Each Season Matters

Today was such a beautiful day I took my little dog outside for a walk and I just looked up at the sky and said oh God thank you for this beautiful day. You are awesome. I thank you for this warm sunshine and the beautiful trees and flowers and green grass and I began to cry. Yes, right there walking my dog, I cried for joy. That winter is finally over and Spring has truly sprung and as I stood there, the Lord said you are grateful for Spring because of Winter and I said yes Lord you are so right. I could hardly wait for all of that ice and snow to be gone and take with it the freezing rain and blistering cold winds. So tired of heavy, heavy burdensome clothes and not seeing the sun for days on end. I do understand God why you send Winter, I know it's to kill all the little pests that want to eat crops and beautiful flowers and trees and I know that it is for the soil and so many other things but, I sure am happy about Spring today. I thank you God every good and perfect gift comes from you. All the beautiful birds, flowers, trees, oh look at those clouds, you are such an artist Lord, there is noone like you in all the earth! I praise your name today because you are worthy to be praised. As I walked around I couldn't help but notice how much better I am walking today than I was yesterday and I began to thank Him for that too. The enemy has been trying to tell me that I had hip replacement surgery for nothing. He kept telling me you are walking just as bad as before you had the surgery. I have been rebuking him and telling him he was a liar and to leave me alone. He has tried every trick in the book to discourage me but, it is too late for that. I have gotten closer to the Lord during this long winter season in my life that actually started last April. Oh yes, Winter in our life can come at any time and it has been winter in my life for a very long time. And now in more ways than one it is Spring again and I am so happy.

You know each Season in our life has a purpose. We tend to think that we will just go on and do what we have always done and things will just pretty much stay as they are but, that is so not true. I can look at my life just over the last 9 years and I have really done some incredible things. I have been an armor bearer for a lady Pastor, I have preached the Word, taught the Word, been an altar worker, prayer warrior, Children's Pastor -on 2 separate occasions, worked as an International Stir Fry Chef, worked as an Administrative Assistant, cooked, catered, baked, made candy, and oh so so many other wonderful things and the 1 and only of those things that I am actually called to do, I have done the least of and that is to preach the Word. He has me back on track now and I am preaching again and I love it with a passion that I can't even explain. Absolute joy unspeakable. He tells me things at times that I don't want to hear and He shows me things that I don't want to see but, I do hear and I do see and I have promised Him that I would say what He wants me to say and that I would do what He wants me to do and I would go wherever He wants me to go. I will hold fast to that confession. He has never let me down and I refuse to let Him down.

In this season of my life, I am learning that what He thinks of me is of paramount importance to me and what other people think rarely makes the radar. It's not that I don't care about people or their opinion. I do but, very little in comparison to what He thinks. He is the one that I owe everything to. He is the one that I speak to each morning and say, "Today God, let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart, be acceptable and pleasing in thy sight oh Lord, my strength and my Redeemer." He is the one who is with me always. He is the one that has been with me all of my life. He was there when I was a little girl to shy to speak. He was there when I was a goofy, awkward teenager. He was there when I got married at 18 to someone that I should not have even been associated with. He was there when a year later, I was divorced for reasons to shameful to speak of. He was there when I didn't care about myself at all. He was there when I cared about myself way too much. He was there when noone seemed to even know my name or even care to. He was there when everyone else walked out. He has always been there to protect me, to provide for me, to heal me, to deliver me, to restore me when I was walking so far away from Him I scare my own self just thinking about it. He has been the only true constant in my life ever! I have had some wonderful friends in my lifetime and I still do. I have had some wonderful family members and I still do but, He is the one that is my all in all. He is the one that has never failed me, never turned His back on me and He is the one that matters most of all.

