Tag: #godfocus

THE SCARIEST THING TO SAY TO GOD

CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO VERSION: https://youtu.be/hBOFTH4v-Wg

I am about to share with you the scariest thing you will ever say to God. It is ok to be honest with God and tell him what is on our minds. He knows how we feel and what we think. There is nothing we can say to him that will shock Him.

In Isaiah Chapter 6, Isaiah saw a vision of the throne of God. It is a beautiful chapter to read. I suggest you go to it and just picture it as you are reading. The angels worship constantly, saying, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord Almighty! I want to draw attention to the fact that Isaiah was at an altar and confessed that he was simply a man. He said he was a man of unclean lips. An angel took a hot coal off of the altar and touched his lips, making them pure.

Once we have been before God and have had him to cleans us and burn out our impurities, we are ready to start walking out our faith walk.

Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

Once again, God is asking if we are brave enough to say the scariest thing ever to him, “Here am I; send me.” For a control freak like me, that is a scary thing to say. Here I am, I will go where you want me to, say what you want me to, my life is fully in your hands. In other words, Jesus take the wheel. I am going to let you drive.

We all know we can trust Him. We believe He is big enough to save our souls from hell. He is big enough to solve our problems. There is so much that we trust Him for, but that last step is a big one. It is not one to be taken lightly. But in order to reach the loss of this world, it is going to take all of us being 100% sold out to the cause of Christ. (As the generations before us would say, “Be on fire for God.”)

If we ask logically, would God send us somewhere we couldn’t handle. We would say no. If someone asked, Do you trust God? Then the answer would be, “Yes, of course.” In our minds, we trust Him. Our hearts and emotions are something completely different. We hold back a little part of ourselves from Him. Many think that the sin we struggle with is our biggest battle. I believe surrendering fully is the biggest battle we will ever have with our flesh.

The flesh throws a temper tantrum, wanting us not to take this faith walk too seriously. We don’t want to get burned out and lose our witness. Some may even have a fear of falling into sin again and being a bad light. All the fears we could come up with are not as scary as full surrender.

Isaiah 45:9-13 9 Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands? 10 Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth? 11 Thus saith the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me. 12 I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded. 13 I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the Lord of hosts.

The God of the universe, Our Lord Jesus Christ, is a master creator. He has everything intricately planned. He knew everything about us before we were ever conceived. His plan was put into place before the moment we drew our first breath. Nothing we do or fail to do surprises him.

Like Jonah, God knew he would run. I am sure God adjusted the schedule to deal with the delay so that Jonah was right on time for a great revival.

Potsherds in the bible were earthen vessels or broken pieces of pottery. So this is saying, who are we to be contending with God and trying to persuade the way he is making our lives. We are clay; He is the potter. He knows how to shape clay. How much water it will take and how much pressure to mold and shape it.

We can trust His hands; they were nail scared because He loved us so much. He will take care of us. We just need to dig deep and find some of that boldness that so many of the saints of old had within them. Ones who would say, I don’t care what you say, I don’t care what you do, I am going to do the will of my Father in heaven.

If you find yourself struggling with total surrender. You are not alone. The harvest is ready and needs many laborers. May we all find strength to say, Here am I; send me.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

OPENING DOORS TO A NEW SEASON

CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO VERSION: https://youtu.be/9q1Bs5v_QF4

Yesterday, I talked about how we close doors on the enemy to prevent him from creating havoc in our lives. Today, I want to talk to you about opening doors that are shut. God opens doors during different times and seasons. Right now, the door of salvation is standing wide open. Everyone has an opportunity to be born again. This is a door that only God controls when it is open and shut. Just like the door to Noah’s Ark. Once God shut it, no one could get inside. If you don’t know Jesus as your savior, do not wait too long before entering the door of opportunity.

Some feel that all roads lead to heaven. But Jesus is the only way to receive salvation. He is the door to salvation. 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.

Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. This refers to the door of our heart. That is one door that we have the power to open or shut. God has given us free will. He wants us to accept Him and allow Him into our life. But we have to make the choice to open the door and invite him to come into our hearts.

There are also smaller doors that open during different seasons. God sometimes calls us to step out in faith and do a ministry. (Not all ministries are about standing behind a pulpit and speaking.) Many have ministries and never speak to a crowd. You may feel like God is calling you to gather blankets for the homeless or start a food pantry. But every time you think about how to do this thing you feel like you are called to do, something gets in the way. God often gives us a vision for something long before he opens the door for us to actually do it.

