Tag: #Jesus

EP232 WORSHIP – THE KEY TO ACCESS TO THE THRONE OF GRACE

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The title of today’s episode is: “WORSHIP—THE KEY TO ACCESS TO THE THRONE OF GRACE”

What is worship?

Isaiah Chapter 6 tells us of the vision of the prophet Isaiah. For time sake I will not read it to you. But it is a beautiful chapter. I suggest you read it. It tells us that above the throne of God there are seraphims (angels with six wings). Their whole purpose for existing is to fly and sing, HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, is the Lord of Hosts. These angels aren’t permitted to look upon him. They cover their face with two of their wings.

Yet with all the angels’ praise, He still longs for our worship. Our praise means more to him than all the angels’ praise because we choose to worship. We are his blood-bought children. We have free will to choose good or evil, right or wrong. We choose every day to serve God. We have the choice to stay in the same comfortable rut or break out of that rut and worship. Stepping out is never easy, but it is necessary.

People in the Old Testament worshipped God with sacrifices and incense. Jesus became our sacrifice once and for all time. His blood was enough, we are covered by that precious blood. We can now boldly enter into the throne room to petition or to worship. We have access through the blood of Jesus.

Why do we need to access the throne of grace? To obtain mercy and help for our situations in life. All the answers are at Jesus’ feet.

Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Worship is not about us. Although we get ministered to through worship and God does things in our lives because of our worship this is not why we worship. Worship was designed to get us out of our comfort zone of our flesh and make it all about our enthusiasm for being in God’s presence because we love him. God know when we are going through the motions.

Matt 15:8 -This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

Jesus was quoting Isaiah. The Pharisees and Sadducees had all their rituals and manmade laws. They didn’t even know God when He stood before them. They had never made a heart connection. They searched and searched the scriptures, but didn’t understand them, because they went by what they were taught and not what God could have shown them if they had taken time to ask.

Isaiah 29:13 -“Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:”

We never want to be guilty of making God feel like we are just giving him lip service. He doesn’t want empty words. He wants our hearts.

Psalms 100:2: “Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.”

Serve the Lord with gladness. That gladness comes from making a God connection every day. It doesn’t matter what we are dealing with; we can have joy even in the middle of the worst tragedies. Every day is a day that God has given us. We need to make up our minds each morning that we will approach it with a worshipful heart.

Psalms 29:2: “Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.”

Give God glory means to show respect, honor, gratitude for who he is and not only what he had done for us. There is nothing we can do to ever thank Him for all he has done. But we can appreciate and worship him for who he is and who he is to us.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EPISODE 231 ABUNDANT LIFE

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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: Abundant Life

I want to share with you today about the abundant life. Let’s start with a definition of abundant -plentiful, generous, overflowing. Many people focus on our natural physical lives when they talk about abundance. Materialism is abundant in and out of the church of today. The people who are living the “good life” have wealth and all that it can buy. But that is not an abundant life, not really.

Rev 3:14-18 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see.

These people had an abundance of wealth, and its trappings but did not have spiritual wealth. Many claim Christianity but do not follow Christ. They worship their abundance. We could have all the material things and not have an abundant life. If our spirit is sick, we are naked, poor and miserable. We will not have abundance of the things that matter like peace and joy.

Matt 6:31-34 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

God has promised to take care of us. He is our provider. He didn’t promise fancy cars, multiple homes and all the things that money can buy. He didn’t die so that we could have a summer home in France. He wants us to have a relationship with Him. He wants us to use whatever he has given us to further the kingdom. We all have different resources, some can sing and play music, others are gifted with words. Some are blessed with a lot of money; others may just have enough to live on themselves. But whatever we have, we are obligated to use for the kingdom of God.

When Peter and John came by the blind man at the Gate Beautiful, the man was begging for money. But Peter said, Silver and Gold, have I none, but such as I have, I give to you. He said, In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise and walk, then he lifted him to his feet. It wasn’t what the guy asked for, but they gave him an abundant life because now he could see.

We should always leave people better than we find them. Sometimes it is just a smile or a word of encouragement. Sometimes it is a prayer you say with them, for whatever they need. But if we do all we can, God will do the rest.

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Jesus was talking about the devil when he said the thief. The devil always subtracts and divides while God adds and multiplies. Satan wants nothing more than to destroy each of us. That is why we have to bind together and lift up one another so we can share God’s gift of an abundant life here and in the world to come.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EPISODE 230 LOVE ONE ANOTHER

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The title of today’s episode is: “Love One Another”

I John 3:11-24 –

11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

The message of the gospel is to love one another. This is often misconstrued that we should embrace people’s sin. We can love the sinner and hate the sin. That is what God does, He loves the sinner and hates the sin.

