Season of Advent....

Advent. The reflection on the expectancy, anticipation and longing for a Savior who will stamp out injustice and punish sin.  A yearning for deliverance during a time where there was so much oppression.  We are living in such a time right now, so it seems.  People are taking substantial cuts in pat and losing their jobs; the cost of living is increasing; our seniors, who should be able to retire, are forced to work into their 70’s to make end meet;  the rich get richer and the poor get poorer; the mismanagement or out right theft of money by city, state and federal officials who are supposed to be public servants - causing many to take pay cuts that will lead to foreclosure and an inability to support their families; elderly people who cannot afford the medical treatment and medicine that they need to stay alive.  These are the times and conditions in which we are living. Just as the people then cried out for a savior.  We too, cry out, some of us longing for Jesus to come back.  I am certainly guilty of that.  But I am reminded of Amos and his prophetic word in chapter 5 (read the entire chapter for context), warning us that God’s judgement of sin applies to all of us. 

Woe to you who long for the day of the LORD!  Why do you long for the day of the LORD?  That day will be darkness, not light.  It will be as though a man fled from a lion only to meet a bear, as though he entered his house and rested his hand on the wall only to have a snake bite him.  Will not the day of the LORD be darkness, not light— pitch-dark, without a ray of brightness?  Are we ready?  Insomuch as we long for a savior to deliver us from the sinful injustice and the oppressive hand of the wicked, we must also examine ourselves to ensure that we are not contributors to or co-conspirators in the evil that we seek deliverance from.  We must seek the Lord in order to be successful in this effort. 

This is what the LORD says to Israel:  “Seek me and live; do not seek Bethel, do not go to Gilgal, do not journey to Beersheba. For Gilgal will surely go into exile, and Bethel will be reduced to nothing”.  Seek the LORD and live, or he will sweep through the tribes of Joseph like a fire; it will devour them, and Bethel will have no one to quench it.  While we wait, we must seek Him.  Bethel, Gilgal and Beersheba were all at some point places of spiritual growth and heritage, but became places of empty worship.  If I may take some license, you may not be able to go to those places that you are used to going for spiritual growth and to hear from the Lord.  YOU are going to have to seek Him and Him alone in order to live.  

During this season of Advent, of waiting and expectation my prayer, as I seek Him, is that Jesus comes and infiltrates every area of my life.  I know that I am less than victorious in several areas because of my own disobedience.  I want to be ready when He comes.  I look with expectancy for Jesus to winnow away all things that cause me to sin, to cut it out at the root and destroy it.  I long for Jesus to speak to me and then give me the strength to do exactly what He says to do.  What will you focus on during this season of Advent? 

Satan is a Liar.....

...............He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44

The Devil is many things, but at the crux of his being, at the crux of his very character is untruth.  Such care he takes to attack us in those areas of our lives where we struggle.  Always there with the quick fix and quick answer, appealing to our fleshly desires, convincing us that it is ok as long as we are happy.  I am here to tell you, not what I think, but what I know.  The devil exists to kill steal and destroy and he has many people living in a state of confusion.  God created us in His image and has given us an absolute moral law by which to conduct our lives.  He gives us this law so that we will live eternally, as He intended.  Every word in the Bible is true and the devil knows this fact better than anyone. Because he knows it is true, he has dedicated his time trying to convince us that it is a lie.  He perverts everything that is Holy and convinces us that it is acceptable - and unfortunately we buy in to it, hook, line and sinker - and consequently choose to live in a state of sin.

Satan was an angel named Lucifer and was known for his beauty and splendor.  He believed that he could exalt himself above God and was cast out of Heaven. God desired for Lucifer to repent, but instead Lucifer did not. God kicked Lucifer out of Heaven (Ezekiel 28:15-20) and Lucifer convinced several other angels to rebel and leave Heaven with him. Lucifer, now Satan continues to convince  multitudes of people to turn away from God just as he did and turn to him in a life of sin and corruption of heart.  Sadly, many follow. 

 Satan preys on our weaknesses.  He establishes what will make you happy and then provides it  - and you will embrace it because it addresses your desire and your longing and makes you happy.  You indulge in the activity because Satan has convinced you that you are now complete.  You are not complete.  In fact, you are broken and more tragically, you are in broken relationship with the one who created you, God. Satan encourages us to re-write God’s law and precepts for our lives.  He tells us if it feels good, do it.  This is why we see so many people engaging in “open marriages” where it is acceptable in their minds to invite other men and women into their marriage bed as long as it is mutually agreed upon.  This is why young women are wearing provocative clothing to school, begging to be noticed and accepted.  This is why young women are engaging in sexual activity with multiple partners because they want to feel “loved”.  This is why people betray confidences and set traps for people at the workplace so that they can get ahead.  This is why young men seek to have sex with as many young women as possible due to some misguided belief that this somehow makes them a man.  This is why the 105 pound young lady perceives herself to be too heavy and doesn’t like herself all from an outwardly and inwardly perspective.  Satan would have you think that you are not good enough, thin enough, pretty enough, smart enough -and he will lead you into a downward spiral of self mutilation and ultimately death.  God has laid out a model of behavior and mode of thinking for our lives, yet we allow satan to appeal to our base desires and need for instant gratification and we begin to operate outside of the will of God.  

Recently a brilliant, loving, kind and caring young man took his own life.  It broke my heart to think of the hopelessness he must have felt. So much hopelessness when the life changing, liberating Gospel of Jesus Christ is available.  It broke my heart.  He struggled with severe obesity and was extremely self conscious about that fact.  Multiple weight loss surgeries proved to make him thinner, but not happier and so the weight returned.  There seemed to be so much sadness in his life.  Even when he spoke words of hope, sadness remained in the background and was evident to me in his eyes.  There was an unsuccessful prior attempt of suicide years prior and I held out hope that his mindset would shift to that of a mind of Christ “Let this mind be in you which is also in Christ Jesus”.  So much self hatred.  So much self loathing which is a mindset that comes only from the devil.  Satan convinced this young man that he was not worth anything and then proceeded to rob him of what should have been an abundant life, and then ultimately led him into a tragic end.  Satan offers death.  God offers life, not only here, but beyond the grave into eternity.

We are all victims of satan’s attacks in our mind.  Remember that Jesus is greater than satan and if we would choose to resist the devil from the first moment that a thought contrary to the word of God enters our minds, then the Bible says he will flee.  Satan is relentless in his pursuit, but we have the spirit of God living within us and He has already defeated satan.  Choose God, His will and His way.  It is a perfect prescription for your life.  Listen to the voice of God and ignore the voice of satan.  God is your creator, Jesus is your savior and satan is a liar.

Be Blessed......

Freedom in Christ.....

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.   Galatians 5:1

Freedom, it is what all desire and many have died to obtain and protect.  It is why revolutions are initiated and why wars are fought.  But what does freedom mean for the Christian?  The bible tells us that whom the Son sets free is free indeed.  But free from what?  To be free from something suggests that prior to being freed one was in bondage.  For the Christian, the battle for freedom is won in the mind - not by might and not by power. Paul, while imprisoned - locked up and behind bars, was freer than his jailers because He knew and applied the truth of the Gospel and that is what set Him free.  Jesus Himself, bound and nailed to the cross, facing certain death, was freer than those who placed Him there because He was in fact the epitome and personification of freedom.  Freedom is to be free from anything that binds us, holds us captive or enslaves us - preventing us from doing the will of the Father as He commands.  It is through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that we are made free from sin.  When we choose to believe in Him and the completeness and fullness of His sufficiency, we are free.  It is amazing the freedom that is available to us, yet we oftentimes choose to remain enslaved.  Christ has provided freedom, but to take advantage of that freedom and really live in it we must choose to do so.  

I believe in Jesus Christ and I trust and depend on Him, however, there are times and situations when I would have liked to believe that I was trusting Him, but in actuality I was not.  When my mother passed away, it was a difficult and trying time - not solely due to her passing- but more so because of the lack of relationship between us. Most people will never understand that - after all, there is nothing more precious than a relationship between a mother and her child. This was not the case in my situation.  There was a great deal of hurt in my heart and I could not seem to let go of it (in actuality I chose not to let go of it).  When I left home to attend college, I never looked back. I returned home very infrequently.  I thought by moving away I would be free from that hurt and pain. I had a very loving and blessed upbringing, however, I was missing and longing for a close mother/daughter relationship.  Relationally, my father became both mother and father to me.  He was a living, breathing example of the love of Jesus.  Seeing his love for Christ in action is what inspired my pursuit of Christ. Even with this great foundation in Christ I was still in bondage when it came to relating to my mother.   Instead of asking God to remove that hurt (as I had done as it related to other areas of my life) I embraced that hurt and allowed it to drive an even further wedge between us.  I stayed away because it was easier to seemingly remove myself from the source of the hurt than to deal with it. Physically leaving home did not free me from the bondage of that hurt. There were a myriad of different issues surrounding my mother’s care, the house, the estate.  It became overwhelming and I did not handle any of it well.  I sit here now, looking back on that time, wondering how I can profess Christ and the liberty that He provides, and have been so bound.  I acted as if He did not own a cattle on a thousand hills; I acted as if He was not a deliverer; I acted on my own power, taking the lead instead of following Him.  At the end of it all I was a failed witness for Him.  Freedom was available to me because He died to set me free.  But I was living an enslaved existence in this situation because I did not choose to walk in that freedom.  The freedom needed to occur in my heart and mind by asking God to break those chains of slavery.  Freedom was not going to be obtained by moving away. Changing location is just geography - where I went, my heart and mind went also - and my heart and mind were unchanged.  I did not stand firm and I allowed myself to be burdened by a yolk of slavery.  

Freedom comes from applying His word to every situation.  It comes from trusting and believing that His way is the only way.  Everything else is bondage. Trusting in your own strength is bondage.  Trusting in your own mind and heart is bondage.  Look at what was in my heart.  I trusted it, and ultimately failed.  I have spoken with so many people who are searching for freedom and the peace that it brings  -but they are searching within themselves, void of Jesus; and unfortunately, they will never find it. Let us pray for one another that we stand firm (in the Word of God) and do not allow ourselves to become burdened again by a yolk of slavery.

Be blessed.....

Where He leads you, follow....

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Jeremiah 29:11

As I get older and my children start to leave the nest, I find myself in a deeply reflective mode.  I have been looking back at my life, analyzing how I have spent the time God has blessed me with thus far.  I can honestly say that I have spent the last 18 years or so on the grind.  Always rushing.  Rushing to get to work, rushing to get to the grocery store before work, rushing to get the girls to school on time in the morning after working until 2am the night before.  Even when working in the ministry it was always a grind.  Rushing to meet deadlines, contending with the administration to fund the ministry, rushing to endless meetings to discuss the same issues over and over again.  It all became such a chore, to the point of displeasure.  I spent more time meeting and less time praying.  Somehow, in all of the rushing and running, I lost myself and quite frankly, lost my way.  My devotion time with God began to suffer.  I was spending less time studying the Word and even less time in serious prayer.  I prayed, but did not spend that quality time in the presence of the Lord seeking His will for me and asking Him to change anything in me that was not pleasing to Him.  My sincere pursuit of God and His will for me waned, and it became evident in my attitude and the decisions I made.  

I have spent some time on the threshing floor, on the anvil, allowing God to make and mold me.  The process of God winnowing away the things that are not like Him is as amazing thing to witness and experience.  I am still in a redevelopment stage and God has showed me His grace and mercy through it all.  He has control and I am blessed to just follow.  While in this mode God has placed in my life several people for me to minister to on a continual basis.  It is amazing to me the number of people whom I have witnessed to and then had the privilege of continuing to discuss the Word.  They are open and desire to know the Lord more intimately, and to learn His precepts.  It is a beautiful thing to behold.  This burden of discipling people in the faith is an awesome task, one  that quite frankly, I am not worthy of.  But no one but God could have placed these people in my life, and so I am praying daily for the Holy Spirit to give me the words to say as well as the way in which to present it.    

There has long been a longing in my heart and spirit to minister to people.  I always thought that - that primarily took place within the confines of a church.  I have visions of a church where the true spirit of the Lord dwells.  Where people would come in and be saved, transformed, healed and delivered.  A place where we would bring folk to Christ, through our example, deeds, prayer and teaching of the Word.  It has literally broken my heart to see the legalism which Jesus spoke out against so vehemently, set up residence in the church.  To see the havoc and broken relationship that legalism leaves in its wake is devastating.  It has restored such joy and hope in my heart to be able to present Jesus in all of his beauty, with His offering of joy, love, forgiveness and hope to those who are broken and lost, without having to battle the constant living examples of contradiction.    In spite of all of that, to see the process of people’s liberation in Christ, is one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.  

The great hymn “I Need Thee Every Hour” is one that has profoundly ministered to me lately - “I need Thee, Oh I need Thee. Every Hour I need Thee.  Oh, bless me now my Savior, I come to Thee”.  We must come to Him for everything.  We cannot operate in our own strength, nor can we depend on ourselves. He tells us in John 15:5 that “apart from Me you can do nothing”.  We must recognize that our hope is in Jesus Christ and that it is in Him that we live, move and have our being.  Decisions, thoughts, actions, separate from Him will ultimately fail us.  I recognize my need for Him every second of every minute of every hour of the day.  I seem to be at a crossroad and I am going to wait at that fork in the road until God reveals to me which way to go.  Waiting at that intersection is a difficult, yet humbling experience.  But I am going with Him all the way.  I encourage you to do the same.  Do not be discouraged by what you see others doing.  Do not be discouraged by those who are professed Christians that do not operate in truth.  We all sin and fall short of the glory of God.  That is why your ultimate example of who and what to be is Jesus Christ.  The only man that was without sin, the only one worthy to die as a perfect sacrifice for the sin of the world.  Continue to seek God, do not stop your pursuit of Him.  Slow down, make your time with God a priority above everything else. God has a plan for you.  Ask Him what His purpose is for you within His kingdom and then live in that purpose.  Seek Him - Wait on Him - and Trust Him.

Be blessed.......

The beauty of the Word of God...

For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes--the Jew first and also the Gentile.     Romans 1:16

The Word of God is the power unto salvation.  It is essential.  It is a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path.  It instructs and corrects.  You can hear the Word and not really HEAR the Word.  Hear it and then pray for God to add understanding to it.  You must know the authentic Word of God so that you can recognize the counterfeit.  There is nothing more dangerous than an unauthentic Word stated as truth.  It equals bondage and death - and satan loves it.  Churches are filled with folk in bondage due to lack of the knowledge of the truth.  Lively praise and animated worship.  Folk up dancing and shouting - but no real change occurs.  It is tragic to me and there is a grieving deep in my heart over it.  My prayers to God are infiltrated with a travailing for the people of God.  People whom I love with all of my heart.  I can see Jesus standing at the door knocking, always on the outskirts, always kept in a peripheral view but never quite brought into full focus.  Good people who will believe just about anything that the preacher or someone whom they perceive to be more knowledgeable than them says. The fact of the matter is that Christ died once for ALL.  He is made manifest in each and everyone of us who believes in Him and He will reveal the truth of Himself to you no matter your stature or position in life.  God is not a respecter of person.  He loves us all equally.  Although we sin, although we fall, He is right there loving us.  He loves His people, even in our ignorance He loves us.  It is why He left Jonah with no shade and why Moses never entered the promised land.  People of God, arm yourselves with the Word of God.  Read it, meditate on it, seek the Lord for understanding of it and ask Him what assignment He has for you in the body of Christ for the building of His Kingdom.  He is faithful to reveal it.

I was raised in church and learned scripture from a very young age. I was introduced to Christ in church but I really met Him while on my knees in a quiet place far away from church.   My church had no tambourines, no drum sets and not a lot of clapping.  We sang hymns, anthems, cantatas and sacred music accompanied only by the piano and organ.  Every Sunday I sat in the presence of a great preacher who would get up every Sunday to preach the Gospel.  No hooping.  No hollering.  No theatrics.  He stood up, flat footed and sure - and proclaimed the Word of God.  He preached with great authority and assurance.  He provided factual historical and biblical context.  His sermons were instructional and educational, equipping the congregation with the necessary tools to go out into the world and be fishers of men.  His sermons were packed with instruction on holy living, and it is was there that I learned the nature of God. I learned who the person of Jesus Christ was and what His sacrifice on the cross meant for me personally as well as its impact on the world.  Of course, when I was younger, I did not fully understand all of these things (not that I fully understand them now), but it gave me a solid foundation.  It is that foundation, that Biblical truth that is my measuring stick for everything.  Even with this great foundational teaching, I still had to get to know God for myself.  I had to experience the manifestation of God in my life.  I had to get into His presence and ask Him to preach and speak to me.  It is my constant prayer for God to clean out everything that is not like Him in order that I might be of use to Him in spreading His Gospel.  God is ever teaching and correcting me and I am so thankful for that.  God will do the same for you!  If you feel as if you do not have a good foundation you can get one today.  God is waiting. Salvation is free and His Word is available to ALL.  The book of John is a great place to start.

I encourage all preachers, leaders, teachers of the Gospel to simply teach the word of God and the full sufficiency of Jesus Christ.  Preach Christ crucified.  Make equipping your congregants with the true word of God your top priority - it will win countless souls for Christ.  It will produce a mighty army of men and women of God who will move the Church of Christ and God will add to it daily.  Through the truth of His Gospel people will be set free - for whom the son sets free is free indeed.

A Wretch Like Me.......

The more I seek God, the more He reveals to me about myself. It is amazing how God moves and works in the lives of His children. My study, devotion and prayer life have continued, however, I have not been attending church. In fact, I haven't been to church since April. This past Sunday my husband simply told me that I needed to get up and go to church - so I did. I had been struggling, asking the Lord to please change my heart, mind and my tongue. My prayer was for help in tuning out every voice but His so that I could learn of Him and grow. As sincere as I believe my worship is, I was beginning to wonder if God was accepting it. Was He pleased with me? I am so unworthy. A wretch. I longed for some perspective on my thoughts and feelings. He spoke to me through a preacher at Calvary Chapel. I had never attended this church before but found myself driving down the 405 freeway, south bound to Costa Mesa, California on a beautiful Sunday morning. God met me there and spoke directly to me.

The preacher preached on the intimacy in which God has relationship with His children. I needed desperately to be reminded of how perfectly He knows us, and always has each one of us on His mind. We are His creation. We are His children and nothing can separate us from His love for us. No matter who we are He loves us. When others cast us out, He extends a hand of love, grace and mercy. God has really led me to look inward. To take a good hard look at myself. I believe that in one of my earlier posts I mentioned the fact that God revealed some things that were in my heart that I did not like, and more importantly, that He did not like. There was no running from it, however, the mistake I was making was in looking at myself through my eyes and not through the eyes of God. Seeing myself in His reflection allowed me to see my error, ask for forgiveness, and then ask for His precious Holy Spirit to aid me in truly turning away from even every thought that sought or seeks to exalt itself above Him. The preacher used several scriptures in his sermon that day but Matthew 10:29-31 was what spoke to me:
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.  God's intimate and loving relationship with us is so very beautiful. When i am witnessing to people on the street, He was there. When I was talking badly about my neighbor, He was there. When I was in the hospital giving birth to our son, who had no heart beat and no breath in his body, He was there. When I was less than compassionate towards another child of God, He was there. The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding both the good and the evil. And so, the omnipresence of God is both comforting and convicting. A loving Father who knows every hair on my head and then assures me that He takes care of even the sparrow - so how much more then does he care for even a wretch like me.......

If you do not know God and have not accepted Jesus Christ as savior, then I invite you to accept Him and the truth of His Gospel right now. I don't know what I would do without Him. My life has meaning because of Him. You having nothing to lose but everything to gain. Ask Him with a sincere heart - Lord, if you are who you say you are, reveal yourself to me right now. When He does,  do NOT reject that revelation. He stands at the door of your heart knocking....answer.

Be blessed...................

Offer Christ.....

If I can help somebody as I travel along.  If I can help somebody with a word or song.  If I can help somebody from doing wrong.  Then my living shall not be in vain......Mahalia Jackson

My girls and I were coming home from church one evening.  I stopped for gas on the corner of Adams and Figueroa.  As I exited my vehicle to pump gas I was approached by a gentleman asking for money.  As he approached my car he assured me that he meant no harm.  I told him that I didn't think that he did.  As my gas pumped, he began to tell me his story. Charles Began to tell me his story.  I listened intently as he told me about how he was laid off the year prior and lost his apartment as a result.  He was unable to find work.  He became depressed and started to abuse alcohol and eventually ended up living on the street.  He went from being gainfully employed to homeless in the matter of a few months.  At this point my gas tank was full and the girls were looking at me as if to say "can we please go".  I was at the pump another 30 minutes - listening to Charles pour his heart out - and quite articulately I might add.

Charles had been living in the alley way in between the Mobile Gas Station and the First Lutheran Church.  He spent his days panhandling, hoping that someone would give him some change for pumping their gas or washing their windows.  One day, he approached a man to offer his services.  He explained that he was in a foul mood that day and was really feeling sorry for himself.  He had watched people go in and out of the church next door and wondered how God could be so close, yet so out of reach.  He was talking to himself, complaining about his condition and using foul language.  The man approached Charles to encourage him, and told him that he was the store manager of CVS Drug Store.  He told Charles that he would grant him an interview for a job opening and gave him a time and date.  Charles had lived in the alley way for some time and was known by the gas station employees.  One of them brought him clean clothes, allowed him to wash in the gas station bathroom, and gave him bus fare to get to CVS for his interview.  Charles interviewed and was offered the job.

When I met Charles at the gas station that night, he had just completed his first 6 weeks of work.  He told me that being employed again gave him a sense of accomplishment and worth.  He took his first paycheck and used it all to put a deposit on a studio apartment.  "It's only one tine room.  I don't have any furniture.  But it's home".  He then pulled a single silver key out of his pocket, showed it to me and said that - that key meant everything to him.  I asked him why he was back at the gas station asking for money.  He was shaven and had slacks and a shirt on.  He explained to me that because he had spent all of his check on the apartment, he did not have any money left over for bus fare to get to work - but that he was not complaining.  He needed to make it to work one more week, at which time he would receive his check and be on track.  

I thanked him for sharing his story with me and that God had truly delivered him.  He told me that he loved God but thought God had abandoned him.  I told him that the promises of God are true, and that he could depend on them - God promised to never leave us or forsake us and that His grace was sufficient for us.  To the shock and horror of my girls, Charles reached out and gave me a hug.  I hugged him back and gave him
some money.  He was so thankful.  I told him to thank God - the provision came from Him.

This kind of interaction is what I live for.  There is nothing more beautiful than sharing Jesus Christ with someone who does not know Him.  I wish you could have seen the tears in his eyes as he showed me that key.  He was proud and accomplished.  God had restored what was lost in his life.  He thought that Jesus was just in a church - but now he knows that Jesus seeks inside of him if he believes.  Passing on that kind of truth and freedom to someone else is glorious to me.  Telling him about the omnipresent nature of God -  that no matter where he is God will be also.  God loved us enough to send His son.  Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice on Calvary - because of that we can be forgiven and walk in freedom and victory.  I encourage you to take every opportunity to offer Jesus.  The holy spirit will give you the words to say.  Change someone's life by introducing them to or reacquainting them with the great liberator - Jesus the Christ........

Rev. Bsette's E-Devotion

Then he said to me, "Son of man, look toward the north." So I looked, and in the entrance north of the gate of the altar I saw this idol of jealousy.

And he said to me, "Son of man, do you see what they are doing — the utterly detestable things the house of Israel is doing here, things that will drive me far from my sanctuary? But you will see things that are even more detestable."  

Ezekiel 8:5-6 NIV

Those on my facebook page may know that I am currently reading and studying the book of Ezekiel.  Today, as I was listening to this book on my bible cd in the car, this verse screamed at me to meditate on this week, so I thought I'd share with this devotion.  Unfortunately, I don't have much insight (so don't know how much of a devotion this will be for you) but only thoughts and reflection.

Basically, this text is expressing a type of apostate worship.  This means that the people of God have turned away from God and rebelled against God.  Maybe not so much in their profession, but in their actions. Actions really say everything.  Israel's actions indicated they were guilty of idolatry.  Putting something or someone before God.  Even though people show up to worship, God see's their hearts.  As a result, in this text, the actions drove God away from His sanctuary.  I offer no suggestions on this today, but only questions where we can reflect.  Do we feel as if the acts of God's people have driven the fullness of God's presence from the church?  Have the people of God, replaced worship for some form of idolatry?  As we look at our local churches as well as our denominational churches, do we see the truth of this scripture in our culture?  Do we see the truth of this scripture in our own personal lives?

God brought this to Ezekiel in a vision and showed him the sort of idolatry that was within the house of Israel that He detested.  The specifics of what He saw or detested is not in the text.  In our places of worship, does God see anything He detests?  As our bodies are temples where the Holy Spirit dwells (thus the sanctuary of God as well), is there anything in us that God detests?  This is a wake up call for us as we examine our lives to see if there are any things or anyone that causes us to be guilty of idolatry.  We ought to want God's presence in our churches and in our lives.  As I heard and read this text, I had to reflect because I know that something is missing in today's church.  Church doesn't seem to have the same impact on people.  Don’t' get me wrong, I know people are still being saved, called, delivered, set free, etc., but even with all that, something is missing. The text ends by saying that there will be more detestable things that will be seen.  Perhaps we are living in that day……

Today, we ought to commit ourselves to letting it start with us.  Perhaps God has saved us for this purpose, to be used in restoring His church.  Lord, I'm available!  We're available!  Use us for your glory!

(I know this is not my usual writing style, so it may not make any sense or help at all.  I'm just jotting down some thoughts I had reflected upon and wanted to share.  Maybe we can turn this into a group discussion and take this further)

God our Father, we bless your name!  We ask for you to forgive us and to forgive your people for turning away from you.  We make ourselves available today for you to use us to do with us as you desire to restore your church!  Bless us with endurance, long-suffering, patience and love.  Use us to turn this around for your glory!  In Jesus name, Amen.

Shepherding or CEO Model of Leadership?

There is a power model of leadership that exists in our churches today.  But what should leadership really look like if we truly believe that Jesus is the head of the church? I heard a preacher recently that asked the question: “where did we get the idea that a CEO was an appropriate Biblical expression leadership”?  He went on to ask: “have we become a commercial enterprise where the strong survive and the weak perish?”  “Was Jesus the CEO of His followers?  Was Paul the CEO of the early church?”  All very poignant questions that deserve some discussion and examination.  I truly believe that when a business model replaces the shepherding model - the sheep are overlooked.  It is the most common complaint of those whom I’ve come in contact with who have separated from the church. The 99 stay and oftentimes work mindlessly within the programs established in the church, while the 1 sheep perishes apart from the pursuit of a loving shepherd. 

I read a blog entry published by “Backyard Missionary” that broke down this power model of leadership.  It went into great detail but here is a basic synopsis:  The pastor as the CEO, leads to the church leadership as politics, which then leads to an abuse of communication.  The Pastor as the CEO, by it’s very definition, puts the pastor in a position of boss, as opposed to that of servant leader.  Church leadership as politics leads to doing anything to push their agenda and to stay in their positions. Then the abuse of communication ensues.  This model suggests that a corporation is being run and in my opinion, that is not a legitimate way to lead a body of Christ.  The author of the blog post went on to break down the four levels of communication.  The top level was revelation from God and the lowest level was verbal communication (which most of us  heavily rely on).  I believe that verbal communication, however, is the most untrustworthy.  It is here that people are told things by the world or even those in the church that may or may not be true.  it is here where leaders manipulate information and as a result character assassination takes place.  It is here where relationship with one another is broken.  The bible tells us not to walk in the counsel of the ungodly.  This is where we have to be so careful in whom we are listening to. If we are not careful we will listen and even act on the information given.  I believe that we should ask ourselves of those who have our ear -  does scripture ever come out of their mouthes or is it all deconstructive criticism and negative talk about someone or something?  All communication should be judged by Biblical principles.  If it is not we run the risk of taking action on a lie. 

One pastor I was reading broke politics in the church down like this:

Politics is appearance. Christianity is a matter of the heart.

Politics is spin and the twisting of information. Christianity is bound to truth.

Politics is whitewashing the outside and not dealing with the heart. 

Politics makes people into liars. ("Yeah. I heard Jesus say He would destroy the temple!") Christianity does not parse words to twist meanings in order to trap other Christians. 

Politics twists Scriptures to say what the political/religious leaders wish it to say. Christianity exegetes Scripture honestly.

Politics seeks to "kill" people in any way possible for the leader’s political advantage. Christianity casts aside politics and power and enhances the other person’s ministry.

Politics is deadly to the soul. Christianity brings people alive in Christ.

My prayer is that we begin to embrace and follow the example of Jesus’ ministry.  HE alone is the model.   This is not to suggest that business is not relevant in church. We have to manage money, pay bills, maintain property, etc., however when the business model is deployed over the shepherding model - the “program” is exalted and people get lost.  Imagine if CEO Jesus had met the woman at the well, or the man at the pool at Bethesda.  Imagine Jesus had listened to the disciples (or church leadership if you will) before he fed the multitudes - when they suggested that He send the people home for them to fend for themselves:  

That evening the disciples came to him and said, "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves. "But Jesus said, "That isn't necessary—you feed them."  Matthew 14:15-16.

Follow Jesus - the good shepherd - the ultimate model.  Do not loose heart.  Know that Jesus will never leave you nor forsake you.  He cares and will provide for you, just like He cared for the multitudes. If Jesus had listened to His disciples, those people’s need would not have been met.  Instead, Jesus, being the supreme shepherd, saw their need and instructed His disciples to meet that need.  The disciples could only accomplish that by full sufficiency in Christ as there was not enough food.  But God provided and all were fed.  What an impact from a loving and merciful savior.  Not only towards the multitude but toward His disciples as well.  We can have the same impact in our churches if we follow the Shepard’s model and not that of anything else.

Be blessed.......

No Gimmicks, Just Gospel.........

Acts 8:9-24

Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.”  They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery.  But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.

When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria.  When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.  When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money and said,  “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”

Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”

What is truly in our heart translates into thoughts and words, and ultimately to deeds.  Simon had been practicing sorcery (the belief in magical spells that harness occult forces or evil spirits to produce unnatural effects in the world)  and the people believed that because of the great tricks that he performed, that he was the "great power of God". On the other hand the people came in contact with Phillip, who was preaching the good news of the kingdom, and they believed and were baptized.  Even Simon himself believed.  He joined Phillip in his preaching and followed him everywhere he went and was astonished by the great signs and miracles he witnessed. It is amazing how the authentic always exposes the fraudulent.  The people initially believed that Simon had the power of God but realized after coming in contact with the authentic Gospel of Christ through Phillip, that they had been in error - that the sorcery Simon was performing was merely an illusion and was not real.

While Simon was following Phillip and the disciples, he witnessed others being baptized in the name of the Lord, however the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon them. It was only when Peter and John laid hands on them that they received the Holy Spirit. Simon wanted the power to do the same, but did not have it.  The Bible says that Simon offered them money in exchange for the power to give the Holy Spirit to the people.  Peter then says, "may your money perish with you because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money".  I believe that because Simon had practiced sorcery for so long, even though he had outwardly accepted the Gospel message, he had not inwardly accepted it in his heart.  He did not believe that the Holy Spirit was a gift only from God and that the power did not lie in the hands of the disciples - that is why he thought he could buy it.  His heart had not changed.  

This is why there are preachers, pastors and teachers of the word who have accepted Christ and are preaching, teaching and pastoring but they still rely on their old nature.  They rely on what they used to do.  They address situations and meet needs in the flesh and not in the spirit because their hearts have not truly changed.  Peter and John were able to lay on of hands and the people receive the Holy Spirit, solely because of the power of God - it had nothing to do with them. Once the people had truly received the Holy Spirit, they knew that God was truly real because His spirit now lived within them.  

This scripture is a reminder that we cannot use gimmicks, tricks and marketing strategies to bring people to Christ.  It may be successful to bringing people to church - but not truly to Christ.  That is why our churches are populated primarily with church members and not members of the kingdom of God.  It is a tragedy that can be remedied by teaching and preaching the full sufficiency of Jesus Christ and Christ crucified.  Do not revert back to and rely on your old nature.  You cannot meet the needs of people with anything but the word of God.  Deploying worldly tactics, techniques and systems will fail in bringing people to Christ and in building up the Kingdom.  Peter went on to tell Simon when he asked to purchase the gift of God: “... You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin”.  We should stand in agreement with Simon’s request: “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”

If we have truly accepted Christ and the word of God then we cannot lean on our own power in our old nature.  We can only lead people to Christ by unadulterated Gospel of Jesus Christ - that is the power unto salvation.

Be blessed........

Pastor BSETT's E-devotion

The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. But he said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid."   (John 6:18-20 NRSV)
 
 
We just made it though a time of severe weather here in Kansas City.  I have been out here for almost 5 years and this is probably the closest we have been to an actual tornado touching down in the city.  In light of the unfortunate tragedy in Joplin last week, today's tornado warning was looked upon with a different level of concern.  We took all the precautions while the storm approached, but after we take those precautions, it's really out of our hands because it's in God's hands.  Now I'm not trying to make light of severe weather, or act like I have not had any concerns regarding severe weather.  But I guess I'm using this analogy to reflect on life.  In life for the believer, we should take all the precautions and prepare ourselves spiritually for the storms of life.  These precautions begin with a relationship with Christ, and a life that strives to please Him.  We worship; we pray; we study; we live obedient lives; we fast; we do all these things.  But the precautions never prevent the storms from arriving - storms still come.  And when the storms are upon us, there's really nothing we can do because we've done everything we can.  So there's nothing left to do but ride it out, because it's in God's hand. 
 
Every day, we should take precautions in life, but when the storms of life rage, remember what Jesus says to the disciples when going through a storm - "It is I; do not be afraid."  My wife tells the story of her nanny, when they experienced the storms when they lived in New Mexico.  She said her nanny use to say, "Be still (or be quiet) - God is riding."
 
As I sit here now, looking out the window as I'm writing this, the storm has passed; the clouds are parted somewhat, the warm breeze is lightly blowing the trees and the birds are singing.  For those of us, going through a storm, or getting ready to go through one - have you done what you should be doing with your relationship with Christ?  If so, "be still - God is riding" - this storm will pass as well!
 
Heavenly Father, we thank you for the storms of life because they help us to realize that you are in control of not only our lives, but also the storms that affect our lives.  We thank you for not allowing this actual storm to cause any damage, but we also thank you for not allowing the spiritual storms we face in life to cause any damage as well.  We give you the praise, because you are worthy.  You are Alpha and Omega, we worship you our God, you are worthy to be praised!  We ask for nothing today, but we just thank you!  In Jesus name, Amen.

More Thoughts on the Heart........

“I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve." 

Jeremiah 17:10

About a week ago I blogged about the Issues of the heart.  As I continue to seek God about the condition of my own heart, He continues to reveal just how deceitful it truly is.  The good news, however, is that I prayed for Him to remove those things in my heart that were defiling my entire being and He has been faithful to deliver.  The issues are not removed completely - it is a process - but know that when I fall, He is right there to restore me. I am standing on God’s promise in Ezekiel.... And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.  The process of improvement has been humbling and has caused me to really examine the definition, concept and practice of Love.   

Love is the ultimate ethic.  Ethics being the moral philosophy that address questions such as good and evil, right and wrong.  We have to choose to Love.  It is  a choice.  One of the greatest gifts of God, in my opinion, is the freedom of will - freedom to choose.  Freedom to choose good over evil or evil over good.  Freedom to choose right over wrong or wrong over right.  It begs the question then what is considered good or right and what is considered wrong or evil.  God gives us a moral law.  He tells us what is right and what is wrong and then allows us to choose.  The greatest illustration of the freedom to choose is the life of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  God gave them total dominion over everything on the earth - that they could be fruitful and multiply.  God gives them that there is one thing they cannot do.  They can eat of every tree that is in the garden with the exception of the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil”.  Adam and Eve disobey God.  They choose to listen to the devil, eat of the tree that was forbidden and ultimately fall into sin.  God wants us to choose what is right because we love Him and want to keep His commands, but He does not force us to do so.  The decision is made in the heart.  Free will is essential to love.  When we violate that love in our heart it leads to evil.  The heart must recognize the difference between good and evil and choose what is good.  When we choose evil there are consequences as a result - and oftentimes those consequences are cataclysmic.  We must choose love.  Love cannot truly be in our hearts absent of God because God is love. Whether it is the conniving, lying parishioner;  the adulterous husband or wife; the person that bears false witness against their neighbor; government officials on all levels stealing - causing financial devastation of large numbers of people. Everything from the actions of  Bernie Madoff  and Enron executives that left thousands in financial ruin and despair - to global mass murderers like Hitler, Stalin, Idi Amin - and the list goes on.  All of these evil acts started and were cultivated in the heart of man.  

It is important to run a perpetual heart check so that we might always choose good over evil.  We will not be able to make these decisions on our own.  We have to ask God to help us do what He has deemed as right.  You will find his precepts and His will poured out in His word.  We must be mindful, for the Lord has said that He will search our hearts, examine our minds and reward us according to our conduct.

Be blessed......

Good and Regular Standing.....

From the time I was a teenager I have heard the term “good and regular standing” in church, but have yet to find a concrete definition of this term.  In fact, the definition and interpretation of the phrase seems to change from person to person - preacher to preacher - church to church.  The definition varies from someone who attends regularly and participates in the ministries of the church to someone who consistently gives financially and is “living right”.  In all honesty, I believe that the definition changes as needed to serve a particular purpose.  In any case, it got me to thinking about who is considered to be in “good and regular standing” in the Church of Jesus Christ - body of all believers in Him, and what must one do to stay in that position.  

Romans 10:8-10 gives us the requirements for membership into the body of Christ which is salvation:  “The message is very close at hand;  it is on your lips and in your heart.” And that message is the very message about faith that we preach:  If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.  This is the scripture that helps lead us to salvation.  We pray a prayer that includes this instruction, and ask God to forgive us of our sin.  I heard a great theologian whom I respect put it like this: God if you are who you say you are, reveal yourself to me - I want to know truth.

I believe that Galatians 6 gives us great instruction on how to stay in “good and regular standing” Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.  Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.  If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.  Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else.  For we are each responsible for our own conduct.  Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them. Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.

If you have not accepted Christ into your heart, and have not acknowledged Him as your personal Savior by his death on the cross and resurrection from the grave - then I invite you to do so today.  Even if you feel like you have no faith, ask God to reveal Himself to you and He is faithful to do it.  It only takes faith the size of a mustard seed (which is minuscule) in order to believe.  It will be the single most important thing you will ever do in your life.  He offers hope, joy, unconditional love, mercy and grace.  Accept Him today and find your rest.....

We must stay on the narrow road - doing what God instructs us to do through His word.  We have to stop being slaves to the law of a particular church and become free in keeping with the law of God’s command.  You cannot stay in “good and regular standing” in the body of Christ without the help of the Lord.  Ask God to help you, to keep from falling.  Ask Him to point you toward Him and away form sin which separates us from Him.  And when you do fall into sin, repent - turn from that which is evil to that which is good.  Only God himself, through His son Jesus Christ, in fellowship with the Holy Spirit can keep us in “good and regular standing”.

Be blessed......

The issues of my heart......

"The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?  Jeremiah 17:9

Those of you who know me, know that I am an open book.  I am more transparent than most, and consequently find myself in a position of great vulnerability.  My heart has been quite heavy as of late, as I have come to the realization that relationship, one to another, is not a priority for many of us.  It has been replaced with an incessant need for notoriety, position and advancement. Sometimes, as much as I pray to not get caught up, find myself participating and buying into pointless discussions with people whose motivation is not to seek God’s will.  That is when I have to be still.  It is amazing what you see when you are still.  When you stop talking, stop participating and are just still.  It is in the quiet times that God reveals not only the hearts of others, through their actions -but He reveals to us the deceitful nature of our own heart as well.  It is so easy to get caught up in what others are doing, even when it warrants scrutiny and correction, that you can get lost in the noise of it all and loose sight of what God is saying to you.  What is your motivation for your actions?  That is the question.  The action starts in the heart. Hurt, anger, low self-esteem, insecurity are all conditions of the heart.  If you act on any of these feelings you will ultimately fall into sin.  People who are insecure in their ability to perform tend overcompensate by being aggressive.  People who are hurt tend to lash out first before someone hurts them.  People who are insecure about their ability to perform tend to make a lot of noise in an attempt to avert people’s attention from the fact that they are inadequate.  People who act in anger tend to act quickly and with retaliatory intent.   I have spent the past month or so really asking God to reveal what is truly in my heart.  God has been faithful to do so, and to be quite honest - I really don’t like what I see. My heart needs a constant Godly intervention.   I have been praying for God to wash and cleanse my heart so that I may, at all times,  act from a place of love and purity.

 On the job, people assert their authority and in some cases the result is an abuse of power.  There is little or no regard for people’s feelings.  Discipline is oftentimes imparted with no dignity. I have been present in many disciplinary action interviews during my tenure at my place of employment. Termination ensues, warranted as it may be, with no sense of caring for the individual who now faces unemployment. Some time ago I accompanied an employee to their termination interview. The person conducting the interview is a Christian and that fact shined through.  The employee was treated with respect and left with their dignity in tact.  The offense was pointed out and a stern admonishment accompanied the decision to terminate, however it was done with an abundance of care and concern. This is the light of the Christian.  Justice was served in the form of termination, yet the person serving the justice exemplified the love of Christ.  That employee will never forget the mercy shown to them by God, thorough that supervisor.  Relationship was more important that the assertion of authority.  How we treat one an other is key.  Our relationship with Christ should cause us to uphold and maintain our relationship with each other at all cost.  At the cost of our pride, financial cost - relationship and being reconciled one to another must be our priority.  It is not just on the job, but in the church as well.  It is amazing to me how Jesus has a way of humbling us with out humiliating us.  We should follow that example.

The Lord has been dealing with the issues of my heart.  Allow God to deal with the issues of your heart as well.  I believe that you will be amazed at what He shows you.

 I can't seem to leave this subject, so a Bible study on the context of this scripture in Jeremiah will be forthcoming in the next few days.  It is an important lesson that we must all learn.  How can we share the love, joy, peace and comfort that is found in Jesus if it does not first dwell in our hearts.  

Be blessed......

How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news....

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?  And how can they preach unless they are sent?  As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”.  Romans 10:13-15

There is so much that can be said about this passage of scripture, but this is what the Lord gave to me to share as I meditated on it........

What is the good news? It is the very word of God.  The word of God is absolute and synonymous with truth.  Hebrews 4:12 says of the Word:  For the word of God is living and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. It is definitive, as clearly illustrated by this Hebrews scripture.  If it is able to divide soul and spirit, joint and marrow then it is precise, exact, definitive.  It stands alone as the very word of God.  All of us who are born again believers in Christ Jesus are called to bring the good news to all who do not believe and to encourage those who do believe.  The word of God speaks to every situation, every hurt, pain and sorrow - every need.  Those who carry the Gospel to those who are lost - how beautiful are their feet.  Those of us who are believers in Christ Jesus must teach, preach and share the authentic word of God to the world - unashamed of it's message.  I truly believe that the reason many people reject Christ is because they have come into contact with people professing to be a follower of Christ, but have either presented a convoluted version of the Gospel or are living completely contrary to what it commands.

What an awesome responsibility it is to preach the Gospel.  What a burden it is to preach the Gospel - to know that when you get up to proclaim the god news, depending on what you say, it will either lead people to Christ and all of the freedom that is found in Him or send them away confused with a word that is not authentic.  I cannot imagine the personal sacrifice that pastors make in order to preach the Gospel and I lift them up in prayer continually.  I was talking to a very close friend of mine a couple of weeks ago, who happens to be a preacher.  I shot him a text one Sunday morning and said that I was praying for him as he proclaimed the Gospel that morning. He responded asking me to pray because he was not sure what the end of his sermon was going to be.  I responded by saying "good, total dependence on God" .  His last text was yes, I like that - total dependence on God.  This is indicative of the struggles that preachers of the Gospel go through.  That deep desire for the flesh to decrease and for God to be glorified, and say to His people what He wants them to hear.  That is a great burden that I can only in part, understand.

I was listening to a preacher of the Gospel a while ago who preached a very good sermon.  I learned some things from that sermon that enhanced my growth and Biblical knowledge, and was blessed by that.  There was one statement,  however, that the preacher made that troubled me.  He said that the pastor is our covering - he or she can get a prayer through when we can't.  I found this statement to be a dangerous one because if  those hearing it actually believe that statement is true, then they will put their trust in the pastor or a preacher, and when that person falls or disappoints or does not come through for them - it may cause them to fall away from God.  All because of a distorted word.  Jesus is our covering.  He is the only one qualified to cover because of His sinless life and sacrifice on the cross of Calvary.  Because of that sacrifice we can go beyond the veil into the very presence of God and commune with Him without assistance from man.  We should call on one another to pray for each other, but the freedom comes in knowing that if we cannot communicate with anyone else;  if we cannot get to the telephone or the internet is down, or our text messaging system is down - we can go directly to God through Jesus Christ and make our petitions known to the One who already knows all about us and our situation.  I bring up this example not to say anything bad about the one who made the statement, but rather to let it serve as an example of how careful we all have to be when proclaiming the Word of God.

How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.  To those who share the Gospel in grocery stores, on the bus, on the job, on the street, at the gas station, in our homes.  We have to take the Gospel to the world and show those who do not know Him who He is.  The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation of everyone who believes.   And how can they believe in the one whom they have not heard - it is a charge for the preacher, yes.  But it is also a charge for all believers in Jesus Christ to bring the good news to those who are lost.

Be blessed....and let's continue to grow together in Him

Thirsty.....

“Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14

Thirsty -needing moisture, craving something, desiring to drink, in need of water, dry or parched.  Many of us go through life in this state - searching for something to quench our thirst.  We go to work, craving notoriety; we go to school, craving acceptance from our friends; we go to church, craving love, kindness and understanding but are ultimately disappointed, left void of what we need and our thirst remains unquenched.  Our thirst may be quenched temporarily, but ultimately we become dry and desolate yet again, because we are drinking from the wrong well.  That well is filled with all those things that at first, appear genuine, but in reality are counterfeit and fraught with deceit.  Jesus offers us the right well.  That well IS the word of God.  It is synonymous with truth.  You can trust and depend on it.  It is absolute.  In it you will find everything that you need.  It fills all void.  It encourages, offers hope, love and restoration.  Once you have received the word of God it becomes a never ending spring within you and you will never thirst again.  Read the word of God, write it on your heart so that you can drink from that well continually.  

Sometimes I find myself thirsty and desperate for more - and then I realize that more  already lives inside of me. Be clear that the well is not full of my own desire and some ominous sense of what I think.  It is the very word of God -that well that will never run dry.  All I have to do is drink....

Marvin Sapp wrote and recorded a wonderful worship song simply entitled “Thirsty”.  My soul is thirsty, my soul is thirsty for you. As the deer is thirsty for the water, so does my soul long for thee. My spirit needs refreshing, Father I’m thirsty, thirsty for you.  Let me drink from the fountain that never shall run dry.  The fountain of everlasting life.  For if I drink of your water, I will never thirst again.  Let me draw from your living well. My soul is thirsty for you.

If we do not drink from this well - of God and His word - then we become restless, and we remain restless until we find our rest in Him.  This kind of rest will bring you indescribable joy and peace. This rest is eternal.  Allow God to quench your thirst with His love and peace, through His word.  Jesus is there with you, just as He was with the woman at the well.  He knows your name and everything about you, just as He knew the woman at the well.  He is calling you unto Himself.  If you do not know Jesus that is alright, because the good news is that He knows you.  He died just for you and is always interceding on your behalf to the Father, just for you.  He stands right at your heart, waiting, knocking - you only have to let Him in.  God, if you are who you say you are, reveal yourself to me just like you revealed yourself to the woman at the well - that I may know you.  He is faithful to do it. You have to be faithful then to receive Him and not reject Him....Drink from His well....

God bless and keep you....

Rebuild Me.....

It have been several months since I have posted on my blog.  I apologize to those who have missed it and count it a blessing that folks have reached out wondering why the break.  I took some time off and have been really studying, praying and meditating on the Word of God.  It is so easy at times to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life and miss what God is trying to show you.

I was reading an E-Devotion post by Pastor Bsett the other day and he meditated on Luke 10:41-42 "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."   
The context of the scripture is that Mary and Martha are preparing for Jesus to visit their home.  Martha was busy preparing the house - cooking, cleaning, etc., while Mary was still.  Martha was concerned with preparing the outward and tangible things, while Mary was preparing her heart to receive Jesus.  
I have really strived over the past few months to position myself, like Mary, in a place where I can hear from God.  I have eliminated all of the extra running around and stress and hustle and have strived to (as much as possible) be still and hear from God.  


Sometimes, as Christians we do all of the busy work. We do it at home, at school, at work and at church. We focus on the things that have no real meaning, oftentimes to please others.  What we should focus on is stilling ourselves before God and making our hearts ready to receive what He has to teach and reveal to us. The "work" that we must do is spiritual.  It is on the inside - so that others can see the work of the Lord in our lives, that they too may come to know Jesus.  Everything else is busy work.  I am not suggesting that we do not work, because faith without works is dead, but rather I am suggesting that our work not just be busy - that it be productive in the building up of the Kingdom of God.
There is a hymn that I learned as a young girl entitled Only What You Do For Christ Will Last - my sincere prayer is that we are all mindful of what is for Christ, and what is just busy work.


You may build great cathedrals large or small, you can build skyscrapers grand and tall, you may conquer all the failures of the past, but only what you do for Christ will last.


You may seek earthly power and fame, the world might be impressed by your great name, soon the glories of this life will all be past, but only what you do for Christ will last.


Though your armies may control each hemisphere, and your orbits out in space cause men to cheer, your scientific knowledge may be vast, but only what you do for Christ will last.


Though your song and prayers are heard and praised by man, they've no meaning unless you've been born again,
sinner, heed these words, don't let this harvest pass, for only what you do for Christ will last.


Remember only what You do for Christ will last. Remember only what you do for Christ will last,
only what you do for Him will be counted at the end; only what you do for Christ will last.


I was at a low point emotionally in ministry, home and working in the church.  I realized that I was Martha.  I allowed myself to be so concerned with all of the busy work,  that the real work in the Kingdom that God had called me to do suffered greatly.  It is what has helped me to rebuild.....


Be blessed and continue to stay in the Word of God.......