A few months back I had a dream about me and a friend of mine. In the dream we were playing basketball, and all of a sudden the coach called us in. Then the coach pulled me to the side and told me that my friend "didn't make the cut", and that was the end of the dream. When the Lord gave me the Interpretation, He shared with me that a certain friend of mine didn't "make the cut" and as a result, I had to somewhat distance myself from them. Even though it was disappointing to do so, I was obedient. The Lord continued to share with me that my friend in the dream didn't just "not make the cut" as in "not making the team", they also didn't make the cut in terms of the cut of circumcision. What exactly they needed to "circumcise" was not revealed to me. I share this dream saints because we are in a season where it's time to start Making the Cut. The Season is about to change, and God is getting ready to determine "who's going to be on the team". You don't want to be disqualified from your role in the Kingdom during this season because you refused to Make the Cut.
For those that follow sports, this is a major time, for the Olympics started yesterday. In certain games of the Olympic competition, you have to qualify in order to get to the next round and compete for a medal. In other words, you have to Make the Cut. It's Training Camp for Football teams in the NFL; which means that there are a lot of players trying out for the teams hoping they can make it. But in order to do so, they have to Make the Cut. Qualification for operating in the Kingdom of God carries with it the same concept. Everybody can be saved (if you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior) but not everybody is fit to operate in the Kingdom of God (Luke 9). In order to be fit, you have to Make the Cut.
Making the Cut in regards to qualifying to serve in the Kingdom of God involves the Cut of Circumcision. Remember that Circumcision was the sign of the Covenant that God established with Abraham and the children of Israel (Genesis 17). Which means that if a male was not circumcised, he was not recognized by God as a part of the Covenant Community. The scripture goes on to say in the Book of Romans, "he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter" (Romans 2). There are still for many of us, certain areas attitudinally and behaviorally that are not in accordance and alignment with God's Divine Will for our lives. Cut it off! Make the Cut. I was sharing with the Lord that I was trying, and He said to me, "try harder". In other words, these areas that are still lingering in our hearts, minds and spirits that are outside of God's Divine Will for our lives are non-negotiable. That is, if you plan on Making the Cut for the Kingdom.
Lastly, I want to look at the story of Moses. After he had his Burning-Bush experience with the Lord and received His Commission to serve as the Deliverer for the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage, the scripture lets us know that God then attempted to kill him (Exodus 4). The issue of Moses' pending death revolved around the Circumcision. Remember, Circumcision at that time was the requirement for Covenant Relationship with Jehovah. Moses had two sons. But in Exodus 4, the scripture shows that his wife only circumcised one. The belief (not explicitly stated in scripture) is that Moses may have circumcised one, but for whatever reason, neglected to circumcise the other; and until his wife went and performed the circumcision on the second son, Moses' life was in danger. The key to this story is that Moses was held accountable to God for the Circumcision even after having received His Commission. Just because you're called, just because you're anointed, doesn't excuse one from Making the Cut.
NOTE: This is the last blog for this site. The blog will continue at
thykingdomcomeinc.wordpress.com
Saturday, August 6, 2016
Friday, August 5, 2016
The Endurance of Temptation
I would suspect that for many during this season, Satan is extremely busy. When he's not trying to proactively raise hell, he's on the prowl trying to get the saints to stumble and fall. Many tests will come our way, as the Father continues to prepare us for the Kingdom Move that He's about to release in the earth. In the meantime, we must learn to defend against the wiles of the Devil (Ephesians 6), and we must build ourselves up for The Endurance of Temptation.
In order to fight against the temptations of the Devil, you must have Endurance. We no longer live (if we ever did) in a culture of Patience. Everybody wants everything right away and immediately. However, this is not the Way of God. God wants us to learn how to wait; and part of the waiting process is learning how to Endure. Therefore, part of the challenge of battling the temptations of the Devil is learning how to Endure. It's not going to be just "one round" and the fight is over. Battling temptation is just that, a Battle. But it's a Battle that we've already won in and through Jesus Christ. All we have to do is learn how to fight so that we can exhibit The Endurance of Temptation.
One of the keys to The Endurance of Temptation is our Love for the Lord. A lot of times we associate fighting against sin and evil with spiritual strength and maturity. This of course is true, but a lot of it really has to do with how much we love the Lord. A lot of us are committed to the Lord, we're faithful to the Lord, but do we really love the Lord? When I ask that question, I'm asking are you really "in love" with Him? Is it all about Jesus, or is He simply "the Head of your life"? If we look at it in the Natural, if you're courting or married to somebody and you "really love them", then it doesn't matter who tries to come and "talk" to you, there's no capacity. Why? Not necessarily because you're not attracted to them but because your heart is somewhere else. When Jesus really has our hearts, our capacity to offend and insult Him with sinful actions, attitudes and behavior is severely diminished. If we find ourselves yielding to sin more often than not, I would challenge us to check our Love Index for Christ.
