Are you under construction?

Driving through a construction zone can definitely lengthen your commute time. Sometimes traffic slows down to a complete stop and then creeps along as you watch the minutes tick away and you become later and later to that important appointment. In addition, don’t get a traffic ticket within a construction zone because the fines will double and your pocket book will be that much more miserable.

Isn’t it amazing that when God is working on your life, it seems like everything comes to a complete stop. Not only with you, but also with those around you who expect you to always be on point. When God is at work, he does a complete work. As a result, everything in your life that can be shaken will be shaken and those around you are effected as well. One reason is because God is interested in you being whole in every aspect of your life. Sometimes, it may seem like the work is not necessary and comes along at the most inopportune times. Whenever there’s construction work on the roads we travel frequently, most of us can testify of saying, “man, they’re always tearing up the roads”, especially when it slows us down. However, when the work is complete and the roads are smooth, we are quick to reap the benefits of the work that was done. Although God’s work is never inopportune, and always on time, when God has finished the work in our lives, not only are we better but those who rely upon us also benefit because we are now spiritually operational.

The hardest thing about construction is to accept that the work must be done. So embrace God’s construction zone, obey the signs and let God work!

Six Degrees of Separation

Six Degrees of Separation

They say that we are all connected by six degrees of separation. In other words, you know someone (1) who knows someone (2) who knows someone (3) who knows someone (4) who knows someone (5) who knows that person (6).

Question: To what degree do you know God?

Typically, our society is set up by this model of separation. Most companies have a chain of command in which employees must follow. You just can’t go up to the CEO’s office and walk right in to talk to him or her. No, you have to talk to your immediate supervisor, who informs the manager, who informs the director, etc.

Again, to what degree do you know God? Do you have to go to your Pastor to get to God? Do you have to go through your mother, grandmother or aunt to get to God? Hmmm, what about the television preacher…do you have to go through him or her to get to God? No! You can go DIRECTLY to God at any time. God has the ultimate open door policy in which EVERYONE has access. Isn’t that amazing? Wow! Even Satan has access to God – although for a season (see Job).

The point is that, as a believer, you have immediate and unlimited access to the Father at any time. The veil has been torn down and the Holy of Holies is accessible for you today…right now!

In the Midst of Jesus…And not get a Blessing!

The story of the woman with an issue of blood is quite familiar to most of us. The bible tells us that this woman had this issue for 12 years. During that time she spend all of her life savings on physicians and couldn’t be healed. Wow! Can you imagine spending all of your money on the best doctors and technology, only to walk away in the same condition and with the same issue.

Well, we all know how the story ends. The woman pressed herself through the crowd that was surronding Jesus and touched the hem of his gament. With that touch…with the faith that she had…the bible says that she was healed. In fact, Jesus had to ask, “who touched me”, because he felt virture leave from him. His disciples thought it strange for him to ask that question because of the multitude pressing up aginst him.

Ahhhh, now here is the question. Why didn’t ANYONE else get healed or receive what they needed from Jesus as they pressed up against him? I’m sure many of the people who pressed up against him, touching him, were in the need of something. Hmmmmm, as we apply this thought to us today, we can see how Jesus could be in the midst of a church full of people – all having their very own issue of blood, and none of them receive anything or get healed. Have you ever been in a church service when the Spirit of God was so evident and people still walked away in the same condition they were in when they walked through the door?

Hmmmmmm, Selah!!!!!

Are you in Bondage?

If something has to be a certain way for you to operate or function, you are in bondage…you are not free! Sometimes the smallest of things get us all upset and ruin our whole day or mood. Come’on, you know it is true if someone cut you off on the road and by the time you get to work you’re still mad. Not enough…okay, remember the last time you were at a restaurant and the waiter took to long to bring your meal, drink or whatever? What did you do and how did you feel? And let’s not discuss the few choice words you said when they got your order wrong….lol!

All of these scenarios are real and true for many of us. And no, we are not any less of a Christian because we got a little upset in the moment. However, we do want to take some time and look at ourselves and ask, “why am I so mad” about this little thing? In all these things, God is still in control. In fact, it just may be the Lord trying to show us how we really are.

Now isn’t this ironic…as I am writing this post, I recieved a call from a salesperson who was tring to sell me a service. I spoke with him a couple of weeks ago and low and behold, he calls back today. What significance does his call have with this post? Well, I declined the service and he asked what would it take to gain my business. After I told him he said there was no way. I told him that I couldn’t afford what he was offering and while I was talking he hung up in my face…WOW! All I could say was “really”!