Many times, we have to do research and see how to go about doing what we are called to do. Like for the food pantry idea. Maybe you would want to visit a pantry, ask them how they determine who to help. Find out about how to collect food and store it so that nothing goes to waste. Do you have to have permits in your city? Once that is done you may still need to pray for the project. It will come together when it is God’s timing. He will open the doors to use the ministry to bless many.

Sometimes doors are open before us and we have to ask God, is this a door I am supposed to walk through. The enemy will often offer us a shortcut to where we want to go. But his shortcuts will lead us down the wrong road every time. It will take twice as long to get back on track and to find where we belong. The enemy’s main function, if he realizes he can’t stop us, is to distract us.

There are seasons when God opens a door for us. We dwell within that season. But there are times when he wants to elevate us to a new season of life. When this happens, he will open a new door and lead us to shut the old door. We cannot reach our potential if we stay stuck in the doorway of the completed work.

Matt 7:7-8 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: (8) For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

The best way to get doors to open is through prayer. If we seek direction, He will always guide us and open the right doors. We can trust him that he will lead us to the right one. I often pray for God to open the doors I need to walk through and to make sure to shut the doors that I don’t need to walk through. Seeking God’s direction is always the right move.

We need to always be encouraging of others when they are in transitional seasons. We can lift them up in prayer that God will guide them and open the right door. As I covered yesterday, we also need to pray for God to help us shut any door that will give the enemy a toehold and cause us to sin.

As you open the door to new beginnings, remember that anything worth doing requires hard work and sacrifice. Pray about the seasons in life and live each day with a servant’s heart, knowing that God is there to guide you.

Until next time, be bold, be brave and keep your God

EPISODE 29–CLOSING OPEN DOORS

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO VERSION: https://youtu.be/E0-zmftqKFg

Hello My Friends

The title of today’s episode is “Closing Open Doors”

ASK YOURSELF, Do you have open doors?

The enemy will walk through doors that are left open. There are certain areas that we need to be mindful of in order to shut the doors on the enemy. We can have beliefs that are in opposition to the word of God. We reject the ideas or morals that are of God. When we reject the ideas of the word, we leave the door open to unbelief. Unbelief will give the enemy a foothold to cause us to sin. We cannot adopt the ideas and beliefs of the world. The world is always in opposition to God’s way.

How do we close this door? We need to study the word of God. We need to find out what God thinks. Then, pray for God to help our thoughts to align with God’s thoughts. Romans 12:2 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Only God can transform our thoughts and help them to align with what he finds acceptable. We renew our minds by prayer and studying God’s word. If we pray, he will help us to align to His thoughts.

The second door that is left open is often things that came into our lives through willful sin. God had forgiven us, and then we opened that door to temptation. By willful sin, we allow Satan a stronghold that is hard to get away from, and that door is hard to shut. But we have the power to close that door and ask God to forgive us and close the door to that temptation. When we open that door, we allow ourselves to be shackled into slavery again to that thing that held us captive before.

To be set free and close the door to satan, we must speak out of our mouths a confession of sin. We need to renounce the hold it has on our lives. Being set free comes through repentance. Staying free comes from the resistance of the enemy.

James 4:7 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

Unforgiveness is another door that leaves room for the enemy. Matt 6:14-15 14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. When we hold onto unforgiveness, we are holding onto grief and pain. We are hurting ourselves because we are keeping God from forgiving us. If we can learn to forgive others, we are not saying they didn’t do us wrong. We are not saying they didn’t cause us pain and loss.

We are saying, Because Jesus forgives our trespasses against Him, I can forgive this thing that was done to me. Sometimes, this takes prayer to overcome. Letting go of offense will close the door to the enemy to grow hatred and strife in our lives. Forgiving others sets us free, not our offender.

There is a door that is left open that we have had little to do with it. Our ancestors can leave doors open to generational curses. Alcoholism is one example. Many times, a parent who is bound by alcohol will have children bound by the same spirit. There are many things that can be generational curses in our lives and make us susceptible to attacks from the enemy.

