Tag: #godfocus

EPISODE 329 MOUNTAINS OF HOPE

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The title of today’s episode: MOUNTAINS OF HOPE

Our faith walk is often referred to as being on the mountain top or in the valley. Each strategic place has something to offer. It is in the transition times that we find life to be the most difficult. When we are climbing to the top and are no longer in the valley. Or when we are moving fast almost in a free fall to the valley. All is important for our journey. Mountains all through the bible are significant places of revelation, hope and spiritual growth.

We cannot be too down when we find ourselves in the valley. All stages of our walk are necessary. In the valley, there is a place of rest. Often God will isolate us from people to spend time with him. He is the lily of the valley. He goes with us through all the stages of our faith walk. In the valley, we can find peace and strength. We can get into the secret place with God and allow him to pour into us. He will strengthen our spirit and equip us for the next stage in life. He will strengthen us to climb up the mountain once again. He knows what we are facing and will prepare us to handle the climb.

Today, I want to focus on the mountains of hope. Some are in the word of God, others are in our path. When Noah’s Ark landed on Mt. Ararat. It was a sign of hope that God would take Noah’s family and replenish the earth. All was not lost in the flood.

Just as Abraham took his son up Mt Moriah to sacrifice, I am sure the climb was hard. But once on the mountain top, God provided a sacrifice to spare his son. Abraham called that place Jehovah Jireh meaning the Lord would provide. So this was another example of a mountain of hope.

Jehovah Jireh people use often to just mean financial. But he will provide whatever we need, encouragement, health, healing, strength, peace. He will not let us go without what ever our need may be. He sent ravens to feed Elijah during a famine. He will not let us down.

Although Golgotha is referred to as a hill, it may have been the most difficult to climb. Jesus climbed that hill, knowing that all that he was struggling through would be worth it to save mankind from sin.

Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

He endured the cross to give us all the greatest hope of all, a hope of eternal life and peace.

Another mountain of hope would have been Mt. Olivet or the mount of olives where Jesus often taught. The top of the mountain was also where he ascended into heaven.

I am sure the sadness of his departure was hard to walk through. It was with heavy hearts that his disciples followed him to the top. Knowing he would leave them; however, he promised that he would not leave them comfortless. He promised to send his Spirit to lead and guide them.

His ascension into heaven made Mt. Olivet the greatest mountain of hope. Because it was on this mountain that he promised to come again and receive his people into heaven with him.

If you find yourself in the valley, thank God. Praise him in the valley. Ask for his guidance and wisdom. It is in the valley that we gain strength for the climb. Remember, when climbing, we have an expert survival guide. The Holy Ghost lives within the believer. He will be our guide.

John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

Our expert guide will lead us in the path we need to walk. He is our protector, comforter, teacher and will show us things to come. We can find hope in our Lord. He has promised to never leave us. Even in the lowest valley, the highest mountain or somewhere in between; we are safe. We know there is hope for the proper outcome. It doesn’t matter how big a mountain is in front of us. We can call it a mountain of hope, because God has already gone before us. We will never climb alone; we have security and hope. And our hope is always in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EPISODE 328 STANDING IN THE GAP

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The title of today’s episode: STANDING IN THE GAP

All through the Bible we find stories of people who stood in the gap for their nation, people, and family. Standing in the gap means we fill the void space between those who are in need of God to reach God. Jesus is the ultimate example, without him standing in the gap for our sins, we would not even have a right to ask for God’s help. The largest gap ever created was the one Adam and Eve made when they sinned. Jesus came and filled in that gap.

John 14:6-Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Moses interceded on behalf of the children of Israel several times. Asking God to give them mercy when they deserved punishment. Many times God was weary of their idolatry and disobedience, but Moses prayed for God’s mercy.

Esther called a fast and prayed for God to save her people from Haman’s evil agenda to kill all of her people. Once the time of fasting and prayer was over she went to the king at risk of death. She asked for her people to be given into her hand to do as she wished. When his plot had been revealed to the king. Evil Haman was hung on a gallows he had prepared for Mordecai a Jew that would not bow to him. God’s people were spared because of Esther and her call for prayer.

