Month: April 2018

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22‭-‬23 NIV
The Holy Spirit. Something we all already have, but many do not trust in. We are truly supernatural. We have been given a gift.. a force inside each that is so great it can overcome anything. When we trust and live according to the spirit, it produces in us – Love joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. If you are lacking in these areas, YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE, its time to open up to the Holy Spirt. I remember when I was trying to handle everything on my own. yes I believed, I prayed, I did all the Christian things. I didnt however trust and call on the Spirit to guide me. When I did, it was amazing how much clearer the path. How much Joy, love, and all the above you feel because of it. In rough waters I pray for the Holy Spirit to influence my life. Life can be so discouraging but when your thinking, living with the (holy spirit) it makes you stronger. amen.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV

So reading this verse today, I got to thinking what does it take to love someone? Love is not a feeling. Love is a choice.

I mean, so many people say the words “I love you” but do they really know what those words imply? Do they know what means to be in love? I read today, there are people who don’t know how to receive love. To them the great person in their life is to good to be true. the world is filled with so much bad, how is it that this person is above all that. GOD. Love is the most important thing we can share with someone. Choosing to truly love someone is not an easy. It requires you taking a look at your own life and seeing what changes you need to make. For some change is hard. Love is not something to throw away at the first sign of a problem. True love must be stronger than that!! if your love is true, and your love is strong, you can conquer all “It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Cor 13: 7). Choosing to love someone with your whole heart takes sacrifice and maturity.

We can never love as much as God loves us, but we can try to love the people in our lives just as he does. Amen. Today try.

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV

This one is tough one for me today. I dont feel his hand, I feel alone in the battle. I pray the same prayer for so many years and when, when does it get answered. What do I do? Are you there Lord? We all have those moments when we feel alone in the battle. We pray, we ask for wisdom and it can feel like, what the heck, where are you when I need you most. We do not know Gods plan, never will, and in those moments, like Job, who went through so much but his faith carried him through.  Our faith is what matters.. our trust in the Lord. He tells us we are never alone, he doesnt say I will fix everything for you. Trust that the Lord has a plan and as long as we have faith we will be ok. amen.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16 NIV

We are loved more than I’m sure we will ever truly understand. To sacrifice your own son so that we could all live is one amazing act of love. When I read this passage it makes me think have I loved enough? Can I love more? Do I show my love enough to those I say I love? Think about this: If tomorrow never comes do the ones you say you love know how much you love them? If you can’t answer that with an astounding YES. Then today, love like Jesus. Amen.

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.
1 Timothy 1:15 NIV

I’m a sinner! What thoughts conjure up when hearing the word sinner? I think so many Christians are afraid to say out loud, I am a sinner. For most, I’m sure the term sinner, thoughts of all kinds of moral filth run through the mind. I’m sure some of you reading this now, just thought of something. haha. Sin, it can be anything that keeps us from our relationship with Jesus. it means to miss the mark. And if I am being honest with myself, I know I miss the mark more than I wish.

It is god’s design that we depend on him. It does no good to compare ourselves to others, we cannot escape our failure to be righteous in our own strength and by accepting and understanding our weakness we are then able to relying on the atoning sacrifice of Jesus. So yes we are all sinners and we all fall short ..but his love, grace, and forgiveness, and sacrifice saved us all. Amen.

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
Proverbs 27:17 NIV

I grew up going to church. Like most kids, I only went because mom and dad made me. I believed in Jesus, I figured he was kind of important. Going into my late teens and 20’s I believed in God, truthfully I always did, but I really didn’t know him. I didnt have a relationship with him. I grew up thinking being a Christian meant, you do this, you do that, check this box, read this chapter, say your prayers and voila … good things will happen because, hey you are being a good Christian. I considered myself to be a good Christian. Then one day I read the Purpose Driven Life with my dad and that is when my hunger started. I knew Jesus know, but still something was missing. Like many others out there, I lived out my faith as if God was this genie in a bottle. If I prayed and did what I was supposed too he should fix the wrongs. Right? I can’t tell you how many times I have yelled to the heavens saying “What do you want from me?” I am good man, a good father, good husband, I believe, I go to church, what is it going to take to catch a break in this life?” why won’t you hear my prayers?

Enter Discovery Mens Group. I was hesitant to even go to group the first time because, to be honest, I didnt want to watch videos and do homework, but I went anyway. I was being driven by the spirit but at that time didnt know it. I had this hunger to know the Lord, I had questions, I wanted answers. I wanted to know where the Lord was at? I didn’t feel his presence. Why? I would here the testimony from other Christian men, telling their stories and I wanted that. I wanted to know the Lord like they did. The Men of Discovery did just that for me. I was shown that a relationship with the Lord is about faith, real faith. Being a Christ follower is not about checking of the todo list but having faith that no matter what the circumstances are believing he is with me. Getting to the point where I truly believed that was the journey God put me on and it was the direct result of all the men in our mens group. Without your prayer, your testimony, your faith, sharing your struggles, I wouldn’t have truly believed. Today, I understand, I believe, I have experienced his grace and his love. Thanks to each and everyone of you!!!. So yes, IRON DOES SHARPEN IRON and I hope that other men and women will step out in faith and join a group to experience what I have. It is life changing. Amen, God Bless and thank you to all.

A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.
Proverbs 14:30 NIV

ENVY a nasty 4 letter word. When it enters the heart it makes a person think and say things like ” If I had what that person has I would be happy too.” “I would be happier if I had ….(Fill in the blank) Or things like “this person gets to do or have this, so should I” “everyone else has this…..” Why can’t I ?….ENVY is a lack of being content with what God has provided you and it robs us of joy and thankfulness.

1. Maybe your the person being described here. Maybe you know someone who is. Ask God for wisdom and strength to over come envy. God has you right were you are for a purpose, pray for the acceptance and understanding of that purpose. BE THANKFUL INSIDE AND OUT. God is the only way to experience true happiness. Let go of what others have or get do and just live for Christ.

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord , I will be joyful in God my Savior.
Habakkuk 3:17‭-‬18 NIV

What do you do when things get tough? Run, hide, complain, anger, resentment. What are you like when in the moment you have a choice to make… do I trust and love the lord or do I allow my circumstances to dictate my joy and happiness. I used to be that way. I used to allow my circumstance control my happiness. I know plenty of people who are just like. They truly struggle to find the light in a dark moment. Constantly complaining, nothing is perfect in their world. I have learned even if my world is flipped upside down and my days is filled with stress and frustration. trusting in the lord to get me through keeps me happy and filled with Joy. amen.

I am Reading the study Sinfool Root in the Heart. It about the different emotions and feelings that can take root in our hearts. Today: Bitterness

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:31‭-‬32 NIV

Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.
1 Thessalonians 5:15 NIV

Bitterness is just a form of anger. Anger towards God and others which will always tears at your heart. Bitterness is a hatred of others, a lack of forgiveness of their wrongs, whether the wrong is real or not. Bitterness grows  and grows like a cancer. Till eventually you are saying and doing things to right the wrongs done to you. You are not living in the presence of the Lord. Bitterness causes us to miss out on God’s grace in daily life, and it spreads trouble to other because we are focused on being the victim.  The opposite of bitterness are joy, love, and forgiveness.

Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity.
Proverbs 21:23 NIV

Calmity is an event that causes sudden disaster. WOW.. that is powerful. It’s being used to describe what words can do. Think about it.

I heard this on the radio today. “Have you ever tasted your own words before you served them to others?”

Have you ever considered what you say and how you say it affects those around you? Words, each of them have a meaning. Do you think before you speak? Do you consider what your words mean or even insinuate? I have let my words fly before, Like a swarm of bees.. I’m sure we all have. In the moment I didn’t care what I was saying or how they would affect or even hurt the other person. Hurtful words are like scars on the skin, the pain goes away at first but the scar is always their, a reminder of what was said. So if your one who’s mouth tends to get the best of them, consider the scars your leaving in your wake. I had to do that, and it hurts knowing I hurt someone with my words. I had to learn to not think and speak with my emotions and feels and also remember.  I am forgiven. Amen