Tag: #bebrave

WALKING IN LOVE

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The title of today’s episode is: WALKING IN LOVE

Jesus said, John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

As we try to walk out our faith walk, we are to walk in Love. But what does that mean? The church today is full of misconceptions about what it means to walk in love. Many believe that if we are Christians that we are supposed to let others walk all over us and we are to take it. We are supposed to let them trample all over the word of God in the name of love and compassion. Others believe that we are supposed to be door mats and keep quiet about politics and current events because we don’t want to appear difficult and God forbid we offend someone, by telling them the truth. God is a god of justice. It is because of his tender mercies that lightening didn’t strike them all dead in Paris the other evening.

It is ok to be angry over an injustice or people misusing the house of God for evil. Even Jesus ran the money changers out of the temple. We just cannot allow ourselves to be consumed with anger.

Many were going sideways this week over the opening of the Olympics. Some said it wasn’t supposed to be the last supper. Others said it was supposed to be something else. Although those people have souls and we are to have compassion for them, we must tell them the truth. The truth is showing them love. They may not get it, but we are showing them love by telling them the truth.

However, before you think I am being weak minded, Jesus is my life, and it hurts deeply that people would mock him. He endured enough of that when he was on his way to crucifixion. We do not need to allow people to openly mock him and not stand for him.

Gal 6:7-9 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

God sees all and allows people to only go so far before he steps in and allows people to reap what they sow. When we sow to our flesh, we will reap in many ways hard things that are painful. We will eventually reap an eternity in hell.

If we sow to the spirit and walk in the ways of God, we will reap many blessings and eternal life. Notice it says, God is not mocked. We cannot stand by and allow evil to control our world without at least saying something against it.

But we cannot fall into bitterness, anger, rage, unforgiveness and fear. We have to stand strong and always rebuke with love and compassion. Like I said, those people need God. We have all been guilty of idolatry and sin.

Are you walking in hatred? I am walking in the hatred of the sin. But I do not walk in the hatred of those people. They need prayer that God speaks to them. The very thing they need they are afraid of and mock.

As you get ready for your weekend, think about where you stand. Think about your choices, are you walking in God’s love? Are you walking in bitterness and anger? Do you believe God wants you to be a doormat?

If God didn’t expect us to fight the good fight of faith, why did he give us a sword of his word? It is what we have to use to judge how we react to every situation of life. We are to live godly and walk in love toward all mankind. This is written in the word.

Every verse gives us understanding to be more like God. As we come to the crossroads of God doing something huge in the world, we all have decisions to make about our lives. God is drawing lines and asking which side we are all on, today is the day to chose to be on the Lord’s side. Today is the day of salvation. Tomorrow may be too late. So hold your head high, stand strong, keep fighting the good fight of faith, and always walk in love, telling people the truth.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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NO FAMINE IN GOD

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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode is: NO FAMINE IN GOD

Our world is in the middle of a time of spiritual starvation, but not for lack of food. There are plenty of Bibles. Many people that are not willing to accept the word of God as a source for their soul. There are too few people trying to share the amazing word of God. The word that has the power to strengthen, enlighten, encourage and transform even the hungriest soul.

We find a story in the fourth chapter of 2Kings about a poor widow. She approached Elisha and told him that her husband was gone and that they were going to take her sons for bondmen to pay off her debt. Now there was famine in the land. People lacked a lot of the basic necessities of life.

The prophet said to her, what do you have in your house? She started to say nothing, then she said, except a pot of oil. He told her to go borrow vessels from all her neighbors, and he told her not to borrow a few but many. When she had them all, she was to go into her house and shut the door.

2 Kings 4:4-7 And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full. 5 So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out. 6 And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed. 7 Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.

Because there was a famine, people were lacking oil also. She was able to sell all the oil and become debt free.

I was thinking about how we have a spiritual famine in the world today. It is not because God is lacking. We are not using what we have in our house. The Holy Ghost is often referred to as being oil or the anointing of God. There is not a shortage of oil. But there is a shortage of willing vessels.

In order for us to complete the harvest so that Christ can come and get his bride, we need to go gather vessels. We need to gather as many as we can. People need to be filled with the power of God or the oil of his anointing.

The widow poured and poured until she ran out of vessels. God will do the same, he will pour out his Spirit until there are no more vessels (willing vessels). Then he will call his children home.

Just as her children were almost sold into slavery. The whole world is a slave to sin unless they have let God fill them full of his precious oil. This story is often used to reflect the nature of how God provides and takes care of his people, even in famine.

He sent the children of Israel to Egypt to get away from a famine. When Joseph was second in command of the land of Egypt. They were not meant to stay 400 years. Sometimes we move in and take up residence in the places that God only meant to be a temporary situation. A place to ride out the famine.