Nehemiah was grieved by the news that the walls of Jerusalem lay in ruins. Because of his intercession and excitement of rebuilding the wall. Others got on board. Nehemiah stood in the gap and the people were lead into a time of repentance and renewal. The walls were fortified and once again Jerusalem was a strong city.

Sometimes all it takes is for one person to get excited about something. Their vision can become the vision of others. Nehemiah wanted to rebuild the walls, but it took a group of people to accomplish it.

Abraham pleaded with God to spare Sodom and Gomorrah. He asked God to spare it if he could find fifty righteous. He did not. Abraham kept bargaining down to ten people who were righteous. God could not even find ten in all the city that was righteous.

After Lot, his wife and his daughters left the city, fire and brimstone started falling from the sky on the evil. God told them to not look back, but Lot’s wife turned and looked back, she was turned into a pillar of salt.

It is safe to say that God spared Lot and his daughters because of Abraham’s prayers.

For years, there has been a movement in our country of intercessors who have prayed for our country and the world to be free from evil rulers. Many have cried out to God for mercy on our country, our states and local areas.

Being an intercessor takes time and energy. It means going beyond the words and feeling the emotion of the weight of where our country is spiritually. We have been taken over by evil agendas and the worship of satan.

I am sure that the only thing that has spared America is the large group of God’s people that feel compelled to intercede. Now more than ever we need for God to reveal the evil, make know satan’s agenda. God will spare our country, but we have something to do, we need to intercede.

I am sure we all have someone in our lives that needs us to stand in the gap of intercession for them. They are bound in sin and need God to intervene on their behalf. There are people that are dying of sickness and bad choices that need God.

We cannot be the church of recent years where we look at these situations and say a surface prayer and go on about our lives. Now is the time to get serious and get down to business. We need to allow our prayers to penetrate heaven. Many prayers never leave the earth. The difference one is saying a prayer. “Lord help that situation. Amen.” The other is getting on our face before God and praying until we feel like we cannot pray any longer. We need to P.U.S.H, Pray Until Something Happens.

Are you willing to stand in the gap for that loved one or friend? Are you willing to invest time in crying out for our country? God is needing us to keep pushing and praying. We are so close to our breakthrough but we need to keep going. Keep walking by faith.

Heb 4:14-16 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Because of what Jesus has done for us, we can come boldly to the throne of God and petition for mercy and grace. We can be bold in our prayers and intercession for those in need of God’s intervention.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EPISODE 325 JESUS MY ROCK

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The title of today’s episode: JESUS MY ROCK

We have always heard the phrase, “Solid as a rock.” Meaning a person is dependable and can be counted on even under pressure. Jesus is our rock. He is that solid foundation we can rely on, starting with the cross. Jesus’ sacrifice was the beginning of our foundation.

Now as children of God there is not a storm too big that we cannot withstand it as long as we cling to our solid rock. He is the one we can depend on for our protection from the storms in life. Our faith in him is what is going to carry us through whatever we have facing us.

There is not a demon in this world that can overtake us as long as we hold onto Jesus. The enemy may try different tactics, but he will fail in every attempt. We have been set apart by God all mighty. He is our protector against anything the enemy wants to try.

Psalm 62:1-2 Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. 2 He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.

Do you have confidence in your foundation? Do you believe that Jesus will see you through whatever will come your way?

We can have confidence in our foundation. We have a hope in Jesus that we do not ever face anything alone. He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. Even when the dark clouds roll in and we can no longer see his face. We know he is there, even when we don’t see him.

We can rest in the fact that during the storms of life, he covers us with his hand. We are his and he has promised to protect us. As we face the uncertainty of life, we can be sure that no matter how things appear to our natural eyes, God has got us.

2 Thes 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.

Stablish is the Old English form of the word establish, which means make firm or secure. The Lord is faithful to make you secure and keep you from evil. He makes our foundation firm, beneath our feet.

Deut 31:6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

The children of Israel had to learn to trust God. Their enemy pursued them, and they immediately fell into fear. Their foundation was not solid. They did not stand on the promises of God. He had delivered them from the death angel and all the other plagues. Then delivered them from the Egyptian’s in the desert. But yet they did not understand who God was, they were on sinking sand. They decided to build them a gold calf.

God will bring steadiness to the chaos of life. He wants to be involved in our lives and not a spectator. In order to build our lives on the solid rock that is Jesus; we are going to have to learn to lean on him. We need to trust that he will watch over us.

