Category: Ministry

the work or vocation of a minister of religion

God’s Perfect Timing

  By

God’s Perfect Timing

2 Peter 3:8 “But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” [NKJV]

God’s timing is always perfect, He is never too early, and He is never too late.

Approximately 8 months ago, I received words of encouragement from an individual that works in the medical field. Those words inspired me to make some much-needed changes in my lifestyle. These changes that I made, based on the words of encouragement I received, helped me with turning around a diagnosis I received from my doctor.

To show my appreciation to this individual, who gave me the words encouragement, I gave them a daily devotional and a thank you card. Inside the card I wrote “thank you for your words of encouragement, they were greatly appreciated.”

Upon receiving the devotional and reading what I had written inside the thank you card, this individual responded to me saying “you don’t know how much this means to me. I have been going thru some difficult times lately and what you just gave me is what I needed right now “it is right on time.”

When we allow God to lead us with what we say or do, not only will it always be “right on time”, but it will also be a blessing to others.

I encourage those of you who might doubt the timing of God to read the scriptures listed below, and by faith believe that “God’s timing is always perfect.”

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” [NIV]

1 Peter 5:6 “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,” [NKJV]

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.” [NKJV]

Psalm 31:15 “My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies,
And from those who persecute me.” [NKJV]

Isaiah 55:8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. [NKJV]

Ecclesiastes 3:11 “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.” [NKJV]

 

Father in heaven, thank you for your timing that is always perfect, in Jesus’ name…Amen

Continuing in His service…Rev

Compromise

  By

He didn’t compromise

Daniel 6:10 “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.”

A definition of compromise is; “to accept standards that are lower than desirable, or to weaken or give up one’s principles, values, or ideas as for reasons of expediency.”

The 6th chapter of Daniel gives a detailed story of how Daniel rose to a position of authority over others.

Daniel was a favorite of the king. He had experience, wisdom, a sense of history, great leadership abilities, a positive attitude and revelation from God. Daniel 6:3 “Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm.”

Individuals who desired to have the favor of the king but didn’t, plotted against Daniel to have him cast into the lion’s den; Vs 7 “All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.”

Daniel not only refused to “compromise” his daily custom of praying, he continued to do it in front of opened windows where he could be clearly seen by others.  

He could have easily “compromised” and gone to a different place to pray or close the windows to not be seen by others.

Often times it might cost something to stand up for the values that a person has. As we see in the story of Daniel, the price that might be paid can be the threat of losing one’s life.

Daniel 6:16 “So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions.”

On several occasions I have heard the term “count the cost.” Daniel did not hesitate to “count the cost” when he heard that the writing was signed, he immediately went to his regular place of prayer and started praying.

Daniel was saved from the lions because of God’s intervention; Vs 22 “My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.”

This fate that should killed Daniel, wound up destroying those that had plotted against Daniel along with their families; Vs 24 “And the king gave the command, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions—them, their children, and their wives; and the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in pieces before they ever came to the bottom of the den.”

God gets the glory out of it all; Vs 26 “I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. For He is the living God,
And steadfast forever; His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed,
And His dominion shall endure to the end.”

On any given occasion, a person will be given the opportunity to compromise the values that they have. Like with Daniel, when we trust and have faith in God to protect and deliver us, there is no need to “compromise” or worry about the outcome of not compromising.

Lord Jesus, we stand on your word that you “Will never leave us or forsake us, and you are a friend that sticks closer that a brother. May we always be reminded of the example that was set by your servant Daniel. In Jesus name…Amen!

Continuing in His service…Rev

Idolatry

  By

Idolatry

 

Leviticus 26:1-2 “You shall not make idols for yourselves; neither a carved image nor a sacred pillar shall you rear up for yourselves; nor shall you set up an engraved stone in your land, to bow down to it; for I am the Lord your God.” (KJV)

Exodus 20:4-5 “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;”  (KJV)

Several scriptures in the bible warn against worshiping idols and practicing idolatry.

God is not mocked ( Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap) Galatians 6:7 (KJV) so He sees everything that is done.

When a person takes an image or an object and begins to admire, give reverence to, or give extreme devotion to it, those things have become idols. When someone worships a physical object as a god, that person is committing idolatry.

We worship the creator and not the creation. God is the one true and living God, and there is none other like Him. God is Omnipresent (He is everywhere), Omnipotent (He is all powerful) and Omniscient (He is all knowing).     

Isaiah 40:18 “To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him?”

God is the beginning and the end.

Isaiah 44:6 “Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the last, besides Me there is no God.”

God is merciful and gracious and will forewarn His people of danger that may lie ahead.

Deuteronomy 12:29-32 “When the Lord your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, 30 take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ 31 You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way; for every abomination to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.32 “Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.” 

“Aba Father, You art in heaven, hallowed is Your Name and only You should be worshiped. You have a kingdom, and Your will is being done here on earth and in heaven. This is another day that You have made and I pray that people all over the world will take every opportunity that is made available to them not only for today, but each and every day that you allow them to see, to worship only You. I thank You for being the great I AM and the creator that you are and bless your Holy Name. In Jesus name, Amen!

Continuing in His service Rev

Brokenness

  By

“Remember me”

Luke 23: 39 to 42 “39 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying “If you are the Christ, save Yourself and us”. VS 40 But the other, answering, rebuked him saying “do you not even fear God, seeing that you are under the same condemnation? VS 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man has done nothing wrong. VS 42 “Then he said to Jesus, “Lord remember me when you come into Your Kingdom” [NKJV]

Brokenness can be many different things:

  • Not functioning properly; out of working order
  • Something or someone that has been interrupted, disrupted or disconnected
  • Incomplete
  • To be weakened in strength or spirit
  • Reduced to submission

The word “broken” is a verb meaning an action.

The word “brokenness” is a noun meaning the name of something and typically refers to persons, places, animals, things, states or qualities.

In today’s world many times broken things are despised and discarded or thrown out. Anything that has been broken or we no longer need, we throw away. It is not uncommon for damaged or broken goods to be rejected, and that includes people. The world is full of people with broken hearts, broken spirits and broken relationships. Fortunately, we serve a God that is in the recycling business, and God’s people are recyclable.

 Believers can experience two kinds of brokenness. The first kind is because of their own actions:

  • You brake on your own by sin or sinning
  • Here are some areas in our lives that often need to be broken

             1. Pride

             2. Self will

             3. Stubbornness

             4. Sinful habits

             5. The desire to do it our way and not God’s way

             6. Selfish/Self-centered desires

The second kind of brokenness a believer can experience is to be broken by God. Examples:

  • The Apostle Paul – on the road to Damascus
  • The nation of Israel – 40 years in the wilderness
  • Jonah in the belly of a fish – trying to flee from going to Nineveh

When God puts a call on your life to serve Him, you either do it willingly, or God breaks you, and you still wind up doing what he has called you to do. Jonah had to experience brokenness, and then he did what God had called him to do

Make no mistake about it, God has the ability to take that which has been broken and make it whole again. God is able to, Re-make, Re-new, Re-store, Re-cycle and Re-member. 

God can put back together that which has been broken. Not only can God make you whole from experiencing brokenness, God can remake (re-member to put back together) you into something better that He can use for His Kingdom and His glory.

There is something about reaching a breaking point that causes some of us to seek the Lord with a sense of urgency. King David was once a broken vessel and he prayed to God “create in me a clean heart, O God and renew (re-member) a steadfast spirit within me”. Psalm 51:10 [NKJV]

  • Vs. 12 “restore to me the joy of your salivation. And uphold me by your generous spirit.”
  • Vs. 17 “the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit and a repentant heart-these, O God you will not despise.”

Often time’s people who are in the same situation that you are in will try to or make suggestions to you to get both of you out of that situation. They got themselves in but will give you a solution to get them out.

Philippians 3:18 and 19 describes one of the thieves that was crucified with Jesus:

  • Vs. 18 “For many walk, of who I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ.
  • Vs. 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame – who set their mind on earthly things”.

Notice what the thief says to Jesus in Luke 23 vs 39 “then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him saying, “If you are the Christ, save yourself and us.”

Not only does this thief question Jesus’s deity, power and authority, he attempts to temp or use Jesus to get him out of his situation.

Philippians 3:20 and 21 describes the other thief that was crucified with Jesus

  • Vs. 20 “for our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the savior, the Lord Jesus Christ
  • Vs. 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed (re- membered) to his glorious body, according to the working by which he is able to subdue all things (putting back together) to Himself.

Notice what this thief says to Jesus “Lord remember me when you come into your Kingdom”

  • He acknowledges Jesus as Lord
  • He asks for salvation
  • He acknowledges that there is a kingdom
  • He also is asking to be remembered! He is asking that Jesus take all that brokenness that he has experienced in life and re-members that brokenness  (put back together) with a glorious body like Christ’s 1st Corith 15 Vs. 42,43 and 44

We as believers can take two steps to have brokenness re-membered:

  • 1st Matt 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
  • 2nd John 14:14 “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it”

As followers of Christ, the reality of experiencing brokenness can sometimes happen on a daily basis. Because of our inclination to sin, sinning can assume a false authority over brokenness in a believer’s life. If we allow sin to dominate ours hearts and mind, brokenness will drain the joy of having a relationship with our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.

While brokenness is very real, thru the grace of Jesus Christ, brokenness will no longer be our boss or have dominion in a believer’s life.

Jesus has both the power and authority to “re-member” us.

Matt 28:18 “and Jesus spoke to them saying all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth”.

Go to Jesus with brokenness, He has the power to “re-member” you…

“Lord Jesus, I believe that You have the power to re-member anything that is broken and heal brokenness. Thank you for putting back together that has been broken. Thank you for sewing, mending and “re-membering”…in Jesus name…Amen!    

Continuing in His service…Rev