILL THEM WITH KINDNESS”.

That IS NOT what God told us to do. He told us to love our enemies.

Love’s intention is to give life, not kill.

Love’s intention is to build up, not tear down.

God says don’t seek revenge, that belongs to Him. God says don’t repay evil for evil, but instead to help your enemy.

The problem is, that many of us choose to ‘kill them with kindness’, ONLY to “heap coals of fire on their heads“. Many of us are only being kind because we see heaping coals of fire on their head as just another way to get even.

If we’re honest with ourselves, we may just be showing kindness to show them up, to annoy them, to make them feel bad…if that’s the intention then we’ve totally missed God’s meaning.

Helping your enemy is an exercise in developing God’s character. It is planting seeds of  love for the enemy and those who witness. It’s allowing everyone to see the power of God. The goal is overcoming evil with good. Well, what about the coals of fire on their head? That’s just the end result of how acts of kindness affect an enemy…it’s a result, not an intent.

The goal is REPENTANCE AND RECONCILIATION. Remember, ‘kill them with kindness’ is catchy, but not of God.

Romans 12:19-21

Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,”[a] says the Lord. 20 Therefore, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

4

HAVE YOU HEARD OF GOD’S CREDIT REPAIR…

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One of the most frustrating things for some people is trying to repair bad credit.

Good credit gives you access to a world of material things and services. Good credit makes navigating the material world much easier, but on the flip side, bad credit makes the material world more difficult, more expensive and in some ways…impossible. Bad credit closes some doors. Buying homes, cars and other things can be a fun experience with many choices when one has good credit, but bad credit makes it a stressful, limited, and dreaded experience for many. Even if one changes their behavior, it can take years to establish good credit after it’s been bad, with bad items still coming up on your credit report years after

AREN’T YOU GLAD GOD ISN’T LIKE THE CREDIT BUREAUS?

From the earliest days of God’s interaction with His people, not only can GOOD CREDIT be instant, but easy, and best of all, it’s not based on your past behavior.

Abraham believed God and it was CREDITED to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6, Romans 4:22).

When we confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead, then we shall be saved (Romans 10:9).

Once we accept Christ, the old things are passed away and all things become new ( 2 Corinthians 5:17).

God promises that when we repent, He will be merciful to the righteous, and He will remember their sins and lawless deeds no more (Hebrews 8:12).

I could go on and on with scriptures to support that with God, you can have EXCELLENT CREDIT instantly, in spite of your prior foolish behavior, mistakes or misfortune. Isn’t that GREAT NEWS?! When Christ died on the cross, he made salvation available to everyone!

So, even if you have bad credit in the material world. Even if you are constantly being told DENIED in the material world. Even though you may not be able to purchase a home in the material world. When you accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and repent of your sins as you walk through life…when it’s time to move into your heavenly home that Jesus has already prepared for you (John 14:2,3). GOD’S CREDIT REPAIR will give you a good report.

Your spiritual credit score can instantly go from BAD to EXCELLENT…from 300 to 900! When the world says DENIED…God say’s you’re APPROVED!!!!

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BE BLESSTIFIED!!!

6

HOW PRINCE INSPIRES ME AS A CHRISTIAN (June 7, 1958 – April 21, 2016)…

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

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

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

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

Luke 16 (NKJV)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prince’s Gifts and Talents

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

That inspires me to do the same for God.

Prince’s Vision

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

 Then the Lord answered me and said:

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

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

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

That also inspires me in ministry.

Princes Dedication to Perfection

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

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

Prince’s Boldness

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

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

Prince’s Influence

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

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

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

Am I a fan of Prince…Yes.

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

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

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

BE BLESSTIFIED!

10

EVEN THE MOST EFFECTIVE LEADERS DON’T ‘HAVE IT ALL TOGETHER’…

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Leaders, especially spiritual leaders , are very highly scrutinized and often criticized if they ‘don’t have it all together’. We can find ourselves expecting them to be near perfect. But, when we read our bibles, we find that many of God’s most anointed…those whom He gave great responsibility were lacking in many areas.