12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous. 13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. 14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

Cain slew able because of jealousy and hatred. Able was righteous and did what was good in the sight of God. Cain killed his brother because he chose a path of evil. This says that we know that have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. In other words, when we are in sin, we are spiritually dead. We do not really care about anyone but ourselves. When we become saved or have passed unto life, we have love for the people of God.

15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

God is so full of love that he considers hate equivalent to murder. The word says if we have hate in our hearts God cannot be there, because God is love. That doesn’t mean we cannot be attacked by the emotion that we feel might be hate. We can hate a person’s ways and actions, but still not hate them. If we hate them, we will want only bad for them and want to see them dead, knowing that in their evil state, they will end up in hell. If we don’t care about their soul, then God is not in us, he cannot be within us.

It is hard at times to separate things out. There have been people that have rubbed me the wrong way, I often call them sandpaper people. They are in our lives to help us see our flaws and remove them. Like sandpaper removes rough edges when a piece of wood has been cut.

But when the enemy puts so much hurt and offense in you toward another that you wish them dead, then it is time to do some serious praying. Because your heart and soul needs to be repaired and only God can help you.

God tells us to love one another not for his sake, but for our own. Part of becoming a mature Christian is allowing fruit to be produced in our lives. In order for fruit to grow our hearts must be full of God’s love.

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? 18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

There is an old quote that says, “Actions speak louder than words.” If we truly are Children of God, we will love people. We will show kindness when we have no reason to show it. We will share the love of God with those around us, even the sandpaper people and worse.

As children of the most high king, we have a responsibility to the kingdom to be good ambassadors. People don’t need judgmental attitudes from the Bertha Better Than You’s of the world. The love of God is not in them, they are miserable and want everyone else to be miserable. They are like the Pharisees of today. Standing in the way of those who want to be close to God. Jesus didn’t come to make us miserable but to give us an abundant life.

Letting our light shine, is not an occasional thing, but an every minute of everyday thing. We shine the brightest when we are showing God’s love to those who don’t deserve it. Just as God showed us love when we didn’t deserve it. Is it easy? No. But Jesus is with us and will give us the strength to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes.

Jesus used the story of the Good Samaritan to illustrate his point about how we are to treat one another. This story can be found in the book of Luke 10:27-37.

Ask yourself if there is someone that you are holding a grudge against. If there is, ask God to help you let it go, by doing this you will find freedom for yourself.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EPISODE 229 CHECK YOUR OIL

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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: CHECK YOUR OIL

I am sure from the title that you think I am going to give you an automobile tip. But today’s post is not about cars, but our Spiritual lives or our faith walk. Just as cars cannot go far without oil, neither can we go very far without the anointing of God or our Spiritual Oil.

The Bible talks about keeping your lamp trimmed. Most people today would not understand what it means to trim your lamp. Modern day lamps run on electricity or battery. During the times of the bible people used oil lamps. The lamps would burn by the oil being absorbed by a string known as a wick.

When lighting an oil lamp for the first time, you have to make sure the oil has absorbed into the wick or you are just burning string. Anytime after that first time, you must trim off the edge that’s burnt before you light it or it will not burn well. It is not very bright. We have to keep our wick trimmed.

Our Spiritual lamp we have to remove all the dead stuff, all the past stuff. All the things that are hindering our light needs to be cut off and out of our way so that our light can shine. But an empty lamp will not burn either. It has to have oil.

Our light will not shine as Christian’s if we do not keep our wicks trimmed. We need to make sure to keep a check on our lives. Sin, complacency, or procrastinating can cause our lamps to not burn as bright. We do not want to end up like the five foolish virgins found in Jesus’ parable.

Matt 25:1-10 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

All ten were good moral women, five were prepared and five were caught unaware. In other words, our morality will not save us. Being a good person will not save us. We have to be filled with oil, in other words, we have to have the Holy Ghost of God living and dwelling within us. Oil is another word for anointing of God or the Holy Ghost. We have to have prepared for the marriage supper of the Lamb, before the trumpet sounds and Christs returns to gather his bride.

We cannot be a light if the light is not within us.

John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

The light of life, is the Spirit of God, the comforter, the Holy Ghost. He has to be within us in order for that light to shine.