We can have peace, even in the midst of a storm, when we have Jesus as our foundation. If he is not our foundation we will be tossed by the winds of the storm and never find true peace.

As the world is shaken, we need to be sure we are anchored to the solid rock. He will never let us down. Like the words of the old hymn says, “On Christ the Solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EPISODE 323 GETTING TO KNOW THE SHEPHERD

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The title of today’s episode: GETTING TO KNOW THE SHEPHERD

It is easy to look at a younger generation and shake our heads in amazement at their lack of responsibility. I am sure the generation before me felt the same way about my generation.

In the church today, so many people want everything spoon-fed to them. They beg for prayer but are not willing to pray for themselves. They want easy religion but not a faith walk that requires something. We are the fast-food, convenience generations. This life is about walking through tough things sometimes.

If we are not willing to put in the work, we will not reap the rewards. The word says many things about reaping what we sow. That is seeds of good and seeds of evil. Whatever we sow will grow.

Gal 6:5-8 For every man shall bear his own burden. 6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. 7 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.

These people want someone to search out the scriptures for them and just give them the CliffsNotes. But if we do not dig into the word for ourselves, we are vulnerable to deception. It is hard enough to walk in truth when you are digging in the Word every day.

We are each responsible for our own souls. We cannot base our salvation on what someone else says. We have to compare what is being said to the written word of God. See if what they are saying lines up with what God’s word says.

It is time we take responsibility and grow up. God needs a mature church in order for us to reach the lost world. Because we have the freedom of religion in America, some people are under the misconception that any religion will do. We do not need religion; we need a faith walk with the one and only real God of the universe, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Col 3:23-25 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. 25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

It is time to get down to business and dig in our heels. It is time to get serious about our faith walk. This world is shaking and things are about to change. We can either get on board or be left behind. I don’t want to be left behind.

When Jesus comes to get his bride, I want to be found faithfully doing what he has asked of me. I want to be found faithful.

Matt 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

I believe that these are the saddest words in the bible. These people will come before him with their Christian lists of things that they have done. But they were too busy doing all this stuff to develop a real and true relationship with him. He says I never knew you.

John 10:27-28 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Jesus said if we are his sheep we will hear his voice and he will know us. If we hear his voice, we will follow him. It is time we get serious about hearing the voice of God. It is either hear him now and follow or hear those awful words, Depart from me, I never knew you.

If we are truly his sheep, we will hear, Well Done!! That sounds so much better.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EPISODE 322 ARISE OUT OF SLEEP AND FIGHT

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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: Arise Out Of Sleep And Fight

Almost everyone I talk to is struggling with fatigue, stress, anxiety, fear of the unknown. The enemy is trying to wear us out, but we have to fight. We are on the edge of something happening that will change the world as we know it. God is going to begin to pour himself out in the churches that are ready to accept him.

Some churches, as I have said many times, are social clubs. They are happy with the status quo. They do not want God’s presence in their midst. If he were to show up, they would have to measure up.

Other congregations of people are starving for fresh bread of God’s anointing. They desire a closer walk with him. They want to know him, not just know about him. Not in word or deed, but truly know him. These are the people that he is going to visit. He wants to be welcome in the buildings that bear his name. He longs to communicate with us and give us direction and a better understanding of what he wishes to do with us.

Far too long, the harvest field has been ready, and the church has been asleep. It is time to wake up and arise out of sleep. The Pharisees of today have bound up God’s people for too long. God doesn’t give us a checklist and expect us to live by it.

By this list, you will know you are my disciples. Don’t do this; you can’t do that, and on and on. No, the words says, we are his if we have love one to another. If we love him, we will do what his word says, but we do not get salvation by works. It all comes down to a personal relationship. How much time do you spend with him? How often do you think about God and his wonderful mercy outside of church services?

Today is a grand and glorious day. It is an opportunity to change things for the better. Today is the day to get serious, arise out of sleep, and press forward. Do not allow the enemy to wear you out. He is trying to make everyone battle-weary.

But we do not have to allow satan to wear us out. We can praise our way through. Praise will break the heaviness. Praise helps us power through whatever the enemy is trying to do in our lives to wear us down. If he can get us to fall into fatigue, depression, or fear, he knows we will not have the energy to fight him. He knows we will become weary of trying to witness to the world.