Moses and the Apostle Paul weren’t the greatest speakers.

Exodus 4:10 (NKJV)

10 Then Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”

2 Corinthians 11:6 (NKJV)

6 Even though I am untrained in speech, yet I am not in knowledge. But we have been thoroughly manifested among you in all things.

Eli the anointed High Priest and Judge had corrupt, disobedient sons (1 Samuel 3).

1 Samuel 3:13  (NKJV)

13 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them.

Peter was quick to speak before he thought, and was even rebuked by Paul for being a hypocrite to the point that it influenced other leaders.

Galatians 2:11-13(NKJV)

11 Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; 12 for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. 13 And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.

Just because one is anointed by God doesn’t mean that he or she doesn’t need any help. Every great leader needs a strong support system. They need to be surrounded by gifted, anointed people they can trust to delegate responsibility and help with their weaknesses. I think that’s God’s system of checks and balances.

We sometimes see charismatic, polished and sometimes affluent leaders and assume they have ‘it all together’ and that we could never qualify for leadership in God’s Kingdom because of our personal issues and weaknesses.

But, let me assure you that all leaders…

ARE NOT CHARISMATIC

It’s easy to confuse charisma for anointing or confidence. Many great leaders are soft-spoken and reserved. There are many of charismatic leaders who can motivate a crowd but have absolutely no vision. There are others who have the WRONG vision and can motivate millions to do the wrong thing. Never confuse charisma with anointing. Check out this post for more on that… 4 WAYS TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PREACHING & A PERFORMANCE….

ARE NOT GOOD AT MANAGING MONEY

The ability to manage money can either be a gift or an acquired discipline. For those of whom that it doesn’t come so naturally, they can struggle with the discipline, detail and organization it takes to be a great money manager. Remember how one of the devoted prophets in the Old Testament died in poverty leaving his sons to be sold into slavery…

2 Kings 4:1 (NIV)

4 The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.

ARE NOT ORGANIZED

Here again some people are more naturally inclined to be organized. They pay great attention to detail. They are uneasy when things aren’t in place. They even organize things in their minds as they observe them, while others struggle to be organized. They make a sincere effort, but slowly find themselves slipping into their old habits. Notice how the rich nobleman in Luke 16:1-13 had a shrewd manager hired to manage his affairs.

DON’T HAVE THE BEST BEHAVED CHILDREN

Yes, I know what the bible says…

1 Timothy 3:4-5 (NKJV)

4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence 5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?)

…and this is not a contradiction. I had a friend tell me that his dad, a very sincere, devout man of God resigned as a deacon because his son, (my friends brother) was addicted to  drugs and in and out of jail. Well, the devil found out how to move a great leader out of the way. We are all God’s children and we don’t always behave as He commands us, does that mean that He’s not a good Father? Does that mean that God is not a good leader? No! God set’s the standard of behavior and doesn’t waver. He tells us, “NO!” to certain things. It’s up to us to love and respect Him enough to obey. That’s what God expects us to do…set the rules and boundaries in the home. To say, “No!” and don’t waver. As mentioned earlier, Eli, a great man of God, didn’t restrain his sons in 1 Samuel Chapters 2 and 3. But, he was still highly respected and used by God.

DON’T HAVE THE PERFECT MARRIAGE

Any stromg leader will tell you that leadership itself is a challenge to marriage. Responsibilities sometimes force the leader to choose between his or her spouse and duties. Leadership cuts into quality time, occupies the leaders mind during personal time, and even sometimes affects the desire for intimacy. It was obvious that ministry took some apostles a way from their wives, which is sure to put a strain on marriage…

1 Corinthians 9:5 (NKJV)

 5 Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? 

DON’T HAVE A GREAT CREDIT SCORE

Of course God expects leaders to honor their commitments and responsibilities…

Psalm 37:21 (NKJV)

21 The wicked borrows and does not repay,
But the righteous shows mercy and gives.

But, when responsibilities aren’t met, it not always due to intentional carelessness. It’s not necessarily because of over extending, but sometimes life happens. Sometimes illness, job loss, an unwanted divorce and other things beyond the leaders control can happen damaging his or her credit.

 

ARE SOMETIMES TROUBLED BY DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES

Jesus Himself was troubled in the garden the night before He went to the cross.

John 12:27 (NKJV)

27 “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.

 

Sometimes we don’t expect our leaders to be visibly troubled by circumstances. But, that only shows their humanity. If Jesus Himself was troubled, the greatest leader of them all, then surely we will be too.

These are only a few of the reasons is why good leaders should be honest with themselves and aware of their natural weaknesses, so they can surround themselves with the right support to carry out their vision. They must also be confident enough in themselves to not be threatened by their support, but have the discernment to know who may actually be a threat to their leadership.

And, those whom they lead must be humble enough to follow in spite of their weaknesses, offering help towards the vision where possible. They must also realize that some weaknesses don’t disqualify the leader from leading. For example, the prophet Nathan didn’t tell David that he wasn’t qualified to be king after murder and adultery. (1 Samuel 12)

 Leaders are only human, and they will all have lapses in character, but overall they must be…

Trustworthy.

Integrity…

Calm in Crisis…

One who unites rather than divides…

One who resolves conflict…

And, most of all led by God and a student of His word.

Remember, God uses imperfect people to carry out His perfect will. All good leaders need good help.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

5

HOW TO FORGET A PAST THAT YOU CAN’T FORGET…

wp-1483190396732.jpgPhilippians 3:13 (NIV)
“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,”

Forgetting the past…REALLY?

We are encouraged that in order to move forward that we must forget the past…but how?

It’s impossible to not think of things that hurt us? shameful things we did? painful days? Some of those things, when we’re honest with ourselves, we will always remember. So, why does Paul say, “forgetting the past?” How can you say you will never look back again? The key isn’t in not remembering, but how you remember. It’s not in not looking back, but why you look back.

HERE’S HOW

It’s your frame of mind!

Remember Lot’s wife? God allowed Lots family to escape the destruction of Sodom, but was warned to not look back. (Genesis 19:17). They were leaving behind an evil city. They were leaving behind friends, they were leaving behind belongings. The bible doesn’t say why she looked back, but why do we look back on something that we liked or enjoyed and are forced to suddenly leave it?

We sometimes look back with fondness and regret of leaving it behind. Paul used to persecute the church. It’s certain that he never ‘forgot’ those shameful days, so how could he say ‘forgetting the past’? The key is forgetting how you view the past. It’s forgetting your frame of mind. Paul didn’t look back fondly on his shameful days. In fact, his mind couldn’t see how he could have let himself behave that way. HE FORGOT HOW TO THINK THAT WAY!

Have you ever dated someone, or been in a relationship that at one time you felt you couldn’t live without that person? You were sooooo deep in love. But, after that relationship ended, suddenly one day you just didn’t feel that way anymore. You couldn’t even see, or remember how you felt so deeply in love with them.

You may even say, “I can’t even see what I saw in them”. Think about it and fill in the blank in this statement…”I can’t even see what I used to enjoy about________.”

See how you can remember your past and forget it at the same time?

When your frame of mind changes, the way you think about something, your attitude towards something changes…you have forgotten that aspect if your past. You CAN’T think of it that way any more, even if you try. It’s like a food or drink that you used to love, and now not only can you not stand the taste, but can’t remember how you once enjoyed it.That’s the essence of repentance. Repentance isn’t asking for forgiveness to avoid punishment, but it’s godly sorrow over what you’ve done, and committing to turn from that behavior (2 Corinthians 7:10), but that’s another lesson…coming soon:-) For now, see I told you that you can FORGET THE PAST.
Luke 17:32
Remember Lot’s wife

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YOUR SUBTLE BUT POWERFUL SPIRITUAL GIFT…

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Sometimes it’s so easy to notice those high-profile, spiritual gifts that not only bring attention and glory to God, but also those who are being used by God…

Pastors, Evangelists, Teachers, Leaders etc…

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 edifying of the body of Christ,

Some people are obviously much more gifted at singing, or speaking…some people naturally have more charisma and personality.