Matt 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

It is time, in this world of darkness, to go out and let our light shine. Take time to trim our lamps and make sure we have plenty of oil. Our light will keep burning brightly, because our supply is renewed day by day. All we have to do is look to him and let our light shine.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EPISODE 228 FINDING OUR PEACE

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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: FINDING OUR PEACE

In an ever-changing world full of noise, it gets even harder to find our peace. But God’s beauty is all around us. All it takes is a walk in the woods or by a lake to feel his presence. It is nice sometimes to have peaceful, quiet time alone with God. In the still of the evening, as the sun sets, it is like he is whispering, I am here, and I am listening.

God is always listening. Imagine waiting all day for your child to stop and take time to talk with you and everyday they say, “Thanks for everything you did today, Please, give me this and I need that, good night.” I have been guilty many times of the hit and run prayer.

I am trying to slow down and soak in the beauty of God’s presence. I don’t even have to be at the beach at sunset or walking by a quiet stream. Sitting quietly alone in my recliner with my eyes shut listening for his still small voice to talk to me works on rainy and chilly November days.

“I say, I trust you Lord. The evening news is scary, but I know you will take care of your people.”

Then I listen again. Waiting for him to speak to me. Although I do not hear audible words. He speaks to my heart and I feel peace surround me. It is like a warm blanket by the fire on a snowy day.

Zeph 3:17 The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

This verse reminds us to find comfort in God’s presence. Think about a baby in its mother’s arms. It sleeps in perfect peace, it doesn’t care about the economy, or rumors of war. It doesn’t worry about its next meal or if it has a roof over its head. It just rests in the safety of its parents arms.

This is how we need to be, not allowing worry, fear or anxiety to overtake us. But to rest in his presence and find peace in his arms. He will watch over us. We have to trust that he will take care of us.

Think about what all God has done for his people over the years. He protected them from a great flood, he set them free from Egypt by destroying their enemy, he proved who he was on Mt. Carmel when Elijah prayed fire down from heaven. He took an army of 300 men and Gideon and defeated a massive army. He caused Jehosophat’s enemies to destroy each other before he reached the battlefield. He sent Abraham a sacrifice of a ram to spare Isaac. Giving Abraham insight as to what God must be feeling when we sent his son Jesus to die for us all. He made an incredible way for us to be free from our enemies. Why should we worry, why should we fear, Jesus is always near and waiting for us to curl up in the peace and safety of his arms.

It doesn’t matter what things look like, we have to walk by faith and rely on our God to supply what we need. Everything we need can be found in Him.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EPISODE 227 A PURE LIFE

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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: A PURE LIFE

I want to talk to you about Purity. Our lives are so full of contamination we do not know what it is like to have pure air, food, water or soil. We are overrun by chemical companies and people with not so pure agendas against us. Hopefully, that will change in the near future.

I want to talk to you about our spiritual purity. Our God is a God of purity. He doesn’t want us to allow our spiritual lives to become contaminated. Just as in the natural, our spiritual airwaves, our spiritual food and water and our soil. The enemy has bombarded our minds with music, movies and TV that is full of things that will contaminate our spirit.

So many churches have let down on the standards of purity that is in God’s word and they are feeding people only half truths and contaminated spiritual water. Any pastor that stands in the pulpit week after week and doesn’t warn his people about sin, is the problem. We need the old fashioned preachers that preach hell so hot that it makes us want to live right.

As charcoal is one way to neutralize many contaminates, God’s word will neutralize the things of this world. Charcoal is made from burnt wood. It has to go through the fire in order for charcoal to be formed. As we go through the fiery trials of life, the impurities get burned out of us. What is left behind can help someone else to figure out how to be pure in the sight of God.

I Peter 1:6-8 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

Gold, when it is mined out of the earth, contains impurities; the gold is heated until it is in liquid form. As the liquid is heated, the impurities burn up. Then the gold is ready to be used, it is shiny and pure.

When God’s Spirit comes into our lives, we should shine with the love of God. I never want to leave out how important the blood of Jesus is to the process of us cleaning up our lives. The blood of Jesus neutralizes the sin in our lives.

Hebrews 9:22 – And almost all things are by the Law purged with blood: and without shedding of blood is no remission.

As the body of Christ, we have faced some rough times lately, but we have stood as a whole and prayed for our country. We have stood against the enemy and all the evil in this world. God has honored our efforts and will continue to work things out as we go forward if we stand strong and keep up the good work. We are too close to the final harvest to allow the enemy to destroy the crops.

