A few days ago I was talking about how some people in Christian circles use Job 1:21 to make themselves feel better, by attributing to God the fact that He "takes away". I stated that God is good, and the devil is bad, and that we should use John 10:10 to interpret when things are happening in our lives so we can rightly determine who is causing the problems.
This morning as I was reading my Bible, I came across this Scripture in Job 3:25. Here is what Job was saying (this is the amplified version): "For the thing which I greatly fear comes upon me, and that of which I am afraid befalls me." All Scripture is given to us as an example to show us how to live. So anytime I find a Scripture like this one, it makes me stand up and take notice.
I get nuggets of wisdom on facebook from Creflo Dollar, and this morning I found it really interesting what he had to say, I saw it just minutes after reading Job 3:25. Listen to this:
"Fear has no place in the life of a believer. It simply contaminates our faith. By meditating on the word daily, and speaking faith filled words, we shut the door on fear and paralyze the enemy. Remember God has given you love, power, and a sound mind- which when applied will cause you to live a fearless life."
Fear. This is what caused all of Job's problems. You might say, it was the devil. And that would be correct, but how does the devil get entrance into our lives? Through fear. The devil can only mess with our lives, IF we let him. And he does that by getting us to agree with his thoughts and saying them with our mouths. That's just what Job did, look at Job 1:5: "And it was so, when the days of their (his children) feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually."
Again, what is it that the devil does? He plants thoughts in our minds in the hopes that we will agree with it, and by doing that he gets the ability to mess our lives up. I can see it, Job's kids start having parties, and the devil starts to place thoughts in his head. It probably went something like this, "My kids are over there partying and living it up. I hope they aren't cursing God right now. I've spoiled those kids, I wonder if they're even serving God at all. I don't know, I better make a sacrifice for them just to be sure."
If the devil can get us to fear, to second guess what we are doing and just begin to run our mouth with those thoughts that he places in our minds, then the law of the Kingdom comes into play. You will find that law in Mark 11:23, whatsoever things you believe in your heart, and say with your mouth you will have.
Let's keep faith filled words in our mouths, and when the enemy's thoughts come (and they will come be assured) cast those down (2 Corinthians 10:5) and take no thought saying. Remember the devil can only do what you allow him to do in your life. Jesus has deprived him of any power over us, unless we give it to him. Fight on, fight well....
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
What Makes You A Man?
Growing up in Muskogee, Oklahoma in the 70's, there was always talk among those of us adolescent teens about becoming a man. I was thinking about that today, and through my reminiscing I was amazed at what back then I thought it took to become a "man". Mostly it involved doing things, most of which none of us had any idea what they actually were.
I think that one of the saddest things about growing up in the 70's was that there were no men in my life that led me in the path of becoming a man. I was pretty much left to myself as to how to figure that out. So after I married my bride, I quickly realized there was much that was being required of me that I had no idea about. I asked my Pastor one day if he could preach a sermon about what it meant to be an authentic man of God, which never happened.
I moved on in my married life and as we began to have children, again I had this gnawing feeling that I just wasn't quite enough. You know, that I wasn't measuring up as a man. It seemed that I was more and more frustrated, and if you had asked me why, I couldn't have told you. I just knew that there was something missing in my life.
It was about this time that a sales rep who called on my business told me about this book he had just read. He said, "You've got to get this book called Wild at Heart. It's written by this guy named John Eldredge, and Dave it is amazing!" We talked a little bit longer about it, then he left to go to another appointment. I left right after that to go to my local Christian bookstore and buy this book. I read it that night, and in about three days I had completely finished it. I was amazed. In this book, I had found the answers that I had been looking for for so long.
That was almost ten years ago, and I have walked in the knowledge this little book showed me for most of that time. What I have learned through all of this is that what makes me a man, is the decisions that I make everyday. Decisions to love my wife and kids, to give my life for them just like Jesus gave His life for me. It's not in accomplishments, or acquisitions or conquests, it's in the day to day living and giving my life for those around me. That is what makes us men.
How about you? Have you longed for something, but just not been able to articulate what that is? If you haven't read this book Wild at Heart, then I suggest you run to your nearest Christian book store and buy it now...I promise you it will change your life. Strength and honor for the Kingdom and the King!