We can close the door of generational curses through prayer. We need to renounce the covenants our ancestors have made with these spirits. God will set us free if we ask him for that freedom. Tell the enemy you are closing the door to the generational curses of your bloodline. Remind Satan that you are grafted into the family of God and that you have a heavenly bloodline that is stronger than your earthly bloodline. It is important that we close every door to the enemy. Do not give him even the smallest of cracks to get a toe-hold. Because toe holds turn to strongholds. The generational curses you break will not be passed on to your children, who will have to fight.

I know this was a little heavier message than most, but I felt like we needed to take a serious look at the doors that were open in our lives. Pray on this subject, Search your life, and ask yourself if you have left a door open to the enemy. Ask God to show you any open doors. Ask Him to close the doors to the enemy.

THANKS FOR WATCHING

UNTIL NEXT TIME BE BOLD BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

EPISODE 28 –IT IS ALL IN THE PACKAGING

CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO VERSION: https://rumble.com/v49zi2l-god-focus-this-morning-episode-28-its-all-in-the-packaging.html

Hello my friends

The title of today’s episode is: “IT IS ALL IN THE PACKAGING”

Psalm 27:11 Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.

Think of the extravagance of Las Vegas; everywhere you look is bling and flashing lights. It is called Sin City, and it lives up to its name. Often, things have to be painted up, glitzed up, and made fancy to be more appealing to people. They never share the ugly side of sin.

The advertising industry is a multi-billion-dollar-a-year industry that paints up and glamorizes everything from dishwashing liquid to toothpaste. The better the packaging, the more they sell.

God’s way may not be packaged with glitz and glamor but it is truth. Truth doesn’t change with the trends. Often the truth is not what we want to hear because sometimes the truth hurts. But the plain path will lead to a place where the Lamb is the Light. A place where sin is no more. The plain path leads to truth and righteousness.

The enemy will always try to paint sin as something we can’t live without. Like all the “for a limited time” gadgets that make our lives better. After all, everyone needs all these things to make our lives better. But most of the time they are just more clutter.

The enemy comes at us with something that he knows is our weakness. He will try to get us tied up in knots. He custom-designs temptations for each of us. We have the power to walk away. We have, with God’s help, the strength to say, “Satan get behind me.”

The battle always starts in our minds. The thought will come to us to do something we know is a sin. If we reject and say get behind me, satan. We take authority over that sin. We will be strong enough to walk away. If we entertain the thought for a moment. The next thing we know, we are caught in satan’s trap. It is always easier to get into the trap than to get out of it. One example is the story of King David and Bathsheba.

A lack of integrity in one area of our life always carries over to another area of life.

2 Sam. 11:2-4 And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.

(3) And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?

(4) And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.

Look at David, he saw Bathsheba, he could have turned away, resisting temptation. That would have been the end of his grief. No, he stood and allowed lust to take hold of him.

Still, he could have resisted temptation. When he found out that she was someone’s wife. He should have maintained his integrity and walked away. But he decided he didn’t care, he wanted her and that was all that mattered. He allowed his lust to draw him into an adulterous relationship with the woman he saw.

That sin led him to try to pass his child off as her husband’s child. But Uriah, her husband, refused to go home and see her. He did not think it would be fair to his soldiers since they could not go home. David sent him to the front lines, hoping and knowing he would be killed.

One step led to something worse: to hide the first thing. This is how the enemy lures us in, one step at a time. He went from an accidental glance at a naked woman to practically committing murder.

That is why we need to be vigilant and avoid the first sign of temptation. The enemy will paint pretty pictures of the things we want, but it is all an illusion.

All that glitters is not gold. Many fish have been caught on shiny lures that are not real. The instinct of the fish is to look for food. It allows the shiny lure to fool it into thinking it is a smaller fish or minnow. Then, the hook is set, and it ends up in a frying pan.

Many things have been suffered by people because they allowed Satan to make sin look shiny and pretty. No doubt Bathsheba was the most beautiful woman David had ever laid his eyes on; he should have walked away. Every step he took dug him in deeper and deeper.

We cannot leave the tiniest crack in the door to our thoughts, or the enemy will take advantage. He will stick a toe in, then a foot, and before we know it, he will use our thoughts to create a stronghold.

Not only will he have a place of constant intrusion at this point, but he will attack our conscience for ever sinning in the first place. Doubling our misery and pain.

