Tag: #Jesus

BIBLE STUDY TIPS

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The title of today’s episode: BIBLE STUDY TIPS

It doesn’t matter what skill you wish to learn, it will take most people practice to get it right. For Example, unless, you are a gifted music prodigy, it will take hours and hours of lessons. Some are more musically inclined than others, but everyone learns at their own pace.

Cooking is another example, my mother-in-law used to make the best chocolate cakes. She never measured or wrote down a recipe. She could tell by the color that she had the right amount of Ingredients. If I had tried by just watching her, it would have been a horrible mess. I needed a precise recipe, because I was taught to cook with recipes and measuring cups. Neither way is wrong if the end result is good. The same is with study of the word, as long as we are growing in our wisdom and knowledge of God, there is not a wrong way.

I however, learned about Jesus by watching someone else live for Jesus. My grandparents and parents were my example. I learned about Jesus before I could even read about him for myself. They told me about Jesus, and I grew up watching my mom and grandma sing songs about him while they were cooking and doing dishes, laundry etc. around the house.

My grandpa would sit down at the dining room table, with his dictionary, a note pad and his bible to study for his sermons. He was never too busy to share what he was reading with my brother and me. My dad would go to his bedroom where it was quiet to read his bible. My mom would read hers with a cup of coffee early in the morning or with a soda late in the evening in her recliner.

It would be easy to say that there is only one way to study, and get legalistic. But it didn’t matter as long as they spent time in the word. Today, people are bible journaling and spending time to paint and doodle beautiful things. Some do scripture writing with fancy doodles and stickers in a journal. Others are scribing the entire bible as a way to study the word. Some spend hours with commentaries and concordances.

The main thing is to study the word. I personally enjoy the creative doodles when I am doing what many call scripture writing. I am not so legalistic that I believe it is wrong to write in my bible. I do highlight and take some small notes in mine. But it gives me a little bit of anxiety to see some of those bibles. I don’t understand how they read the scripture through the paint. Maybe, the bible journaling is just a way to have a flip through of bullet points and they actually read in another bible.

I guess the main point is we need to study the word. Doing all the creative things are great if it keeps you in the word. I actually do bible journal in an actual journal. I do some scripture writing and write down things that I want to remember.

When we get someone that is a new Christian is would be easy for them to get overwhelmed with how to study. It seems like a monumental task to learn sixty-six books. One thing I wish I had known when I first started is the breakdown of those books.

OLD TESTAMENT

LAW: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy are know as the books of the law from the beginning of creation to the point of the Children of Israel entering the promised land.

HISTORY: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1&2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther. These are books of the history of the Jewish people.

POETRY: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon. These books are more metaphorical but contain a lot of wisdom about life and practical living, like honoring God.

MAJOR PROPHETS: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel and Daniel.

These books came to be known as major prophets because of the length of the books. It has nothing to do with the importance of their messages.

MINOR PROPHETS: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.

These books became known as minor prophets because of the length of the books. It has nothing to do with the importance of their message.

NEW TESTAMENT

GOSPELS: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. These books are known as the gospels. They cover the life of Christ from before his conception to his ascension into heaven. They are written from the perspectives of these four men who were a part of his twelve disciples.

CHURCH HISTORY: Acts. This one book contains the beginning of the New Testament Church. It contains what the apostles or original disciples did to establish congregations all over that area of the world.

LETTERS: Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Theselonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1, 2 &3 John, Jude.

In Bible times they didn’t have modern communications. They did have written language. In order for the meaning of what they were saying to get from one place to the other they wrote letters. Paul wrote most of the letters but not all. They would contain instruction, clarification of meaning, warnings and encouragement for the church or person they were sending the letter. These letters make up most of the New Testament.

PROPHECY: Revelations. This is the final book in the bible. It contains prophecy of the end times with themes of a catching away of the Bride of Christ (the church). To the anti-Christ taking control of the earth. To satan being cast into the pit of hell.

If you would like a copy of that list, shoot me an email I will send you a PDF.

That guide will give you somewhere to begin to understand what is in the word. There is no wrong way to study the word. I suggest praying before you start for God to give you understanding and wisdom. If you are a brand new Christian I suggest you start with Matthew, Mark, Luke and John they are all about Jesus.

I say that because for several years, I would start with the intention of doing the read through the bible in one year. For several years, I would get stuck in Leviticus, it became about the laws and the sacrifices. It would seem overwhelming to me. I felt like I needed to remember it all. But since I am not Jewish, I am not under the law, I do not have to worry about animal sacrifice for my sin. It makes me so thankful for Jesus, knowing that his sacrifice paid the price for all sin.

In summary, find you a good bible translation. I use the King James Version. I will accept other versions if I compare them to the KJV and the verses mean the same, however some translations are missing verses and the meaning is different.

Ask God for his guidance in prayer before you start studying. Have a bible dictionary handy. If you want to do a deep dive, a concordance.

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

As we read and learn about God, we will learn of his spirit that was sent to earth on the day of Pentecost. Which is the beginning of the New Testament Church. That spirit is within anyone born again. God’s Spirit will teach us, He will open our understanding. If we desire a deeper understanding, God will not hide it from us. He wants us to know him in a deeper way.

There is no right and wrong way to learn about God. Because we could never learn everything there is to know, we always have more to learn; which is exciting. Don’t allow the opinion of the world to taint your opinion of God’s word. It is not some outdated old book about history. But it is living and breathing, it will be the best guide you have ever looked at to understand this thing called Life.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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BOLDLY APPROACH THE THRONE

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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: Boldly Approach The Throne

I woke yesterday morning to a daily bible verse and short devotional. I have a dear friend that sends them to me daily.

The verse happened to be Hebrews 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.

I have always liked this verse because it says we can come boldly to God. We do not have to be in fear that he will reject us. He will extend his scepter to us every time. He wants to hear what we have to say.

Bold means not hesitating, or fearful in the face of possible danger. In times of kings, no one approached the king without a formal invitation. If they did there were assassins waiting to behead them on the spot. The only way these body guards did not take someone out was for the king to stretch out his scepter. It would be dangerous to approach the throne. But God says, we have access because we are his children, we can come boldly. Without fear and hesitation to make our requests know to our King.

Then I turned on Prophet Julie Green, I listen to her almost every day. The first bible verse she read was, you guessed it, Hebrews 4:16. For the past few days she has been talking about petitioning the courts of heaven for God to return to us what the enemy has stolen. Then she listed a few things like: health, peace, joy, any part of our faith walk and our finances.

I had plans for the day but, I felt God really impress on me to intercede for our country. People are dying every day because of the evil that has taken over this nation. We were founded as one nation under God. That is with a big G not any of the false gods of this world which are little g’s.

As I sat in my office, the spirit of God came over me and I started weeping. He totally wrecked me. I have not been so wrecked by the Spirit of God since I attended a ministry conference over a year ago. I could not stop crying and praying. I spent a long time praying for our nation, praying for lost family, for restoration of thing that needed to be restored. I felt compelled to keep praying for the needs I have on my prayer wall.

Once that anointing left me, I rushed to my computer to write my thoughts down.
I feel like God wants me to encourage you to come boldly to his throne. Take a list of what the enemy has taken from you. Petition the courts of heaven for what you feel needs to be restored to you.

We never know what our prayers may unlock. One example that comes to mind is the story of Hannah. She had a desire to have a child. She didn’t understand the profound effect that child would have on the world. Samuel did many things to restore their people. He returned righteousness to the house of God. He anointed kings, he gave them words of direction from the Lord.

We often have an overwhelming desire for something, but do not realize the heavenly impact of that prayer. All we know is that prayer burns within us. God will use our surrender and our prayer to further the kingdom.

She prayed, then she surrendered her son to the work of the Lord. Her prayer gave birth to the destiny of her nation. What prayer is within you that God wants you to boldly come and petition the court of heaven to receive? What may seem simple to you, may change the destiny of your nation. At the least it will make an impact on your life. Our God is a God of answered prayers.

Phil 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

This means to not worry or be anxious about things, but with thanksgiving we can come boldly to the throne and petition God for his help. We enter his presence with praise and thanksgiving. Once we have that connection is the time to ask God to move upon the situations of our lives.

Psalms 145:3 – Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.

His greatness is unsearchable. In other words, it would take more than our lifetime to understand God. He is beyond fully knowing, but that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t try to understand his vast greatness.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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GOD’S FIRE

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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: GOD’S FIRE

What made the burning bush that Moses encountered so special? What made it different from all other bushes? Why did he notice it?

It was on fire but was not destroyed by that fire. God used the fire to get Moses’ attention. How will God get people’s attention today? He will send down the fire. The church for too long has denied the power of God. If people cannot control it, they don’t want it.

Our God is a consuming fire. He burns out all that within us that is not of him. This is why our trials are called fiery trials. Because they are purifying us. But the fire I want to talk about is the fire of God.

The children of Israel were led by a pillar of fire. It also was there standing wall between them and the enemy. It gave light to God’s people and brought darkness to the enemy.

Just as the blood of the lamb on the door post represented Jesus atonement for sin. This pillar of fire represented the Holy Ghost that was given on the day of Pentecost. This fire from God will be our guide.

We have to allow the Spirit of God to lead us. For too long we have had our programs and ideas of what church should be like, it is so programmed that there is not time for God to move and do what He wants to do for his people.

So the pillar of fire that goes before us, is God’s Spirit. The separation from our enemy is also the spirit of God. If it was not for God we would be overtaken by the enemy.

Isaiah 59: 19 So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.

The Spirit will lift up a flood wall to keep us from being overtaken. We need the fire of God in our life. Most of you will relate to the little lady on the movie War Room. She is fiery, and I am sure the enemy shakes in his shoes when she wakes up in the morning.

If we can catch on fire, our fire will produce light that will shine out and others will see that we are different. That fire will not destroy us. We will be like the burning bush God used to talk to Moses. We will shine, but will not be destroyed. There were probably many bushes around but the only one that caught Moses’ attention was the one on fire. It was the only one God used to talk out of.

We can no longer be a body of lip service. We have to be the body of God’s light. We have to be able to pray for people and God will move in their lives. Many needs delivered from horrible situations. Only God can help them, it is beyond our human capacity to help most of them, but God can deliver. He can save, heal, deliver and set free. But only if someone catches fire.

Matt 5:14-16 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

A candle will not light a room without fire. We need God’s holy fire to be stirred up in us. A camp fire will die down to only a few embers, but as long as the coals are hot the fire can burn again by adding some wood and blowing gently on the coals.

As the body, it is time we throw some wood on the fire of revival. Ask God to send the gentle breeze of his breath to cause the tiny coals we still have to turn into a roaring fire of revival once again.

Just as Elijah called fire down from heaven to prove his God. We too can be a fire starter. Many people on the mountain that day needed to see that God was real. We need to be the ones today that shows them he is not just a fairy tale from an old outdated book. This time the sacrifice is not a bull, like it was in Elijah’s day, but it is our praise and worship. It is about our relationship with the one true and living God. If we make ourselves a living sacrifice like the word says, we can be that light God wants us to be.

The world is waiting to see some light. They are needing the warmth to step out of the coldness and cruelty.

Ask God to make you his mouthpiece, allow you to be the on fire tree that is a light to someone. The world needs the church to be that beacon of hope full of God’s holy fire, once again.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EPISODE 186 THE WAY OUT

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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: THE WAY OUT

We often find ourselves in the middle of trial. These things happen for many reasons. It doesn’t matter how bad the trial, we can worship our way out. The word says that God inhabits the praise of his people. Praise and worship gets his attention.

We do not worship in an action only, as if to butter up God for a favor. He is not one to be manipulated. But if we can learn to praise him, from a sincere place in our hearts, he will come to our prisons of trouble, he will shake the jail and set us free.

I said it that way, because that is what happened to Paul and Silas. They had been taken prisoner for preaching the gospel. Other believers gathered to pray on their behalf.

Acts 16:22-24 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. 23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: 24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

Paul and Silas went about doing good. They had cast a devil out of a woman who was being forced to basically be a fortune teller. But once that spirit was cast out of her, she could no longer make money for her masters. They stirred up the people against them and they were thrown into jail.

What would we do in their position? Would we complain about how much our backs hurt from our beating? Would we have a pity party and sit in the dark jail until someone bailed us out?

Acts 16:25-26 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.

Notice God shook the foundations of the prison, then the doors were open. The doors of all of them were opened. Then he loosed their bands. It took a shaking of the foundation to set them free. Sometimes we build our lives on things that are not the right foundation and God has got to shake the foundation to set us free from our prison.

For example: I keep feeling like God is calling for unity in the body of Christ. God is shaking the foundation of our religion so that we can be set free to just be His body. This is something everyone of us needs to be praying, “Lord remove religion and help me to see you in a deeper way. I want to walk in your ways and not be bound by man’s traditions and man’s religion.”

Acts 16:27-30 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. 29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

People are watching our lives. They see us in our storms and wonder how we are even breathing at times. When a tragedy hits us and we are stuck in the prison of our pain, sickness or grief for a season. But if we can keep praising God in the middle of our pain and our prison, God will set us free and use that to help others find Him.

When this jailor realized that he would not be executed for letting the prisoners escape he came and fell down before them and asked them to introduce him to Jesus.

We never know how strong we can be until we are faced with the trials of life. But if we face them with prayer and praise. God can use our dark times to set free those around us who are bound. We will be able to be a witness for the cause of Christ if we can just learn to worship and war with prayer and praise.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EPISODE 185 WORSHIP THE LORD

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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: WORSHIP THE LORD

Never before in history do we need God’s presence like we need him today. It is impossible to turn on the TV, look at social media or even go to the grocery store without being bombarded by evil. The enemy has ramped up his spiritual attacks on everyone. He is determined to destroy the next generation. But God has other plans.

No one has a bigger heart for children than our God. He loves that they are completely honest and open. But their innocence and honesty sometime is a handicap when it comes to satan. But it is not just children that do not know how to handle the enemy. Many of us as adults struggle with it.

How can we get to a place that God will be there and listen when we call? It is all about our relationship with him. Once we are saved, that is not a place that we can get comfortable and sit down and wait until the rapture. That is the beginning of our work here on earth. We are called to go make disciples or followers of Christ. We cannot do that if we do not have a real relationship with him.

Opening our bibles only on Sunday and only praying over our food is not enough to really build a relationship.

Psalm 145:18 The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.

We cannot have a relationship with someone we do not ever talk to, the same way goes for God. We need to spend time with him getting to know him. He inhabits the praise of his people. He wants us to worship him. We need to lavish love upon him.

Imagine being engaged to someone who only wanted to be kind to you when they wanted you to do something for them. What kind of a relationship would that be; not a very good one. But I am sure God feels like we don’t care unless we need him to fix something that is wrong in our lives.

Our prayer sessions are all about the needs of us and others. But do we stop and listen for him to speak?

Worship is the key that opens the door to everything else in the spirit realm. We open ourselves up to whatever we worship. If that is God or our evil enemy, worship draws us closer to what we praise.

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 are living in a day and time when God will not accept less than our whole heart. When we give our heart to Jesus, we cannot take any of it back to walk in the ways of the world.

We have been given his promise to seal our marriage contract. He gave us the Holy Ghost to be our engagement ring. The first fruits and down payment.

2 Cor. 1-20-22 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. 21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; 22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

The earnest of the Spirit, means our downpayment of His Spirit working in our lives.

God wants our worship more than that of the angels. They were created to worship. God created us for friendship, to have a relationship with him. Then sin entered our world. Now we have to connect to God through worship and prayer.

The book of Psalms is full of beautiful passages about praise. David learned in isolation what it would take to carry him when he stepped out in faith to walk in his calling. We all have things God has created us to do.

He will show us the way if we fellowship with him in times of worship. Every day is a new chance to raise our hands in praise and thanksgiving. Church, we are in the home stretch, the finish line is in sight, how will we finish our race? How many sheaves will we bring along in our harvest baskets?

It is all about Jesus and it is all about helping the lost give their hearts to Jesus. Not in word only, but to truly, fully, openly, to be 100% sold out to the cause of Christ.

Worship will light the fire in our hearts to go out and share what wonderful things God has done for us. I pray that God lights you up so brightly that you reach your area of influence. The harvest is ready and there are few laborers to gather them into the barns. Go out and make a difference in someone’s world today.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EPISODE 183 HIDDEN TREASURE

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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: HIDDEN TREASURE

Prov 2:4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;

Prov 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

This is encouraging to me and should be to you too. We are on our way to gaining wisdom and understanding, when we search for it. God wants to give his people so much, but we are not ready. We are not wise enough or mature enough to carry the weight of what he wants to share with us. Because we have allowed for too long a watered down message to be prevalent in our pulpits.

God will give us what we can handle; if we seek wisdom and understanding. This chapter says if we look for it as a hidden treasure, then he will give us knowledge and understanding.

When I hear the phrase hidden treasure, I think about it being something that has to be searched for by studying our guide or map to find it. Then once the spot is located, there is a lot of digging to get to the pearl of wisdom or the treasure chest of understanding.

Verse 7 says he is a buckler. When the bible was written that was a common word everyone understood. Today many people would look at you strange if you said God, was your buckler. Part of digging for that treasure is understanding the time in which the text was written. A good bible dictionary is one of our best tools.

A buckler was a small shield worn normally on the left arm to protect not only the upper body but the sword hand from enemy attack. Our bible is our sword. As we use our sword, God will be our shield, to protect our work. To keep us from falling prey to the enemy. When the enemy starts throwing his darts, God is our defense.

Psalm 91: 4-7 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. 5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; 6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. 7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

It does not matter the size of the enemy. Look at David and Goliath. God doesn’t care how big our enemy is, because he is bigger and far more powerful. Another place in the word says he is our our defender. It doesn’t matter how bad things appear, he will protect his people. He loves us so much that he sends his angels to protect us.

Psalm 91: 11-12 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

He will keep us on the right path if we seek him and allow him to guide us. He will shine a light on our path. That will help us to find the hidden treasures of wisdom and understanding.

How have you improved your understanding lately? Are you studying his word and asking for wisdom? The word says if we seek we will find, if we knock it will be opened to us. What plan can be put in place today to help you find what you seek? There are several tools: daily devotionals, bible studies, bible journaling and scripture writing, listening to mid-week podcasts. None of it should be done without asking God for his understanding to flow.

1Peter 3:15But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

We cannot tell anyone else about the great treasure we have found, if we lack understanding about what we have found. The hope we have even when the storms of life rage, the hope we have when we are standing at a loved ones grave the hope that when we leave this life, heaven is waiting for us. Our hope comes from the Lord and understanding his promises in his word.

In other words, we cannot be an effective witness, if we do not know the word of the Lord. In digging for the hidden treasures inside the pages of our sacred book, we find God and learn about his character. We learn to look at ourselves through the lens of the scriptures.

I have found the more I dig into the word, the deeper my faith and hope grows. I understand that many of the hidden treasures written there are not hidden deep. God wants us to find them and he wants us to truly know Him. In prayer and study, we can be transformed from who we are in the world to who we are in Christ.

Ponder the hidden gems of God’s wisdom, then get out your road map and start looking for direction.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EPISODE 180 –SOW GOOD SEED

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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: SOWING GOOD SEED

As Christians we often speak about the golden rule, do unto other as you would have them do unto you. Today I want to talk to you about another rule of God’s word, you will reap what you sow. Meaning whatever we invest into our spiritual walk, that is what will guide our life. Our life becomes the fruit or product of our spiritual walk. If we invest in our relationship with God, we will reap in many areas.

I was reading Matthew Chapter 5 this morning. I never thought about what is normally known as the beatitudes, many can be something we sow in our lives.

Matt 5:1-12 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: ²And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, ³Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.⁴Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. ⁵Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

If we sow meekness, we will reap from God’s hand; we will inherit the earth.

⁶Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Starting with verse six, if we sow in hunger for God’s ways, his righteousness, we will reap in having that hunger filled.

⁷Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. ⁸Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

If we sow mercy, we will receive mercy. If our heart is set on God and his will, we will have a pure heart. God can use a heart that is pure and doesn’t have any deception in it.

⁹Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

We are called to be peacemakers. If we sow in peace, we will reap in peace.

¹⁰Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ¹¹Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. ¹²Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Then comes the ones we don’t want to talk about, Being persecuted, falsely accused and had evil lies spread about us. We are to stand against it by not defending ourselves. If we do not defend ourselves, God will fight our battles for us.

He will shut the mouth of the accuser.

Romans 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

With God on our side we do not have to go out and try to defend ourselves. God is our defense.

It is hard to take the high road at times. Our flesh wants to get scrappy with people. But we have to walk in our humility and keep our head up high. The only opinion that matters is what God thinks. We are to continue on doing God’s will and he will take care of the rest.

We are in serious times, now is not the time to be playing games. Now is not the time to sit on the fence. We are either Children of the Most High God, or we are the children of darkness. There is no middle ground.

It is time that we examine ourselves and look to see which side of the fence we are on. Are we sowing the right seeds in our lives? Are we daily sowing prayer seeds that will bring forth God’s blessings, power and strength in our lives?

Time is short, we want to hear him say, “Well Done” the saddest thing to ever hear is “depart from me I never knew you” I pray that you think about it and do something this weekend to strengthen your faith walk.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EPISODE 179 — UNMOVEABLE

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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: UNMOVEABLE

Many of the prophets have said that we are going in to a season of shaking. God is allowing the shaking to wake people up. He is also shaking our enemies, those who God has determined to be like Pharaoh and has hardened their hearts toward God. These people believe they are God and cannot fall.

As we move into the season of intense shaking, stay strong. I spoke to you yesterday about the fiery trials. We may have to walk through a rough spot or two to get to the other side. God will not leave us nor forsake us. He will take care of his children.

I want to encourage you today to walk by faith that God will not let the shaking be too intense. Walk by faith that he will lead and guide his people. We cannot walk by sight. Things may look scary. Things may seem intense, but just as the children of Israel had the blood over the door post of their house. We have the blood of Jesus applied to our lives.

I Cor 15:57-58 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

The synonyms for the word stedfast: committed, dedicated, dependable, steady, determined, relentless, unwavering, firm and true.

A person that is steadfast, has their minds made up that a course of action or a belief is right and they will not change from that belief. In other words, they are unshakeable. This is something we need to pray, “Lord help me to be unshakeable and steadfast when it comes to your truth. But anything that is a man made idea or religion, help me to shake it loose from my belief system, until nothing is left but Your truth.”

The above verse tell us that we have victory through Jesus and we need to be unmoved by the things the enemy is doing. We need to be full of the work of the Lord so that our labor is not in vain.

Psalm 1:1-4 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

There is a lot packed in these four verses. Blessed is the man that does not do evil and does not stand in the way of sinners finding God. Some so-called church people will stand in the way of sinners finding God by their judgmental and self-righteous attitudes.

We are to delight in the law of the Lord and meditate on it day and night. If we do, we will be like a tree that is planted by the rivers of water.

These trees must have deep roots to keep from being overtaken by flood waters. Remember that when the enemy comes in like a flood the spirit of God will raise a wall or dam to protect us.

Trees planted by the water will not suffer from drought, they will always have water. If we are planted in God we will not suffer spiritual drought, because we stay in the word. We will have all the living water we need to keep us strong enough to bring forth fruit. God will prosper the work of our hands.

But the ungodly are not planted and are like chaff which the wind blows away. They are not unshakeable. Their foundation is on the sand. There is no one they can trust to not betray them and their evil plans.

But the Godly are on a firm foundation, the rock, Christ Jesus. The storms can come and the winds may blow, but we will still be standing when the storm is over, because we are steadfast and unmovable.

Seriously, take some time to think about how determined and steadfast you are about standing on the word of God. What if you had an ultimatum, bow to the evil ideas and deny Christ or die? People, this is a serious thing. I try to be upbeat and encouraging every day, but I want you to be steadfast and strong in your faith. I don’t want you to be caught off guard.

We must have a made up mind to follow Jesus at all costs. I know from other hard things I have faced in life, that God gives us strength when we need it. He would give us strength in that moment too. If we are prayed up and have a firm foundation of his word in our hearts.

Be steadfast and unmovable, be strong in the Lord and the power of his might.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EPISODE 178 INTENSITY MEANS VICTORY

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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: INTENSITY MEANS VICTORY

There is no doubt in the minds of Christians that we are in a battle. We are in the most intense battle of our lives. Evil is being portrayed as good. It seems that evil has taken over and even praised. The mutilation and slaughtering of children is praised as a choice. Child trafficking for all sorts of evil purposes is, for the most part, ignored because people do not want to face what is happening to these innocent souls.

Drug abuse is on the rise. Satan wants everyone to be numbed by drugs so that they do not pay attention or even care about what is happening. People are dying every day at their own hands because their minds are confused by satan and his lies.

There is a tipping point in every war. The point where the few find a backbone of steel. Where they become determined to stand up for the truth and for good. Many of my grandparents’ generation died on the beach of Normandy and all across Europe to stop an evil man called Hitler. He had his mind set on wiping out all the Jewish people.

Many died on American soil during our civil war in the late 1800’s. Because they felt it was wrong to enslave another human being, just because their skin color was different.

All of these things seem to be separate issues, but really they all boil down to a spiritual war. Trafficking of children, slavery of a race, the total annihilation of another race (who happen to be God’s chosen people) it is all a spiritual war backed by satan.

Since the Garden of Eden, satan has been trying to manipulate people into not believing God. Satan wants people to trust him and his lies. Every time people choose to stand against him, it is a battle. But we never have to fight this battle alone. GOD IS WITH US!!!

John10:10-11 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. 11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

Our Shepherd will not leave us to fight off the wolf that is trying to kill and destroy us. Satan wants to steal the things that God has for us, because he is jealous that God gave us power. We can overcome him, as long as we stay plugged into our power source, who is Jesus.

When the king told the three Hebrew men that they had to bow to his statue. Who do you think was in charge of that idea? Satan doesn’t care that we bow to a statue, he doesn’t care that we idol worship a celebrity. Because he is in it for the long game. He knows if we bow to the idols of this world we are really bowing to him.

When the Hebrew men refused, the king commanded that they be thrown into the fiery furnace. The furnace was turned up seven times hotter than normal. Notice the enemy always turns up the intensity right before he loses.

God did not let any harm come to his children. Only what had them bound, their ropes were burned. When we pass through a fiery trial, God will use it to burn out our impurities and what has us bound. They were dancing and shouting their victory in the worst of their storm.

Satan hates it when we worship God, because we are stepping into the place God made him to be, he was in charge of worship. Above anything we can do, worship gives the enemy a black eye and connects us more closely to Jesus.

I hope you are getting what I am trying to convey to you. Things seem to be getting more intense every day. We are on the edge of our moment of decision. Will we bow or will we stand? Will we say I don’t care how hot the fire, I will not bow to satan?

Satan comes at us by slightly manipulating the truth. Until, our way of thinking believes his lie. He will tell us that God is far away. Then he turns things on us and makes us believe that we are our own worst enemy. He uses condemnation to make us feel less than and that God can never use us, because we made a mistake.

He tries to make us forget that we are children of the most high God. One who has promised to never leave us. One that has promised to fight our battles for us. Certainly, satan wants us to believe that God is far away. This will give him more time to talk to us and try to discourage us.

If we grow in the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not believe his lies any longer, then he comes at us with fatigue, busyness and discouragement. He will try to make us tired and apathetic.

I want to encourage you today to stand strong. If the enemy has turned up the fire in your furnace. Be Bold and take a stand. Do not bow to whatever he has brought into your life to get you to give up. Your relationship with Jesus is more important than bowing to anything else.

Do not allow fear of what the enemy is doing to cause your faith to waiver. We will be victorious. The battle is not ours but God’s, we just have to praise him and keep marching forward. We cannot allow the enemy to turn us around.

Once we survive our fiery trial:

Daniel 3:28-30 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were promoted. Our fiery trials serve only to elevate us. We will come out on the other side with more overcoming power and a stronger witness.

They were not the only ones promoted. In the story of Daniel and the lions den. He was forbidden to pray to any god but the king. Daniel was not quiet with his prayers but opened his windows and prayed loudly to Jehovah. He was bold and brave and knew his God was the only one to answer prayers.

When he was caught the punishment was to be tossed into the lion’s den. He would be torn to shreds by a pack of hungry lions. But God had other plans. Daniel had a peaceful nights sleep. God shut the mouths of the lions. They didn’t touch Daniel.

When the king came to see if he had survived and found him alive he promoted Daniel.

Daniel 2:47-48 The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret. 48 Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.

As we face the trials ahead, be strong in the Lord. Remember he will not leave us to fight alone. The more intense the battle the greater the victory. Once we are through the fiery furnace or lion’s den, a promotion is waiting for us.

We need to be praying today for strength to stand against what we have facing us. Ask God to go before us and fight our battles. Then all we have to do is to worship and wait for the time to pass, that we walk out of our fiery furnace or lion’s den.

Remember, the level of intensity, will determine your level of victory.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EPISODE 177 BEYOND MEASURE

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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: BEYOND MEASURE

When athletes are in training, the coach’s job is to push them to excel. They push them to go beyond what they think they can do. A good coach will require 110%. Teammates can help or hurt them. If the teammate is a team player, then they will want what is good for the team. They will encourage and push each other to be the best athletes they can be so the team can be the best it can be. A bad teammate can get in the way of your success. It is all about pushing for a higher level of excellence.

I want to be a good teammate to you and encourage you to follow Jesus with everything you have within you. I feel that it is my calling to encourage you to give this faith walk all you have to give.

People are not always what they appear. Some will act like they want what is best for you but are jealous of the gifts and talents that God has given. I have seen it many times. I have a friend, and I will not share the details about her situation. But needless to say, about a year ago, someone she trusted turned on her. This person was jealous of the calling God had put on my friends life. She went all about town, lying on my friend. The people who knew her didn’t believe the lies. God has recently showed up and vindicated my friend. Now the other woman has been proven to be a liar.

When the situation went down a year ago, we had prayer about it. Our group of intercessors felt like God was saying leave it alone and do not defend against the lies. It was a difficult thing for our friend to do. Because she wants people to like her. She didn’t want it to hurt her witness.

She kept pressing on doing the things God had showed her he wanted her to do. I know she probably spent many hours in prayer alone about the situation. But because she didn’t try to fix it, God stepped in and fixed it. He has a way of fixing things beyond all measure. There is no human way that my friend could have fixed things like God has done.

When we give our situations to God, then step back and let him handle them he is obligated to fight for us. Just like the story I often share about Jehosophat. He had three armies coming against him. God told him to send the worshippers out front and march to battle. When they arrived at the battlefield, the enemies had taken each other out. Jehosophat gathered the spoils of three armies. He never lifted even one sword against his enemy.

God’s love for us is beyond measure. It is hard to imagine, he was beaten beyond recognition. This is just my opinion, but I often think that if he had not been half man and half God that he would not have survived long enough to be crucified. The beating would have killed him.

What do we have that we can give God? Are we team players that only want what is best for the body of Christ? God wants us to surrender all to him. That is not an easy thing to do in some ways, while in others it is easy. We say we trust him, and in many areas of our lives we do. But we all have an area that we hold back. It is not intentional. We just haven’t learned how to surrender that little part of ourselves to him.

Surround yourself with people that are on the same team you are, ones that encourage you to surrender more of yourself to God. I wake up most days wanting to do more, walk closer and shine a light into the darkness. On the other days, I have to pray and ask God to empower me to surrender my will to His will.

Think about the vastness of the universe and how there is no way to measure it. Yet our God holds the universe in his hand. What ever we have need of, God is able to give us. Because there is nothing impossible with God.

Matt 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

Jesus was talking about the rich young ruler that went away sad because Jesus told him to sell all he had and give it away. Then come and follow him. But the man loved his things and his money more that he wanted to follow Jesus.

He said it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to enter into heaven. Growing up I thought that meant a sewing needle. But in Jerusalem there is an opening in the wall that a camel has to be unburdened of their pack in order to crawl through the opening. It is called the eye of the needle.

People sometimes feel that other things are more important than their walk with God.

Learning to lean, learning to surrender all, is a process of growth until we can learn to give all we have beyond measure. I want you to search your life and ask God to help you give him all that he wants for you to surrender to him. Because his love is beyond measure.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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