The next key to The Endurance of Temptation is checking the source. So many times we feel like we'd be ok with temptation if it weren't for some "outside" or external force trying to lure us to go against the Divine Will of God. Of course this is true to a very large extent, but the scripture says, "every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed" (James 1). Satan has to have something to work with. That's why Jesus said prior to His Crucifixion, "the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me" (John 14). Satan has to have something to work with in regards to temptation. Therefore, in order to better handle The Endurance of Temptation, give the devil less to work with. Examine and identify the various sources of lust and desire in your heart. Don't be naive or in denial about what your weaknesses are, be honest, with yourself and with the Lord. Once you deal head on with what your personal inclinations towards lust and sin are, then you give the Holy Spirit the room He needs to crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts (Galatians 5).
Saints, I don't have to tell you, Satan is busy. And let me assure you, he's going to get even busier because his time is short. But we have nothing to worry about nor fear; greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world (1John 4). But remember, we're going to have to fight. We must remain Sober and Vigilant (1Peter 5). We can't get slack and laid back. We must remain watchful and prayerful. If we do, God will give us the strength to handle The Endurance of Temptation.
NOTE: Effective Monday, August 8, 2016 this blog will move to thykingdomcomeinc.wordpress.com
In order to fight against the temptations of the Devil, you must have Endurance. We no longer live (if we ever did) in a culture of Patience. Everybody wants everything right away and immediately. However, this is not the Way of God. God wants us to learn how to wait; and part of the waiting process is learning how to Endure. Therefore, part of the challenge of battling the temptations of the Devil is learning how to Endure. It's not going to be just "one round" and the fight is over. Battling temptation is just that, a Battle. But it's a Battle that we've already won in and through Jesus Christ. All we have to do is learn how to fight so that we can exhibit The Endurance of Temptation.
One of the keys to The Endurance of Temptation is our Love for the Lord. A lot of times we associate fighting against sin and evil with spiritual strength and maturity. This of course is true, but a lot of it really has to do with how much we love the Lord. A lot of us are committed to the Lord, we're faithful to the Lord, but do we really love the Lord? When I ask that question, I'm asking are you really "in love" with Him? Is it all about Jesus, or is He simply "the Head of your life"? If we look at it in the Natural, if you're courting or married to somebody and you "really love them", then it doesn't matter who tries to come and "talk" to you, there's no capacity. Why? Not necessarily because you're not attracted to them but because your heart is somewhere else. When Jesus really has our hearts, our capacity to offend and insult Him with sinful actions, attitudes and behavior is severely diminished. If we find ourselves yielding to sin more often than not, I would challenge us to check our Love Index for Christ.
The next key to The Endurance of Temptation is checking the source. So many times we feel like we'd be ok with temptation if it weren't for some "outside" or external force trying to lure us to go against the Divine Will of God. Of course this is true to a very large extent, but the scripture says, "every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed" (James 1). Satan has to have something to work with. That's why Jesus said prior to His Crucifixion, "the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me" (John 14). Satan has to have something to work with in regards to temptation. Therefore, in order to better handle The Endurance of Temptation, give the devil less to work with. Examine and identify the various sources of lust and desire in your heart. Don't be naive or in denial about what your weaknesses are, be honest, with yourself and with the Lord. Once you deal head on with what your personal inclinations towards lust and sin are, then you give the Holy Spirit the room He needs to crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts (Galatians 5).
Saints, I don't have to tell you, Satan is busy. And let me assure you, he's going to get even busier because his time is short. But we have nothing to worry about nor fear; greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world (1John 4). But remember, we're going to have to fight. We must remain Sober and Vigilant (1Peter 5). We can't get slack and laid back. We must remain watchful and prayerful. If we do, God will give us the strength to handle The Endurance of Temptation.
NOTE: Effective Monday, August 8, 2016 this blog will move to thykingdomcomeinc.wordpress.com
Thursday, August 4, 2016
Christianity and Slavery in America
One of the things that has always disturbed me is the assertion that America was founded as a Christian nation, and the Institution of Slavery. Even though I've been hesitant to dispute the historical accuracy in regards to America's been founded upon Christian principles, it's hard for me to reconcile America being "Christian" while promoting and perpetuating one of the greatest acts of institutional inhumanity known to human civilization. My question has always been, "how could America call herself a Christian nation while at the same time kidnapping, brutalizing and enslaving thousands upon thousands of African slaves?" I don't know if this question can ever be sufficiently addressed, but the Lord is faithful in addressing the spirit of my inquiry. What He's allowed me to see is that, in spite of the "contradiction" in what America proposed to be and what she continued to do in regards to slavery, through it all, there was indeed a viable Christian witness.