Never think you cannot get out of the trap. All it takes is to turn from evil and ask God for his help and forgiveness. He will break the chains that have us bound and will set us free. But we have to want to escape. We cannot be like Sampson and play with the enemy. We have to walk away.

Think about what the enemy is trying to sell you? Think about how he is packaging it, I can guarantee it will only bring pain.

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

EPISODE 27–WHY FOCUS ON GOD?

CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO VERSION: https://rumble.com/v49xvkf-god-focus-this-morning-episode-27-why-focus-on-god.html

Hello my friends:

The title of this episode is: WHY FOCUS ON GOD?

This morning, as I sat pondering the goodness of God. I was thinking about the name of my blog and my videos. God is a general term, but make no mistake, when I say God, I mean the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the only true and living God. With a capital G., all of the gods of this world are not even worth mentioning unless it is to point out in a story how they were defeated by our God. When writing, we use a Capital letter because our God is the superior and only real God. All the others are little g’s. Because they cannot hold a candle to Jesus.

There is a doctrine that has deceived many, and I am sure this episode will not make some of them happy, but I have to speak the truth of God’s word. All roads do not lead to heaven. It is the biggest lie ever told by satan.

This is a universal idea created by people who do not want us to know our identity in Christ. They do not want us to understand that we have power over the enemy. They want us to be weak-minded, so we will blindly follow and not question anything. My God gave us a sound mind and the power to reason. He also will help us discern and understand things that are happening around us.

None of the little g’s, the gods of this world, died for me. They didn’t deliver me from my sins and from the pit of depression. That was Jesus, to him I owe all praise and glory.

John 14:5-7 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

Back up to verse 6, Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Jesus came and died on the cross so that we could have a right to be born again. So that we could become children of God. None of the little gods of this world ever died for us. Even if they were a person at one point, they just died, and they will be judged along with everyone else. Many of the little gods of this world and their followers shed blood for them in sacrifice rituals. Jesus is the only one who shed blood for us. His blood was pure and it will redeem us from all sin.

I had a hard time finding a name for my blog and my channel that wasn’t already taken, I started to think about what I wanted to accomplish with the ministry that I had been given. I realized I wanted to encourage people to keep their focus and not be distracted by the things of the world. To keep their God Focus. If we can focus on him, everything will work out.

Col 3:1-2 3 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

The word affection means to be fond of or liking. The act or process of affecting. Affecting means touching the emotions and moving. In other words, this verse is telling us that we need to worship God, talk to Him, and build a relationship with him. In doing so we will move God’s heart.

I Pet 5:6-7 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

This verse is often used to cheer people up when they are struggling. Saying we can give him our burdens and worries because he cares for us. Although that is true, it could also mean we need to cast our affections on him. We humble ourselves and show him how much we care for Him by showing him trust and worship.

We are in scary times if we look at things around us. That is why I always end with Be bold and be brave. God is needing warriors to arise and be brave, boldly declaring the truth of the Bible. If we are bold and brave, we will not walk in fear no matter how bad things look around us.

If we keep our focus on Jesus, we will walk by faith and not by how bad things look around us. I want to encourage you today to stand strong in your faith. Knowing that Jesus is the only way.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

EPISODE 26 — GENERATIONAL BLESSINGS

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO VERSION: https://youtu.be/IwaETEn2Y1A

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

EPISODE 25 BEGINNING OF KNOWLEDGE

CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO VERSION: https://youtu.be/IcekKlejmRE

Hello my friends:

The title of today’s episode is: “THE BEGINNING OF KNOWLEDGE”

The book of Proverbs was written mostly by King Solomon, the son of King David. When God told him he would bless him with whatever he asked for, Solomon asked for wisdom. The book of Proverbs is full of wisdom about the fear of God, following God, and how to treat others. It is an easily understood word on the surface. But it carries a lot of deep philosophical and religious impact when we take time to dig deep into the Proverbs.

Our society tries to tell you how loving God is, and they don’t think he is against sin. Being a loving God means he is accepting of people and their sins. We are to love the sinner and not the sin. We can be good to people and show them love without accepting their sins.