I seek above all to please Him and to make Him glad that He saved me. This is my absolute favorite time of year because, yes it is Spring and butterflies, and flowers, and puppies and babies but, truly because this is the Resurrection time. The time when we set aside remembrance for the Lord Jesus who bled, suffered beyond anything that we could ever imagine and then died for our sins and then gloriously rose again on the third day.  He loved us enough to lay down His precious life in order that we could be saved and live forever with Him. Mighty God! Loving Savior! I can't get over it and I am glad that I still have tears and I am glad that my heart is soft towards Him. I am so glad that even though the enemy has tried to kill me since I was a wee child, I am here!!! I am alive! I am saved! I am healed! I am delivered! hallelujah! I am happy about it! Glory to God!! I am so happy about it! Are you happy in the season that you are in? Is it Wintertime? Is God pruning you back? Is He letting the hard ice and snow kill some unneeded pests in your life? so that you can bloom later with a bigger more beautiful bloom? Whatever season He has you in right now, just embrace it. Because He knows what needs to be done more than we do and He knows exactly how to get the job done. He loves us and wants what is best for us. He always has. His mercies are new every morning, just breathe them in and set forth in the season that He has prepared for you now.

Seasons come and they go but He is forever. Make your choices and decisions according to that fact. Don't make lasting decisions that are of utmost importance in your life based on a season that could end tomorrow. Seek the Lord. He will let you know exactly what to do, when to do it and how to proceed. He has never let me down and I know that He won't let you down either.

Leveling up

When my kids were little, they loved to play video games. Especially Mario Brothers. I could hear them from the next room, and my oldest was helping his younger brother with his levels because he had passed him a while back. He would say now watch out right here, that guys throws hammers at you, but, if you will get right here and let him throw the hammer and then run and jump and you can fly, he will miss you or jump right here and a star will come out and make you invincible long enough to get away from him and get to the next level. Then of course it was just kids talking about a video game but, now when I look back, and listen in on that conversation, it is more than a memory of two little boys playing video games. On this Christian walk we go from faith to faith and from glory to glory. We do attain different levels and just like some of these video games the higher the level, the more difficult to conquer and move up.

Pastor Paul Strong used to say all the time different level, different devil and that is so true. When you push and push and believe and receive and decree and declare and believe some more and finally get to what you can clearly see is another level, you shout woohoo!!! I made it out of that level, then you start moving forward in this new level and realize that yes, you have more power, and yes you have a distinct and more clarified understanding of what was going on in the last level, but, you also receive revelation knowledge of what not to do in this level. I tell you right now some days I am decreeing the Word, believing it the whole time, speaking life,health, healing, wholeness in Jesus name and don't see a thing happening, but, I know that I walk by faith and not by sight and that when I hold fast to my confession, those things will come into view in time. The Word tells us that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen, Hebrews 11:1  You see it doesn't matter what we see with our natural eyes. What matters is what God says and that never changes. You might be fighting an enemy but the good news is, he has already been defeated. He gets bull headed and has to be reminded from time to time who he is and who you are and what the rules of engagement are. He is not dealing with Job anymore! He is now dealing with the blood bought, redeemed, healed, favored, blessed child of God. We will not be filled with fear!

We must realize who we are in Christ Jesus! When we get into these levels that seem so hard that we just can't get through them, we must then realize where I strength comes from and power up through the Word of God. We are made overcomers by the blood of the lamb and the Word of our testimony! We don't have to get pushed around! The enemy isn't running us, God is in control of us, not the enemy. God has not given us a spirit of fear but, of power and love and a sound mind. We don't have to be afraid of what the enemy is going to do. We just have to keep our self fessed up to God, fasted up, prayed up, and He will keep us lifted up in Jesus name!