If we aren’t one of these people, if we’re not careful, we can begin to believe that we aren’t gifted.

But, some spiritual gifts are more subtle, but just as important and powerful.

Is there anyone in your life who just makes you feel better?

Even though they always seem to know the right thing to say, they often don’t even have to say a word…you just feel better when they’re around.

They have perfected the art of when to speak, and when to just shut up and listen.

They are the one’s who know how to make us laugh and smile at just the right time.

These are the people who quietly hold families, churches, organizations, and even marriages together.

These are the people who inspire and strengthen those high-profile speakers, singers, leaders etc.

One of the most powerful, overlooked and under-desired gifts in the Kingdom of God is the gift of…

EXHORTATION

Roman 15:6-8 (NKJV)

6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who EXHORTS, in EXHORTATION; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

Some people are just natural encouragers…it is effortless to them.

In fact, they feel compelled to do so whereever they go…they can’t help it.

People gravitate to them…both saved and unsaved because everyone needs encouraging.

Is this you?

Remember this…

When you INSPIRE, ENCOURAGE or ENTERTAIN someone you will always have value to them…though they  may not always show it.

I even believe the gift of COMEDY and ENTERTAINMENT are gifts of EXHORTATION…they’re spiritual gifts that are sometimes hijacked by the enemy. What’s more encouraging than making people laugh or relax?

So, just because you may not be powerful speaker, have a beautiful singing voice or a visionary leader doesn’t mean you aren’t gifted.

If your gift is the gift of encouragement…identify it and embrace it.

Don’t despise your spiritual gift or desire someone else’s…embrace your own!

And, if there’s someone in your life that keeps you going…Encourage Your Encourager Today!

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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WHEN SOMEONE ASKS YOU TO EXPLAIN HOW GOD IS REAL…

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John 6:30  (NKJV)

30 Therefore they said to Him, “What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do?

The Pharisees, Scribes, and skeptics continually asked Jesus for a sign, while totally ignoring all of the miracles that He performed.

The fact is that they had signs all around them and refused to see them, in fact they couldn’t see them because their hearts were hard.

The story is the same today.

People say that they don’t believe in God because they can’t see Him. People want an EXPLANATION FOR GOD. They want physical evidence of God.

Jesus told Nicodemus…

John 3:8  (NKJV)

8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

People feel they don’t need an explanation for the wind because even though they can’t see it, we see evidence of the world reacting to its presence (trees swaying etc.) and we can feel it.

No one has to explain the wind.

Wow, then why can’t they accept the same for God? Unbelievers want an explanation.

Well…

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,

God proves Himself not only through everything He created, but the remarkable order of His creation. Nature…life…the universe in all its splendor is evidence of God, but man wants to attribute it to some random act.

In fact, it takes the same amount of faith in the wisdom of man to believe that the sun is 93 million miles away, with no way to actually measure or prove it, as it does to believe that God is real based on the bible.

Just as the Pharisees, some people can’t believe because their hearts are hard, as implied by…

1 Corinthians 2:13-14  (NKJV)

13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy[a] Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Think about this. The internet is ‘everywhere’, and transmits enormous amounts of information and knowledge. You can be on your laptop, smartphone, tablet, television and be ‘on’ the same internet. You can be at home, work, Tennessee, Europe or in orbit, and it’s the same internet. The internet is almost ‘everywhere at the same time’ and accessible when you’re connected. Sounds a lot like God doesn’t it? If people can believe in and accept an almost ‘omnipresent’, created by humans, they should be able to believe in and omnipresent, omniscient (all-knowing) who created us.

Can you see the internet? No.

Can you feel the internet? No.

Can you touch the internet? No.

Can you smell the internet? No.

Can you hear the internet? No.

Be bold in your belief in God the Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, because atheists and agnostics are bold in their stance.

So, when someone asks you to explain how God is real, simply respond…

“With all of the evidence around us, explain to me that He’s not”.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

18

ARE YOUR RESPONSIBLE WITH YOUR AUDIENCE?

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There are many celebrities, politicians, athletes and ministers who have huge audiences. They have great NAME RECOGNITION, people know them nearly everywhere they go, listen to what they have to say and even imitate their behavior. They have huge influence with their fans or followers. It’s disappointing to see what some people do with their voice and influence. Some are blessed with a social stage or public platform only to squander their voice and influence on foolishness or themselves.

We may not all be celebrities, but God has given all of us an audience and a voice. In your home, job, school, church, the park, the shopping center, in traffic, the restaurant people are watching you and listening to you. What are you doing with your audience? Many times we claim we want God to ‘enlarge our territory’ just as Jabez prayed in 1 Chronicles 4:10. We ask Him to give us more resources and influence, but are we being responsible with that we already have? Are we being responsible with those in our circle of influence, no matter how small?

How do you handle disappointment on the job?…in front of your children? 

How do you act when you get bad service in the restaurant?…or in a store?

How do you behave when frustrated in traffic?…(That one hit me!)

Do you speak up for the right things when it’s not popular to do so or remain silent? 

How do you represent yourself on social media? 

How do you dress? 

God tells us in 1 Peter 2:12 …

“Having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.” 

Colossians 4:5 says… “Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.” 

And of course In Matthew Jesus says…

Matthew 5:14-16… “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. God expects us to be His Light in the world. 

Too many people want God to move them to bigger and better when they aren’t even thriving where they’re planted. 

Are you thriving where you’re planted? 

What are you doing with your voice and influence? 

How are you perceived in your circles? 

Whether you have an audience of  one or one million, God expects you to honor Him and be light. Men, Women and Children of God…let’s be responsible with our audience.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

11

WHAT DID YOU CALL ME??!!

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‘Colorful Language Ain’t Cool”

Years ago, I remember hearing, and reading Richard Pryor say after a trip to Africa, “ I ain’t never gonna call another Black man ni**a”. Now I’m in no way bringing this up to disparage Richard Pryor, but to make a point. He passionately made this statement and changed his behavior. He stopped using the N-WORD, which offends many people, but continued to use profane and vulgar words such as G-D, that offend God.

Colossians 3:8 (NKJV)

8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.

 Ephesians 4:29 (NKJV)

29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers

 Ephesians 5: 3-4 (NKJV)

But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks

There are many words that offend us. Some more than others. Which words offend you, in many cases has much to do with who you are.  People CHOOSE to use the words for various reasons.

It’s interesting to me how many Christians are MORE offended by…

  • The N-Word
  • The Fa-Word
  • The Hon-Word
  • The Ho-Word
  • The B-Word
  • The K-Word
  • The Sp-Word
  • The Ch-Word

…than they are offended by other profane, offensive, vulgar or even blasphemous words that offend God. Some even seem completely comfortable using the GD-WORD.

Jesus made it very clear in Matthew 12..

Matthew 12:36 (NKJV)

36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.

The words that we use and that offend us give great insight into what is in our hearts. Yes, some words are offensive racially, but God expects us to put Him even above our race.

 Galatians 3:28 (NKJV)

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

What’s more important to you? What offends you? Or what offends God?

Let us be careful not to put what offends us above what offends God.

BE BLESSTIFIED!!!

7

LEARNING TO LIVE & WORK WITH PEOPLE YOU DON’T TRUST…

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Your success, effectiveness and peace is not only determined by how well you relate with people you DO TRUST…but how well you are at relating with people that you DON’T TRUST.

Our ultimate trust is in God, but He didn’t put us on this earth alone.

God has also ordained it that there is little that we can accomplish alone.

Even God Himself uses His angels to relate to us…

Hebrews 11:14 (NKJV)

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

God let the captives in Babylon know that though they trusted Him, they were to pray for the peace of the city in which they lived because their peace was dependent on the city’s peace…

Jeremiah 29:7(NKJV)

And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace.

Jesus sent the first disciples out in pairs (Mark 6:7, Luke 10:1)…

The apostles worked in pairs, teams and even depended heavily on the early church for help.

As much as we are interdependent on another in this life, God also warned us about putting our trust in people rather than Him…

Psalm 118:8 (NKJV)

It is better to trust in the Lord. Than to put confidence in man.

Of course we all want to be in relationships and situations with people we trust, but that’s not always possible…Sometimes we can’t even trust our own selves.

It seems it’s getting harder and harder to trust people these days.

We have families, jobs, churches, communities, organizations that we are all a part of in which to live, but the fact is that you KNOW you can’t trust everyone…

In your family…

On your job…

In your church…

In your community…

In our government…

Sometimes we go through seasons and situations when we can’t trust our spouse, children, parents or even friends…because we are human beings being human.

Do we abandon these relationships and resources because of the lack of trust or total trust?

Of course not!

Your ability to be successful, effective and have peace in your life is just as dependent upon your ability to work and relate with people you DON’T trust as well as those you DO trust.

How do you do it?

First of all trust God first. If He has you in a situation, or you have allowed yourself into a situation where trust is limited…you still have to lean on His word, truth, character and TRUST HIM.

Second pray for wisdom and discernment so you can know WHO to trust and WHO NOT to trust.

Third pray for those whom you don’t trust that they submit themselves to God through our Lord and Savior Yeshua, Jesus Christ. It’s bigger than just you or me…Ultimately it’s more about their relationship with God than ours with them.

Fourth, remain in God’s character so that you can set a standard and example of behavior and plant good seeds for God’s Kingdom. You do this by walking in the Spirit as defined in Galatians 5:22, 23.

Fifth, always make are always faithful and trustworthy in all your relationships.

And finally, remember that God had equipped you with everything you need for this LIFE and GODLINESS in this life, through His divine nature that is now inside you…

2 PETER 1:2-8 (NKJV)

2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

No you can’t trust everyone…

The fact that we aren’t always faithful means that God can’t always trust us. But, we can always trust Him.

So,

Trust God…

Trust Yourself…

Be Trustworthy…

And remember, GOD IS GREATER THAN THOSE WHOM YOU DON’T TRUST.

Add this to your prayer life…”Lord give me the ability to relate with those I don’t trust.”

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

 

 

3

YES, THE BIBLE SAYS WE CAN WE BE TOO RIGHTEOUS…

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Most cake recipes call for a little salt. Many of us like to satisfy our sweet tooth with a good slice of cake. In fact, when it’s really good, one bite just makes you want another. The right amount of salt makes cakes taste just right…making you want more with each bite. However, too much salt will make us quickly spit it out of our mouth.

Check out these verses…

Colossians 4:6  (NKJV)

6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

Ecclesiastes 7:16  (NKJV)

16 Do not be overly righteous,
Nor be overly wise:
Why should you destroy yourself?

It’s good to have passion for the Kingdom of God, but when we are over-zealous, arrogant, mean-spirited  self-righteous, we can turn people away rather than attract them to Christ. All things in moderation. If we are trying to talk about the Lord in EVERY conversation, claim we never do anything wrong, or down people who are unbelievers, we can make people avoid us, dread seeing us coming and destroy any influence we may have. But, if we cleverly chose the right moments to ‘sprinkle the salt of the word’ when it’s applicable, people are more likely to listen, receive it, and even soften hardened hearts.

‘Love out loud’ and ‘Live out loud’!

Let people see God in our character rather than beating them with the bible, making every conversation about God, or punctuating every sentence with a spiritual cliché. Wisely ‘sprinkling the salt’ of God’s word in conversations can make people hungry for more, and establish you as the go-to person on your job, your team, your school, your family when people want to know more about God. Being over zealous makes us seem crazy, and people can conclude, “I don’t want what they have.” God expects us to use wisdom and do everyone His Spirit of excellence. Notice how Paul reasoned with the Epicureans, Stoics, and people of Athens with respect and wisdom in Acts 17. He didn’t ‘beat them over the head’ or talk down to them. He wetted their appetite so that some wanted to hear more.

Psalm 19:10 proclaims God’s word is sweeter than honey in the comb. Yes it is! I love it. But if we don’t handle it wisely, people will spit it out, and we can do more harm than good.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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