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

We cannot get battle-weary and give up. We are too close to everything being like we have prayed for so long. If we get weary now and give up, too many souls will be lost. Too many are depending on us to stand strong and hold the line. Keep standing strong against the enemy.

Matt 11:28-29 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

As most of you know, I normally use the King James Version. All the scriptures I use come from there unless I tell you differently. I really liked how the message version summarized these verses. I am going to share that with you.

Matt 28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” –THE MESSAGE

I love how it says that if you come away with me, you will recover your life. Because our lives should be so wrapped up in Jesus that we must be with him to find our lives. When it says I will not lay anything heavy or ill-fitting, I think about how a soldier’s armor is built to fit them like a glove. When we put on the whole armor of God, it fits us perfectly.

We truly have freedom in Jesus. If we can keep our focus on him, we will not become battle-weary. We will recover our pure life with no contamination from the world.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EP226 JEHOVAH JIREH

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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: JEHOVAH JIREH

The Hebrew word for God our provider is Jehovah Jireh. Many take this to mean monetary things. Although it does mean he will give us what we need to sustain us financially, there are many other things it can mean.

Jesus always came on the scene and read the situations. He knew immediately what everyone was in need of that day. The woman with the issue of blood. It was not lawful for her to be near a crowd. When Jesus asked who touched him, I can imagine her heart sinking within her. She probably thought he was going to condemn her.

Luke 8:43-48 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, 44 Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.45 And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?46 And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me. 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. 48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.

Jesus told her that her faith had made her whole. He didn’t condemn her like the Pharisees would have made a large display of their disapproval. Jesus could see her need and offered no condemnation. He provided what she needed in that moment beyond her healing. He offered her compassion. He gave her comforting words and told her that she was made whole.

The story of Abraham taking Isaac up to the mountain top to sacrifice his son. It is another story of provision. Abraham’s faith in God was strong. He probably didn’t know exactly what God was going to do. But he trusted the process. He walked into the testing time with great faith in God. He knew God as Jehovah Jireh. He had waited many years and the Lord gave his Isaac as just the right time.

When Issac asked where the sacrifice was, Abraham answered the Lord will provide.

Genesis 22:13-17 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. 14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen. 15 And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, 16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

Have you ever thought about the ram? God provided it for a sacrifice instead of Issac. But if it had been caught in the thicket any other way than by it’s horns it would not have been suitable for a sacrifice.

As a type and shadow of Jesus our spotless sacrifice, the animals they brought for sacrifice had to be without blemish. God allowed the ram to get caught in the thicket but to not have any other cuts or blemish. What God provides for us is always without flaws. He is the perfect planner and knows what we have need of before we even ask.

When Israel left Egypt, they could not have even begin to imagine what all they would need. God provided everything. He was their light to guide them, a cloud to keep them from being overbaked by the sun. He met their needs for food and water. He protected them from the Egyptians enslaving them again.

We should not try to put limits on God. He is limitless, all powerful. There is nothing that he cannot do. We do try to limit him because we want him to work in a way that seems logical to us. But he sees the big picture and knows what is best for us.

I hope what I have said today will help you to think about the Hebrew name for God our provider in a different way. I hope it will expand your thoughts about Jehovah Jireh. Not only does he provide for our financial needs, but he is our healer, protector, encourager, teacher, friend and the savior of our souls.

Whatever you need today, look to Jesus and trust in him. He will be there with the answer at just the right time. Because he is Jehovah Jireh.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EPISODE 225 WHOLENESS OF GOD

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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: WHOLENESS OF GOD

We are all broken or have been broken in many ways. Until Jesus. I was thinking about the wholeness of God. Wholeness is completeness, having our mind, body and spirit healed and aligned with God’s will for our lives. Jesus said to many people go and sin no more, in other words they brought on brokenness by sin. Others he healed them and told them to be made whole. It is easy to sit in judgment and think that something we did caused our problems. Sometimes it is not because we have committed a sin, but because we are under attack of the enemy. The cause is not as important as the wholeness.

In John chapter 5 is the story of the pool of Bethesda.

John 5:5-10 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? 7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. 8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. 9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.10 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.

You can almost guarantee when Jesus moves, the enemy will come along and try to steal your joy. Think about this man, he suffered for thirty-eight years, he miserably laid by this pool every day. Wishing and hoping for a miracle. He was focused on being the first one in the pool after the angel troubled it. But someone always beats him to the water.