Prov 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

If we want to be wise, we need to have reverence for the Lord or a fear of the Lord. It is the beginning of our walk with God. We cannot be foolish and despise the instruction of God. Many things in his words, the world views as him not wanting us to have any fun. But God, in his vast wisdom, knows that the sins that we commit have consequences in this life, not to mention the life to come. God tells us in the first chapter of Proverbs to turn from sin at his correction. He said he would pour his spirit into us. He will let us know his words and his will.

Prov 1:10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. He is telling us that we need to resist temptation and close the door to it. Do not let anyone lead you astray. We need to be wise and stick to the old paths.

Everyone wants to see the God of love; no one wants to see the other side of God. Many people down through the bible would not heed the word of God. He poured out his wrath on them.

Prov 1:23-31 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. 24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; 25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; 27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. 28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: 29 For that they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord: 30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. 31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own devices.

Because they would not listen to God’s correction, he allowed destruction in their lives. It is just like with the Pharoah; God gave him ample opportunities to change his mind and heart. But Pharoah hardened his heart against God. God sent destruction in his direction.

I have a genuine fear for some people. I believe that some are on that edge. I am afraid that God is growing weary with them and soon there will be no turning back for them. He has called and called for them to repent and change. Everyone has a final chance and then God will give up.

We have an awesome responsibility as God’s children to not be lukewarm fence-sitters. God doesn’t like for people to be lukewarm. A lukewarm Christian will stand in the way of sinners. They look at the fence sitting Christian and say, I am as good as they are, they do this and that sin. People sometimes don’t realize that others are not a good excuse to not live right. The lukewarm often hurt people by being judgmental and self-righteous.

We need to be on fire for God, not lukewarm. People will look at us and think we are crazy. They may not agree with the fact that we are sold out to Christ. But who do they come to when they need prayer? It is not the lukewarm fence-sitter.

People need to see and believe that it is possible to live a Christian life. I don’t want anyone to come before God and try to use me as an excuse for why they didn’t serve God. I don’t want their hearts hardened because I did something to hurt them. This is a serious thing. I don’t want to be so wrapped up in my religious ideas and rituals that I miss the move of God.

Our walk is not about a religion or denomination; it is about a relationship. One we have with the creator of heaven and earth. One that we cultivate by spending time alone with him. Time praying and studying his word. That word reveals to us God’s heart and character. It is not his will that any should perish.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Do not think because he said he would pour out his wrath that, he is sitting in heaven waiting to zap us if we step out of line. He is longsuffering and his grace is perfect. He weighs the consequences out and knows the deepest parts of our hearts. He created hell for satan and the angels that fell with him. God didn’t make hell for mankind. But if we choose to not obey his words, then he has no choice but to punish the disobedient.

Prayer: Oh God, help your body to come into alignment with our head. Help us to be a light and show people the love you have for them so that none of them will harden their hearts against your pleading for them to come to you.

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

EPISODE 24 CONDEMNATION VS CONVICTION

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO VERSION: https://youtu.be/FDKzCXD9JQU

Hello my friends

The title of today’s episode is: “Condemnation verses Conviction.”

After a recent discussion with one of my friends who was under attack from some legalistic people, it dawned on me that there is a difference in conviction and condemnation. One is good and one is a lie from satan.

Conviction is something we feel when the Holy Ghost is telling us we did something wrong. Conviction comes with the possibility of redemption. When we have fallen into temptation and committed a sin, as children of God, we are convicted by God’s spirit within us. This gives us the opportunity to ask for forgiveness and get that sin under the blood covering of Jesus.

When we come to Jesus as sinners and ask for his blood covering, we are asking that all the things we are guilty for be washed away. We are no longer deserving of punishment for those things. God has erased them with the work on the cross, through and by the blood of Jesus.

The word condemn; where we get the word condemnation from has two meanings. One, when someone expresses disapproval, normally in a group setting, they will attack or degrade someone they don’t agree. Shunning is a good example of this practice.

When I was about twenty-three, I briefly attended a church that was bound by religious legalism. The pressure to measure up was overwhelming. The pastor’s wife always made you feel like you were guilty of something and not good enough to be called a Christian. There was a woman that attended church with us, this woman was about my age. She tried to commit suicide. Instead of them rallying around her when she got out of the hospital and pouring love and concern on her, all of them acted like she didn’t exist. There were only three or four of us that would talk to her.

That was when I decided that I was ready to look for another church. After discussing it with my husband we left there. I would like to say I didn’t look back, but it bothered me for a long time, how people can be so bound up. Jesus did not die to set us free, only to bind us up with legalism.