One of the things that we want to understand is that Slavery was not a new phenomenon when America engaged in the West Atlantic (Ocean) Slave Trade during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Slavery is probably as old as the beginning of human civilization. However, one of the things that I don't believe is readily recognized about slavery in the West, is that historically speaking, once a civilization became dependent on slavery, no other civilization has been able to eradicate it; except in the West. The Miracle of slavery in the United States is that it was able to be Abolished and Suspended from American life and culture. Historically speaking, that is a Miracle. And saints, Miracles do still come from God. The belief (or at least one of them) is that the major force in abolishing slavery in the United States was Christianity.
What this understanding helped me to realize is that God works in the midst of Evil as well as in the midst of Good. So many times, I'm looking for the Hand of God in the midst of the Positive, in the midst of the Blessing, in the midst of the Breakthrough, in the midst of the Victory. And yes, God is present in the midst of all of these and responsible for them as well. But so many times in the midst of our faith, we miss that God is just as active in the midst of the Negative, in the midst of the Evil, in the midst of the Oppression, in the midst of the Injustice. I didn't say God is responsible for these things, but He's Active, He's on the scene, He's Moving. The beginning of the Bible proves this when Genesis chapter one says, "and the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters". In the midst of the darkness of the earth, God was Moving. And in the darkness of our society and our world, God is still Moving.
As God used the Christian witness of abolitionists to stir up the spirit of anti-slavery in America and the anointing of one of (if not the) the wisest Presidents in the history of this country (Abraham Lincoln) to steady the course of this nation in anticipation of the eradication of slavery, God set the stage once and for all for the End of Slavery in this country. The way you know it was the Hand of God that freed the slaves is because the slaves themselves did not have to fight for their freedom. Think about that. Historically, the oppressed have to fight themselves for their freedom. Not in America! Who fought for the slaves? The Union Army of the North; men who no more liked blacks than the southerners they were fighting against. But that's The Hand of God. And though some may disagree with me, I believe the Civil War was God's Judgment on America for the hundreds of years of atrocities perpetrated against people of African descent in this country. It is understood that the Civil War created more casualties than any other war in the history of the United States.
What's my point? That even though the Founding Fathers seemed to be somewhat "hypocritical" in their espousing of "all men are created equal" while allowing thousand upon thousands of Africans to be brutally enslaved in this country, the Hand of God and the witness of Christianity was still relevant as well as prevalent. Let us keep in mind that it's rare that "the government", no matter how well meaning, sincere, or good intentioned they may be, are going to get it completely right. But we serve a God who never gets it wrong! And as long as we put our faith and trust in Him, not in a man, not in a woman, but in God, He'll make sure that we always come out Victorious, even in the midst of contradictions, hypocrisy and the cruelest of human inventions.
One of the things that we want to understand is that Slavery was not a new phenomenon when America engaged in the West Atlantic (Ocean) Slave Trade during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Slavery is probably as old as the beginning of human civilization. However, one of the things that I don't believe is readily recognized about slavery in the West, is that historically speaking, once a civilization became dependent on slavery, no other civilization has been able to eradicate it; except in the West. The Miracle of slavery in the United States is that it was able to be Abolished and Suspended from American life and culture. Historically speaking, that is a Miracle. And saints, Miracles do still come from God. The belief (or at least one of them) is that the major force in abolishing slavery in the United States was Christianity.
What this understanding helped me to realize is that God works in the midst of Evil as well as in the midst of Good. So many times, I'm looking for the Hand of God in the midst of the Positive, in the midst of the Blessing, in the midst of the Breakthrough, in the midst of the Victory. And yes, God is present in the midst of all of these and responsible for them as well. But so many times in the midst of our faith, we miss that God is just as active in the midst of the Negative, in the midst of the Evil, in the midst of the Oppression, in the midst of the Injustice. I didn't say God is responsible for these things, but He's Active, He's on the scene, He's Moving. The beginning of the Bible proves this when Genesis chapter one says, "and the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters". In the midst of the darkness of the earth, God was Moving. And in the darkness of our society and our world, God is still Moving.
As God used the Christian witness of abolitionists to stir up the spirit of anti-slavery in America and the anointing of one of (if not the) the wisest Presidents in the history of this country (Abraham Lincoln) to steady the course of this nation in anticipation of the eradication of slavery, God set the stage once and for all for the End of Slavery in this country. The way you know it was the Hand of God that freed the slaves is because the slaves themselves did not have to fight for their freedom. Think about that. Historically, the oppressed have to fight themselves for their freedom. Not in America! Who fought for the slaves? The Union Army of the North; men who no more liked blacks than the southerners they were fighting against. But that's The Hand of God. And though some may disagree with me, I believe the Civil War was God's Judgment on America for the hundreds of years of atrocities perpetrated against people of African descent in this country. It is understood that the Civil War created more casualties than any other war in the history of the United States.
What's my point? That even though the Founding Fathers seemed to be somewhat "hypocritical" in their espousing of "all men are created equal" while allowing thousand upon thousands of Africans to be brutally enslaved in this country, the Hand of God and the witness of Christianity was still relevant as well as prevalent. Let us keep in mind that it's rare that "the government", no matter how well meaning, sincere, or good intentioned they may be, are going to get it completely right. But we serve a God who never gets it wrong! And as long as we put our faith and trust in Him, not in a man, not in a woman, but in God, He'll make sure that we always come out Victorious, even in the midst of contradictions, hypocrisy and the cruelest of human inventions.