It is time that we help those around us to get out of the place they have set up residence. We need to help them get back to the place God has for them to dwell. We are to dwell in the secret place of the almighty, not be traveling in the sinful world. It is easier to dwell in the secret place of the almighty if we have oil in our vessel.

The next time your spiritual life feels like you are in a famine, remember the Lord will give strength to his people. There is nothing that we face today or will face tomorrow that he cannot handle. He tells us to not walk in fear, but to trust him. God is with us and will provide for us. He will fill our vessel or refill our vessel and give us a refreshing of his power and strength, if we trust in Him.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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HONESTY AND TRUTH

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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode is: HONESTY AND TRUTH

Satan is the father of lies. He loves to whisper things in our ears that cause us to fall into fear, anxiety and even sin. The word says that the truth will set you free. I recently had to have a hard conversation with a friend. I didn’t want to tell them the truth about a situation, but God tells us to not lie.

Telling lies is deceitful and rebellion, which is a part of witchcraft. We walk a fine line sometimes. But God wants us to always give our best, that includes the truth. We don’t always want the truth. It makes us have to measure up and sometimes sacrifice things that our flesh wants to hold on to. But real truth will also set us free from things that hold us back from being all we can be in the kingdom.

John 8:32 “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

This verse is Jesus’ words to a group of Jews. He was telling them to walk in the truth of the word, the intent of the word and not the legalism of the word. The intent of the word the truth would set them free from sin and other trappings of life.

I was doing my daily reading when I came across the story of Ananias and Sapphira. A group of believers in their city decided to sell their possessions and give the money to the work of the Lord. Many sold lands or houses and brought the prices of the things that were sold and placed them at the apostle’s feet.

But Ananias and Sapphira sold a piece of property and kept part of the money for themselves. They decided they would lie about how much they sold it for and would give that amount. It wasn’t wrong for them to keep part of the money, unless they had made a vow to give it all. It was the lie that they told in order to hold back something.

God revealed the lie to Peter.

Acts 5:3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. 5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

Fear of man probably made them lie. They didn’t want to give all they had from the sale but didn’t want to tell them that they were keeping a portion. It wasn’t a requirement. It was just that the others felt like making the sacrifice. Since they were not in the place of giving God their all, He knew that and would have accepted what they freely gave to the work of the Lord.

Notice verse four Peter said to him, Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? (In other words, you had control of the property.)and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power?(After it was sold, you still had control of the money. It was your choice.) why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

It does no good to give to the work of the Lord if you do it begrudgingly. God doesn’t need our money. (Contrary to what a lot of prosperity preachers will tell you.) He wants our whole heart. He wants us to freely give of our time, our resources and ourselves.

We don’t give God things just to check off the boxes that make us a good Christian. That is legalism and Jesus died to set us free from a bunch of legalities. If we spend time in the word just to say, I read a certain number of chapters, that is legalism. If we sit and try to make a God connection even if it is only fifteen minutes. God will honor the quality of the time. Daily devotions, prayer time, paying tithes, giving offerings, doing good deeds, attending church are all things we do as believers because we want to grow our relationship with God. The things we sacrifice, our time and resources he wants us to give to him out of our love for him. Not because he is sitting in heaven with a clip board checking off boxes.

After Ananias had been buried his wife Sapphira came about three hours later and shared the same lie with the apostles. She too was struck down in front of the apostles. Many there were struck with fear when they heard what had happened.

I believe this story was put in the bible to let us know God wants our honesty. He wants us to give to him out of a pure heart.

It is like our worship. He doesn’t want lip service. He wants a genuine connection with us, because we choose to follow him and love him. He will honor the honesty of our hearts and our actions.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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POWER IN THE BLOOD

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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: Power In The Blood

Most people know that in Ephesians chapter six it speaks of the whole armor of God. We have a shield of faith. Our faith is what makes us strong. Our faith protects us from attacks of the enemy. Faith is how we receive our blood covering, by faith we believe on God for salvation.

Eph 6:11-12 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

In the story of the Children of Israel, God told Moses to tell the people to kill a lamb and place the blood on the door posts. This was a sign to the death angel that would pass over that house. All the houses in Egypt that didn’t have the blood over the door, would have a death of its first born. This is a foreshadowing of Christ and how his blood is placed over the door of our heart. The placement of the blood prevented death. Christ’s blood on our lives prevents spiritual death.

This event was a life-changing moment in the lives of everyone on both sides. It was the beginning of freedom to God’s people. The enemy was seeing that they were no match for the One True God.

I don’t think it was a coincidence that they passed through the Red Sea. I believe the name of the sea is prophetic and represents the blood line. God’s people went through, but Egypt could not follow. They could not because God had drawn the blood line. He said to the tormentors, you will not trouble my people any longer, you can go no further.