In that little Mario game that I mentioned earlier, they had a little box where all of your little weapons were and food and such. You could go in and put on different suits to fight different enemies and you could power yourself up with mushrooms and different little gadgets. By the time lil' Mario had reached Bowzer, he had already been through hot dessert sands, volcanoes, pirhanna infested waters, bombs, flying enemies, fire balls just to name a few, but, then at the end, he defeats his enemy.Well....as silly as all of this may sound, we have the same thing in the Word of God, He has given us the whole armor of God to put on, we have the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the sword of the spirit, gospel shoes, shield of faith and the belt of truth. We are to feast on God's Word to make us strong and as we fight the enemy on the different levels we will have an arsenal of weapons at our disposal to fight at each level. We are not weak, beat down babies. We are children of the most High God and we were built to fight the good fight of faith and to win!!!! Power up today with the Word of God and move forward to the next level! Glory to God! Get your mind on Christ Jesus, the Author and the finisher of our faith, Set your mind and eyes on the prize, don't give up, don't give in and victory is on the way!! Glory to God!

What Happened To The Gospel?

 

Where did John 3:16 go? Is it missing from our sermons?

Why won't preachers preach the true gospel anymore? What happened to the gospel of Jesus Christ? I believe that the enemy has gotten people tangled up in denomniationalism,and the love of money,and prestige,and titles. People are more concerned with "their" anointing,and "their" title,than they are about presenting the gospel. The Word of God clearly tells us that we are to preach the gospel. What is the gospel? The way of the cross is the gospel. We can't get away from the fact that Jesus was beaten,and took many stripes upon His holy back for our healing. Have we forgotten that Jesus suffered,and died a cruel death on the cross of Calvary so that we wouldn't have to spend an eternity in an ever-burning HELL!!!? Have we forgotten that He was buried in a borrowed tomb,and on the third day arose from the grave? Why are people watering down the gospel? Why are people sugar-coating the fact that if we don't ask God to forgive us for our sins,and accept Jesus as Lord,and Savior that we are going to an awful,and eternal place known as HELL!!!!?  why doesn't anyone preach the gospel anymore? What is going on ? I tell you the truth we as ministers better get to preaching the truth! God is going to hold us ministers accountable for the souls of the people that we are preaching to. We must preach the truth!! Let's get back to Romans 3:23 For all have sinned,and come short of the glory of God. We must tell people that they must first realize that they are sinners,and are in a need of a Savior. How will they know unless they hear the truth? For faith cometh by hearing,and hearing by the Word of God! How about Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death;but, the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

We can't just let people think that they can just continue on in their sins without any consequences! There are great consequences! Their is a HELL to sun,and a Heaven to gain,and we must warn them! We must tell them the truth! How about Romans 5:8 But, God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Well that is GOOD NEWS!!! Let's tell the truth! Jesus will save you,He will forgive you, He will heal you, He will deliver you, glory to God, He will be our everything, we just have to ask for forgiveness of our sins,and turn from them,and follow after Him, we must accept His sacrificial death on the cross for our salvation, we must accept the stripes on His back for our healing,and we must let Him lead,guide,and direct us in all that we do. He will then be our Lord! How about Romans 10:9-10  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto rigtheousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. What about 1John 1:9 If we confess our sins He is faithful, and just to forgive us our sins,and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness! 

Have we forgotten what the gospel is? Gospel-it means good news, are we telling people the good news about Jesus? Are we so busy telling people how to be prosperous, how to be blessed, how to get this, and how to get that, that we have forgotten how to lead someone to the Lord?!! God forbid!! We need to get back to the basics of Salvation, the chief cornerstone of our salvation, which is our Lord Jesus Christ! Let's go back to the complete truth of the Word of God. The Lord wants us to prosper, even as our souls prospers but, salvation, is first, and foremost. What good does it do for a man to gain the whole world, and to lose his own soul? It profits nothing. It is of the utmost importance, and it is high time to get back to the basics, to learn again, how to preach the gospel, how to praise, how to worship Him with all that is in us, we are in the last of the last days,and we need to get down to business,and quit fooling around,and playing church! glory to God, it is time to get back to the plan of Salvation, it is time to tell folks how to get the victory over the enemy of their souls! How to receive the Baptism in the Holy Ghost, how to lead others to Christ! Nothing else matters! Let's put away our bottles, get out of our diapers, and grow up in God! It is definitely high time! 

