There comes a point where every believer in Christ has to make the decision of what type of Christian they're going to be: are they going to be a Christian Civilian or are they going to be a Spiritual Soldier. Once you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, you're in the Fight whether you want to be or not (1Timothy 6). But your status as a believer and the role you're going to play in the Kingdom is still one of personal choice. My hope and prayer is that those who are reading this today have made the choice (or will make the choice) to be a Spiritual Soldier, not just a christian civilian. Jesus shed too much Blood on Calvary's Rugged Cross for us to resort to simply being Sunday morning church attendees. The world is only going to change when we as believers grow up, take a stand, and assume our post and position as Soldiers in the Army of the Lord. As we make this decision and ultimately transition, we need to then understand the dynamics of The War Zone.
In the military, there are certain areas, whether it's geographically (on land) or in the air (airspace) that when you enter, it is described as you entering "the war zone". This is why you hear in the news about certain countries having their ships hijacked or airplanes shot at and bombed out of the sky; because they violated what that country described as "the war zone". You entered a space to where, once you "trespass" or "cross that line", we then have the legal right to attack you and shoot you down; because you've violated our "war zone". As it is in the natural, so it is in the Spirit. There's a place you go in the Spirit Realm to where, once you "Cross" that line, you're fair game for the Enemy (the Devil). God will not force any child of His to go into the "War Zone" and become an open target for the Evil One. But if you're a Spiritual Soldier, intent on taking territory for the Kingdom of God, you know the only way you can fulfill that objective is to move into The War Zone.
One of the first signs that you're entering The War Zone is when you've learned how to crucify the flesh (Galatians 5). Even though we have a lot of gifted and anointed believers and ministers of Christ, you're going to be hard-pressed to advance the Kingdom of God if you're still individually under the influence of the sinful nature and indwelling sin. God has given us the strategies of how to put down the "old man" (Colossians 3). And once we do, the level of Satanic attack will escalate. No need to fear though. Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world (1John 4). This is just to apprise you of what you're getting ready to run into in the Spirit Realm.
Another indicator of moving into The War Zone is when your Christian witness moves beyond the four walls of the church and into the streets and communities of the world. The Devil doesn't mind us "having church". We can stay in the sanctuary and praise God all day. This doesn't necessarily infringe on the Enemy's territory. This is the reason why we can have Conferences, and Revivals and church meetings and ministry events and the world and our communities never change. But when we decide to stop having church and start being the church; when you start talking to people about Jesus on your job that don't know about Christ. When we start moving out into the Communities and meeting needs and demonstrating tangibly the love and compassion of Jesus. When we start taking a stand against the Perversion that our Governments are legislating in this country and letting our elected officials know that these laws are against the Divine Will and Word of God, then you're going to see Satanic attacks rise in your life. You're moving into The War Zone.
I look forward to the day when living in The War Zone is a daily way of life for me. Jesus said to rejoice when men persecute you and say all manner of evil against you for His Name's sake (Matthew 5). The scripture says that happy are those who endure suffering and affliction for the cause of Christ (James 5). The Bible also says not to think it strange when the fiery trial comes upon you (1Peter 4). Too many believers and preachers are trying to "stay away" from Suffering and Persecution. Not here buddy! I look forward to the day, in the name of the Advancement of The Kingdom of God, where my lifestyle is one of living in The War Zone.
Monday, May 30, 2016
Saturday, May 28, 2016
The Discipline of Fasting
As we continue to press into the Kingdom of God, one of the keys to getting to where God has spiritually ordained us to be is the Discipline of Fasting. You're not going to be able to enter the Kingdom of God and access the power thereof without learning how to Deny Your Self (Ephesians 5). This is one of the challenges of many Christians in regards to learning how to Walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5). Many of us have not learned how to Deny Our Selves (Matthew 16). As a result, we stay trapped in the spirit of the flesh rather than basking in the Freedom of the Spirit (Galatians 5). One of the things that can set us free so that we can operate at the Level for which God has ordained is the Discipline of Fasting.