But we can break through and break out of the chains he is trying to bind us up in by praising the Lord. There is not one thing the enemy can do to us if we can keep our God Focus.

When we feel weak, we are strong in the Lord. He draws near to the humble and the weak. He will see us through whatever comes our way. We cannot give up; we have to stand strong and fight. The enemy will not win unless we give up. Let the boldness of the Lord arise in you and stand strong. Look to the Lord, and He will restore our peace.

I want to leave you with a verse for the day.

Gal.6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EPISODE 321 GIVE ME FIRE

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The title of today’s episode: GIVE ME FIRE

There has to be toe-stomping preaching in order to save our souls. I long for the days when preachers were full of fire and not afraid to preach the word. I love for a message to step on my toes, because it makes me better and stronger. Today, too many churches have motivational speakers. But we need powerful messages that make us grow and not always the fluff of living our best lives. Sometimes life is hard. Jesus told the disciples that they would face hard things. It is not different for us today. But in those hard things, we grow and become stronger. With our new level of faith, we can be a beacon of hope in a dying world.

Unbelief is the new norm; people do not know how to have faith. The ministry has to start preaching with fire the things the church needs to hear about growing faith. They need to hear that it takes prayer and a lot of prayer to grow your relationship with God. People need to be told and understand that they are signing up for a life of service and sacrifice. Everything will not always be wonderful. Being a Christian is not about having a pampered, cushy life. People need to be taught that there is a difference in saying a prayer to check off a to do list for the day of Christian things and getting down to business and pouring your heart out to God in prayer. One is saying a prayer, and one is praying a prayer.

When we desire sermons that get on our toes, it means we want to grow in strength and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The truth sets us free. The truth is hard to swallow sometimes. But it is always best for us in the long run.

The truth is like a medicine, bitter to swallow, but it will give you strength and make you stronger. I don’t know when it became the norm to not tell the truth, especially behind the pulpit. Be encouraged, there are real ministers of God out there and they are standing tall to proclaim the truth of God. If you know such a preacher, stand behind them, encourage them and back them in anyway you can.

We need the fire to be restored to the pulpit in order for it to be restored to the body. Our God is a consuming fire. The word consume means to destroy, ingest, swallow up, use, or utilize. Our God will destroy the things of our flesh. He will swallow up who we are and make us better vessels for his use. We have to be on fire, too, for the world to know we are different. In order for us to be a usable vessel for God.

Just like the burning bush in the desert. What made Moses go see what was going on, because it was on fire. The only one God spoke out of was the bush that was on fire. The only people today that God will truly use are those who are on fire for him.

We are the temple of the Holy Ghost; God’s fire lives within us. Only by allowing His fire to burn on the altar of our hearts, can we learn to walk in the light of his fire.

The Children of Israel had a pillar of fire that was a buffer between them and their enemy. If we keep the fire burning bright, it will keep away the evil of this world. They will not be able to look at us for the light of God that is within us.

People will know we are different and will be drawn to the warmth of the fire of God within us. We will be able to lead them to Jesus, the only one who can save them from the evil of this world and the evil inside of them.

God’s holy fire is important. The fire of truth will help us to understand the word of God. It will help us to know what God is calling us to do in this life. But if the fire has gone out in the church, then the people will starve. Their bones will become cold, and they will die.

Keeping the fire of God in our lives is crucial to our spiritual walk. It is also crucial to all those we will meet along the way that we are supposed to share Jesus. Pray for him to stoke the fire in your life. Pray for the body of Christ to catch on fire. It is the only way we will reach the world. Just like the burning bush, if we are on fire, they will come to see what God has to say through us. And through that word of God, many will be delivered and saved.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EPISODE 320 OVERCOMING UNBELIEF

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The title of today’s episode: OVERCOMING UNBELIEF

Unbelief is a plague in the church today. Everything is by and through faith, so how do we grow faith?

Sometimes we can draw on past experiences where God has shown up in those moments we desperately needed him. We can be sure He will show up again. When I am sick and need healing, I remember all the times God has healed me. I will remember the times he healed others.