Jesus always brought freedom to the hurting and sick. He brought joy and understanding to those that lacked the education of the Pharisees. To the arrogant and elite, he brought fear and trepidation. They were afraid of his popularity, because they didn’t want to lose their standing in the community.

As people who are blood bought, spirit filled Children of the most high God, we too have been set apart. Because the blood of Jesus has been applied to our lives, we have victory in our Lord Jesus Christ. There is not a devil in hell that can come through the blood.

There is power in the name of Jesus. The blood has transforming power. There is nothing the enemy can throw at us that can overpower the blood of Jesus. We cannot fear what the enemy is doing or going to try next. We need to plead the blood against it.

For those of you who are new to Christianity the phrase “plead the blood” means we ask God for his blood covering against the situation. Since the enemy cannot cross the blood line, then we can plead the blood for protection. In other words, we are asking for God to draw a blood line around us to keep us from the enemy. Many illnesses are demonic attacks, whether you want to believe it or not. They are spirits that are on assignment to distract us from our assignment by causing us to have pain and symptoms of disease. When we plead the blood of Jesus against these attacks, we are asking for a blood line that the enemy cannot cross.

Before you say the blood is not for healing, Jesus took stripes for our healing. Not only our spiritual healing, but emotional and physical healing as well. He wants us to be completely whole, body, mind and spirit. Jesus is the only way to achieve this balance. Having this balance or wholeness is the best way to be effective in the world around us. If we are out of balance in any area it can keep us from running our race effectively.

Faith in Jesus Christ is our shield, the blood is our covering. We often are told to check our hearts to make sure all of our sins are under the blood of Jesus. We do this by repenting immediately if we know we have slipped up. But it is good to also ask for forgiveness for the things we do not realize we have done.

As we move forward, our country is in need of prayer. There has never been a time that it needs prayer more than now. Fear and fearmongering are trying to take control of our society. We need to stand strong and not allow fear to get a toe hold. I am sure things looked scary for the children of Israel. God parted a sea for them, he can do exceedingly, abundantly more than we ask or think to take care of his people today.

Eph 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

The power of the Holy Ghost within us will give us the strength and power to face whatever the enemy tries to throw our way. Walk in Love, Encourage One Another, Pray for God’s Peace Against Fear. We will make it as long as we stay under the blood covering of our Lord Jesus Christ. Remember, There is power in the blood.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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MURDER BY WORDS

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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode is: MURDER BY WORDS

I often say that our words have power. If you don’t believe me, you have never been on the receiving end of unkind words that crush your heart and spirit. It leaves you feeling less than human, like you don’t deserve to live.

This is why God tells us to not gossip. People spread rumors about others that they do not know if there is any truth in them or not. Those lies can do harm. This is why Jesus tells us to not judge one another. If the rumors are true, then they need prayer and understanding not talked about behind their back. They need encouraged and lifted up, not slaughtered by judgment of others.

I John 3:15-17 15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

It is easier to believe a lie. It is easier to listen to the lie and share it. Gossip is spread to hurt and destroy. It is not called character assignation for no reason. The false words chip away at the perceived reputation and character of the person. Gossip is often spread in hate; therefore it is murder.

Eph 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

We as children of God are only to speak words that build up and encourage one another. Ephesians says to not let corrupt communication come out of your mouth. Many think it is cursing, but that is only part of it. It is speaking gossip and lies about others. One passage of the scripture says that the liar will have his place in the lake of fire.

Prov 16:27-30 An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire. 28 A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends. 29 A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good. 30 He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass.

Godly people, who walk in the spirit do not delight in seeing people fall. Many are being exposed for their evil. These things are true and are not gossip. Many more will fall before the shaking is finished. We need to thank God for our freedom from evil. But we should not delight in seeing anyone fall. But for the grace of God, it could be any of us.

Prov 11: 13 A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.

If we learn something about someone that could be considered gossip. We need to take it to the Lord. Then keep it to ourselves, sharing it will only cause more damage. Most things that are spread as rumors and gossip end up being lies. Remember God considers hate to be murder.

Now in light of what I have said about gossip and how it hurts people. I want to share the other side of gossip. If you are the recipient of lies and rumors. What are you supposed to do about the situation? Let us see what God’s word says about being the victim of false witness and gossip.

I Peter 3:15-16 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: 16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.

Our good conduct will turn back on them and make them ashamed that they ever spread rumors or gossip. If we can learn to hold our peace, God will fight our battles. The phrase “hold my peace” means to grasp on to peace, carry peace, or keep my peace. Jesus is our peace. As long as we can walk with him.