Fasting is the spiritual discipline of denying one's self in a particular area for the purpose of drawing closer to God and yielding to His Will. If you're serious about being close to God and having His Divine Will manifested in your life, it is imperative that you develop a Lifestyle of Fasting. Let me say it again: if you are intent upon having the Divine Will of God being manifested in your life, it is imperative that you develop a Lifestyle of Fasting. Fasting is not an option, it is Mandatory. I'm not sure if the Discipline and Principle of Fasting is taught enough in many of our mainstream churches. But I'm telling you for the record, if Fasting is not something that you're acclimated to doing "on the regular", you need to change your mindset and adjust your spiritual practices. In order to grow spiritually and be all that God would have you to be, you must embrace The Discipline of Fasting.
A lot of times when people think of Fasting, they automatically think of food. Of course this is appropriate, since many of the fasts that are mentioned in the Bible were specifically people fasting from food (Matthew 4, Exodus 34, Esther 4). However, food is not the only area for which one can conduct a Fast unto the Lord. What you want to be prayerful about is an area for which you may "over-indulge" that is not considered a sin. You do not Fast from sin, you repent from sin. So for some people, you may need to fast from television. Others may need to fast from the Internet (Facebook, Twitter, etc.). Some people may need to fast from talking on the phone. A Food Fast, however, is always in order. But the main thing with conducting a Fast is the objective of denying yourself in order to increase your capacity for God (Psalm 35).
When you go on a Fast, do it within a specific time frame. Don't just fast "arbitrarily", but set the time. So you may say, ok I'm going to fast for 3 days. Or, I'm going to fast for a week, or I'm going to fast for a month. But whatever the time frame is, set it. You can always adjust your Fast while you're going through it. So you may start off on a 3 day fast and then need to lengthen it to 5 days. Or you may have started out on a 30 day fast and need to shorten it to 3 weeks. That's ok. But whatever you do, make the time frame specific, don't just leave it open.
I believe saints that many of us have reached a period in our walk with Christ where a Fast is in order. If you feel like you've hit your "spiritual wall". If you feel like you're in a "funk" and you just can't pray and worship your way out of it; it may be time for a Fast. For this reason I recommend that all of us adopt as a part of our spiritual devotion and commitment, The Discipline of Fasting.
Fasting is the spiritual discipline of denying one's self in a particular area for the purpose of drawing closer to God and yielding to His Will. If you're serious about being close to God and having His Divine Will manifested in your life, it is imperative that you develop a Lifestyle of Fasting. Let me say it again: if you are intent upon having the Divine Will of God being manifested in your life, it is imperative that you develop a Lifestyle of Fasting. Fasting is not an option, it is Mandatory. I'm not sure if the Discipline and Principle of Fasting is taught enough in many of our mainstream churches. But I'm telling you for the record, if Fasting is not something that you're acclimated to doing "on the regular", you need to change your mindset and adjust your spiritual practices. In order to grow spiritually and be all that God would have you to be, you must embrace The Discipline of Fasting.
A lot of times when people think of Fasting, they automatically think of food. Of course this is appropriate, since many of the fasts that are mentioned in the Bible were specifically people fasting from food (Matthew 4, Exodus 34, Esther 4). However, food is not the only area for which one can conduct a Fast unto the Lord. What you want to be prayerful about is an area for which you may "over-indulge" that is not considered a sin. You do not Fast from sin, you repent from sin. So for some people, you may need to fast from television. Others may need to fast from the Internet (Facebook, Twitter, etc.). Some people may need to fast from talking on the phone. A Food Fast, however, is always in order. But the main thing with conducting a Fast is the objective of denying yourself in order to increase your capacity for God (Psalm 35).
When you go on a Fast, do it within a specific time frame. Don't just fast "arbitrarily", but set the time. So you may say, ok I'm going to fast for 3 days. Or, I'm going to fast for a week, or I'm going to fast for a month. But whatever the time frame is, set it. You can always adjust your Fast while you're going through it. So you may start off on a 3 day fast and then need to lengthen it to 5 days. Or you may have started out on a 30 day fast and need to shorten it to 3 weeks. That's ok. But whatever you do, make the time frame specific, don't just leave it open.
I believe saints that many of us have reached a period in our walk with Christ where a Fast is in order. If you feel like you've hit your "spiritual wall". If you feel like you're in a "funk" and you just can't pray and worship your way out of it; it may be time for a Fast. For this reason I recommend that all of us adopt as a part of our spiritual devotion and commitment, The Discipline of Fasting.
Friday, May 27, 2016
Where Is God?
Have you ever looked at your life and asked the question, Where Is God? Have you ever looked at the world and various situations and asked the question, Where Is God? This is the argument that a lot of atheists and agnostics like to make from the standpoint of, if there really is a God then why does He allow this and why does He allow that? These are legitimate questions, but not towards the validity of the Existence of the Almighty. But still, even for those who are ardent believers in God and in no shape, form or fashion question His Eternal Existence or Presence; sometimes we are still challenged to ask the question, Where Is God? Not does God exist, but Where Is He in this situation, in this predicament, in this circumstance?
Saints, let me start off by saying that God is where He's always been, On His Eternal Throne (Psalm 47). But remember, God is also Omni-Present, so He's Everywhere at the same time. So even though "we" may not see or know Where He Is in a certain situation or given circumstance, I can assure, God is Right There, closer than you can imagine. So the appropriate question is not Where Is God, the more pertinent question is Where Are We? As God is Moving, and He Is, and as His Presence pervades whatever situation we're experiencing and being challenged to endure, the better question is Where Are We, and even better, Where Are We with God?
What I am learning is that as a child of God, as a believer in Christ, every situation and trial that we go through is Divinely Designed by the Lord to test and expose where we are in regards to our faith and relationship with Him. We must keep in mind and always remember, Life is about God, it's not about us. Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12), so He gets to write the script anyway He Divinely chooses. The question in every episode that God Sovereignly and Providentially allows is, not just where is our faith, but where are we in our relationship with Him (for which our faith is a reflection of). So when the Trials and Vicissitudes of life hit you hard and in a very painful and sometimes even seemingly destructive way, before you start questioning the whereabouts of God and why and how could He do this to you, first ask the question of Where are you in relation to Him in regards to the situation He's Providentially allowing you to experience.
Nobody had a more legitimate reason to question Where Was God than His Own Son, Jesus. As a matter of fact, Jesus went so far to ask, "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken Me?(Matthew 27). But did God show up for His Son? He most certainly did! And remember, He didn't relieve the suffering, He didn't alleviate the pain; but what the Father did do was Validate the Experience. That's what The Resurrection was all about; the Validation of the Crucifixion of His Son, Jesus the Christ. And saints, I can assure you, as a child of The Father in whom His Son dwelleth, if you can just hold on a little while longer, in the midst of the disappointment, in the midst of the disillusionment, in the midst of the unanswered questions, in the midst of the hurt, in the midst of the pain, in the midst of the anger, in the midst of what feels like utter hopelessness; our God will also Validate your Experience and show you that even though you may ask Where Is God, He will prove to you beyond a shadow of a doubt: He's Been There All the Time.
Saints, let me start off by saying that God is where He's always been, On His Eternal Throne (Psalm 47). But remember, God is also Omni-Present, so He's Everywhere at the same time. So even though "we" may not see or know Where He Is in a certain situation or given circumstance, I can assure, God is Right There, closer than you can imagine. So the appropriate question is not Where Is God, the more pertinent question is Where Are We? As God is Moving, and He Is, and as His Presence pervades whatever situation we're experiencing and being challenged to endure, the better question is Where Are We, and even better, Where Are We with God?
What I am learning is that as a child of God, as a believer in Christ, every situation and trial that we go through is Divinely Designed by the Lord to test and expose where we are in regards to our faith and relationship with Him. We must keep in mind and always remember, Life is about God, it's not about us. Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12), so He gets to write the script anyway He Divinely chooses. The question in every episode that God Sovereignly and Providentially allows is, not just where is our faith, but where are we in our relationship with Him (for which our faith is a reflection of). So when the Trials and Vicissitudes of life hit you hard and in a very painful and sometimes even seemingly destructive way, before you start questioning the whereabouts of God and why and how could He do this to you, first ask the question of Where are you in relation to Him in regards to the situation He's Providentially allowing you to experience.
Nobody had a more legitimate reason to question Where Was God than His Own Son, Jesus. As a matter of fact, Jesus went so far to ask, "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken Me?(Matthew 27). But did God show up for His Son? He most certainly did! And remember, He didn't relieve the suffering, He didn't alleviate the pain; but what the Father did do was Validate the Experience. That's what The Resurrection was all about; the Validation of the Crucifixion of His Son, Jesus the Christ. And saints, I can assure you, as a child of The Father in whom His Son dwelleth, if you can just hold on a little while longer, in the midst of the disappointment, in the midst of the disillusionment, in the midst of the unanswered questions, in the midst of the hurt, in the midst of the pain, in the midst of the anger, in the midst of what feels like utter hopelessness; our God will also Validate your Experience and show you that even though you may ask Where Is God, He will prove to you beyond a shadow of a doubt: He's Been There All the Time.
Thursday, May 26, 2016
In It To Win It
I want to ask a question today that I know may be somewhat challenging: are you a Winner or a Loser? Some people may subscribe to the belief that "all of us are winners". Personally, I would beg to differ. Everybody is not a Winner. There are some losers in Life. The scripture definitely supports the belief that we are not all winners when it says, "know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize?" (1Corinthians 9). This lets us know that not everybody is a Winner. I ask this question because for where Christ is taking His chosen in the Kingdom, the only way to get there is to be a Winner. You can't get to the Promised Land, you can't enter the Kingdom of God with a slack and slothful effort and attitude (Hebrews 4). We have to be In It To Win It.
The Apostle Paul says in the 3rd chapter of Philippians that he pressed toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. He also said that if he didn't remain "spiritually fit", that he could preach to others and then become "disqualified" (1Corinthians 9). Saints, if we're going to make it to where God has ordained us to be in the Spirit, we're going to have to Press for the Prize. Are you pressing? I know some of us are tired. I know some of us are worn out. I know the Journey up to this point has taken a lot out of us. But if you know in your heart that you haven't crossed the finish line (in regards to God's Divine Will and Revelation for your life), then you've got to Keep Pressing. You can't give up, you can't back off and you can't retreat. You can't become idle and you can't resort to self-indulgence or carnal comforts. You have to continue to Press.
Then saints, we have to be Disciplined. This is something that I'm seeing lacking in a lot of believers, particularly those in the Ministry. We can't just depend on our Gifting and our Anointing. Yes, our Gift will make room for us (Proverbs 18) and yes God giveth Gifts and Callings without Repentance (Romans 11); but in order to sustain that for which God has called and gifted you to fulfill, you must have Divine Character. That's why the development and nurturing of righteousness and patience and holiness and love is so vital to the Christian witness (Romans 5, 2Timothy 2). In order to do this we must be Disciplined. This is why Jesus says that we have to Bear our Cross if we're going to follow Him (Matthew 16). This is why we are admonished to Crucify the Flesh with the affections and lusts (Galatians 5). There has to be a certain level of Discipline, a certain degree of Focus, a certain level of Commitment and Sacrifice in order to allow the Holy Spirit to develop the godly character required to win the Prize and fulfill the Divine Destiny for which God has ordained His Chosen.
Finally saints, we have to be committed to Suffering. I am inclined to believe that there are more than a few ministries that "sputtered out" at the end of many Ministers' lives because of their refusal and reluctance to Suffer for the Cause of Christ. There's a culture that has been cultivated in the ecclesiastical community that projects onto many of our preachers a status of "Christian Celebrity". We see these preachers on tv, we buy their books and go to their Conferences; and we're just blessed when they minister the Word of God. Nothing's wrong with appreciating the Vessels of God, but something is wrong when you begin to treat them like a Rock Star. This is why every servant of God, regardless of your calling and office, doesn't need to get acclimated to the calls of "Hosanna", but rather embrace the cries of "Crucify Him, Crucify Him". The Bible clearly says that we are called to Suffer with Christ (1Peter 2). Let us not run from this Calling. And we won't, If we are In It To Win It.
The Apostle Paul says in the 3rd chapter of Philippians that he pressed toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. He also said that if he didn't remain "spiritually fit", that he could preach to others and then become "disqualified" (1Corinthians 9). Saints, if we're going to make it to where God has ordained us to be in the Spirit, we're going to have to Press for the Prize. Are you pressing? I know some of us are tired. I know some of us are worn out. I know the Journey up to this point has taken a lot out of us. But if you know in your heart that you haven't crossed the finish line (in regards to God's Divine Will and Revelation for your life), then you've got to Keep Pressing. You can't give up, you can't back off and you can't retreat. You can't become idle and you can't resort to self-indulgence or carnal comforts. You have to continue to Press.
Then saints, we have to be Disciplined. This is something that I'm seeing lacking in a lot of believers, particularly those in the Ministry. We can't just depend on our Gifting and our Anointing. Yes, our Gift will make room for us (Proverbs 18) and yes God giveth Gifts and Callings without Repentance (Romans 11); but in order to sustain that for which God has called and gifted you to fulfill, you must have Divine Character. That's why the development and nurturing of righteousness and patience and holiness and love is so vital to the Christian witness (Romans 5, 2Timothy 2). In order to do this we must be Disciplined. This is why Jesus says that we have to Bear our Cross if we're going to follow Him (Matthew 16). This is why we are admonished to Crucify the Flesh with the affections and lusts (Galatians 5). There has to be a certain level of Discipline, a certain degree of Focus, a certain level of Commitment and Sacrifice in order to allow the Holy Spirit to develop the godly character required to win the Prize and fulfill the Divine Destiny for which God has ordained His Chosen.
Finally saints, we have to be committed to Suffering. I am inclined to believe that there are more than a few ministries that "sputtered out" at the end of many Ministers' lives because of their refusal and reluctance to Suffer for the Cause of Christ. There's a culture that has been cultivated in the ecclesiastical community that projects onto many of our preachers a status of "Christian Celebrity". We see these preachers on tv, we buy their books and go to their Conferences; and we're just blessed when they minister the Word of God. Nothing's wrong with appreciating the Vessels of God, but something is wrong when you begin to treat them like a Rock Star. This is why every servant of God, regardless of your calling and office, doesn't need to get acclimated to the calls of "Hosanna", but rather embrace the cries of "Crucify Him, Crucify Him". The Bible clearly says that we are called to Suffer with Christ (1Peter 2). Let us not run from this Calling. And we won't, If we are In It To Win It.
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
The Fallacy of Independence
One of the mistakes that people have been taught, for which we tend to perpetuate unconsciously throughout our society, is the need for Independence. We teach our children and people throughout society to be "self-sufficient"; don't depend on anybody else, just depend on yourself. This concept is a lie. Yes, people need to know how to be functional and to be able to "take care of themselves" if you will. But nobody can be "Independent". God did not create us this way. God did not design us to be "lone rangers" or to be socially and emotionally isolated. This is not the will of God. God, first off, wants us to be Dependent on Him. And then He's designed us to be "interdependent" upon each other. For this reason, we want to expose the Fallacy of Independence.
One of the biggest lies that Satan has sold this world is that we don't need to be Dependent upon God. Now granted, if you're a believer in Christ, you know that you "need" God. Nobody who's operating with even a modicum of faith is going to deny that. But there's a difference between needing God and "depending" on God. When you depend on God, the very essence and substance of your being revolves around who God is and His Divine Will for your life. In other words, you don't make a move on your own. There is no "Independence". Everything you do is in dependency on the Word and Will of God for your life. This is how Jesus lived, as the Son of God. He did nothing apart from the Leadership of His Father. That's why He said that He only does what He sees the Father doing (John 5). This is how Adam was originally made. His naming the animals in Genesis chapter 2 was not an "independent enterprise". This was done under the leadership of the Father. Why do you think the scriptures describe us as "children of God". We're never described as "adults" of God, even in the context of spiritual maturity. Why? Because God always wants us to have the posture and attitude of a child (Matthew 18). Children are always "dependent" on their parents.
Then saints, we need each other. The spirit of Individualism that regulates American affairs is not reflective of the spirit of the Kingdom of God. In the words of Hezekiah Walker, "I need you to survive". This is why it is incumbent upon the church to create, and in many instances re-create, a Sense of Community in our various neighborhoods and cities. Everybody's living these "isolated lives", even in the church. This is not the Will of God. It's going to take some effort. We're going to have to get out of our comfort zones. But if we want to establish the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in Heaven, then we must break down The Fallacy of Independence.
One of the biggest lies that Satan has sold this world is that we don't need to be Dependent upon God. Now granted, if you're a believer in Christ, you know that you "need" God. Nobody who's operating with even a modicum of faith is going to deny that. But there's a difference between needing God and "depending" on God. When you depend on God, the very essence and substance of your being revolves around who God is and His Divine Will for your life. In other words, you don't make a move on your own. There is no "Independence". Everything you do is in dependency on the Word and Will of God for your life. This is how Jesus lived, as the Son of God. He did nothing apart from the Leadership of His Father. That's why He said that He only does what He sees the Father doing (John 5). This is how Adam was originally made. His naming the animals in Genesis chapter 2 was not an "independent enterprise". This was done under the leadership of the Father. Why do you think the scriptures describe us as "children of God". We're never described as "adults" of God, even in the context of spiritual maturity. Why? Because God always wants us to have the posture and attitude of a child (Matthew 18). Children are always "dependent" on their parents.
Then saints, we need each other. The spirit of Individualism that regulates American affairs is not reflective of the spirit of the Kingdom of God. In the words of Hezekiah Walker, "I need you to survive". This is why it is incumbent upon the church to create, and in many instances re-create, a Sense of Community in our various neighborhoods and cities. Everybody's living these "isolated lives", even in the church. This is not the Will of God. It's going to take some effort. We're going to have to get out of our comfort zones. But if we want to establish the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in Heaven, then we must break down The Fallacy of Independence.
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
It's Not a Flow, It's a Fight
One of the things most people want to experience, and this includes Christians and the church, is for life to be a Flow. We don't want to experience a lot of stress, we don't want to experience a lot of strife. We don't want to have to deal with a lot of dissension, we don't want to have to endure a lot of confrontations and circumstantial turmoil. Yes, we know that life involves problems and that "things" do tend to happen. But all in all, we just want things to go smoothly and have a tranquil life. Even though this is ideal, it's not necessarily reality. Neither is it reality for the Christian believer. There are more than a few Christians who mistakenly believe that since we "are" Christians, and because we do have God in our life, that things should be easier for us. However, this is a gross misconception of the Christian experience, because living for Christ Is Not a Flow, It's a Fight.
One of the things that we must constantly keep in mind as believers in Christ is that we have an archenemy that is positioned to bring about our defeat and destruction (John 10). Because American society has not really been exposed to an "all-out war" on our land (even during the World Wars), we don't have a concept of what it means to live and function in "wartime". Saints, we've got to understand, we are at War. Now more than ever, because the Devil knows his time is short; plus he knows God is up to something, he just doesn't know fully what it is. Therefore, we need to abandon the mindset that things are supposed to go smoothly for us because we're "Blessed". Wrong. No saints, It's Not a Flow, It's a Fight.
For this reason the scripture says to, "fight the good fight of faith" (1Timothy 6). The scripture also says for us to "endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ" (2Timothy 2). When we're challenged to endure pain, hardships, hurts, conflicts and disappointments, particularly in regards to our faith, don't look at it as an aberration. Don't perceive it as something odd. And don't try to question "what did you do wrong". Understand, this is part of the Fight. This is part of the struggle called Life. Then remember what the scripture says in Romans 8, "and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose". Whatever God is allowing you to go through, whatever it is, He's already ordained it to work for your good. But if we're going to get to the Good for which God has ordained, we've got to Fight, we've got to Struggle, we've got to Press. Is it easy? No. So quit thinking it's supposed to be. Is it going to get harder? Yes. Whoever said Bearing your Cross is supposed to be easy? (Matthew 16) But is the Reward worth it? Yes! (Hebrews 11). And we will be rewarded saints if we understand, It's Not a Flow, It's a Fight.
One of the things that we must constantly keep in mind as believers in Christ is that we have an archenemy that is positioned to bring about our defeat and destruction (John 10). Because American society has not really been exposed to an "all-out war" on our land (even during the World Wars), we don't have a concept of what it means to live and function in "wartime". Saints, we've got to understand, we are at War. Now more than ever, because the Devil knows his time is short; plus he knows God is up to something, he just doesn't know fully what it is. Therefore, we need to abandon the mindset that things are supposed to go smoothly for us because we're "Blessed". Wrong. No saints, It's Not a Flow, It's a Fight.
For this reason the scripture says to, "fight the good fight of faith" (1Timothy 6). The scripture also says for us to "endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ" (2Timothy 2). When we're challenged to endure pain, hardships, hurts, conflicts and disappointments, particularly in regards to our faith, don't look at it as an aberration. Don't perceive it as something odd. And don't try to question "what did you do wrong". Understand, this is part of the Fight. This is part of the struggle called Life. Then remember what the scripture says in Romans 8, "and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose". Whatever God is allowing you to go through, whatever it is, He's already ordained it to work for your good. But if we're going to get to the Good for which God has ordained, we've got to Fight, we've got to Struggle, we've got to Press. Is it easy? No. So quit thinking it's supposed to be. Is it going to get harder? Yes. Whoever said Bearing your Cross is supposed to be easy? (Matthew 16) But is the Reward worth it? Yes! (Hebrews 11). And we will be rewarded saints if we understand, It's Not a Flow, It's a Fight.
Monday, May 23, 2016
Hurting People
As we look throughout our country, we see that there are a lot of people that are hurting. People are dealing with various sicknesses and illness that they won't even let people know about. Many of the people that you think are "okay" are really not. They are dealing with aches and pains that they refuse to publicly divulge. They are physically hurting. Then there are people who are suffering with emotional pain. Wounds and scars from the past that have never been healed. Since there is no institutional form of addressing emotional and psychological issues (like the medical system and hospitals address physiological ailments), outside of counseling and therapy, people are forced to deal with their internal turmoil the best they know how. Then there are the relational issues, financial issues, career issues, that are throwing people into social tumult. Bottom line my friends, we are living in a society where there are a lot of Hurting People.
The Good News about the Kingdom of God is that God has established His Kingdom in order to address the hurts and pains of people (Luke 4, Isaiah 61). The Kingdom of God is not simply for "personal prosperity". Yes, God is going to release Supernatural Favor to His Chosen as a Manifestation of the establishment of His Kingdom (Exodus 12). However, when you study the Ministry of Jesus, His Ministerial Objective was never the material advancement of Himself, let alone the people He served. Jesus was always about dealing with the hurts of the people. All throughout His Ministry He was healing the sick, raising the dead, giving sight to the blind, making the deaf hear, empowering the crippled to walk, feeding the hungry; this was The Ministry of Jesus.
As the disciples and Body of Christ, this too is our Mission and Ministry. Just as Jesus was called to Minister to the hurts of people and minister to Hurting People, this too is the job of the church. Our job as Witnesses of Jesus Christ is to go where the Holy Spirit sends us and address the needs and concerns of Hurting People. People want to know does someone care? Americans today are "politically vulnerable" because they are desperate for a Government that cares. Cares about their economic plight, cares about their financial woes, cares about the emotional state of their families, cares about the safety and security of their communities. And not only does someone care, can anybody do anything about the problems? The church's answer should be a resounding yes. There is someone who cares, and His Name is Jesus. He cares so much that He gave His Life on Calvary's Cross to die for the forgiveness of the sins of the world. That is the Love of God. The Design of the Kingdom of God is to take the Love that the Father Manifested through His Son on the Cross and spread it to the entire world. A world that needs to know that there is a God who is and has the answer for Hurting People.
The Good News about the Kingdom of God is that God has established His Kingdom in order to address the hurts and pains of people (Luke 4, Isaiah 61). The Kingdom of God is not simply for "personal prosperity". Yes, God is going to release Supernatural Favor to His Chosen as a Manifestation of the establishment of His Kingdom (Exodus 12). However, when you study the Ministry of Jesus, His Ministerial Objective was never the material advancement of Himself, let alone the people He served. Jesus was always about dealing with the hurts of the people. All throughout His Ministry He was healing the sick, raising the dead, giving sight to the blind, making the deaf hear, empowering the crippled to walk, feeding the hungry; this was The Ministry of Jesus.
As the disciples and Body of Christ, this too is our Mission and Ministry. Just as Jesus was called to Minister to the hurts of people and minister to Hurting People, this too is the job of the church. Our job as Witnesses of Jesus Christ is to go where the Holy Spirit sends us and address the needs and concerns of Hurting People. People want to know does someone care? Americans today are "politically vulnerable" because they are desperate for a Government that cares. Cares about their economic plight, cares about their financial woes, cares about the emotional state of their families, cares about the safety and security of their communities. And not only does someone care, can anybody do anything about the problems? The church's answer should be a resounding yes. There is someone who cares, and His Name is Jesus. He cares so much that He gave His Life on Calvary's Cross to die for the forgiveness of the sins of the world. That is the Love of God. The Design of the Kingdom of God is to take the Love that the Father Manifested through His Son on the Cross and spread it to the entire world. A world that needs to know that there is a God who is and has the answer for Hurting People.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)