SIN LOOKS PRETTY FOR A SEASON

2 Samuel 12:1-25 

At the time David should have been warring with the kings, he instead stays at home. Hell is always looking for a way to keep you off of the battlefield. Instead David falls into a temptation that causes him more grief and pain than any other battle he has ever faced.

David sees Bathsheba bathing, of course his flesh tempts him to look and then to take what does not belong to him. He sleeps with her and then she becomes pregnant.

He attempts to bring her husband home off the field for a night so he would go home and sleep with his wife. Uriah refuses to go home because he knows his peers are out on the battlefield and sleeping in their tents.

David asks why didn't you go home? He responds; "How could I do such a thing knowing how my brethren are fighting in the fields?" David ends up putting him on the frontlines of the heavy fighting so he would be killed.

One lustful steamy night turned into a chaotic dilemma for David's future. He has gone further than he could have ever imagined. His lust has caused him to steal a wife and to murder her husband. Sin will take you further than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay and cost you more than you want to pay.

Had David just stayed in the battle, had he refused to check out from being where he should have been? David pays a great price for his sin but God is a God who will forgive and will give us another chance. Nathan says to David; "The sword will never leave your house." David paid a great price for his sin but God wasn't through with his future. 

Sin looks pretty for a Season but bites in the end. Stay the course and know that God is able to give us power to overcome and to live victoriously in life.

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Do You Have The Green Light?

2 Samuel 5:17-25

In order for a team to win against their opponent, coaches will send in a fresh play that gives their team the green light in moving forward. The devil and hell does not like God's anointing on your life. He will go to any demise to take you out. Most of us have come to realize that none of us would still be here if it had not been for the Lord who was on our side.

When the Philistines heard that David was anointed King of Israel, they mobilized all their forces to capture him. David inquires of the Lord should I go out to attack them? God gives David the fresh play and the green light, and he pursues and defeats them at Baal-perazim which means; "the Lord who burst through" Keep in mind David wins the battle just as God has led him.

After some time the Philistines rise up again and spread out in the valley of Rephaim. Notice that David asks the Lord again shall I go up and fight them again. God instructs David this time go and wait down by the mulberry trees, and when you hear the sound of a rushing mighty wind, then you are to attack.

Sure enough the wind came then David attacked and won in his next battle with the Philistines. Our problem is we think God moves the same way every time. Our motto should be,"Not so fast," we should move forward in our battles based on what God is saying and not the way we won the last time. Friend we had better God's fresh play and get fresh instructions for our wins. Coaches don't always send in the same exact play for their next move. Neither does God.

Until you get God's play or God's green light to move in your battle, you had better sit and wait to hear what God has to say for each situation. David was given the word; "when you hear the sound of the wind, then you will know that I will go before you and you will surely win."

How many times have we all done it the way we did it ten, twenty years ago? No wonder we miss out on blessings and victories. Were moving out of our past experiences instead of a green light from heaven. When God gave David the specifics, he took his men and defeated the enemy.

To often we get the idea that God helps us to win our battles the same way each time. Do you need a break-through in your marriage, your finances, your business, with your neighbor? Allow God to give you a fresh word and His wisdom in winning your situation. God has your next win planned for your life, if you'll just wait for God's directional light, wait on God's new play. Ask yourself in each battle; "Do I have the green light from God? Has God sent me in the play for my next move?"

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Finish Strong?

1 Samuel 1-12

Saul started out with God's anointing on his life. He was turned into another man with God's spirit upon his life. He became the first king of Israel. What went wrong? Where did he get off track?

Obedience is better than all the sacrifices you will ever make in life. Somewhere he began to believe that it's okay to follow your own reasoning, your own agenda, your own thinking. When he disobeyed God's command to destroy the Amlakites and their sheep and the king, He lost the battle in life.

God always gives a man a space to repent, to turn from their inquity, but Saul choose to cover up his sins, and then attempt to deceive God that he had really obeyed the commands of the Lord.