Wednesday, August 3, 2016
The Blood of Jesus
We are in a season saints where God wants His people to operate in Authority. The Father no longer wants His children operating in defeat, living in discouragement and depression. The Lord is ready for His people to operate in Victory! But in order to live in the Victory for which God has ordained for us as His people, we must take Authority. Authority is not something that is given, it has to be taken, it has to be assumed. For this reason we want to visit the concept of The Blood of Jesus. This is a topic that, believe it or not, is largely ignored by the church. This is a big mistake that we as the people of God can no longer afford to make. We must understand the importance, the significance and the Power in The Blood of Jesus.
Let us first understand that The Blood of Jesus is the foundation and the basis of our relationship with God (Mark 14). If Jesus doesn't shed His Blood on the Cross, not only are our sins not forgiven but we are also banished to an eternity in hell away from God the Father, forever (Ephesians 2). Thank God for The Blood! Hallelujah! So we can never diminish the significance of The Blood of Jesus. It is the basis and sole reason for our Salvation in Christ.
What we must also come to understand is that The Blood of Jesus is a Weapon. As I stated earlier, there are too many professing Christians that are living in Defeat. This is not the Will of God. There are a lot of things in our lives that we can overcome if we simply understand and believe the Power that exists in The Blood of Jesus. Not only does the Blood of Jesus save us from our sins, but it is also the basis for the Defeat of the Devil. When Jesus shed His Blood on Calvary's Rugged Cross, not only did He secure Eternal Salvation for those who would believe in Him, He also defeated Satan and took away his power. Remember, when Adam sinned, he abdicated his power and dominion as the king of the earth (Genesis 3). Well the power and rule that God had bestowed upon Adam at the creation didn't just "disappear", it was transferred to the Devil. That's why the Bible describes Satan as the god of this world (2Corinthians 4). It's also the reason why Satan could boast to Jesus when He was in the wilderness, that all of the kingdoms of this world were in his power (Luke 4). But what did Jesus say after His Resurrection, all power in heaven and in earth, is in His Hands (Matthew 28). So Satan no longer has this power, Jesus does! And as the children of God through faith in Jesus Christ, we now have access to that power over the devil, by The Blood of Jesus.
I want to encourage you today to exercise the Authority that has been given to you as a child of Jesus through His Blood, and plead The Blood of Jesus over your various situations and circumstances. Remember, Jesus told us that we have authority over all the power of the enemy (Luke 10). So use it! Anything negative in your life surely isn't of God, it's of the devil; so take Authority by The Blood of Jesus. If you have sickness in your body, I encourage you today to say, "I plead The Blood of Jesus over this sickness". If you're having financial problems, I encourage you to say, "I plead The Blood of Jesus over my finances". If you're having challenges in your family, in your marriage, with your children, I encourage you to say, "I plead The Blood of Jesus over my family, over my marriage, over my children". The Power in pleading The Blood is that it's the Power of God that breaks the hold of the Enemy. When he sees The Blood he has to flee. Why? Because The Blood of Jesus Christ literally represents The Power of God on behalf of man. Please hear me, not just the Power of God, but The Power of God on behalf of man. Man was never, and I mean Never, supposed to be under the power or authority of the devil. Never! It's only because of Sin that this has happened. But Jesus reversed all of this when He died on the Cross and now there is no more sin--no more separation between humanity and God. At least for those who confess their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. So I encourage you today, plead The Blood of Jesus over every adverse situation and circumstance in your life and watch Victory Manifest on your behalf, in Jesus' Name.
NOTE: Effective Monday, August 8, 2016 this blog will move to: thykingdomcomeinc.wordpress.com
Let us first understand that The Blood of Jesus is the foundation and the basis of our relationship with God (Mark 14). If Jesus doesn't shed His Blood on the Cross, not only are our sins not forgiven but we are also banished to an eternity in hell away from God the Father, forever (Ephesians 2). Thank God for The Blood! Hallelujah! So we can never diminish the significance of The Blood of Jesus. It is the basis and sole reason for our Salvation in Christ.
What we must also come to understand is that The Blood of Jesus is a Weapon. As I stated earlier, there are too many professing Christians that are living in Defeat. This is not the Will of God. There are a lot of things in our lives that we can overcome if we simply understand and believe the Power that exists in The Blood of Jesus. Not only does the Blood of Jesus save us from our sins, but it is also the basis for the Defeat of the Devil. When Jesus shed His Blood on Calvary's Rugged Cross, not only did He secure Eternal Salvation for those who would believe in Him, He also defeated Satan and took away his power. Remember, when Adam sinned, he abdicated his power and dominion as the king of the earth (Genesis 3). Well the power and rule that God had bestowed upon Adam at the creation didn't just "disappear", it was transferred to the Devil. That's why the Bible describes Satan as the god of this world (2Corinthians 4). It's also the reason why Satan could boast to Jesus when He was in the wilderness, that all of the kingdoms of this world were in his power (Luke 4). But what did Jesus say after His Resurrection, all power in heaven and in earth, is in His Hands (Matthew 28). So Satan no longer has this power, Jesus does! And as the children of God through faith in Jesus Christ, we now have access to that power over the devil, by The Blood of Jesus.