I think that one of the saddest things about growing up in the 70's was that there were no men in my life that led me in the path of becoming a man. I was pretty much left to myself as to how to figure that out. So after I married my bride, I quickly realized there was much that was being required of me that I had no idea about. I asked my Pastor one day if he could preach a sermon about what it meant to be an authentic man of God, which never happened.
I moved on in my married life and as we began to have children, again I had this gnawing feeling that I just wasn't quite enough. You know, that I wasn't measuring up as a man. It seemed that I was more and more frustrated, and if you had asked me why, I couldn't have told you. I just knew that there was something missing in my life.
It was about this time that a sales rep who called on my business told me about this book he had just read. He said, "You've got to get this book called Wild at Heart. It's written by this guy named John Eldredge, and Dave it is amazing!" We talked a little bit longer about it, then he left to go to another appointment. I left right after that to go to my local Christian bookstore and buy this book. I read it that night, and in about three days I had completely finished it. I was amazed. In this book, I had found the answers that I had been looking for for so long.
That was almost ten years ago, and I have walked in the knowledge this little book showed me for most of that time. What I have learned through all of this is that what makes me a man, is the decisions that I make everyday. Decisions to love my wife and kids, to give my life for them just like Jesus gave His life for me. It's not in accomplishments, or acquisitions or conquests, it's in the day to day living and giving my life for those around me. That is what makes us men.
How about you? Have you longed for something, but just not been able to articulate what that is? If you haven't read this book Wild at Heart, then I suggest you run to your nearest Christian book store and buy it now...I promise you it will change your life. Strength and honor for the Kingdom and the King!
Friday, October 29, 2010
The Lord Gives & The Lord Takes - Yeah, Right
There is a song out there that called "Blessed Be Your Name" which uses Job 1:21 in its lyrics. This one Scripture has confused more Christians I believe than any other Scripture ever read. Job 1:21 states: "And (Job) said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."
The last half of this Scripture is used a lot at funerals. You might hear a preacher say, "He was a good man, but the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." I want to go on record here as saying that those who use this Scripture in this way are ignorant of Scripture. While saying this may actually make people feel good, although I don't know why, it kind of says that God has taken their loved one from them...and sorry, but that doesn't make God look good in my opinion.
What I wish people would do is read a little bit before that Scripture say like in verse 12 which says, "And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself (Job) put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD."
This Scripture pretty much tells you who it was that afflicted Job. It was the devil, not God.
When Job made the statement in verse 21, he thought that God was the one who had caused the calamity in his life. This is a thought that is very prevalent in the minds of Christians today. Our enemy (the devil) is very crafty at keeping himself out of the lime light. If you read John 10:10; you will see who it is that kills, steals and destroys. It is not God, He is trying to give you life and life to the full. Using John 10:10 to interpret Job 1:21 you can easily see who it is that caused the devastation in Job's life.
It's like this, we have an enemy. His name is the devil, and he is trying to kill, steal and destroy our lives, and he uses lies to do so. See if you take the devil out of the equation, then that only leaves two people to blame when things go wrong; you and God. That's what was happening in the story of Job.
The devil will oppose us, and he's done here exactly what he was trying to do to Jesus in the wilderness, pervert Scripture to get Him off track. The devil knows that the Word of God in us, coming out of our mouths will defeat him every time, so what he does is gets us to use Scripture in the wrong way...then it won't hurt him.
I'll close with this; God is good and the devil is bad plain and simple. It's not rocket science, it's really that simple. Use John 10:10 as your guideline when things happen in your life and you will recognize when it is the enemy messing with you. Don't blame God for taking people out of your lives, He only took Enoch, Elijah and Jesus and them He took them alive. God has only good for you, if you doubt that then take a look at Jeremiah 29:11.
Strength and honor for the Kingdom and the King.
The last half of this Scripture is used a lot at funerals. You might hear a preacher say, "He was a good man, but the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." I want to go on record here as saying that those who use this Scripture in this way are ignorant of Scripture. While saying this may actually make people feel good, although I don't know why, it kind of says that God has taken their loved one from them...and sorry, but that doesn't make God look good in my opinion.
What I wish people would do is read a little bit before that Scripture say like in verse 12 which says, "And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself (Job) put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD."
This Scripture pretty much tells you who it was that afflicted Job. It was the devil, not God.