When he chose to do things in his own way, he lost the oil of God on his life. He caved into fear and was timid to fight with a giant named Goliath. God's anointing will cause you to rise up and stand up to your giants.

Saul caved under the pressures of men and lost his peace with God. A spirit of melancholy came over him and he lived out despondent and depressed his days. He had David play his harp in order to find some peace and joy.

He ends up with a raging jealousy over David and seeks out to destroy the one God is raising up to take his place. In his rage to hunt down David, the Philistines fought with Israel and all of Saull's sons, Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malkishua are killed in battle.

Saul was wounded in battle and then decides to fall upon his own sword. God never called any of us to go down losing. God has called his sons and daughters to finish strong. We do that by obeying him step by step. When we fail, rise up and repent, turn from your wickedness.

Allow his word to cleanse and wash you daily. May it give you courage and strength to overcome the daily vicissitudes that will come at all of us? Rise up today and say; "I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.

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Guidance In A Crisis

1 Samuel 30:1-25

Many people in life respond to their crisis with knee-jerk reactions. They give into their emotions instead of giving into God's encouragement. When David came back from his battles to Ziklag, their homes had been burned to the ground.

Would David respond with his emotions or would he seek out the Lord for wisdom and guidance? David and his men wept till they could weep no more. Possibly you have lost your marriage, your son or daughter onto drugs or prostitution. You too have wept till you could weep no more.

David sought the Lord for direction and encouragement. God gives him instructions in what to do in his nightmare episode. When you have experience a horrible "Days of our lives episode," don't give into your first knee-jerk reaction. Don't allow your anger to rule your next move. "A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control." (Proverbs 29:11)

You may feel justified in your response, but is it what the Lord has instructed you to do? God tells David; "yes pursue the enemy and you will recover everything." David finds one of the raiders who had been involved in the attack. David promises if you will take me to where they are, I will not kill you.

God led David to the very spot where their wives and plunder had been taken. When God is working for you, regardless of your setback, God is more than able to help you to recover what you have lost. "I will instruct thee and teach you in the way to go, I will guide thee with my eye. Be ye not as the horse or the mule that has no understanding whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle." (Psalm 32:8,9)

David recovers everything that was loss and wins victorious over the enemy. In your nightmare of life, allow God's light to be the lamp to your feet that will guide you through the dark places that each of us will experience in life.

Today claim, "No weapon formed against me shall prosper."(Isaiah 54:17) "Greater is He that is in me than he than is in the world." (1 John 4:4) "Be confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. (Phil 1:6)

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Do You Have Tenacity?

Walt Disney was fired from his job cause his boss said that he lacked creativity, but it didn't stop him from his dream. Henry Ford went bankrupt 5 times, but it didn't stop him from building his first Ford Model T. Thomas Edison failed on the design of the lightbulb 1000 times, but it didn't stop him until the lightbulb shined.

There's one thing you better have if your going to move forward with success, the same thing that David had as a shepherd boy, one of Jesse's 8 sons. The three oldest brothers were in Saul's army, but David kept his father's sheep. David was down delivering subway sandwiches to his brothers when he hears Goliath taunting the army of Israel.

David was appalled at the fear in his brothers and Israel's army. David declares;" I will go and fight the giant." How many warriors does God have today that says; " I will go and fight the giant?" Many in today's church culture are intimidated with their own fears and giants and worries of just keeping their head above water.

Each of us in life will either take an aggressive approach towards our dream in life or take a fearful approach to life. Israel is running from their giant, when David is ready to charge and kill the devilish giant. The most tenacious man who ever lived was Jesus who said; "I have come to destroy the works of the devil."

Church family, we are not here to hold the fort, but we are called to take back what the enemy has stolen. We are to be aggressive in reaching out to the lost, healing the broken hearted, setting the captive free, opening up blinded eyes.

David had tenacity in his approach to life. Tenacity is born out of a rich relationship with God. That is what produces faith and courage to live out the purposes of God. That is what causes many to rise up and say; " I was born for this." David realized his mission in life wasn't to just take care of sheep the rest of his days, but rather to be a God pleaser and one day lead with courage a nation to stand up and glorify the name of the Lord.

Is there a giant in your life that has caused you to hide away in your fears? The same God that anointed David to take on a giant is the same God that will cause you to rise up and take off the head of what's troubling your city and our nation.

If men like Disney and Ford can mustard up tenacity to press forward in the natural, what can the supernatural power of God do through our lives? Speak up, rise up, charge forward with God's help, and God's power, and God's anointing. Let God arise and his enemies be scattered. What has God called you to do? Use the tenacity and courage that He has placed in your heart, and move ahead with God's plan and design. Say with me; "I was born for this"
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Whose Watching?

In this economy it's really really tough to stretch the dollar. You have got to make the best of it right? Buying groceries and putting fuel in the car have become a new set of challenges for many in life.

The Psalmist declares; "I have been young and now am old yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken nor His seed begging for bread.(Psalm 37:25)

It all boils down to trust. The issue is not if God is able to help us but rather will I trust His hand to provide a way? God does watch and observe us in our giving to Him. Each week when I receive income, He watches to see if I will give back to Him the 10% as he instructs us too.

The Lord was watching the poor widow woman then and He is watching now. One thing you will learn sooner or later is you don't want to squeeze God out of your money matters. Sooner or later if you withhold on God, it's going to be more pain than you bargained for.

God says if I fail to bring the tithe, I will be cursed with a curse. I don't know anybody that wants to live under that cloud. He declares; "Bring all the tithe into the storehouse." (Malachi 3:8-10)

That statement is pretty clear, that is your place of worship each week, not to the evangelist or your special project you want to help out on. Other projects are an offering.

God promises that if we will follow His word, He will open the heavens over our lives. God so wants to bless each of us and He will if will just follow His blueprint for out finances. I have a book of miracles that I have written out down so many breakthroughs He has done in my finances.

I hate to think what I would have missed had I not been a joyful giver and not been obedient in my giving of my tithes and offerings.

It's not to late to start. Choose today to follow Him in your giving. Take on His divine nature of giving out and see what the hand of the Lord will do for you.

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Me Lord?

1 Samuel 16:7b For the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

I was the last guy on earth that ever thought He could use me to be a preacher of the gospel. Why would He choose me? Saul had just been rejected from serving as God's anointed King of Israel. He had disobeyed the Lord and chose to please the people rather than God.

God instructs Samuel to anoint another man to serve as king instead of Saul. God leads him to Jessie and tells him to bring his sons to sacrifice. Samuel looks at his first son Eliab who is tall and handsome, thinking surely he is the man. God says; "Man looks at the outward appearance but I look at the heart."

Samuel looks down the row at his other sons but God says; "Keep looking." Samuel ask; "Do you have another son?" Jessie replies; "Well I do have one that is out taking care of the sheep." Samuel says; "Go get him, were not moving forward until he arrives.

That day the prophet Samuel anointed a shepherd boy named David with the horn of the oil. Dad thought; he's just a shepherd boy but God saw a future king. Saul had the position as king of Israel but David had the anointing resting on him to be the new future king.

What's important in life today is not your present position but God's power of favor on your life to do His will. David didn't immediately take the position but he did instantly receive the power and favor of God in preparation for his future.

From that day on God's power came on him to rip apart a bear that came in to take one of his sheep. Next he would rip apart a lion that would attack one of his lambs. I believe David had some nice furry skins on his wall to prove that God's favor was upon his life. This victory wasn't the natural strength of David's hand to overcome these beast but rather the power of the most high God that was resting on his life.

Today you may be wandering and worrying about when is the future position or promotion coming? God tells us; "Promotions come not from the east or the west or the south, but from the north." Friend that means they come from the Lord. When God gets ready, He will bring the promotion and the power to fulfill the assignment that He has mandated for your life. "Let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season you will reap if you faint not." (Galatians 6:9)

God already had a plan in place the day David was born of the house of Jessie. Even at the age of 17, David was ready and willing to take the assignment that God had ordained for his life. God looked down at his heart and said; "There's the one that I have chosen." Is your heart ready today to accept the assignment and the plan and promotion that He has prepared for your life?

God has a mandate for each of us if will prepare our hearts for His design and His destiny He has prepared and planned. Are you ready should He call you up today? To my surprise at the age of 16 He called me. I have never regretted it, just accepted it as the assignment for my life. There's nothing better than accepting His call and plan for your life.

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The Glory Has Departed

17 “Israel has been defeated by the Philistines,” the messenger replied. “The people have been slaughtered, and your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were also killed. And the Ark of God has been captured.”

1 Samuel 4:17 

Many in life are led to believe that you can continue in your sin without any consequences, but God's word tells us just the opposite. The writer in Hebrews writes; "The pleasures of sin are for a season." Seasons can confuse and deceive us into believing that we can keep on and on in our deceptive ways without any penalty.

The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas thought that they could continue their sexual fires in the temple without it catching up with them. They never dreamed that it would cost them so much grief and pain. They assumed that they could continue with their pleasure without any repercussions.

One day a message came from a man of God to Eli that because your sons have refused to listen, in one day they will both be killed. Not only did the Philistines kill them in battle but the Ark of the Covenant was stolen from Israel.

Today we must realize that the Holy Spirit comes to convict us of our sins. He doesn't come with a baseball bat to hurt us, but rather He comes with His love and mercy to change us from our wayward sins. Hophni and Phinehas servants in the temple were warned but yet did not take the Godly council very serious. God will not be mocked and will not allow us to ignore his word.

Many times people think that their sin will not affect anyone but themselves. This couldn't be further from the truth. Not only were they killed in the battle with the Philistines but when their dad got word that his sons were killed, he fell over backwards in his chair and died.

The next thing we read is Phinehas wife who was pregnant went into labor early and gave birth to their child but she died. Don't ever assume that your sin will only affect you alone. There are many examples in the bible like Jonah's running from God that caused a great storm and harm to those on the boat that day. 

Israel lost the Ark of the Covenant and even worst lost the glory of God. The baby who survived was named Ichabod, which means where is the glory of the Lord? God says; "Today is the day of salvation." Call on him while He is dealing with your heart and avoid the great losses that come when we ignore His love and mercy. There is nothing greater in all your life than God's glory working each day in your life.
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Listen !!

1 Samuel 2:12 Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels who had no respect for the LORD13 or for their duties as priests. 

When I was a kid, I slipped out of my mother's hand, ran across the crowed street into the headlights of a vehicle.

Most of us have had to learn the value of listening to those who love and care about us the hard way. God is surely at the top of the list in the one who loves us. He proved it when He gave His son Jesus so we might obtain real living and have it more abundantly. Most Mom's and dads are right behind in that list that loves us.

If you and I are to obtain success in walking in the will of God, being blessed in our money matters, blessed in our rearing our children, blessed in the assignment He has given us. Blessed in our marriage, it's key to listen to what our heavenly father has to say about living God's way.

Eli's sons who served in the temple began to think they could get away with their loose living and doing just whatsoever they desired in life. Eli was a great man of God but was a horrible father in raising his sons.

Instead of correcting them in their blunders and errors, he chose to allow them to get away with their lust and greed in doing their own thing in serving in the temple. God sends a word to Eli through a man of God he and his sons would be cut off in serving in the temple.

Hophni and Phinehas would both die on the same day! Why? What would make this dad and these sons think that God would wink at their sins in the ministry? None of us are perfect but God expects leaders to lay aside every sin and the weights that so easily besets us.

The writer of Hebrews says, " I beseech ye by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service." Be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds that you may prove what is good and acceptable and the perfect will of God. (Hebrews 12:1,2)

Mom and dad, teach your kids the value of listening to your instructions at a early age. It may be the only thing that saves their life. I was very fortunate as a kid that some how the car was able to stop before it ran me over. Early in life I learned the value of listening to mom and dad. Friend, its only God's mercy that keeps us each day.

Learn early in your walk with God to listen to his love and instructions in living life God's way, and not your way. There is a way that seems right but the end thereof is the way of death. Listen today and you will find life and blessings and protection in His love.

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Knocked Down But Not Out

Jesus said to Peter; "Satan hath desired to sift you like wheat but I have prayed for you."

In spite of our blunders, weaknesses, shortcomings, and our failures, the Lord never stops praying for you and I. How many times has the devil attempted to take you out, but the Lord had His keeping power over you?

The Lord knew that Satan would come at Peter with great fervency. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed as great drops of blood from his brow to not only do the will of the Father but to keep his chosen disciples when all hell would come against them.

As long as Peter was standing by Jesus side, he was bold, and courageous. In that chaotic moment, when the priests come to find the Lord, Peter takes out his sword to protect his Lord. Later as Jesus was taken away to be placed on trial, Peter sinks into fear and intimidation. Peter denies that he knows the Lord as Jesus had predicted three times.

No wonder Jesus said; "When I leave I will send the comforter who will be with you." Peter realizes how frail and insecure and powerless he is without the power of the Lord by his side.

Peter took the wrong steps in the wrong direction but the Lord wasn't through with Peter yet. When hell knocks you down, remember that the Lord is praying for you. He desires to sift you and I in the same manner, but even today in heaven the Lord is praying for us at this very minute.

Yes Peter said; "I'm going fishing, he is out there away from the Lord coming up with empty nets. But Jesus comes standing on the shore and says; "Cast your nets on the other side." Peter listens to his instructions, and his nets became full. Peter realizes that His Lord isn't finished with his life. It's not over till He says it's over.

Hell will take a swing at all of us. When he knocks us down, shake it off and say; "You may have knocked me down but you haven't knocked my out." Peter accepted the Lord's love, forgiveness and mercy and became great in building the Kingdom of God. Wow, where would any of us be today without the intercession prayers of our Lord. Never forget He is praying for you today.

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God Chooses The Weak

Judges 6:1-40

Israel had turned their back on their God and the Lord allowed the Midianites to overtake them for seven years. When the angle of the Lord appeared to Gideon, He said; "I have chosen you to deliver Israel from the hands of the Midanites." Israel had been under great oppression and starvation from their enemy.

Gideon said; "But Lord my clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family. The Lord said; "I will be with you and you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man."

How is it that the Lord chooses the weakest to defeat the strongest? Too many times we forget that it's not our hand but rather it's the hand of the Lord that does the mighty work. Gideon would ask the Lord several times to confirm that this was the Lord speaking and not his own doings.

God confirms several times to Gideon this is the real deal. He then tells Gideon; "Build and altar and take the second bull from your father's herd, the one that is seven years old. Pull down your father's altar to Baal, and cut down the Asherah pole standing beside it."

The next morning people saw where Baal had been pulled down, "Who did this, He must die." They learned that it was Gideon. Joash shouted to the mob that confronted him.

"Why are you defending Baal? Will you argue his case? Whoever pleads his case will be put to death by morning! If Baal truly is a god, let him defend himself and destroy the one who broke down his altar.

Have you realized that God is still choosing out men and women today to do His work? It's not about your gifts and talents and resources that you have. God chooses the weak things of the earth to confound the wise. "You did not chose me but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain." (John 15:16)

God's not looking for your abilities but rather your availability. Gideon had to decide if he would follow the word of the Lord. This man would make a vast difference in a nation that had turned their back on God. When it's all said and done one day, what will you have contributed to the work of the Lord? Never forget, this life is not about our agenda, our wants, our whims, our will. Jesus prayed to the Father; "Not my will but thy will be done."

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