Your Heart and the Word of God

Do you know that the Word of God is powerful? The last time you read the Word of God, did it strike you? Could you feel the power when you were reading it? The Word is exactly what it says it is…it is quick and powerful and it doesn’t change. If it is not affecting you like it should, it is possibly because the condition of your heart is not right?

The bible tells us that the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked. When we talk about the heart, we’re talking about your emotions, desires, and your will. As a Christian, you do not want to act or react according to your emotions which always seem to be guided by the situation. When we’re happy and in a good mood, everything we do or say seems to be positive. Even when we are faced with a challenge at home or work, and we are in a good mood prior to that situation, most of us handle that situation totally differently than if we were in a bad mood. Oh, but if we’re in a bad mood or have a bad attitude, our reactions are typically harsh, brash, rude or direct.

As a believer, we want to be controlled by the Spirit of God and not our emotions. We want to be able to hear the Word and do what it says, regardless of our emotional state. That is a part of dying to ourself. No, we don’t want to become robots without any feelings. Once we die to our own selfish desires, emotions and will, we can be filled with God’s love, God’s desires and yes….God’s will. At that point, we can truly love, have Godly desires, the passion of Christ and so much more. At that point we can truly hear the Word of God and react to it and know that it is indeed quick and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword.

The Five Fold

Ephesian 4:11

The five-fold ministry giftings are designed to get you to where you need to be in the Lord.  We are here to encourage you, warn you and admonish you in order to prepare you to stand before God. These mighty men and women of God are commissioned by the Lord to speak into your life to build you up, to bring completeness in your life that you may be whole.

What’s the Difference

What is the distinct difference between Christians and non-Christians?  Recently, I heard a few Christian brothers talking about a Jazz concert that was coming to Austin. They were so excited about this Jazz concert. In their minds, there wasn’t anything wrong with going to a Jazz concert. Most Jazz music is not typically known for cursing, raunchy lyrics and all of the other things that we Christians shouldn’t listen to. Question – Is there anything wrong with these brothers going to this Jazz concert? For some, the answer is no. However, for others the answer is a resounding YES! Why?  It is not the music in and of itself. It is the influence the music may have over these brothers. In reality, Jazz music (or anything else) should not be able to control or influence a Christian in the same manner in which it controls or influence a non-believer. Ask yourself, if the very thing you’re about to do or experience has more influence over you that the Lord Jesus Christ…now should you do it?

The Importance of a Pastor

Colossians 1:25

Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God;

You can’t get to a spiritual place without a minister/Pastor. God has placed spiritual authority in your life for a specific reason. Remember, this is a spiritual thing we are talking about. God is in control of all things and He has set life up to work His way. In this scripture, Paul is explaining to the Colossians that his ministry is given to him by God for them. Wow…for them. If you are in a local congregation, you must know that God has given the Pastor that ministry for you! By the working of the Holy Spirit, the local ministry is for the leading, guiding and feeding of your soul. Christians must know what the Lord Jesus Christ is saying to them and it is through the preacher that much of the communication from God – to you, will come.  However, as children of God, it is God’s will that we become able to feed ourselves because that will mean that we are receiving what we want and need directly from the Lord himself.

Can You Hear God Speaking

I Samuel 3:10 – And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.

In this passage of scripture, the Lord called Samuel and Samuel answered. But this was not always the case. If you start reading at verse one, you will see that the Lord called Samuel three times. Samuel heard the voice calling him, but thought it was Eli. Eli finally told Samuel, the next time the voice calls to  answer, “Speak Lord; for thy servant heareth.”

Many years ago there was a commercial on television about EF Hutton. EF Hutton was this big wig stock broker and the selling point of the commercial was, “when EF Hutton speaks, people listen”. Today’s question is, can you hear God?

One important thing for us to know is that God is always speaking. The problem is that many of us are not in the right condition or position to hear him.

I Corinthians 2:14 says, “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

In our carnal, fleshly and sinful state, it is next to impossible to hear the Spirit of God speak. You could make the argument that, this is the very reason some people can’t understand or grasp a lick of understanding from the bible before they are born again. Without the Holy Spirit, to some people the bible is just an ordinary book with words on a page. As we just read, the carnal mind can’t even begin to know the things of God because they are spiritually discerned. Have you ever been in a church service and the preacher seemed to make the Word of God so alive and understanding…but, later when you read it, it just wasn’t the same.

Do you want to understand the word of God? Do you want to hear God speak to you? It is God’s desire to have many sons and many daughters. Once you become a child of God, born again, you will be in the right condition to hear God speak. While we are in our unsaved state, we can’t hear God. And even if we did hear God speak, we wouldn’t have the Spirit of God to reveal to us that it is indeed God speaking. Remember Samuel? God called him three times and he thought it was Eli. Verse 7 tells us that Samuel did not yet know the Lord and that the word of the Lord had not been revealed to him yet. It wasn’t until Eli revealed to him that it was God and told him exactly how to respond. If Samuel wasn’t humble and submitted to Eli, he would have missed the opportunity to speak with God. This is interesting because it shows that we all also need a man or woman of God in our lives to help keep us in the right position. Even as born again believers, we sometimes lose our way and fall out of position. When this happens, we need someone to help guide us and even help us respond to God when he speaks.

So, if you are not born again and want to hear God speak…you must make a decision. You must admit that you are a sinner and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. The bible teaches us (Romans 10:9-10) that if we confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead, then we shall be saved.

Once you’re in the right condition to hear God speak, you must then get in the right position to hear God speak. The right position is a humble and submitted one. Once we are born again, we must be taught by the Spirit of God to hear and know the things of God…as well as his voice. Furthermore, those spiritual leaders that God has placed over us are also crucial and serve as mouth pieces for God too. Being in the right position also included prayer, reading and studying the Word of God. If there is one place that God speaks clearly and loudly, it is in his Word.

What to do…when you don’t know what to do!

There is an old saying that says, “there are only two things that are certain in this world…death and taxes”. Actually, the bible does make mention of these two things.

Hebrews 9:27 says, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement”.  Yes, death is inevitable. Although we are eternal beings whose spirit will live forever, we all will face death one day…unless the rapture comes beforehand. As far as taxes are concerned, in Matthew 17:24-27 Jesus tells his disciple, Peter, to go down to the sea and get a fish. Inside the fish mouth, Peter was to find some money for Peter to pay taxes for both him (Peter) and also Jesus.

Although death and taxes are both problems for us in and of themselves, life in general seems to pack a punch that keeps us against the ropes. Have you been there? Does this sound familiar…bills are due, just got paid but there isn’t enough money to pay the bills and live off of too! In addition, as soon as you see a little light at the end of the tunnel, in the form of a little extra money every now and then, something breaks down or comes up to where that little piece of money is gone. What about gas prices? Let’s face it, you have to get to work, right.  As a result, regardless of what the gas prices are, you are stuck with paying them. On top of this, your relationship and/or marriage is failing, the kids do not want to listen, and there is so much mess on your job that you hardly feel like going anymore. Finally, the one place that you would think you could go and find solace, the church, is full of members just like you. As a result, there is bickering, complaining, back-biting, low faith and carnality running ramp-id.

So what do you do? Do you give up…no! Do you give in…no! The only solution is to look towards the only one who can give help in our time of need….Jesus! I know, I know…even getting with Him seems to be a problem….can’t pray, can’t read your bible, can’t praise in the midst of trials and circumstances….WHAT DO YOU DO?

The first thing we must understand is that we are constantly in war. No, not in Iraq or Afghanistan, but in the spiritual realm. Regardless of if you are thinking about it or not, the devil is constantly planning, scheming and attacking. One of the most obvious signs that the devil is at work is the confusion. Whenever there is confusion in your life, you must know that the enemy is at work.

Second, we must understand and know that obedience is the key. Obedience to who or what you may ask…the Lord Jesus Chris, His Word, and those he place over us. As we remain totally committed to Him, we must know that He will fight our battles. If we are in a fight, there must be something that God is trying to develop and bring out of me. Also, if something is touching me, God must know about it and is allowing it.

Thirdly, as we yield to Him, we must get into the word of God to see and know what His will is in the given situation.

Lastly, we must remain accountable and teachable to those who labor for us spiritually…your Pastor, spiritual leader, teacher, etc. We must trust that the guidance and instruction they give is for our good and is approved by God.

So, what do you do when you don’t know what to do….love on the Lord Jesus Christ and seek his face, read and study His word, and seek (and listen to) the spiritual counsel of those over you.

God Bless!