When Job made the statement in verse 21, he thought that God was the one who had caused the calamity in his life. This is a thought that is very prevalent in the minds of Christians today. Our enemy (the devil) is very crafty at keeping himself out of the lime light. If you read John 10:10; you will see who it is that kills, steals and destroys. It is not God, He is trying to give you life and life to the full. Using John 10:10 to interpret Job 1:21 you can easily see who it is that caused the devastation in Job's life.
It's like this, we have an enemy. His name is the devil, and he is trying to kill, steal and destroy our lives, and he uses lies to do so. See if you take the devil out of the equation, then that only leaves two people to blame when things go wrong; you and God. That's what was happening in the story of Job.
The devil will oppose us, and he's done here exactly what he was trying to do to Jesus in the wilderness, pervert Scripture to get Him off track. The devil knows that the Word of God in us, coming out of our mouths will defeat him every time, so what he does is gets us to use Scripture in the wrong way...then it won't hurt him.
I'll close with this; God is good and the devil is bad plain and simple. It's not rocket science, it's really that simple. Use John 10:10 as your guideline when things happen in your life and you will recognize when it is the enemy messing with you. Don't blame God for taking people out of your lives, He only took Enoch, Elijah and Jesus and them He took them alive. God has only good for you, if you doubt that then take a look at Jeremiah 29:11.
Strength and honor for the Kingdom and the King.
Sleeping The Sleep Of The Dead
It's October 29th, just a few days before Halloween. Last night, I was afforded an opportunity that I don't have very often; I was able to spend the evening home alone. After doing a little grocery shopping, I sat down to enjoy my dinner along with the movie TRON. The sequel is due to come out soon, and I wanted to refresh my memory about what had happened in the original story.
My only real problem was that I was asleep in my recliner by 8:30 pm and missed about half of the movie. Now I chalked it off to having worked so hard that my body just needed a little rest. So I watched the rest of the movie and waited on my son to get home from work.
After talking with Micah for a few minutes, I retired to my bed at about 10:30 pm and headed off for a night of rest, thinking that 6:00 am would get here quickly. It didn't take me long to fall asleep and enter that state of rest that is so important for the body. I missed a phone call and text from my bride, that came at 11:00 pm and 12:00 am.
I awoke to my alarm ringing, turned it off and went right back to sleep. Somewhere around 8:30 am my cell phone rang, and I fumbled around trying to answer it. It was my beautiful bride calling to see if I was awake yet. She seemed a little surprised that I was still asleep, and told me that she had called the night before.
I guess that I needed my beauty rest last night. I slept harder than I have in a long time, so I guess I really needed it. But you know it is October and with Halloween just around the corner, maybe I was just wearing a costume last night as I slept, the costume of the sleep of the dead. Who knows....
My only real problem was that I was asleep in my recliner by 8:30 pm and missed about half of the movie. Now I chalked it off to having worked so hard that my body just needed a little rest. So I watched the rest of the movie and waited on my son to get home from work.
After talking with Micah for a few minutes, I retired to my bed at about 10:30 pm and headed off for a night of rest, thinking that 6:00 am would get here quickly. It didn't take me long to fall asleep and enter that state of rest that is so important for the body. I missed a phone call and text from my bride, that came at 11:00 pm and 12:00 am.
I awoke to my alarm ringing, turned it off and went right back to sleep. Somewhere around 8:30 am my cell phone rang, and I fumbled around trying to answer it. It was my beautiful bride calling to see if I was awake yet. She seemed a little surprised that I was still asleep, and told me that she had called the night before.
I guess that I needed my beauty rest last night. I slept harder than I have in a long time, so I guess I really needed it. But you know it is October and with Halloween just around the corner, maybe I was just wearing a costume last night as I slept, the costume of the sleep of the dead. Who knows....
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Opposition...Why Are You Surprised?
One of the most devious lies ever told in Christianity is that once you accept Jesus as your savior, you will never have any more problems. It sounds nice, and to the new Christian even has a ring of truth to it. After all they have just had the blinders removed, the chains taken away and put on their robe of righteousness...why wouldn't everything be okay? They just entered the Kingdom of Heaven.
Christians who use this reasoning with baby Christians should be flogged. Okay, maybe not really flogged, but they should be told what they are doing is wrong. Jesus never promised us that life would be easy. He actually told us, "In the world you "will" have trouble." (John 16:33) Not maybe, it could happen, or if you've done something wrong, but you will have trouble!
Now that's more like it. Here's the clarity that so many of us need. We are going to have trouble, so why are we surprised when hell lands on our doorstep? We shouldn't be should we? After all Jesus can't lie right? So now that we've established that problems are going to come, what do we do with that? Go hide in a cave somewhere and wait for Jesus' return? No! We are the salt, we are the light of the world...we've got to tell people about Jesus so that they can get out of the bondage of the enemy.
But wait, there's more. Jesus starts verse 33 by saying, "These things I have spoken unto you that in me you might have peace." And He ends the verse by saying, "but be of good cheer (be happy). I have overcome the world." Jesus talks about the answer to the problems twice as much as He talks about the problem. I wonder, do we do that? Or do we magnify the problems by talking more about them than the answer to the problems?
We as Christians are going to be opposed, especially if we are doing something for the Kingdom. The enemy is defeated, but unless we demonstrate his defeat in our walk with the Lord, the enemy will ride roughshod over us. We have been given mighty weapons by God to help us overcome the evil one, the Name of Jesus, the Blood of Jesus and the Holy Spirit leading, guiding and directing our steps (if we will listen to Him that is). It's like this statement I heard last night, "If you don't bump into the devil every once in a while, you just might be going in the same direction as him."
So when hell shows up on your doorstep, don't be surprised by it...be ready for it and stand in the knowledge that we, when in union with Christ, overcome the opposition by staying in the peace that Jesus gave us, and being of good cheer (staying happy during adverse circumstances) knowing that we win...every time.
Strength and honor for the Kingdom and the King!
Christians who use this reasoning with baby Christians should be flogged. Okay, maybe not really flogged, but they should be told what they are doing is wrong. Jesus never promised us that life would be easy. He actually told us, "In the world you "will" have trouble." (John 16:33) Not maybe, it could happen, or if you've done something wrong, but you will have trouble!
Now that's more like it. Here's the clarity that so many of us need. We are going to have trouble, so why are we surprised when hell lands on our doorstep? We shouldn't be should we? After all Jesus can't lie right? So now that we've established that problems are going to come, what do we do with that? Go hide in a cave somewhere and wait for Jesus' return? No! We are the salt, we are the light of the world...we've got to tell people about Jesus so that they can get out of the bondage of the enemy.
But wait, there's more. Jesus starts verse 33 by saying, "These things I have spoken unto you that in me you might have peace." And He ends the verse by saying, "but be of good cheer (be happy). I have overcome the world." Jesus talks about the answer to the problems twice as much as He talks about the problem. I wonder, do we do that? Or do we magnify the problems by talking more about them than the answer to the problems?
We as Christians are going to be opposed, especially if we are doing something for the Kingdom. The enemy is defeated, but unless we demonstrate his defeat in our walk with the Lord, the enemy will ride roughshod over us. We have been given mighty weapons by God to help us overcome the evil one, the Name of Jesus, the Blood of Jesus and the Holy Spirit leading, guiding and directing our steps (if we will listen to Him that is). It's like this statement I heard last night, "If you don't bump into the devil every once in a while, you just might be going in the same direction as him."
So when hell shows up on your doorstep, don't be surprised by it...be ready for it and stand in the knowledge that we, when in union with Christ, overcome the opposition by staying in the peace that Jesus gave us, and being of good cheer (staying happy during adverse circumstances) knowing that we win...every time.
Strength and honor for the Kingdom and the King!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Our Place In This World
A few minutes ago, I noticed a lady putting some groceries in her car. There were paper bags, plastic bags and a case of diet coke. She was a well dressed lady in her fifties, with a nice hairdo and had that nice look you know, in a grandmotherly sort of way.
As she moved to put away her grocery cart (buggy for my friends in the south), I couldn't help but wonder if she ever wonders about her place in the world. Did she marry, have children and possibly grandchildren? Was that what she even wanted? Is she a business woman, one of those who pioneered women in the workforce? What is her story I wondered.
As I thought about that, it occurred to me, do people ever think these kind of thoughts about me? And if so, do they ever want to ask me about them. Then I had another thought, is it really about what I want, or is it more about what God wants for me? Now there's a novel thought.
I think that we all spend our lives trying to get what we want for life, and in reality if we would spend that time talking to our Father God about what He wants for our lives, then we would really be fulfilled. I guess it just makes sense to ask the Creator of both the world and us what His design is for us.
Strength and honor for the Kingdom and the King...
As she moved to put away her grocery cart (buggy for my friends in the south), I couldn't help but wonder if she ever wonders about her place in the world. Did she marry, have children and possibly grandchildren? Was that what she even wanted? Is she a business woman, one of those who pioneered women in the workforce? What is her story I wondered.
As I thought about that, it occurred to me, do people ever think these kind of thoughts about me? And if so, do they ever want to ask me about them. Then I had another thought, is it really about what I want, or is it more about what God wants for me? Now there's a novel thought.
I think that we all spend our lives trying to get what we want for life, and in reality if we would spend that time talking to our Father God about what He wants for our lives, then we would really be fulfilled. I guess it just makes sense to ask the Creator of both the world and us what His design is for us.
Strength and honor for the Kingdom and the King...
Dirty Feet & Leadership
The sun is barely above the horizon this morning as I read this passage of Scripture found in John 13:13-17:
13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. 15 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. 16 I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. 17 Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.
The setting for this Scripture is Jesus and His disciples celebrating the passover just before He is arrested. He knew that His time with them was very short, yet He stops everything and washes the disciples feet. And as He is explaining to them what He has just done, He states in verse 15 that He has given us an example to follow.
This can be viewed from various angles, but the way I saw this today was in the light of leadership. Jesus was and is the best example of what a true leader should be. And if He takes the time to tell us that this is an example to follow, then perhaps we should take the time to stop and see what He was showing us.
If you've lived any time on this planet and been a part of any type of organization or business, then you have had the opportunity to see different leadership styles. Regardless of what you have been exposed to however, there really are only two styles of leadership; serving and self-serving.
Leaders who are self-serving, are concerned mostly with how others can help them become more or do more for them. Servant leaders help those around them to become more than they are, or help them to become something more than they can see.
A true servant leader is confident in who he or she is enough that they are able to help others to reach and achieve their goals. They know that if they are able to help those they are leading to become successful, then they in turn will be successful as well. The servant leader is not worried that they will lose their position in the orginzation, but they are willing to lead by example in order that the person they are leading may grow, consequently causing the organization to grow as well.
Everyone of us is suppose to be a leader. Whether we are leading a fortune 500 company, a ministry or our family, we are called to lead. Jesus showed us by His example in this Scripture how a true servant leader should behave. He didn't think that He was better than those He was leading, but He was willing to abase Himself and serve them, placing their needs above His, and in doing so, truly demonstrated how leaders in His Kingdom are to act. Let's learn this and begin to serve those around us and become the leaders that Jesus needs us to be.
Strength and honor for the Kingdom and the King!
13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. 15 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. 16 I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. 17 Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.
The setting for this Scripture is Jesus and His disciples celebrating the passover just before He is arrested. He knew that His time with them was very short, yet He stops everything and washes the disciples feet. And as He is explaining to them what He has just done, He states in verse 15 that He has given us an example to follow.
This can be viewed from various angles, but the way I saw this today was in the light of leadership. Jesus was and is the best example of what a true leader should be. And if He takes the time to tell us that this is an example to follow, then perhaps we should take the time to stop and see what He was showing us.
If you've lived any time on this planet and been a part of any type of organization or business, then you have had the opportunity to see different leadership styles. Regardless of what you have been exposed to however, there really are only two styles of leadership; serving and self-serving.
Leaders who are self-serving, are concerned mostly with how others can help them become more or do more for them. Servant leaders help those around them to become more than they are, or help them to become something more than they can see.
A true servant leader is confident in who he or she is enough that they are able to help others to reach and achieve their goals. They know that if they are able to help those they are leading to become successful, then they in turn will be successful as well. The servant leader is not worried that they will lose their position in the orginzation, but they are willing to lead by example in order that the person they are leading may grow, consequently causing the organization to grow as well.
Everyone of us is suppose to be a leader. Whether we are leading a fortune 500 company, a ministry or our family, we are called to lead. Jesus showed us by His example in this Scripture how a true servant leader should behave. He didn't think that He was better than those He was leading, but He was willing to abase Himself and serve them, placing their needs above His, and in doing so, truly demonstrated how leaders in His Kingdom are to act. Let's learn this and begin to serve those around us and become the leaders that Jesus needs us to be.
Strength and honor for the Kingdom and the King!
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