Growing up in a faith that believes in the laying on of hands. I have seen many miracles over the years. I watched my dad’s leg grow together one time when he had a bad cut. There is no doubt in my mind it was so deep that it needed stitches. But we battled through about thirty minutes of prayer. God came through with a healing miracle.

Other times we have to dig into the word of God and find inspiration.

There is a story for every situation that we face in life. The word of God has scriptures that will build us up and bring encouragement to our souls. There is nothing we face that others have not gone through and God brought them through it. Job’s story alone covers most everything anyone could suffer. But if we stay faithful and look to God, he will bless us for our faith in Him.

We can build our faith through prayer. Start with praise and transition into acknowledging what He has already done. Petition God for what you need. Then start thanking Him for it. We have to get into a spirit of prayer. This means really pouring out your heart to God and not just saying a few words halfheartedly.

Jude 20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

It comes down to trust. How much do we trust God? Do we know in our hearts as well as our minds that he will answer our prayers? Many people will say he is able, but how many know without a doubt he will come through? If you know, you have faith, then it is just a matter of waiting until you see with your eyes what you know in your spirit. Faith is seeing light when your natural eyes see only darkness.

Think of it this way. Say you want to be a master piano player. You can study everything about all the people who were master piano players. You can study how the piano is made. You can study how many keys and how much a baby grand weighs, you can even learn to read sheet music. But if you do not put into practice what you know, you will never be a master piano player.

The same goes for our faith in God. We can read and study all about God. We can have knowledge about walking by faith. But until we try to walk by faith, we will never learn how to do it.

We must be firm in our belief that God will do what he has promised.

Prov 3: 5-6 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

The word says for us to trust in the Lord with all our heart. This is what it means to fully trust. There is not a shadow of a doubt that God will do what he has promised. You know it with all your being. We cannot try to reason things out in our minds. God rarely answers the way we think. But he does answer. If we acknowledge him in all our ways, he will guide us.

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Merriam Webster dictionary defines – Diligently – a manner involving great or constant activity. With great determination, intensely.

We have to keep at it and stay focused on God and not our problems. The more we focus on him the stronger we will grow in our faith.

Let’s recap.

We can draw on past experiences to encourage us.
We have to dig into the word of God and find inspiration.
We can build our faith through prayer.
Practice- until we try to walk by faith, we will never learn how to do it.
We must be firm in our belief that God will do what he has promised.

I hope this has been an encouragement to you to hold on if you are believing God for something. Remember everything happens in God’s will and his perfect timing.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EPISODE 319 REMOVING THE CANCER FROM THE CHURCH

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The title of today’s episode: REMOVING THE CANCER FROM THE CHURCH

I attended a church for several years that I loved. The people were genuine and really cared about others. We were the spiritual emergency room for the town and surrounding areas. We did our best to meet the needs. If they were hungry, we got them food. If their babies needed diapers or milk, we provided. It was a place that those who were broken by life could come for encouragement and to find healing through Jesus.

In today’s society, there are so many hurt and broken people. They will come to the church looking for compassion and help. It is our job to love them and help them to find healing for their body and soul.

However, too many churches are plagued by the cancer of legalism and judgment. They end up hurting those who Jesus called them to help heal. We have to be loving toward those who are unlovable. We are called to lead people to Jesus. If they come into a church then half of the battle is over, they are inside the building. Our buildings, we call churches, should be a place of hope for those that are lost.

Instead of loving and helping them, the “Bertha better than you’s” of the church with their judgmental attitudes end up hurting those people. They react to people with almost hatred. Many are driven by the jezebel spirit; they don’t want to give up their control. These hurt people end up going back to the world because at least some people in the world are accepting them.

Matt 5:44-48 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

The word perfect in this verse means complete. We are complete in Jesus and by doing good to the hurting world. Jesus was explaining to the disciples that it is easy to love those like you. But it is harder to love those that seem unlovable. Even the publicans and sinners honor and love those that are like them.

It is time to get outside the four walls and love them like Jesus. We are called by God to share God’s love with the world. Many have forgotten and got wrapped up in having a bigger building or a larger worship team than the church on the corner. We are in competition and still not accomplishing our mission?

These buildings and all that we build on earth will burn up. All that matters is that we point people to Jesus. So that they may find rest and salvation for their souls. Jesus didn’t come and die to give us a better way, only to have us to return to legalism and divisions.