I want to encourage you today to exercise the Authority that has been given to you as a child of Jesus through His Blood, and plead The Blood of Jesus over your various situations and circumstances. Remember, Jesus told us that we have authority over all the power of the enemy (Luke 10). So use it! Anything negative in your life surely isn't of God, it's of the devil; so take Authority by The Blood of Jesus. If you have sickness in your body, I encourage you today to say, "I plead The Blood of Jesus over this sickness". If you're having financial problems, I encourage you to say, "I plead The Blood of Jesus over my finances". If you're having challenges in your family, in your marriage, with your children, I encourage you to say, "I plead The Blood of Jesus over my family, over my marriage, over my children". The Power in pleading The Blood is that it's the Power of God that breaks the hold of the Enemy. When he sees The Blood he has to flee. Why? Because The Blood of Jesus Christ literally represents The Power of God on behalf of man. Please hear me, not just the Power of God, but The Power of God on behalf of man. Man was never, and I mean Never, supposed to be under the power or authority of the devil. Never! It's only because of Sin that this has happened. But Jesus reversed all of this when He died on the Cross and now there is no more sin--no more separation between humanity and God. At least for those who confess their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. So I encourage you today, plead The Blood of Jesus over every adverse situation and circumstance in your life and watch Victory Manifest on your behalf, in Jesus' Name.
NOTE: Effective Monday, August 8, 2016 this blog will move to: thykingdomcomeinc.wordpress.com
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
The Reason for Faith
There is a reason why faith is so important as it relates to one's Christian walk and relationship with Christ. As a matter of fact, faith is not only significant to the believer in Christ, it's important for all of humanity. We understand that without faith it is impossible to please God, and we understand that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11). But there's a necessity to having faith that I believe many of us miss and it directly affects our quality of life and the fulfillment of our Destiny. The Reason for Faith is because life was not designed to be lived apart from God. There's a nasty lie that Satan has sold humanity that, unfortunately, a lot of people have chosen to believe; you can be happy and successful in life without God. This is a flat out lie! But if you look at many people's lives, including many professing Christians, we may acknowledge God, but we try our best to live life "without" God. When I say without God, I mean living in total dependence on God. It's almost like people "don't" want to live that way. And for those who do so, they're looked at as fanatics and "weird". But saints, trust me when I tell you, there is a Reason for Faith.
What we have to recognize in hearts about life is that Life is bigger than man. All of this propaganda to "make it on your own" and to "be your own man", is anti-faith. Humanity is encouraged to have faith in one's self, not faith in God. However, the reality is that Life cannot be lived successfully within the confines and finite limitations of man's experience. Once again, Satan, the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2), uses the media, movies, television shows, books and what not, to promote different images and so-called examples of individuals that made it "without God". Of course, the individuals are never going to "outright" say it that way. But when have you ever heard Micheal Jordan, or Beyonce, or Ophrah or even President Obama come right out directly and say, "I owe my life and success to the Grace of God through my Savior Jesus the Christ"? If they have, then I missed that interview. But you get the point. Our culture subtly encourages people to live "independent lives". But God did not design life to be lived this way. And I don't care "who" you are, God is still the Creator of every human being.
God has shaped life to work out in such a way to where you need Him. Whether it's family issues, health issues, personal problems, problems on the job, financial challenges; it doesn't matter. At some point, every human being hits a point in life to where, they don't have the answers and they can't handle it. But the mystery of life is, if you give your life to God in the first place, and I mean "really give your life to Him" (not this lukewarm stuff that people are trying to pass off as Christianity), then God "will" take care of you. Every need will be met, and you will operate in perfect peace (Matthew 6, Isaiah 26).
However, there are two things that need to be incorporated if you want to take advantage of The Reason for Faith. The first is Humility. One of the biggest challenges that people face in interpersonal relationships is trying to be in control and trying to be in charge. No matter who you're dealing with, there's a simple fact that we would all do well to remember, none of us are God. So at the end of the day, none of us are in control. So in order to make room in our relationships for Him who alone is God, we need to adopt a posture and a spirit of Humility (James 4). Adopting a posture of Humility creates Peace in every situation. Why? Because you're giving room for the person to be themselves without you trying to get the best of them. This gives God the room to work on their heart, and gives you peace to trust in God. Many marriages have failed because neither husband or wife would yield and exercise humility towards the other.
Lastly, if you're going to take advantage of The Reason for Faith, you must have a spirit of Sacrifice. A spirit of self-preservation is not of God. I know that sounds foreign and against natural instinct. But what did Jesus say, "whosoever will save his life shall lose it" (Matthew 16). Jesus didn't try to save His Life. He willingly Sacrificed His Life on the Cross. Why? To save humanity and to glorify the Father. And as a result, He's closer to the Father than any other person in the universe. Saints, we've got to plug into The Reason for Faith. Times are going to get very hard here in America in the coming days. The only way we're going to make it is by having Faith in God. Don't wait till the last minute. Nurture and develop your faith in God today.
NOTE: Effective Monday, August 8, 2016 this blog will be moved to the following address:
thykingdomcomeinc.wordpress.com
What we have to recognize in hearts about life is that Life is bigger than man. All of this propaganda to "make it on your own" and to "be your own man", is anti-faith. Humanity is encouraged to have faith in one's self, not faith in God. However, the reality is that Life cannot be lived successfully within the confines and finite limitations of man's experience. Once again, Satan, the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2), uses the media, movies, television shows, books and what not, to promote different images and so-called examples of individuals that made it "without God". Of course, the individuals are never going to "outright" say it that way. But when have you ever heard Micheal Jordan, or Beyonce, or Ophrah or even President Obama come right out directly and say, "I owe my life and success to the Grace of God through my Savior Jesus the Christ"? If they have, then I missed that interview. But you get the point. Our culture subtly encourages people to live "independent lives". But God did not design life to be lived this way. And I don't care "who" you are, God is still the Creator of every human being.
God has shaped life to work out in such a way to where you need Him. Whether it's family issues, health issues, personal problems, problems on the job, financial challenges; it doesn't matter. At some point, every human being hits a point in life to where, they don't have the answers and they can't handle it. But the mystery of life is, if you give your life to God in the first place, and I mean "really give your life to Him" (not this lukewarm stuff that people are trying to pass off as Christianity), then God "will" take care of you. Every need will be met, and you will operate in perfect peace (Matthew 6, Isaiah 26).
However, there are two things that need to be incorporated if you want to take advantage of The Reason for Faith. The first is Humility. One of the biggest challenges that people face in interpersonal relationships is trying to be in control and trying to be in charge. No matter who you're dealing with, there's a simple fact that we would all do well to remember, none of us are God. So at the end of the day, none of us are in control. So in order to make room in our relationships for Him who alone is God, we need to adopt a posture and a spirit of Humility (James 4). Adopting a posture of Humility creates Peace in every situation. Why? Because you're giving room for the person to be themselves without you trying to get the best of them. This gives God the room to work on their heart, and gives you peace to trust in God. Many marriages have failed because neither husband or wife would yield and exercise humility towards the other.
Lastly, if you're going to take advantage of The Reason for Faith, you must have a spirit of Sacrifice. A spirit of self-preservation is not of God. I know that sounds foreign and against natural instinct. But what did Jesus say, "whosoever will save his life shall lose it" (Matthew 16). Jesus didn't try to save His Life. He willingly Sacrificed His Life on the Cross. Why? To save humanity and to glorify the Father. And as a result, He's closer to the Father than any other person in the universe. Saints, we've got to plug into The Reason for Faith. Times are going to get very hard here in America in the coming days. The only way we're going to make it is by having Faith in God. Don't wait till the last minute. Nurture and develop your faith in God today.
NOTE: Effective Monday, August 8, 2016 this blog will be moved to the following address:
thykingdomcomeinc.wordpress.com
Monday, August 1, 2016
Interference of The Inheritance
One of the things that we as the children of God must remain mindful of is that God has ordained for us an Inheritance. Let me clarify that this Inheritance that God has ordained for His people is not restricted to the "bye and bye" when we leave this earth (Acts 26). This is something that God has reserved for His children even in the here and now. Part of the problem, however, is that many of believers in Christ are not aware of the Inheritance that Christ has secured for them through His Blood. When one is unaware of something then they do not have a conscious mind to reach for it. This is the challenge with the church today. There is so much that God has for us that we're not aware of; so as a result we don't reach for it, and therefore never receive it. This is not the Will of God. We must contend for that which God has ordained for His people and fight through the Interference of The Inheritance.
Even when you become aware of what God has in store for you on this side of Glory: the Power, the Prosperity, the Glory, the Joy, the Peace, the Favor, the Blessing; you still don't "automatically" receive it. The Inheritance has to be received by faith and you must be properly positioned in order to qualify to receive it (Galatians 4). For this reason, we must fight through the Interference. If Satan can't get your soul (eternally), then he wants to steal your Reward (John 10). He wants to rob you of your Blessing so that your Kingdom effectiveness will be diminished. But we know that the Devil is a Liar! Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world (1John 4). We must learn to fight through the Interference of The Inheritance.