He is looking for true ministers, and servants to serve Him, in spirit, and in truth, true worshipers. Let's get back to the gospel, it is the only thing that will save a soul, deliver a drug addict, restore a marriage, bring a lost child home, heal our bodies, keep us out of Hell, and get us into Heaven. Lord help us to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, to live it daily and never to be ashamed of the bloody way of the old rugged cross. There is only one way to Heaven, it doesn't matter what the media says, what the politicians say, what the scientists of our day say, what the philosophers say, there is only one way,and that is Jesus,and that is the gospel! Let's preach it! Seems to me that some preachers are afraid to use the words sin, gospel, blood, forgiveness, judgement, or hell. They seem to be more concerned with being popular, and making sure that everyone is having a good time at church. We are supposed to go to church to worship our Holy God! The gospel is supposed to be preached, and then of course He allows us to be in His holy presence, and He blesses us which is just icing on our cake. We are not supposed to be going to church to have a good time, I hear that so much lately, oh we had a good time, doesn't seem like anyone is getting saved, healed, delivered ,or restored, but everyone had a good time after they worked up some type of feeling or emotion. We must at all cost bet back to the gospel, it works. Everything else is just idle words that don't break the chains of sin. Nothing replaces the gospel of Jesus Christ, nothing. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE GOSPEL???!!

Friendly Fire?

  
I watched a movie yesterday with a friend entitled, "Unbroken", this was an awesome movie about an American POW in Japan. The enemy did all kinds of evil things to him, starved him nearly to death, beat him unmercifully, made him work as a slave carrying baskets of coal up a ramp all day. There is one scene in the movie that really got me I almost jumped right out of my seat, the man in charge of the POW camp singled out this man because he was an olympic champion. He wanted to break him, so he stayed on him more than any of the other men. In this scene he stands him up in front of all his comrades and lines them all up and states that every single man in that camp was to punch this man in the face! The first man in line refuses to do this and then they bring out one of their buddies that was so beaten down that he couldn't even stand up, and they started to hit him over and over stating that if they didn't hit this other man in the face that they would hit this other terribly battered man, so he looks at his buddies and he says do it! Just hit me! Boy, something went off in my spirit and I looked at my friend and I said boy will that preach!

Isn't that what our enemy does at times? Doesn't he stir up trouble in our churches and get Christians to batter other Christians with false accusation, gossip, lies, back-biting?, etc. He doesn't have to attack them because he gets us to attack each other with racism, religious bondage, traditions of men, and so forth. I for one am sick of it! I will not be guilty of any friendly fire on my comrades in arms. We are in this battle together fighting the same enemy, serving the same God for the same common goal. To be saved, stay saved and endure to the end and make as many disciples along the way as possible. Why do we do this? This is beyond ridiculous. The Word of God tells us in Galatians 6:1 "Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, each one looking to yourself, so that you woo will not be tempted. Bear one another's burdens and thereby fulfill the law of Christ, what is the law of Christ? What one law did He set forth? John13:34 A new command I give you, love one another. As I have loved you, you must love one another.

I don't think a picture of love is gossiping about one another and back biting and stirring up division and strife among the brethren, do you? We need to be praying for one another. Praying for us all to have strength, to be healthy, prosperous and whole. What good does it do to speak evil of one another? Does this bring people to Christ? No!!! it does not! quite the opposite! When unsaved people see supposed Christians biting on each other, it really doesn't cause them to say, "Oh joy rapture, let me become a Christian too, look how well they treat each other!" This has to stop! If we are going to reach our families, our neighborhoods, our cities, our counties, our regions, our states, our nations, and other countries all across the world, we must get this thing right and get it right right now! James 3:16 says this: " For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