Think about the excitement when he realized the water was troubled. Yes, could this be my turn, he would think? Only to have those hopes dashed, as someone else beat him to the water and was rejoicing that they were healed. All the many people over the years, all the disappointments. His whole life was about his brokenness. Emotionally, that had to take a toll on him. Laying there day after day. Physically he needed healing too. This is why Jesus asked if he wanted to be whole. Jesus had the power to make him whole and complete.

Jesus healed him and told him to take up his bed and walk. In other words, now that you are healed, you do not have to stay here any longer. Go on your way. But almost immediately, the enemy came and started in on the man. The Pharisees started with their legalism. Telling him he could not carry his bed on the Sabbath.

Satan always comes along and tries to steal our healing, but putting symptoms back on us. He will always send people to speak negatively. We cannot allow the enemy to steal our joy, our healing, our peace. We have to hold onto that wholeness.

Matt 9: 10-13 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? 12 But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. 13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

The Pharisees wanted to tell everyone else what to do. They wanted to inflict their rules. They were in need of being made whole also, but in a different way from the man at the pool. They needed spiritual healing and didn’t even realize it.

When they gave him a hard time about eating with publicans and sinner, he replied those who are whole do not need a doctor, but those who are sick. In other words, you will never win the lost if you do not treat them with respect and without legalism.

Psalms 147:3 He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.

He is the great physician, He has just the right remedy for whatever ails us. Wounds at that time were wrapped in clean cloth they called this binding up a wound. He has the power to heal and make whole every broken or wounded place.

Col 2:9For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.

We have wholeness within us if we are a child of God. In him dwells the fullness of the Godhead and he dwells withing us. So it stand to reason that we have all we need already within us. We just have to learn to yield ourselves to his spirit. Then and only then will we walk full in the completing of his work within us.

Col 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

We are complete in him, or we are made whole in him.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EPISODE 223 -INTENTIONAL CHRISTIAN -PT3

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO VERSION: https://rumble.com/v5pd1kq-god-focus-this-morning-ep223-intentional-christian-part-3.html

WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: INTENTIONAL CHRISTIAN -PART 3

For two days I have shared with you about being intentional in our faith walk. If you missed them, go back and check out the other two videos. Today I want to talk about being intentional with your circle of friends and sphere of influence.

Everyone in our life is there for a purpose. Some are there to strengthen us. Some are there for us to help. Some are sent by the enemy to test us and draw us away from God. Others God allows, because they are sandpaper people. These are the people that rub us the wrong way and drive us to our knees. They are in our lives to remove our rough edges and teach us how to walk in love, even when we don’t necessarily feel it.

The word separate means two distinct units or things. It means to have a boundary between two things as a divider to make one thing become two.

2 Cor 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

I have often heard this verse used by people trying to keep a Christian from marrying a sinner or someone of a non-Christian faith. This is true in that case, it is not good to marry a sinner or someone without your same belief systems. One will always end up caving in and going along with their spouse. Sometimes it is a good thing and they both end up being followers of Christ. But more often than not the Christian will backslide to get along with their spouse.

This is true for your friendship circle. I have a lot of people that I have worked with over the years, and some are outer circle friends, some are closer circle friends. I have friends that do not believe like I do that I love dearly and trust. We have open dialogue and have agreed to disagree. But we still have discussions about God and faith. A little closer to me are those who believe in God and the power of prayer. But there are few that are my inner circle of friends, my prayer partners. I know they will run headfirst into a battle with satan himself for me. All these circles are separate in my life.

The closer and smaller the circle the more influence. I only allow the inner circle to influence my life’s choices. The outer circles are there for me to influence. Those whom I have agreed to disagree. I still love them are want what is best for them, but I don’t go out drinking with them on Friday night.

I said all of that to say this, we cannot allow the outer circle of people to get in the way of our faith walk. We have to be intentional about who we allow to influence us. But we cannot be like some who legalistically says, The bible says we need to be separate, so I cannot have anything to do with anyone who doesn’t believe like me. I cannot have a discussion with someone from another denomination, they may confuse me and cause me to fall.

Being intentional means to be secure in our belief system. We need to know why we believe like we do. Then we would not be swayed by another denomination that doesn’t believe like we do. We will not be swayed by a sinner.

We will never win the lost or confused if we do not keep an open dialog with them. They will never find Christ if we are not walking in God’s love and being kind to them. It is all about balance.

2 Cor 6:14-16 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

We need to be intentional about our belief in God. Many have sold out to a denomination or religious idea. They have specific ideas of what it means to be a Christian. We have allowed these denominations to become our god in many ways. We have taken the beliefs and made them our idea of Christ. We see HIM through the filter of our church doctrines.

It is time to see the real him. Christianity is not as complicated as we have made it. The modern church has become like the Pharisees adding rules and ideas that are supposed to help us in our walk with God. When all they do is add heavy burdens to young backs.

How do we fix it?

Question everything we have been taught except the basics of the plan of salvation. Do not get caught up in legalism. But we cannot compromise either. We cannot go places that are complete darkness under the guise of trying to build a relationship with someone.

The word says to not touch the unclean thing. Like my example of going out drinking on Friday night. I could go and sit at the table and sip soda. But the atmosphere would not be good for me. It would hurt my witness if others found out I was there, even if I didn’t do anything wrong.

The word says let not your good be evil spoken of, so we have to guard our actions.

Prov 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

Iron sharpeneth iron, but if your friend is not the same as you, if they are not iron, then you don’t get any sharper and you could do damage to them. We have to walk carefully. We have to be intentional about our relationships with people. We have to understand our purpose in their lives and them in ours.

Before you allow someone to give you advice, consider the motivation of that advice. If we are not intentional about those around us, we will be influenced by the wrong people. Think today about your sphere of influence and your circle of friends. Share the good news of Jesus with someone outside of that circle today.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EPISODE 224

CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO VERSION: https://rumble.com/v5p5lpe-god-focus-this-morning-ep224-three-types-of-peace.html

WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: TYPES OF PEACE

After I finished shooting Episode 223 Intentional Christian Part 3 for this morning. I felt like God really wanted the one I had planned on for Friday. I thought about it and prayed into it. I feel like someone really needed this video today about peace. So they will be uploaded out of order. But I this is God’s channel. I want to always do what I feel he wants for me to do.

There are three main types of peace. Peace with God, Peace with yourself and peace with others.

First, I want to discuss Peace with God. If we surrender our lives fully to God we can have a peace that passes all understanding. There is a comfort in knowing that God is not separated from us. When we walk in sin, God is separated from us. If we do not repent of that sin and make things right, we will end up in hell for all eternity.

The peace in knowing we can say and truly mean, “It is well with my soul.” is the greatest peace known to mankind.

Romans 5:1-5 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

When the Spirit of God comes into a believer’s life to dwell, He brings peace.

Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

The second type of peace that is a little harder to achieve is peace with ourselves. It is easy to look around and get caught up in the opinions of the world. We compare ourselves to how the super model looks and we feel bad about ourselves. We look at the rich and famous and their home, clothes and cars. It is easy to then have a tainted view of our own surroundings. We find that when life doesn’t go the way we wish that we internalize it and allow fear, anxiety and depression to take charge of our thinking and our words.

When we fall into this pattern of behavior, we are not having any form of peace with ourselves. We cannot even allow the peace of God to flow in our lives. There is no peace in fear of the unknown. It is easy to get caught up in the what if’s and become anxious. When we realize that God loves us and that he made us all unique it is a little easier to find peace.

We are in charge of our thinking. We are the only ones that can control the words of our mouth that are poisoning our lives. We can find peace within ourselves when we learn to see ourselves through the lens of God’s word.

Gal. 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Peace is a fruit of the spirit. The more we walk in God’s ways the more we develop the fruit of our Christian walk. It all starts with Peace with God then it carries over to peace with ourselves. We soon learn to forgive ourselves. We learn to accept who we are and our limitations. Embracing what God made us to be and do will give us that peace with who we are and why we were created in the first place.

The third type of peace is having peace with others. It is impossible to get along 100 percent of the time with certain people. They are miserable and want everyone around them to be miserable. They hate us for being happy and do not want to hear or embrace our answer for their misery. The answer of Jesus Christ.

Heb 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

We need to try to walk in peace with everyone. Sometimes the only way to have peace with someone is to part ways. This is never easy, we have an instinct to want to be liked by everyone. It doesn’t mean that we cannot pray for them to find Jesus. But when their presence steals your peace on a normal basis, it is time to pray about cutting them out of your life. A move like this should only happen when you feel like God lets you.

Romans 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

God wants us to try to get a long with people and have peace if possible. Sometimes it is not possible. That is when we turn it over to God and just let the situation go. Once in God’s capable hands we will get peace about the situation even if we don’t have peace with the individual.

God always works everything out for our good. He will either change them or remove them from our lives. We can walk in peace of all types as long as we have Jesus.

Do you have peace with God? Do you have peace with yourself? Do you have peace with others? Something to think about as you go about your day.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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