This brings me to the second definition of condemnation. Assign guilt, blame, or implicate in a crime. If someone commits a crime that is punishable by death and is caught, the judge can order that the death penalty be carried out. Everyone of us have sinned against God’s laws. Every one of us deserved the punishment of spiritual death and punishment of hell for eternity.

However, God made a way that we could wipe our records clean and get another chance to be free. It is through the blood of Jesus.

Romans 8 1-2 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

If we have asked for forgiveness, we are no longer condemned or deserve punishment for those sins. Jesus’ blood gives us a pardon. But notice this verse says we are not condemned if we walk not after the flesh (or the will of our flesh) but after the Spirit (or after God’s will for our lives). Once forgiven we have to live the best life we can. We have to try to walk in God’s way. But if we fail, we can ask forgiveness and he will forgive us. This means we have no condemnation; we are not guilty.

When we feel bad for something, we need to ask, do I feel bad because the Holy Ghost is showing me I’ve done something wrong. This is conviction. The Spirit within us will make us feel bad for something we have done. He does this so that we can do all we can to make it right and ask for forgiveness. Conviction is about a course correction.

If you feel bad because others are trying to impose their standards on you, this is condemnation. This comes from the enemy in the form of an accusing spirit. Satan will use people who have a religious judgmental spirit to accuse you of doing things that are wrong, even if it is not a big deal.

One example of this would be in Matthew Chapter 12, I won’t read it for time sake, but go read it. When Jesus healed the man on the sabbath, the religious people said it was unlawful to heal on the sabbath. It was wrong according to the laws they created, but it was not a sin. We know Jesus had no sin. But he was judged by the condemning self-righteous to be a horrible sinner because he healed the man on the sabbath.

Life is hard enough without creating things to make it more difficult. There is freedom in the blood and the name of Jesus. When someone is new to their walk in Christ, the last thing they need is people adding to their already hard battle. They are learning how to walk in faith and in the Spirit of God. The flesh versus spirit battle is hard enough without adding more condemnation.

Think about the freedom we have as children of God. The next time you feel bad about something, ask if it is conviction or condemnation from people.

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

EPISODE 23–GIVE US FLESH

CLICK THE LINK FOR THE VIDEO VERSION: https://youtu.be/zJmUqeNppbs

Hello my friends

The title of today’s episode is: “Give us flesh”

NUMBERS 11 is a story of the Children of Israel and how they were tired of manna. Think about what manna represents. It is food from heaven. It contained everything their bodies needed to stay strong. God gave them plenty. They didn’t have to search for food. Without the manna, they could not have survived in the desert.

Numbers 11:7-8 And the manna was as coriander seed, and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium. Verse 8 And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil.

They wanted flesh, they said they used to have all the fish they wanted in Egypt. They asked for flesh.

How fickle are we? Would we be like the children of Israel? Before we judge them too harshly think about it. We are a lot like them. We take God for granted and all the many blessings he gives us each day.

The taste of the manna was that of fresh oil. Oil in the bible is a representation of the Holy Ghost. So we could taste of God’s spirit with fresh anointing daily or we could have flesh.

Some people follow a preacher. They go wherever they go. Because they want the flesh. They do not realize that without God’s anointing man or woman could not preach or teach as well as they do, but yet some ministers are treated like rock stars. Normally, these are the ones who have let down the truth of God. The people who are all about their flesh, building their kingdom, they will sell out the message of God for fame, fortune, and cold, hard cash.

The people could have fresh manna, the bread of life from heaven. We can get manna from God directly in our prayer and worship time. We can get that food that sustains our spirit from the word. We don’t have to wait for a minister to spoon-feed us the word. This is when we rely too much on flesh.

Don’t get me wrong. The Bible says that God has placed in the body the ministry for the perfecting of the saint. We need preachers. But we don’t need ones who are full of flesh and want to water down the gospel. These preachers feed those who want to walk in the flesh and not in the spirit. They want the name of being a Christian without truly following Christ.

Moses got upset with the people and asked God why he had burdened him with so much. God told him to gather seventy men to be leaders, and he would put some of the burden on them. Then, God gave the people what they wanted.

Numbers 11:18-20 And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the Lord, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the Lord will give you flesh, and ye shall eat. 19 Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days; 20 But even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the Lord which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?