We as Christians need to get rid of all of the divisions between us and get in one mind and one accord which will allow the Holy Spirit of God to move in our midst and on our behalf. We can't have strife and division and expect God to do anything for us, in us , or through us. In the book of Acts when the disciples and followers of Jesus were in the upper room waiting for the first outpouring of the Holy Spirit, they had to first get into one mind and one accord and when they did, they Holy Spirit of God showed up, filled the room, filled them and began to manifest Himself in and through them. That's when the power came! We can't expect to do any significant work for Christ while we are bound up in the aforementioned things. We must learn to love one another, put first things first which is Jesus, the Author and finisher of our faith, show the love of God to every single person that we meet and get this gospel preached to all the world and then He will come. Let's quit our foolishness and get down to business! Loving one another like Christ loves and reaching people for Christ.

When Prayer Doesn't Seem To Be Working

 
You need Him, so, you seek Him in prayer. You read the Word, you decree and declare the word, you absolutely without doubt believe that you receive what you have been praying for and then nothing happens, now what? Keep seeking, keep reading, keep decreeing and declaring, keep believing, and you will receive what you are praying for. In the book of Daniel we read about the prophet of God praying and fasting for 21 days and diligently seeking the Lord and absolutely nothing was happening. Now I can tell you that would tend to be a little discouraging right there. But, Daniel stood firm, he kept praying, and fasting and seeking the Lord and then here is what the Word of God says happened:

 And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on hands and knees. And he said to me, "O Daniel, man greatly beloved. give heed to the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you." While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling. Then he said to me, "Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your mind to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and l have come because of your words. The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, so I left him there with the prince of the kingdom of Persia and came to make you understand what is to befall your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come." (Daniel 10:10-14 RSV)

So, now we see that there is a spiritual war going on here. This angel had been warring with a demonic force, referred to here as the prince of the kingdom of Persia. Daniel didn't know any of this was going on around him. He didn't know that angelic beings were all around him and that they were warring in the heavenlies. He didn't realize that his prayer had been heard instantly and that help was on the way. But, he continued in prayer until the answer came. This is what we must do. No matter how bad the situation may look or may get before the answer comes, we can rest assured that help is on the way. The word clearly tells us that He goes with us and will not fail or forsake us, Deuteronomy 31:6 says it like this: " Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you." Also Jesus said in Matthew 28:20 when giving the great commission, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Now in the word we have another story about the Prophet Daniel, when they threw him in the lions den. Now, God showed up immediately on that deal because Daniel just laid down and went to sleep right there with the lions and they did not harm him in any way. But, you see God doesn't always show up with an immediate answer sometimes you just have to wait on Him. He is God and He is the one who decides what is best for us. He knows the end from the beginning and He knows exactly what needs to be done.

Listen folks, God doesn't have to be visible to be right there with us. He never leaves us or forsakes us, He never stops loving us and hearing our prayers. We just don't see all that is going on around us. We don't see the angels warring on our behalf. Our time frame is not the same time frame as the Heavenly time frame. We have to learn to be patient and stand firm in our faith believing that He is faithful to His word and that He will do what He says He will do. Doesn't matter what it looks like now. When you are praying for your kids and they seem to get worse instead of better, you have 2 choices you can either stand in faith, keep your mouth, heart and mind lined up with the word of God and say God this don't look good right now but I know that your promises are yes and amen and I know that you are not a man that you would lie and I know that you will perform your word and so I wait on you, I wait until every single thing that you have promised comes to pass in the lives of my children. I do not doubt you God,because you are trustworthy, and it doesn't matter how long it takes because you are God and I am not and you are working all things out for my good and for your glory and then just let it go.