One of the tactics Satan uses for Interference of our Inheritance is the flesh. As I've stated on numerous occasions, you can't engage in self-indulgence (the works of the flesh) and Inherit the Kingdom of God at the same time (Galatians 5). This is not going to happen. There are too many of us that are still falling prey to the self-centeredness of the sinful nature. For this reason the scriptures admonish us to "crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts" (Galatians 5). This is something for which we cannot be passive about, we must be diligent and focused. That is of course, if you want your Inheritance.
The next area we must be mindful of is the area of Offense. This is an area that I believe more than a few Christians are affected by, but unfortunately does not receive enough attention in the church. What we don't realize about Offense is that when you allow someone to offend your spirit, you subconsciously undermine the Manifestation of the Supernatural for your life. Supernatural Manifestation is part of the Inheritance of the believer. But more than a few devoted Christians are not witnessing Miracles, Signs and Wonders, in part, because of operating in a spirit of Offense. When Jesus tried to do Miracles in his hometown, He couldn't because the people were offended by Him (Matthew 13). Don't let Satan use people, situations and circumstances to get you in a place where people offend you; you're insulted, you're upset, you're mad, you're disgusted. The Bible says to be angry and sin not (Ephesians 4). And when you let offense linger in your spirit and the vulnerability thereof, you are allowing Interference of the Inheritance.
Jesus told us in Matthew chapter 5 to be perfect even as the Father is Perfect. We'll never be perfect from the standpoint of sinlessness, but we can be perfect as it relates to Maturity and Wholeness in Christ. Let us make sure that we focus on becoming mature sons and daughters of God. Let us allow the Holy Spirit to sanctify us so that we will be fully equipped to fight through the Interference of The Inheritance.
NOTE: Effective Monday, August 8, 2016 this blog will be moving to: thykingdomcomeinc.wordpress.com
Even when you become aware of what God has in store for you on this side of Glory: the Power, the Prosperity, the Glory, the Joy, the Peace, the Favor, the Blessing; you still don't "automatically" receive it. The Inheritance has to be received by faith and you must be properly positioned in order to qualify to receive it (Galatians 4). For this reason, we must fight through the Interference. If Satan can't get your soul (eternally), then he wants to steal your Reward (John 10). He wants to rob you of your Blessing so that your Kingdom effectiveness will be diminished. But we know that the Devil is a Liar! Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world (1John 4). We must learn to fight through the Interference of The Inheritance.
One of the tactics Satan uses for Interference of our Inheritance is the flesh. As I've stated on numerous occasions, you can't engage in self-indulgence (the works of the flesh) and Inherit the Kingdom of God at the same time (Galatians 5). This is not going to happen. There are too many of us that are still falling prey to the self-centeredness of the sinful nature. For this reason the scriptures admonish us to "crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts" (Galatians 5). This is something for which we cannot be passive about, we must be diligent and focused. That is of course, if you want your Inheritance.
The next area we must be mindful of is the area of Offense. This is an area that I believe more than a few Christians are affected by, but unfortunately does not receive enough attention in the church. What we don't realize about Offense is that when you allow someone to offend your spirit, you subconsciously undermine the Manifestation of the Supernatural for your life. Supernatural Manifestation is part of the Inheritance of the believer. But more than a few devoted Christians are not witnessing Miracles, Signs and Wonders, in part, because of operating in a spirit of Offense. When Jesus tried to do Miracles in his hometown, He couldn't because the people were offended by Him (Matthew 13). Don't let Satan use people, situations and circumstances to get you in a place where people offend you; you're insulted, you're upset, you're mad, you're disgusted. The Bible says to be angry and sin not (Ephesians 4). And when you let offense linger in your spirit and the vulnerability thereof, you are allowing Interference of the Inheritance.
Jesus told us in Matthew chapter 5 to be perfect even as the Father is Perfect. We'll never be perfect from the standpoint of sinlessness, but we can be perfect as it relates to Maturity and Wholeness in Christ. Let us make sure that we focus on becoming mature sons and daughters of God. Let us allow the Holy Spirit to sanctify us so that we will be fully equipped to fight through the Interference of The Inheritance.
NOTE: Effective Monday, August 8, 2016 this blog will be moving to: thykingdomcomeinc.wordpress.com
Saturday, July 30, 2016
The Sacrifice of Self
If we as Christians and believers in Christ are serious about being all that God would have us to be, it is imperative that we learn and master the spiritual art of The Sacrifice of Self. The misconception in the church is still that sin is the problem. As I've stated on numerous occasions, when it comes to the church, the major problem is not Sin. The reason we embrace this notion is because the basis of our faith and belief is the fact that Jesus has already died for the forgiveness of our sins (Ephesians 1, Colossians 1). Of course this is not a license to sin (Romans 6), but rather it is a provision for the sin that, unfortunately, we as the children of God choose to inevitably commit. The Bible says that if you say you have no sin, the truth is not in you (1John 1). Therefore, whether we grasped this fact conceptually or not, the truth of the matter is that sin, regardless of the kind or type, is not the problem. The problem is Self. The reason why we can't surrender to the Will of the Lord and have His Divine Will fulfilled in our lives is because of our obsession and preoccupation with Self. Until we deal appropriately and effectively with our Selves, we will not be properly be positioned to facilitate a Divine Move of God. For this reason we must commit ourselves to The Sacrifice of Self.
Once again, the root of the problem is Self, not sin. What we must understand is that every sinful activity is rooted in the indulgence and promotion of self. Show me any sin that you want to identify, and I'll show you a person choosing themselves over God. However, if the Self is dead, if we've been crucified to the Self, then we have more capacity for the fulfillment of God's Divine Will for our lives. What's also dangerous about this is that a lot of the things that we do in the name of pleasing and promoting our Selves are, a lot of times, not overtly sinful. This is why we don't think it's a big deal. But what ends up happening is that as the indulgence of self continues to take root in our soul, when we're then challenged to surrender the self in order to make room for the execution of God's Divine Will for our lives, we don't have the capacity because we've been so conditioned to pampering and patronizing the Self. This saints has to stop. No, you may not be doing anything "immoral" or overtly sinful; but as I've already stated, if we don't learn The Sacrifice of Self, we will be ill-equipped to be proponents and participants of the Kingdom Move of God.
I want to challenge everyone, as I challenge myself, to examine yourself and take the time to identify where you (maybe even unconsciously) are engaging and indulging in activity that is geared towards the pleasing and promotion of the Self. One of the primary areas of Self-indulgence is food and eating. There's a reason why so many Americans, including Christians and people in the church, are overweight and not physically healthy. It's not just what we eat but how much we choose to consume. Needless to say, eating is not a sin. And I'd be surprised if many of us would actually fit the description of "gluttony". But (let me use myself as an example) foods like chocolate, sweets, candy cookies; even in moderation are designed to make us "feel good". We're not eating these things for their "nutritional value". Once again, is this wrong or sinful? No it is not. But is it catering to the Self, in most cases it is. That's why you have to examine for yourself and let the Spirit minister to you what areas for which you're catering to your Self.
We can make a long list of things for which we engage and many times over-indulge in, in order to cater to the Self: talking on the phone, watching TV, surfing the internet, shopping, video games. Are you getting the picture? Jesus said that if you're going to be His disciple, the first thing you must do is deny yourself (Matthew 16). Is this easy? No it is not, because we've been so conditioned to "stop sinning" and have ignored the detrimental spiritual effects of catering to our Selves in the midst of being moral. I pray that we will allow the Holy Spirit to reveal to us the areas for which we need to Deny our Selves so that we can be committed to the discipline of The Sacrifice of Self.
Once again, the root of the problem is Self, not sin. What we must understand is that every sinful activity is rooted in the indulgence and promotion of self. Show me any sin that you want to identify, and I'll show you a person choosing themselves over God. However, if the Self is dead, if we've been crucified to the Self, then we have more capacity for the fulfillment of God's Divine Will for our lives. What's also dangerous about this is that a lot of the things that we do in the name of pleasing and promoting our Selves are, a lot of times, not overtly sinful. This is why we don't think it's a big deal. But what ends up happening is that as the indulgence of self continues to take root in our soul, when we're then challenged to surrender the self in order to make room for the execution of God's Divine Will for our lives, we don't have the capacity because we've been so conditioned to pampering and patronizing the Self. This saints has to stop. No, you may not be doing anything "immoral" or overtly sinful; but as I've already stated, if we don't learn The Sacrifice of Self, we will be ill-equipped to be proponents and participants of the Kingdom Move of God.
I want to challenge everyone, as I challenge myself, to examine yourself and take the time to identify where you (maybe even unconsciously) are engaging and indulging in activity that is geared towards the pleasing and promotion of the Self. One of the primary areas of Self-indulgence is food and eating. There's a reason why so many Americans, including Christians and people in the church, are overweight and not physically healthy. It's not just what we eat but how much we choose to consume. Needless to say, eating is not a sin. And I'd be surprised if many of us would actually fit the description of "gluttony". But (let me use myself as an example) foods like chocolate, sweets, candy cookies; even in moderation are designed to make us "feel good". We're not eating these things for their "nutritional value". Once again, is this wrong or sinful? No it is not. But is it catering to the Self, in most cases it is. That's why you have to examine for yourself and let the Spirit minister to you what areas for which you're catering to your Self.
We can make a long list of things for which we engage and many times over-indulge in, in order to cater to the Self: talking on the phone, watching TV, surfing the internet, shopping, video games. Are you getting the picture? Jesus said that if you're going to be His disciple, the first thing you must do is deny yourself (Matthew 16). Is this easy? No it is not, because we've been so conditioned to "stop sinning" and have ignored the detrimental spiritual effects of catering to our Selves in the midst of being moral. I pray that we will allow the Holy Spirit to reveal to us the areas for which we need to Deny our Selves so that we can be committed to the discipline of The Sacrifice of Self.
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