JOHN 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

Nowhere in that verse does it say to hurt people by rejecting them. I know a wonderful woman of God that used to be involved in witchcraft as a teen. She when to three different denominational churches in her town. She was wearing black makeup and was dressed in all black. She went in and sat quietly and didn’t cause any kind of disruption, she was asked to leave and come back when she changed her clothes and washed off her makeup. This was a teenager that needed love and compassion. She needed those people to rally around her and to pour healing compassion out on her. Instead, they made her feel more rejected and alone. She felt like Jesus didn’t love her either.

By the grace of God, she found a woman that was a friend to her. A woman that loved her and prayed with her. Thank God she had a praying grandmother. But what happens to those who do not have a praying grandmother. Their soul ends up lost because the so-called church doesn’t like how they look. It is not all in the clothes it is all in the heart.

1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

By this verse, I have to question if some of these churches even know God. There is no love except the love they have for their little social group. God is getting ready to separate the wheat and tares. This type of behavior is a cancer to the body of Christ. It is causing spiritual sin sickness to continue, and this cannot be if the body of Christ is going to gather the end time harvest.

I know I talk about this a lot. I feel it is very important. There are many souls hanging in the balance. So many will be lost if we do not get rid of the judgmental, religious, legalistic, ways of doing things. Let us set aside religion and just love God and love people.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EPISODE 318 PRAISE HIM IN THE FIRE

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO VERSION: https://rumble.com/v6ruq9b-god-focus-this-morning-ep318-praise-him-in-the-fire.html

WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: PRAISE HIM IN THE FIRE

When the fiery trials of life come to turn your world to ashes. God is there in your fire. He is not afraid of the fire, because our God is a consuming fire. He will not let the enemy win. We have to stand strong on the promises of God. He promised to never leave us.

Ex 14: 14 The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

What the enemy meant for destruction God will turn it around. Now is not the time to give up. We are in the fiery furnace moment. The enemy has turned up the heat, but we will not be destroyed. We need to have faith that he is going to burn off the ropes and set us free.

It seems everyone I’ve talked to in the last few days has serious things going on in their lives. The enemy knows we are on the verge of Jesus showing up in our fiery furnace. He is coming to set us free. But we cannot give in to the flames and allow fear, anxiety and worry to overtake us. We cannot allow the fatigue of being battle weary to cause our faith to falter. We have to stand strong.

What the enemy meant to burn down our lives, God will use to elevate us. Look at Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. They were in the fiery furnace it was turned up seven times hotter. What were they doing? They were praising the Lord. I was in the middle of writing last night to film today’s video. I shared with a friend that I was battle weary. It seems like the enemy has turned up the intensity of his pressure to destroy God’s people.

She said God had been dealing with her to write about the intensity of the fire. She reminded me that the hotter the fire, the more we need to praise God. I wanted to share this fact with you.

When the enemy wants to turn your life into ashes, remind him that he has no authority over your life. God will quicken us, which means he will make us alive or revive us.

There is power in prayer. This is a Christian sentence we say a lot. But the statement is very true. Prayer clears the cobwebs that the enemy is trying to build in our minds. But Satan will not have his way as long as we stand against the enemy.

Praise is what invites the presence of God. The enemy wants to get us so downtrodden we do not have energy to pray or praise. But if we can find the energy to worship, the heaviness of the atmosphere will lift.

Is 61: 3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.

He takes the ashes that are left after the enemy burns down things in our lives and uses those ashes to give us beauty. He gives us joy for mourning and will lift the spirit of heaviness the enemy has tried to put on us. He will give us a garment of praise to clothe us.

Saul was tormented by evil spirits, but while music in praise to God was played, they left him alone. The enemy cannot stand it when we praise God. It is torment to him.

I know sometimes it is hard to face the fiery furnace. We have to remember that God is not afraid of the fire, and he will show up. He will remove our bondage and set us free. He will take our tragedy and turn it into victory.

When the three Hebrew men came out of the fiery furnace they received a promotion. They were elevated to be over the providences of Babylon. Hang on during these fiery trials, God is working on your elevation.

We are learning to lean and trust. Every level is about fighting the devil in a new way. He would love to tell us that we are defeated, that God doesn’t hear our prayers. God doesn’t care. But he has come along to late in the game to tell me that my God is not real. If God is real then all the promises in the Bible are real.