We can never allow ourselves to fall into hate. I understand the emotion may show up, but we have to pray and overcome the emotion. Emotions are temporary, it is how we respond to them that will make or break us. We can take our pain and hurt that causes anger and hate and do something positive with the pain. Some choose to retaliate to do other things that are not a part of God’s will for their lives. Choose to walk in your integrity before God, he will bless you for putting aside the hate.

Peter 4:14-16 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. 16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

Often people gossip because we are Christians. The devil in them wants to see us fall because he doesn’t like for a Christian to be happy or prosper. If we suffer for the cause of Christ, God will undertake. If we walk in the fruit of the Spirit and hold our peace God will receive the glory. Jesus didn’t defend himself, we shouldn’t either. We cannot control what people think. The ones that matter will not believe it anyway. The ones that will believe it, don’t matter anyway.

We do not have time to waste on people who would not give us a drink of water in the desert. The world is full of people that need us to be the light. They need to see us being a light and holding onto our peace. The Lord will fight for us, we just need to sit back and watch.

People do not realize how serious our words are and how powerful. Make sure your words are ones that edify yourself and others. There is no room for negativity, degrading or gossip. Now is the time to be strong and not allow the enemy to get us into a place that we sit in judgment of another or walk in half-truths of gossip. Now is the time to walk in faith and God’s love.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EPISODE 26 — GENERATIONAL BLESSINGS

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Hello my friends

TODAY’S EPISODE IS TITLED “GENERATIONAL BLESSINGS”

Prov 20:7 The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.

This is a message for parents: if you love your children, you want them to have a good start in life. The best thing you can do is to love God first. Get yourself right with God. Because the things you do will train your children to do the same.

Have you ever watched a little boy sitting on the couch with his dad? The dad may be reading the paper and so the little boy picks up a piece of the newspaper and pretends to read. If the dad crosses his legs the little boy crosses his leg. They learn early on to imitate their parents. They may be watching a football game and the dad yells that his team got a touchdown. The little boy will jump up and down in excitement, even if he doesn’t even understand what a touchdown is in context.

Just as Issac and Jacob were blessed because of Abraham, we, too, are blessed if our parents serve the Lord. But that doesn’t give anyone a free pass. God doesn’t have grandchildren. We all must serve the Lord for ourselves. Issac and Jacob had to learn to live for God themselves. But it was easier to make that transition because Abraham had equipped Issac, and Issac did Jacob.

Good or bad, children often end up living like their parents. This is a good thing if they serve the Lord. But if they spent their whole lives not wanting anything to do with Jesus, that would make it harder for their children to follow him. But not impossible. We all must learn to love and serve the Lord for ourselves. We must teach the next generation to love and serve the Lord. If we don’t, the world will teach them to deny He even exists.

There are generational curses that stay with families, as well as generational blessings. For example, Many people end up being alcoholics because they watched their parents run to a bottle of liquor every time something went wrong and every time they needed to celebrate. Although alcoholism is a spirit, few get free from its grip unless they give it to God; it is not impossible to be set free.

Sin is not the only generational curse. Judgmental attitudes and self-righteous religion can be as harmful as any sin. The spirit of religion can also stay with families. Jesus didn’t come to start a religion. He came to save the lost, the broken and the sinner. If a parent is overly religious, it can go one of two ways. The child will grow up to be just like them, religious and full of rules. Judging others for their mistakes when their judgment is just as harmful as any sin. Their children will be miserable in their own self-righteousness. Or they will run because the judgmental attitudes they grew up with will give them the lesson that they cannot ever do enough to please God. They will see him as an overlord waiting to zap them when they step out of line. They will feel like there is not a reason to try, so they run to the world. They run toward satan because he seems like the only option. They feel it is too hard for anyone to be a Christian.

I have not always walked perfectly, but I have had a blessed life because of my great-grandparents, grandparents, and parents. Has everything always been perfect? No. I have had hard circumstances, but I have learned by example that we walk by faith and not by sight. The things I know is because I was given a solid foundation.

If you were not blessed to have that foundation, you could be the first person to start it in your bloodline. Your children and future generations will be blessed because of the choices you make today.

2 Tim 1:4-5 Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; 5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.

Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy that the unfeigned faith he had was because of his mother and grandmother. Don’t let the enemy keep the next generation bound. Teach them about the God of the Bible, the one true God, and how much he loves each and every one of us.

Today is a new day, a blank page in your story. If you are not fully dedicated to following Jesus. Let today be the day you choose to step out on faith and receive all he has for you. Accept your generational blessings or be the generation that starts generational blessings in your family. Being a Christian is not a bunch of legalistic rules. It is about a relationship with Jesus Christ. Be blessed all of your days.

UNTIL NEXT TIME

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS