There's a question for us. Do we support our Pastors? Well do we? When God told us to give our ten percent (the bare minimum) and then to give from our first fruits of (ALL) our increases, He was telling us to support our Pastors. Does your pastor have to work a second job just to make ends meet, or just to put food on his family's table? If so, then someone somewhere in that church is not getting the message from God.
Would you really want your Pastor going to a secular job everyday dealing with a bunch of junk that the world is trying to throw at him? Working with secular thinking people, lost people, people who gossip and tear down each other all day? What kind of message do you think you are going to get after he is filled up with that all week? Yes, he will do his best to stay in the word of God, to keep the word of God in front of him, but what if this job demands so much of his time, that his time with God is lacking? What was that? You say, he should prioritize and put God first, and spend time in the word? Is that what you do? Don't be so quick to say what he should be doing, if you yourself are not doing it. You say, but he is the pastor! That's right and you are the body of Christ that, the word says is suppose to be supporting him!
Would you take advantage of your best friend eating at his house everyday and never offering anything in return to help pay for the meals that you eat? Well, what do you think you are doing when you go to Jesus's house each week and get fed by HIM, through your pastor who HE annointed with HIS word to feed you? That's right, you are taking advantage. But you may say, well I didn't get anything out of that message today. Well, I say, did you pay for your food that day? You say the gospel is free to all. I say you are right, but GOD, HIMSELF, says you are to give a tenth of what you have. So don't get mad at me for telling you the truth. It is HIS word, I am just sharing it. (And by the way, this meal is free)
Luke 21 v 1-4....And He looked up and saw the rich putting in their gifts into the treasury. And He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. So He said, "Truly I say unto you, that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for GOD, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had".......
What did you sacrifice for GOD today, or this week? Did it really cost you anything when you gave?
2 Cor. 9 6-8.....But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you always having all sufficeincy in all things, may have an abundance for every good work....
Did you give to get back this week, or did you give believing that God would supply your every need, and keep you in abundance? Did you give cheerfully, and generously, or did you give out of necessity just to follow the law? What did you purpose in your heart this week to give to your LORD?
Matthew 6 v 21....For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also....
Jesus tells us that we are not to store up riches on this earth so that moths can eat and destroy, but to store up treasures in heaven, where nothing can destroy.
You might be saying this message took a turn into being all about giving. Well, you would be right. It takes all of us to support our pastors and the gospel of Christ. Remember, you are not just giving your money to a man who is running your church building and facilities. You are giving so that Jesus can get His message to others through His servants who are your Pastors.
Oh yeh, all that other stuff they do, like being on call 24/7 and coming to visit you in the hospitals, or sending forth people to bring you food, or sending missionaries out into the world to bring the gospel of Christ to a lost world, or having special programs for your teenagers to keep them in church and off the streets, or providing a nursery with caring people to take care of your babies and small ones while you are being fed the gospel, well all of that is free. That is just something your Pastor makes sure is getting done because He feels in his heart that JESUS has led him to this calling, so he is going to be an obedient servant to whatever it takes to make you comfortable, to feed you well, to provide a safe haven for your children. Well, you get the picture. Their job never ends. So when you get off at 5 oclock tomorrow, stop and think, "I wonder what my pastor is doing right now and does he need my help with something?"
By the way, have you at least prayed for your pastor today???
RTB....Sunday...Job 13-16
...MON...Job 17-21
.....Tue....Job 22-26
...Wed...Job 27-30
Thur....Job 31-34
Fri....Job 35-38
Sat....Job...39-42
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Humble Beginnings
At some time in our lives we had to humble ourselves before God and ask for forgiveness of our sins, and except His Son, Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Some of us may have accepted Him as our Savior, but have yet to make Him Lord over our lives. To make Him Lord of our lives means we have to die to ourselves and live for Him and His will and not our own.
As we go through our Christian walks, some of us may fall off from time to time and have to get back into the word and get down on our knees and repent over again. In other words we have to humble ourselves unto the LORD. This is not a bad thing. This is a good thing, a cleansing thing, something that we all need to do now and again to refresh ourselves. It is like putting ourselves through the wash. We need to fast and cleanse ourselves not only spiritually but physically. Empty out ourselves, and fill up on God. It is like when winter time comes, you flush out your radiator and then you add the radiator fluid and start with a clean radiator and with a protectant fluid that will keep your radiator functioning properly. It will keep it from freezing up when the weather gets harsh and you need it the most.
That is like us, we need to stay cleaned out and full of God so that when times get rough, (and they will) we are strong and can get through without freezing up. We need to have the Holy Spirit in us refreshed so that we can pull that energy into ourselves and face whatever storms come our way.
This past week, God has been speaking to me about humbling myself before Him, and others, and losing some pride and arrogance that sometimes pulls me down the wrong road. While in the school of ministry I had a class on walking in love, and I have decided to do this study over again, and also one on being "under cover", this one is about being obedient and being planted in a good church and under the protective covering of a good pastor. I am excited about going down this road again, and I encourage everyone to join me.
If you are having difficult times in any area of your life, check your love walk, and check your covering, make sure you have not slipped out from under your protective covering.
This is a scripture that has hit home with me and one that everyone should take to heart and get it into their hearts. It is not an easy task but with the help of the Holy Spirit we can do it.
James 3 v 8-12....No man can tame the tongue.It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of GOD. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yeilds both salt water and fresh.......
It is true, when we mix salt water with fresh water, we have salt water as an end result. The same is true, if we leave a bad fruit in a bushel with good fruit, we will end up with a bushel full of rotten fruit.
It is the same with our lives. We can not go to church on Sundays, and then go to work and gossip about others through out the week. You have one or the other. Is your water fresh all week long, or has it turned to salt water by the end of the week? What kind of fruit are you producing, good fruit, or have you put something in your basket that has spoiled what started out as good?
Maybe we just all need to go back to our humble beginnings, and start fresh. AMEN!
RTB.....Sunday....Neh.10-13
Mon....Ester 1-3
Tue...Ester4-6
Wed..Ester 7-10
Thur...Job 1-4
Fri...Job 5-8
Sat...Job 9-12
As we go through our Christian walks, some of us may fall off from time to time and have to get back into the word and get down on our knees and repent over again. In other words we have to humble ourselves unto the LORD. This is not a bad thing. This is a good thing, a cleansing thing, something that we all need to do now and again to refresh ourselves. It is like putting ourselves through the wash. We need to fast and cleanse ourselves not only spiritually but physically. Empty out ourselves, and fill up on God. It is like when winter time comes, you flush out your radiator and then you add the radiator fluid and start with a clean radiator and with a protectant fluid that will keep your radiator functioning properly. It will keep it from freezing up when the weather gets harsh and you need it the most.
That is like us, we need to stay cleaned out and full of God so that when times get rough, (and they will) we are strong and can get through without freezing up. We need to have the Holy Spirit in us refreshed so that we can pull that energy into ourselves and face whatever storms come our way.
This past week, God has been speaking to me about humbling myself before Him, and others, and losing some pride and arrogance that sometimes pulls me down the wrong road. While in the school of ministry I had a class on walking in love, and I have decided to do this study over again, and also one on being "under cover", this one is about being obedient and being planted in a good church and under the protective covering of a good pastor. I am excited about going down this road again, and I encourage everyone to join me.
If you are having difficult times in any area of your life, check your love walk, and check your covering, make sure you have not slipped out from under your protective covering.
This is a scripture that has hit home with me and one that everyone should take to heart and get it into their hearts. It is not an easy task but with the help of the Holy Spirit we can do it.
James 3 v 8-12....No man can tame the tongue.It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of GOD. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yeilds both salt water and fresh.......
It is true, when we mix salt water with fresh water, we have salt water as an end result. The same is true, if we leave a bad fruit in a bushel with good fruit, we will end up with a bushel full of rotten fruit.
It is the same with our lives. We can not go to church on Sundays, and then go to work and gossip about others through out the week. You have one or the other. Is your water fresh all week long, or has it turned to salt water by the end of the week? What kind of fruit are you producing, good fruit, or have you put something in your basket that has spoiled what started out as good?
Maybe we just all need to go back to our humble beginnings, and start fresh. AMEN!
RTB.....Sunday....Neh.10-13
Mon....Ester 1-3
Tue...Ester4-6
Wed..Ester 7-10
Thur...Job 1-4
Fri...Job 5-8
Sat...Job 9-12
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
WHO ARE WE
We are highly favored children of GOD. We are new creations in Christ Jesus. We are the ones HE calls righteous, and blessed. We are heirs with Christ Jesus in the kingdom of the FATHER.
WHOO-HOO!
Are you revved up now? Do you remember who you are now? Are you feeling sorry for yourself, are you feeling down in the dumps, are you feeling like you are just beat up? STOP, and remember who you are. YOU ARE HIS! AMEN!
Is the enemy attacking you? Are you fighting the devil over something? Quit fighting, you have already won the VICTORY. AMEN!
We have been reading the bible through and for those of you who have been following along, you know that we are now in Ezra. Well, somewhere I got off and back into Colossians today. Man did I need the scripture I read today. What a revelation of who I am in Christ, and how I am suppose to behave. God has a sense of humor. I kept thinking, somehow I just don't think we are suppose to be in Col. but I read it anyway. (I guess God knew I didn't get it the first time) HA!
Col. 3 v 12-17....Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things, put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the LORD. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the LORD JESUS, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.....
OH MY GOSH! Where was I when I read that a little while ago? I was waddling in my pity, feeling sorry for myself, and letting pain take my body over. Then God decided enough is enough and lead me right back to this scripture.
Do you have peace in your hearts? Have you forgiven those who persecute you? Are you singing songs and leaping for joy when you are being persecuted? The word says we are being blessed when others persecute us. And then we are told here, to give thanks in all things. And when we speak to others, are we speaking as if we are speaking to Christ Jesus Himself, are we treating others (and that means our enemies) as we would treat the LORD JESUS?
All I can say is thank you LORD for reminding me who I am and Who I belong to. AMEN.
RTB....Ezra 7-10...
WHOO-HOO!
Are you revved up now? Do you remember who you are now? Are you feeling sorry for yourself, are you feeling down in the dumps, are you feeling like you are just beat up? STOP, and remember who you are. YOU ARE HIS! AMEN!
Is the enemy attacking you? Are you fighting the devil over something? Quit fighting, you have already won the VICTORY. AMEN!
We have been reading the bible through and for those of you who have been following along, you know that we are now in Ezra. Well, somewhere I got off and back into Colossians today. Man did I need the scripture I read today. What a revelation of who I am in Christ, and how I am suppose to behave. God has a sense of humor. I kept thinking, somehow I just don't think we are suppose to be in Col. but I read it anyway. (I guess God knew I didn't get it the first time) HA!
Col. 3 v 12-17....Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things, put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the LORD. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the LORD JESUS, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.....
OH MY GOSH! Where was I when I read that a little while ago? I was waddling in my pity, feeling sorry for myself, and letting pain take my body over. Then God decided enough is enough and lead me right back to this scripture.
Do you have peace in your hearts? Have you forgiven those who persecute you? Are you singing songs and leaping for joy when you are being persecuted? The word says we are being blessed when others persecute us. And then we are told here, to give thanks in all things. And when we speak to others, are we speaking as if we are speaking to Christ Jesus Himself, are we treating others (and that means our enemies) as we would treat the LORD JESUS?
All I can say is thank you LORD for reminding me who I am and Who I belong to. AMEN.
RTB....Ezra 7-10...
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Good Seeds Or Weeds
What kind of seeds have been sown into your life? Are they seeds that have produced good fruit or seeds that just sprung up weeds?
Think about it for a minute. Are you constantly making negative remarks, do you gossip at every chance you get, do you ridicule and criticize others, do you have a problem with your finances?
We could go on and on, but I think you get the picture. Where did these habits or attitudes come from? Well, they are seeds that were sown into your life somewhere down the road, and you let them take root instead of casting them out before they could take hold. You see, when someone sows a negative type seed, (a weed) into your hearing, you must immediately rebuke it, and cast it away so that it can not even get a little bit of a root established into your heart. It is always easier to pull the little blades of grass out of the flower bed each day instead of waiting until it gets roots and spreads among the entire bed of flowers.
Are you loving, and kind, and compassionate toward others? Do you give willingly and generously, and cheerfully? Do you walk in love toward your neighbor and are always willing to help in their time of need? (Neighbor, being anyone you see in need) Where did those habits come from?
Maybe you grew up in a bitter hard world, but then later you were introduced to our LORD and Savior Jesus. Now you have been born again into a new way of living, thinking, behaving. You see, when we come to know Jesus as our personal Savior, we are changed, we have a new mind in Christ, the old man has passed away and the new man takes over. HALLELUJAH! Don't you just love knowing that we do not have to stay that negative, bitter, hateful, person, but that we can walk in love, and have joy and peace in our lives?
If you want to shed a ton of weight that you feel is dragging you down. Just change your attitude to that of one that is loving and kind, and giving. You will feel a lightness in your heart like you have never felt before. Pray this prayer each day, "Lord Jesus, please forgive me where I have failed you, and Lord, please help me to be the best Christian I can be today. Help me to walk in love toward everyone, and to be kind and generous to all. Let my every thought line up with Your thoughts, and my every action reflect Your spirit and not my own flesh. Lord, let me love everyone with the same love You have for us. Help me to be more like you Jesus. AMEN!"
James 1 v 21....therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls....
James 1 v 26-27...If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his own tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world...
Don't get caught up in being religious. Be a true Christian, a follower of Christ, an imitator of Christ Jesus, Himself. Strive each day to be more like Him and watch your life turn around.
Be filled with the joy of Christ, and receive that peace that passes all understanding. AMEN!
RTB....2 Chronicles
Think about it for a minute. Are you constantly making negative remarks, do you gossip at every chance you get, do you ridicule and criticize others, do you have a problem with your finances?
We could go on and on, but I think you get the picture. Where did these habits or attitudes come from? Well, they are seeds that were sown into your life somewhere down the road, and you let them take root instead of casting them out before they could take hold. You see, when someone sows a negative type seed, (a weed) into your hearing, you must immediately rebuke it, and cast it away so that it can not even get a little bit of a root established into your heart. It is always easier to pull the little blades of grass out of the flower bed each day instead of waiting until it gets roots and spreads among the entire bed of flowers.
Are you loving, and kind, and compassionate toward others? Do you give willingly and generously, and cheerfully? Do you walk in love toward your neighbor and are always willing to help in their time of need? (Neighbor, being anyone you see in need) Where did those habits come from?
Maybe you grew up in a bitter hard world, but then later you were introduced to our LORD and Savior Jesus. Now you have been born again into a new way of living, thinking, behaving. You see, when we come to know Jesus as our personal Savior, we are changed, we have a new mind in Christ, the old man has passed away and the new man takes over. HALLELUJAH! Don't you just love knowing that we do not have to stay that negative, bitter, hateful, person, but that we can walk in love, and have joy and peace in our lives?
If you want to shed a ton of weight that you feel is dragging you down. Just change your attitude to that of one that is loving and kind, and giving. You will feel a lightness in your heart like you have never felt before. Pray this prayer each day, "Lord Jesus, please forgive me where I have failed you, and Lord, please help me to be the best Christian I can be today. Help me to walk in love toward everyone, and to be kind and generous to all. Let my every thought line up with Your thoughts, and my every action reflect Your spirit and not my own flesh. Lord, let me love everyone with the same love You have for us. Help me to be more like you Jesus. AMEN!"
James 1 v 21....therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls....
James 1 v 26-27...If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his own tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world...
Don't get caught up in being religious. Be a true Christian, a follower of Christ, an imitator of Christ Jesus, Himself. Strive each day to be more like Him and watch your life turn around.
Be filled with the joy of Christ, and receive that peace that passes all understanding. AMEN!
RTB....2 Chronicles
Don't Give Up
Don't give up or give in, your fruit is on the way. Do you ever feel like you are constantly giving and doing and things still just don't seem to go your way? Hey, maybe that is the key, (your way), maybe we should be looking for God's way instead of our own way.
God wants us to be loving toward each other more than anything else. Why? Because if we love each other we will just naturally be diligent in all His other ways of doing things, seeing things, in how we treat people, how we settle differences. Just be loving and kind to each other and God's way will always prevail. And then the fruits of your labor will show and prove to be abundant.
Don't let that nagging little voice tell you that what you do is in vain. When you are working for the Kingdom, what you do is never in vain. God's says He will bless your works and He is not a man that He should lie. So who are you going to believe, that nagging voice in your head or that big Spirit in your heart?
2 Pet. 1 v 5-11....But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue, knowledge, to knowledge, self control, to self control, perserverance, to perserverance, godliness, to godliness, brotherly kindness, to brotherly kindness, love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our LORD JESUS CHRIST. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even unto blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our LORD and Savior JESUS CHRIST......
Remember we are blessed people of God, we are His children and have a right to His banquet table of blessings. Feed on the good of the land, it belongs to you. No one can take that away from you unless you allow it. Be faithful, be virtuous, be persevering, be kind, and in all your ways be loving one to another, and your banquet table of blessings will always be overflowing. AMEN.
Is. 1v 19... If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land....
Hang in there, God loves you more than all the troubles you try to take on. Cast your cares upon Him, and come and sit next to Him at the banquet table He has prepared for you. Rest in His peace, fill up on the blessings and then relax in His arms. That is how life with God is suppose to be. We are the ones who try to make it difficult. He says we will find rest in Him. AMEN!
RTB...2 Chronicles
God wants us to be loving toward each other more than anything else. Why? Because if we love each other we will just naturally be diligent in all His other ways of doing things, seeing things, in how we treat people, how we settle differences. Just be loving and kind to each other and God's way will always prevail. And then the fruits of your labor will show and prove to be abundant.
Don't let that nagging little voice tell you that what you do is in vain. When you are working for the Kingdom, what you do is never in vain. God's says He will bless your works and He is not a man that He should lie. So who are you going to believe, that nagging voice in your head or that big Spirit in your heart?
2 Pet. 1 v 5-11....But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue, knowledge, to knowledge, self control, to self control, perserverance, to perserverance, godliness, to godliness, brotherly kindness, to brotherly kindness, love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our LORD JESUS CHRIST. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even unto blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our LORD and Savior JESUS CHRIST......
Remember we are blessed people of God, we are His children and have a right to His banquet table of blessings. Feed on the good of the land, it belongs to you. No one can take that away from you unless you allow it. Be faithful, be virtuous, be persevering, be kind, and in all your ways be loving one to another, and your banquet table of blessings will always be overflowing. AMEN.
Is. 1v 19... If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land....
Hang in there, God loves you more than all the troubles you try to take on. Cast your cares upon Him, and come and sit next to Him at the banquet table He has prepared for you. Rest in His peace, fill up on the blessings and then relax in His arms. That is how life with God is suppose to be. We are the ones who try to make it difficult. He says we will find rest in Him. AMEN!
RTB...2 Chronicles
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