You see God doesn't have to ask our permission to be God. He can do that all by Himself. He is going to work things out the way that He wants to. We can either believe in Him and receive the answer that He gives us, when He gives it or we can doubt, pitch a fit and fall on our face in doubt and disbelief, and abandon our faith. I have learned the hard way, that it is much better for me to trust in His word and just let Him do what He does. You see, I can't fix anything on my own anyway so, why not just trust Him? Why not just let Him do what He does. We have no idea the protection, the provision, the blessing that God gives us daily. We are completely unaware of the spirit realm around us. He is working all things out, in His time and in His way. He is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him. Not some of the time but, all of the time. I have seen so many wonderful things happen in my life and the lives of those that I love and I know that He is still working in the midst of my family and friends. I do not doubt at all that He will do exactly as He has promised. Oh I can't say that when I see bad things happen or hear bad things that I don't take a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh but, immediately I say Lord this belongs to you and I refuse to doubt, or worry about this. Jesus said come unto me all you who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart. and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light, Matt 11:28-30

Sometimes it may not seem like the yoke is easy and the burden is light when you have prayed and prayed and obeyed cried and fasted and nothing has happened.. But, I promise you with all that is within me, HE WILL SHOW UP! In His time. We can't force Him, He has a plan for each and every one of us and He will work it out for you. They that wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk ,and not faint, Isaiah 40:31  So what I am going to say is: Sometimes we just have to wait, we have to hold fast to the confession that we have made and believe and just let God be God and do what He does, when He does it. He is working it out. Don't doubt Him today, just be patient knowing that He cares for you. He sent His son Jesus to die for you. That should prove that your best interests are His very heart. I will leave you with my life's verse: For we know that all things work together for the good of them that love God and are the called according to His purpose, Romans 8:28  He's working it out! He's working it out! He's working it out! Believe it! Receive it! Help is on the way!

Please Don't Kill My Fish!

Hey, I am a fisher of men. I catch fish, that's what I do. I was called to do just that when I was 10 years old and it has taken a lifetime of wandering around in the desert of women don't do that, and did I really hear from God ? and it is just in the last 8 or 9 years that I have truly come into the full season of what it truly means to be a fisher of men. I am compelled to share the love of Christ with everyone I meet. Once I know what their spiritual status is, I go in accordingly, are they saved and discouraged, do they need a healing? or are they just plain ole lost? not born again, in need of a savior? I love sharing Christ
better than anything else in this whole wide world.

What I don't enjoy though is spending time fishing for those souls, you know using just the right bait, being quiet as I sit on the river bank and just wait on the Lord to open up that right opportunity, and then lo and behold there it is, that fish is on the hook and has now been caught and oh what a joyous wonderful feeling comes over me!! So excited for the fish and for me and then I take the fish to meet some church folks and they take their Jesus hammer out and start beating my newly caught (baby Christian) in the head with the Jesus hammer! No, I scream don't kill my fish, I just caught it, it doesn't understand the ways of how to be a sheep yet, it hasn't transitioned into that transformational happening just yet! Stop!! Don't kill my fish! and then I wake up and it was just a dream, or was it?

Isn't that what church folks do sometimes? Don't we see that new baby Christian and they don't dress the way that we think that they should, and their hair don't look just like we think it ought to and they have tattoos and piercings and they drink and smoke, and cuss and we just feel the need to walk up and start beating them in the head with the Jesus hammer, and the only thing that does is give them a holy concussion and leave them dazed, confused, bitter, angry and more often than not they leave church all together. What a shame! Why? Why do we do this? The Holy Spirit of God is our teacher, He is the only one that can clean a freshly caught fish, He is the one that transitions that fish into a lamb and then into a fully grown sheep, that is capable of feeding itself the Word of God and able to pray for itself and rebuke the enemy on it's own. To stand in the God given authority afforded the heirs of salvation.

Lord have mercy! We have got to stop judging people for how they look, what they wear or don't wear for that matter. Jesus don't care! Yes, He wants us to be modestly dressed but, this comes with training from the Holy Ghost, not from us putting chains of bondage on them with a HUGE book of rules and regulations. This is what repels people from church in general. They have just come out of the bondage of sin, they don't need shackles of religion.  They see Christians fighting with Christians, they see clothes line preachers that are so religious that they can't even stand their own selves let along anyone else. They are so bitter and critical that no one wants to be around them let along be like them. We must show the love of God to people, show them His mercy and grace for crying out loud! When you are fishing you are quiet, you dress comfortably and you exercise much patience and diligence and you carry a tackle box full of different kinds of bait to catch different fish and the Jesus hammer is NOT in the tackle box!

The Jesus hammer is for us to crucify our own stinking flesh! Not to kill baby fish(Christians) with. Lord help us to show the love of God every single place that we go. To be salt and light, to be His hands and feet extended to this dying world. To love without limits, to expand our capacity to have patience with the discipleship of new converts. Jesus did not die to bring religion, He died to bring us life and more abundantly. As a fisherman it frustrates me to see people falling by the wayside because of the cruel and unnecessary judgement dealt to them in our churches. Jesus didn't treat people that way, so, why do we do this? We are not qualified or authorized to judge anyone, except we should be judging our own actions and working out our own salvation with fear and trembling.

I hear folks all the time saying things like, well..did you see what she was wearing? Well.. I know that she is doing a work for God but, she shouldn't be wearing that. Did you know that he still smokes? Did you know that he has been married before? Are you kidding me? I thank God daily that the Lord Jesus is not like people because if He was we would all surely be in hell right now. He is full of mercy, and grace. Yes, we will all answer to the Lord one day but, we will not answer to people. He is our judge. We are supposed to be training these fish to be overcoming, victorious sheep not preparing them to be the devils fish dinner. In frustration, I said to the Lord one day, "Lord they keep killing my fish!" He said, "They are my fish, not yours, give them to me and I will make sure that they become fully grown sheep, all is well." Wow! I said yes Lord they are your fish,and I know that you love them with an everlasting love and will finish what you started. Thank you Lord. Meanwhile back in the aquarium (church) I watch out for the Jesus hammer toting church folk that truly don't realize that they are doing anyone any harm. When Jesus told Peter to feed my sheep, I wonder if in the back of his mind, he was thinking and don't kill my fish? Just some food for thought today from a fisher of men.

Praying For The Nations

 

A friend of mine brought up the fact that the Lord promised us nations, Psalms 2:8, and we are not even up to city level yet! Why is this? Why aren't we affecting nations for the Lord Jesus as we should be? I think that it is because we don't have a consistent, effectual prayer life. We get too busy with the day-to-day business of what we call our "Life". 

We need to realize that without the Lord we would not even have breath. We need to realize how close we are to eternity,and that so many people are teetering on the edge of eternal lostness. Let's get serious about praying for our neighbors, let's get serious about praying for the nations. Let's get serious about supporting our missionaries financially,and covering them in prayer. Let's bathe the entire universe with fervent prayer! Remember when Mary,and Joseph got separated from Jesus,and they had gotten concerned about His whereabouts,and when they located Him in the temple teaching, He calmly stated to them,"Don't you know I must be about My Father's business?" That should be us, continually in prayer, and fasting,seeking the Lord,and His will for our lives,and then we will see the nations of the earth come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ! 

When the Gospel has been preached the entire world over,then Jesus will come,and receive us to Himself, Matthew 24:14,let's make this our ever present thinking in the foreground of our minds. Not as an afterthought. Set aside a time for prayer. Not just as you lie down at night, or only at church. Purposefully set aside a prayer time each day. I  have committed myself to pray daily for the nations,and I know that the Lord is going to use this prayer time to do mighty things. To reveal things to me,and work many wonders in my life and those around me. The Word clearly tells us in Chronicles if my people which are called by My name, will humble themselves,and pray,and seek My face,and turn from their wicked ways,then will I hear from Heaven,and will forgive their sin,and heal their land. I challenge you today to join us daily in praying for our nation,and for the salvation of the nations. Let's see what the Lord will do.