The church got tired of trying to live by God’s standards and wanted to walk in the flesh. They wanted to return to their bondage instead of following the Lord. So God withdrew the manna and allowed us to have the flesh. The church is just starting to wake up and realize that we need a genuine move of God. We need fresh manna. We need HIM and not a specific preacher or teacher. We need to make room for all of God’s ministers who are preaching the truth of his word.

The modern church is not going to look like many think. But as long as God is there, we will have the manna we need to sustain us until we reach our promised land of heaven.

Let me leave you with this thought. Are you wanting a real move of God? Do you desire a closer walk with the God that made you and will give you fresh anointing (or manna) daily?

Gal 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

Thanks for watching,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

EPISODE 22– DON’T GO UNLESS ARMED

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO VERSION: https://youtu.be/n8Heq8T1V-o

Hello my friends

The title of today’s episode is: “Don’t go unless armed”

It is common sense that an army should not go to battle unless armed. Having good equipment and protection is necessary to be victorious. I want to start this journey in Deut. 1:41-45 Then ye answered and said unto me, We have sinned against the Lord, we will go up and fight, according to all that the Lord our God commanded us. And when ye had girded on every man his weapons of war, ye were ready to go up into the hill. 42 And the Lord said unto me, Say unto them. Go not up, neither fight; for I am not among you; lest ye be smitten before your enemies. 43 So I spake unto you; and ye would not hear, but rebelled against the commandment of the Lord, and went presumptuously up into the hill. 44 And the Amorites, which dwelt in that mountain, came out against you, and chased you, as bees do, and destroyed you in Seir, even unto Hormah. 45 And ye returned and wept before the Lord; but the Lord would not hearken to your voice, nor give ear unto you.

God first told them to go against the Amorites. Then, they started speaking against what God had said. They put on their natural weapons and were ready to go up against their enemies. But the main thing they forgot was God’s protection. His armor. By the time they decided to go to war, the Lord told them to not go because he would not go with them. They went anyway and it was a disaster.

If we are to go to battle with our enemy, we cannot do it in our flesh. We cannot fight with our emotions, intelligence, education or our physical or mental strength. We will lose to Satan every time. But if we use what God has armed us with, we cannot lose. Eph 6 lists the whole armor of God. We need to make sure we have God’s armor to protect us. Then we can use our sword, which is the word of God, and fight the enemy. Jesus was our example. When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness. Jesus would turn around and quote scripture to satan.

This is how we fight our battles. On our knees by praying the word of God. When satan comes to temp us or tear us down. We can quote scripture to him.

Most everyone knows the basics of the story of David and Goliath. Saul should have been the one to go against Goliath. He was too afraid. He had allowed the enemy’s lies to penetrate his mind and cause fear. He lost his GOD FOCUS. When David said he would go out against Goliath, Saul tried to cover him with his own armor. David set it aside because he said it wasn’t tested; it didn’t fit him. He knew God would protect him. He took it off and went in the name of the Lord. He destroyed the enemy with his own weapon. Because God was with him.

1 SAM 17:45-47 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. 46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 47And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands.

Notice David was armed with his faith that God would not fail him. God’s honored his bravery and delivered Golaith into David’s hand. People say that David killed Goliath with a rock. The rock knocked out Goliath, but it could have just stunned him. We do not know. But David took Goliath’s sword and cut off his head. What the enemy tries to use against us sometimes, God will turn it around and we can defeat our enemy with his own weapon.

We have a battle ahead; the enemy will destroy us unless we are armed. Never Go to battle without God’s armor. Read Eph 6 for a list of the whole armor.

We can not become battle-weary, or the enemy may overtake us. Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

It is easy to get battle-weary along this journey. It is ok to take a step back and rest our minds. We do not do anyone, including ourselves, any good if we are on the verge of a breakdown.

It gets frustrating when you work hard toward a goal. At times it seems like the harder you work the worse things seem. But God has promised that if we stay steady and keep pressing on, we will achieve our goal. As long as we look to him. So I want to encourage each of you to press on, stay strong and keep looking up, our redemption is close at hand.

Remember today to not go to battle unless armed. To go in the name of the Lord. Make sure the armor you wear is God’s armor. You will not be defeated.

Until next time, BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS