Category: Ministry

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 or 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. He 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, And there is no God besides Me.”

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 ^[a]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.” (NKJV)

“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…

“Do you have a vision?”

Proverbs 28:18 “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he”.

One of Webster’s definitions of vision is; the act or power of sensing with the eyes; sight

Vision can also be something perceived in a dream, something supernaturally revealed in a prophecy, or something that is imagined.

Philippians 3:13 ^“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead” (NKJV)

A car has:

• A windshield that is in front of the car so that you see clearly or have a clear vision of what is in front of you. The person driving the car has to be able to see where they are going.
• Two side view mirrors. These mirrors assist the driver with seeing what is on the side of them before they make a turn left or right.
• A rearview mirror that usually is mounted on the front windshield. This mirror assists the driver with seeing what is behind them.

The windshield gives vision—the mirrors give reflections. On some mirrors there is wording saying “objects in this mirror are closer than they appear”. The driver of the car has to notice what appears in the mirrors, but keep their main focus on what is in front of them. If a driver pays more attention to what is seen in the rear view or side view mirrors, it won’t take long before the driver will run into something or cause an accident. So something that can be a help, can also be a distraction if it is focused on at the wrong time.

A person must refuse to rely on past virtuous deeds and achievements, or to dwell on sins and failures. When a person is driving, they occasionally look into the rear view mirror, or the side view mirrors. It is ok to remember past failures or negative experiences, if you are using them as learning experiences to help you with your forward vision.

Habakkuk 2:2 “And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it”.

Road maps give a person direction on how to get to a destination, and some vehicles have been equipped with a GPS that gives directions verbally.  The bible is a believer’s road map, and the Holy Spirit is our GPS. When we read the word of God, it will give the reader vision and clear directions. When we listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit, we receive verbal instructions and information.  

Psalm 119:105 ^“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path”

When a person is driving at night, additional assistance is needed to help the driver to see where they are going, and to keep them from going off the road. The driver uses the vehicles headlights to assist with having clear vision of the road ahead. Depending on the type of road the person is traveling, the driver may use the low or high beam to give the driver better vision. Overhead Street lights, lane dividers and center lines also help the driver with staying on the right side of the road, staying in the proper lane, and not running off of the road into a ditch. 

Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,” (NKJV)

Being successful is a Vision that many people have. On many occasions there will people, places and things that individuals will have to leave alone, in order to obtain that person’s Vision of being successful.  When a person associates with the wrong crowd, or wrong things, they are not laying every “weight aside”. 

Some individuals wear eyeglasses. Wearing eyeglasses help with compensating a person seeing clearly that has defective vision.  The eyeglasses help a person see clearer than they would if they were not wearing them. Depending on the type of eyeglasses a person is wearing, the eyeglasses can also protect the eyes from blowing dust or bright light.

Just as eyeglasses help with a person seeing, there are also things that can hinder a person’s vision. A couple of them are:

• A cataract which is an eye disease in which the crystalline lens or its capsule becomes opaque causing partial or total blindness.

• A blindfold that can be anything that hinders the sight.

Sin can be a believer’s “cataract” or “blindfold”, hindering a person’s vision. But because of God’s grace and mercy, believers have a Savior that will remove “cataracts” and “blindfolds”.

John 1:29 “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”!   

“Lord Jesus, thank you for removing anything that will hinder a person from having clear vision, that we may be able to see clearly, and not perish. In Jesus name”.  Amen!

Continuing in His service…Rev

Brokenness

“Remember me”

Luke 23: 39 to 43

VS 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 1^st is because of their own actions:

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

Examples

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 2^nd 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

1^st Corth 15 Vs. 42,43 and 44

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

• Matt 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
• 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, through the grace of Jesus Christ, brokenness will no longer be our boss or have dominion in a believer’s life.

Jesus has 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 which has been broken. Thank you for sewing, mending and “re-membering”…in Jesus name…Amen!    

Continuing in His service…Rev

1 Chronicles 4:9-10 New King James Version (NKJV)

⁹ Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” ¹⁰ And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested.

Many times when we pray, we put God in a box by what we ask for in prayer. When we take a look at the prayer of Jabez, one of the first things we notice is that Jabez did not put a limit on what he was asking God for. Jabez asked God to enlarge his territory, but did not ask for a specific amount. “And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying “Oh that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory”.  This kind of praying will take the limits off of what God can do for us.

Our thought life can have an effect on our prayer life. If we think small or continue to have small thoughts, then we will continue to pray small prayers. Proverbs 23:7 “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he” (NKJV)  

Instead of praying and asking God for a new car, we can pray and ask God for a car dealership. This way when the prayer is answered, we not only receive a blessing for ourselves, but will be in a position to bless others also. We have enlarged our territory and have not put God “in a box”.

This kind of praying will require faith and believing, without having any doubt. Matthew 21:21-22  “²¹ So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you,if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. ²² And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” (NKJV)

We serve a God that has no limits; He is bigger than big and larger than large. God can do anything but fail. So when we come to him asking, we must believe that He hears and will answer our prayer. Mark 11:24 “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. (NKJV)

Jabez also reached out to God for guidance in receiving the enlarged territory. Receiving “enlarged territory” comes with having “enlarged responsibilities”, and a person has to be very careful with what God has blessed them with. Jabez wanted to be sure that he was being led by God      in making the right decisions “that Your hand would be with me”, and also not to become greedy or hurt others with the blessing he received “and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!”  God heard the petition from Jabez and granted everything that was asked for “So God granted him what he requested”

The prayer of Jabez is a powerful example of the kind of prayer that not only will take the limits off of God, but also will not put “God in a box”.

 “God I thank you for not being a God of limits. From this day forward, let the prayers of the righteous be without limits, and outside of the box. “ Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” In Jesus name, Amen!

Continuing in His service…Rev