He promised to never leave us, he promised to lift us up, he promised to protect us from the enemy. Our God is real and there is no other like him. He can be fire when we need fire. He can be living water to quench our dry and parched soul when we need it.

We have to guard our peace and protect our joy right now. Because the darkness will overtake us quickly with its smothering oppression, if we do not stand strong and praise him in our storms.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EP317 DENOUNCE RELIGION / FOLLOW JESUS

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO VERSION: https://rumble.com/v6rsq3t-god-focus-this-morning-ep317-denounce-religion-follow-jesus.html

WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: DENOUNCE RELIGION / FOLLOW JESUS

I once had a person tell me they didn’t understand why I chose a religion that prevented me from doing sinful things. They suggested that I go to the Big Book of World Religions and pick something easier. I told them it didn’t work that way, there was religion and there is the plan of God for salvation. Religion is a waste of time. If you have a religion, you need to give it up. Jesus didn’t come to start a religion. Although the church world has made following Christ a religion and not a relationship.

Britanica.com defines religion-human beings’ relation to that which they regard as holy, sacred, absolute, spiritual, divine, or worthy of especial reverence.

According to this, religion could be the worship of anything you as a human being regard in high esteem and worthy of special reverence. In other words, people worship a lot of things. People worship animals, gold statues, celebrities, their accomplishments and status, false gods that man has created. All of this is idol worship. All the idols in the Bible, Baal for example is driven by a demon. Demons draw humans in to lifting up and worshipping things other than the ONE TRUE GOD.

I am sick of religion in the church that has divided God’s people. I am sure God is sick of religion. He came to give us a better life than religion. Think seriously about it for a moment. Jesus was killed by religious people. The ones that should have understood Jesus was the Messiah, was so wrapped up in the letter of the law and their fringe laws that they missed him. They were too wrapped up in their rituals.

Because of the blood of Jesus, I am no longer a sinner. I am no longer a slave to sin. That doesn’t mean that I am perfect and will not slip from time to time. But I have found that the more I am in God’s word and the more I pray the less likely I am to fall.

John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

It is easy to get wrapped up in a list of do’s and don’t, but being a Christian is not about living by a list. It is not about living in fear that at any given moment, God is going to send a lightning bolt down and incinerate you for making a mistake.

It all comes down to relationship. If you have a relationship with Jesus, you will want to spend time with him. You will want to worship him. You will not spend time doing things that break His heart.

Think about it in terms of a bride. We are the bride of Christ. What kind of marriage would it be if we never talked to Jesus? If we never said nice things to him? If we betrayed his trust and committed adultery by following other gods. If we never spend time in his word, because that is his story, his love letter to help us to know him. That sounds like a marriage that would not last.

The Bible does have a bunch of things we are forbidden to do. We have to live by what the word of God says. God doesn’t put things in his word that he forbids for his benefit, but for ours. All sin leads to pain, heartache, destruction and death.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Our right to salvation is a gift from God. We do not receive this gift by choosing a denominational, religious set of rules. We receive salvation through the acceptance of what Jesus did on the cross. By being born again.

We cannot follow Jesus simply to escape hell. It will not work, because the fear of hell comes and goes with our choices. We have to choose Jesus because we are tired of bondage and want to be set free. We have to want Jesus to fix our brokenness.

Gal. 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

This says that we need to stand fast, but what does that really mean? It means that we need to be unwavering, hold your ground and be strong in your commitment in spite of all the reasons to waiver or give up. We cannot give up our liberty or freedom that Christ has given us to make us free and be entangled again into sin.

Every day we are given choices. Will we choose Jesus or something sinful that we know we should not do? Every choice we make leads to the next choice. We can allow God’s word to shine a light on our path so that we make the right steps, or we can choose to walk in darkness.

Following Jesus is not a religion it is a choice to have life as opposed to sin and death. Sin may look appealing for a season, but the glitz and glitter that satan paints it with wears off soon and we are left with the reality of what is under the glitz and glitter.

This is why we cannot choose a religion from the big book of religions. We have to make a choice to follow Jesus instead of following a religion. Only in Jesus will we have true freedom.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

LIKE SHARE AND SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE ENCOURAGEMENT