Is Trouble In Your Way?

Ezra 4:1-23

I have never done anything worthwhile that a little bit of trouble didn't get in the way. I was installing a new sprinkler head at my mom's house the other day where a group of fire ants had taken over that area.

Has the enemy moved in and tried to take over an area of your life? Israel, the people of God have moved forward with God's plan to rebuild the temple, but hell says; " Let's stir up some trouble to stop them." Will rise up nations that will cause them to fear, and they'll quit what their doing.

The people of God got as far as building the foundation, and then the surrounding nations plan to bring fear and intimidation worked. All their stirring up a nest of lies and fear worked and it stopped the people from their purpose.

Why should any of us be surprised when hell stirs up trouble in our home, in our church, in our city, in our nation? The devil doesn't just sit back in his rocker and live like a zombie.

He is very proactive in scheming and plotting and conniving plans to hinder the work of God. The foundation laid would now sit for the next 16-18 years before the people would get back to the plan and the work of God.

Just how many today are sitting on the sidelines because they got discouraged, and became fearful of failure? They decided to feed their doubts instead of their faith. They tuned in on the dial to the enemies station that said; "Your not able to do this." The devil is a liar.

Friend you had better realize that in the work of the Lord, there will be a fight. Paul said; "I have fought a good fight, finished my course and have kept the faith." Tell me anybody that has done something great for God, and I will show you somebody that has had to learn to fight a good fight with hell.

Satan always works with the element of spreading fear and intimidation in the camp. When Israel heard all the nations gathering their resources to stop them, they retreated into the fears. For the next 16 years, nothing would be accomplished or would happen on building the temple.

God says; "Without faith it is impossible to please God, for he that cometh to God must believe that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Hebrews 11:6)

Back to moms sprinkler heads, one of the heads sat right in the middle of a fire ant mount. So what do I do? Just let it be, allow the sprinkler head to continue to be out of commission, allow the fire ants to have their pretty little home without a fight?

Well if you've been around me very long you would know that those ants were in for a fight. I pulled some ant spray off of mom's shelf and sprayed them so I could move forward.

I confess I may have moved forward a bit to fast cause a few of those ants still managed to put up a fight. I did indeed install the new sprinkler head and today that area of the yard is working just fine. Yea, 13 of those critters bit me pretty good, but I'll heal up just fine.

I wasn't going to settle for those ants ruling their little home in that part of the yard. It won't be long that the dying grass will be green soon. Have you made up your mind that trouble is not going to stop or hinder you in your pursuit of God's plans and promises?

I encourage you to roll up your sleeves and expect a fight to experience all that God has purposed and planned for your life. Today fight the good fight of faith. "No weapon formed against you shall prosper." (Isaish 54:17)

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God Put The Gold Back

Ezra 1:-11 All told, there were 5,400 gold and silver articles that Sheshbazzar took with him when he brought the exiles back from Babylon to Jerusalem.

All of us have lost something that we wanted back. Israel had lost their way with their God. Kings of Israel had turned their hearts to idol worship and God allowed King Nebuchadnezzar to haul them off to Babylon. They remained there in bondage for 70 long years.

Later God raised up King Cyrus of Persia who raided and destroyed Babylon and King Nebebuchadnezzar. God stirs up the heart of King Cyrus and he allows the people of God to go back to their homeland and to rebuild their temple and nation.

It's amazing to me to see just how much the Heavenly Father loves His people. The hand of God's mercy is greater than our minds can conceive. His mercies are fresh and new each and every morning. Have you lost something dear to your heart? Have you lost something that keeps you up at night? Have you wondered if you could ever get it back?

God is a God who wants to bless His children. Israel had walked away from God, and He allowed a wicked King out of Babylon to come and invade and destroy all that they had. They were stripped down to nothing, and became slaves and captives in another nation.

Does God give men another chance? Does God have a plan to get a man back to where he once was? Maybe you have a dad, a mom, a son, a daughter that has gotten so far off God's trajectory path for their life and has found themselves in left field. Friend, God never forgets anybody. No matter how far off track they have gotten. He still knows right where they are.

Would God forget His kids down in Babylon? Would He write them off? Would He choose to bury them in a forsaken land? Would He leave them down in that dark prison hole and forget them?

There never has been anyone yet that God didn't love, that God couldn't change, that God couldn't transform. God didn't forget Israel and He won't forget you.

As you read the book of Ezra, you will see God raised up this King of Persia to restore Israel back to their homeland. Better yet, he gave them back all the gold that had been taken some 70 years earlier. All the gold that King Neb had taken in the destruction of Jerusalem, now God was going to put His people back where they belonged and on top of that, He would put back all the gold, some 5400 items were all put back into the temple where they would correct their focus and worship to their God.

Don't ever underestimate the Love and Mercy of God to restore what's been lost. God can still restore anyone, anywhere, anytime through His love, compassion and mercy. He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

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Take It Out

2 Chronicles 31:1 After the Festival, the people went to every town in Judah and smashed the stone images of foreign gods and cut down the sacred polest for worshiping the goddess Asherah. They destroyed all the local shrinest and foreign altars in Judah, as well as those in the territories of Benjamin, Ephraim, and West Manasseh. 

The longer you own a home, the more stuff you collect. Over the years, you can gather so much clutter that it either sits in the garage, or it just takes up space in the house or the attic.

For many years Israel Kings had allowed foreign gods and shrines to stand in the land. Hezekiah took out the foreign gods and tore down the shrines. God declares, "He alone is God."

It has to grieve and disappoint God when America and other countries choose to worship other gods in their land. In some states here in America, kids are being encouraged to play sports and travel on the weekends. What about going to church on Sunday? Dad, mom what kind of message does that send to your son and daughter on, who's the most important person in life? What's the most important thing to do with your life?

So is worshipping other gods on the field, on a basketball court instead of learning bible stories in Sunday School more important? Can you one day go back and teach them what's more important? If you choose to worship sports or the mall or the yard, or the beach or your other interest, I'm not sure that you can ever get back an opportunity to show your children what really counts? God gives parents one opportunity to raise them up in the ways of the Lord.

It's really a parent responsibly to train their child up in the ways of the Lord. It's not the church, the pastor, the Sunday School teacher, but the parents. Yes, the church treasures the opportunity to teach them, but the opportunity is given to mom and dad first. Parents make a better impact on their child when they teach them at home and also bring them to be taught the word of God.

What kind of message do you think your sending you're son, your daughter if you just send them to church? What your really saying is, "It's important for you but not for me." Dads choose to place God first in your life. Choose to show your son and daughter that there is no other god in this world more important than the Lord Jesus Christ. You may have 20 years to raise them up in your home and train them on what's really important to you in life?

What would they say is your passion in life? What would be the first thing that would come from their mouths? Would they say that Christ is your focal point, the centerpiece, the drive and passion of your heart? If not, why don't you "Take It Out?" Is there anything else in life worth dying for, living for? What's distracting you from what's really important?

Jesus said, "What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?" Friend there's nothing in this world worth loosing your soul and destiny over. Say like Joshua, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Hezekiah had no regrets in choosing to "Take it Out", what will you do?

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Plenty To Spare?

2 Chronicles 31:10 "Ever since the people started bringing contributions to the LORD’s temple we’ve had enough to eat with plenty to spare. The LORD has definitely blessed his people! There’s a lot left over."

In this economy how many do you hear say the words, "There's plenty to spare?" In the house? In the business? Hezekiah had invited the people of the Lord back to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. You might say, "What is the Passover?"

The night before Israel was released from bondage in Egypt, God told Moses to present their best lamb and to offer it to the Lord. They were to roast the lamb and take the blood and place it over the door post. When the death angle moved in to destroy the first born, if and when he saw the blood he would pass over them.

Hezekiah brought back the Passover even thou there were not enough priest qualified and ready to offer up the sacrifices. He then ordered the people to provide the best of their lamb, their grain, their new wine, their oil and honey, and the best of their crops.

When the people obeyed the king's words, something incredible took place. Here is what verse ten says, "Ever since the people started bringing contributions to the Lord's temple we've had enough to eat with plenty to spare."

God sees it when we bring to him the first part. It moves the heart of God when He is first in our lives. It's easy to make our wants and whims first. Some are tempted to place their job, their family, and their desires for the finer things of life. "I've got to have that Samsung Led flat screen, the new Prius, the new BCBG hand bag, my new toy." Somehow the Lord gets squeezed out of the equation. Is He really first?

There is nothing wrong with having the toys, even a nice a boat or a nice car, that is if you can afford it. Sometimes I think our eyes are bigger than our bank account. It's just God demands to be the first priority and number one in our lives.

I have learned if I keep Him first with everything I do with my life, then there will be more than enough leftover. There will be plenty to spare. David said, "I've never seen the righteous forsaken or His seed begging for bread."

Is there plenty in your house? Is there more than enough? Are you seeing the evidence of putting God first? If not, start today by setting aside the best of your increase and presenting it to the Lord. The next opportunity you have, take it to the house of the Lord as true evidence that He is number one in your life.
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Bank Accounts, Backbone, BA Degrees?

Psalm 20: 7 Some trust in chariots, and some in thorses; But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.

When you move out from your parents home, it's a wake up call to reality that now you have to pay the rent, the utility bills, the car payments, the insurance, buying groceries, and so on it goes.

You will be blessed if you turn your focus from dad or mom's hands to God's hand. He is the one who opens the door for a job, for your home, for the necessities of life.

David new that some nations of the earth were depended upon their horses, their chariots, their military strengths but David said instead, " We're going to remember the name of the Lord our God."

Education is good, talent is good, wisdom is good, but that's not what's going to get you through the tough places in life. Those great values in your life is not the main thing that will cause you to rise and win in life. Everybody is going to face setbacks and difficulties that need more than your own wisdom and talent to overcome.

David said, "Teach my hands to war." He was saying I can't lean on the victory that I had yesterday, I must have fresh knowledge and wisdom from God for each battle. David had just won a great battle with the Philistines, but ask the Lord again, "What do I do in this next battle?"

God tells David, " Don't go up like you did the last time against the Philistines, but rather wait till you hear the wind in the mulberry trees, then you will know that the Lord is going before you."

The wind before you is not your backbone or your bank account, or your BA degree, or your gifts or your talents, or your great abilities. You will succeed and win the battles of life because the Lord is with you. God says, "It's not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit says the Lord." Some trust in chariots, some in horses, but we will remember the Lord our God.

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Replacing The Gold With Bronze?

2 Chronicles 12:10 King Rehoboam later replaced them with bronze shields as substitutes.

Blessings, and benefits in life can be a lot of joy and excitement but can also be a great test and temptation to depend on one's self. When Rehoboam was firmly established and strong, he abandoned the Law of the Lord, and all Israel followed him in this sin.

Because they were unfaithful to the Lord, King Shishak of Egypt came up and attacked Jerusalem. The prophet Shemaiah said to Rehoboam, "This is what the Lord says: You have abandoned me, so I am abandoning you to Shishak."

The Leaders quickly realized that God was right in his assessment of them, as they humbled themselves, God said, "I will not completely destroy them and will soon give them some relief."

The king of Egypt did come into Jerusalem, ransacked the treasuries of the Lord's temple and the royal palace: he stole everything, including all the gold shields Solomon had made.

When we choose to live another life, turn our back on God's goodness and mercy and blessings, trouble is on the way. God says; "Because you have turned your back on me, I will turn my back on you."

King Rehoboam later replaced the gold shields with bronze shields as substitutes. Never forget that forgetting God and turning our hearts to other gods will always cause us to lose the blessing and benefits of God.

King Rehoboam ended up with bronze, less than what God had ordered and ordained for his leadership.

There's no joy in bronze shields when you could have had gold. It represents less than God's best for your life. It represents the brokenness that comes as a result of our disobedience and stubbornness. Had Rehoboam stayed true to God, he would have never lost the gold and God's protection from the enemy.

May his story be a reminder to each of us to appreciate God's blessing and benefits that comes from a life that stays focused and continues to fight the good fight of faith? Remember your focus leads to your thoughts then to your emotions then to your decisions then to your actions, then to your habits, then to your character, then ultimately to you're destiny.

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Pay Day Is Coming

Romans 8:18-31

The last 10 months I have run 300 miles and have dropped 23 pounds and feel better than I have for the last couple years. Have there been some tough days? Have there been days I wasn't sure I could keep pressing?

There have been days that I have said; "This is very hard, can I really keep doing this?" All I can tell you is 10 months later there is a big smile on my face an a lighter and stronger body than I was months before and feeling better everyday.

One day you and I will also be rewarded for pressing beyond all the stuff, the pressure, the test, the trials, the temptations and adversities of life. It will be worth it all when we see Jesus the one who died for each of us.

Why would anyone want to go through life without Christ its encourager in discouragement? Why would anyone want to walk through valleys without knowing the God of the valley? Why would anyone want to go through dark nights of disappointment without knowing the God that causes the sun to rise again?

One day God's sons and daughter's will rise out of here. Chris Tomlin writes a song, "I will rise." Friend, Paul tells the Romans there is no comparison between the present hard times and the coming good times. The created world itself can hardly wait for what's coming next. Everything in creation is being more or less held back.

Eye hath not seen nor has ear heard the things that God has prepared for them that love him. Keep pressing, keep running, stay the course like Paul who said; " I have fought a good fight, I have finish my course, I have kept the faith.

Well I'm out the door again with some friends for a 4-mile run down by the river in Jacksonville Florida. Come on get up and keep going, there is a great reward and an awesome pay day coming for each of us on the other side of this life in heaven.

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When There Was No Hope?

Romans 4:1-25

Have you been there when your back was against the wall and no one believed in your dream, in your vision, in your assignment? Abraham was now one hundred years old and still had no son from Sarah. He has gotten correction from God that Sarah would bring him a son. Would he still believe in God's word to him, "You will be a father of many nations?"

When all hope was gone, in the natural there was no reason for hope. What kept Abraham hoping, what kept him believing that he would become the father of many nations?

Some of you are still waiting on your spouse, your new business, your new ministry, your new baby, your new home, your breakthrough, your miracle, your dream to break forth?

Let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season, you shall reap if you faint not.( Galatians 6:9) How many times have you been beaten and bruised with the doubts from hell that have knocked you down and around? Have you felt as if God himself has forgotten all about His promise to you?

Any man or woman that's ever had a dream from God has felt that way. Moses must have felt forsaken in the desert. Elijah must have felt that way hiding in a cave in the wilderness running from Jezebel. Hannah must have felt that way barren without a son. Peter must have felt that way after the death of the Lord on the cross. He declares, "I'm going fishing."

All of these in the end saw their breakthrough, their dream come into reality. I myself have had to learn, "It's better to wrestle with your struggle than to wrestle with the regret that you quit."

Abraham also experience when all hope was gone; you've got to still hold on to your hope. In God's timing, Isaac did come; the promise never comes when you think it should. We must all realize that God is never squeeze by our own opinion of His timing.

His thoughts are higher than our thoughts and his ways are higher than our ways. Today hold on to your hope that God will bring to pass every promise that He has made to you. Yes, you can take him to the bank on every promise. Just don't get sick over it, trust in Him and He shall bring it to pass. "Better is the end of a thing than the beginning and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit." (Eccl 7:8)

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Somebody Missed It

1 Chronicles  15:21-29

Have you ever missed your exit on a trip, your mortgage payment due date, your wife's birthday, your boy's ball-game, your wedding anniversary, your license plate renewal? Each of us know the pain of missing something by either procrastinating or by just getting in a hurry or maybe just being distracted.

My wife and I went out recently on our normal Friday night date. We drove thirty minutes to our favorite seafood place, but I forgot one very important component, my wallet. My wife said, "Well lets go back home, we can't eat without some money." The owner was so gracious she said,"Go ahead and eat, you can pay me the next time."

There's not to many places that will allow you to pay on your next visit. After 20 years we had built a relationship that allowed a trust and a given grace. Somehow, somebody missed it when moving the ark of God on the first try. Only the priests were to carry on poles and move the ark as was instructed by Moses in days before.

It's very easy to forget that God has mandates and assignments for his people. We are to follow his mandates and not to ignore them. A great price was paid by Uzzah reaching out his hand to catch the falling ark. He lost his life simply because somebody missed it in doing it God's way.

Saul missed it in not destroying the Amalekites; he lost God's anointing to be the King of Israel. Samson missed it when he told the secret of his power to Delilah and ended up losing his vision and power to deliver Israel from the hand of the Philistines. Jonah missed it when he chose to run from the call of God to preach to Nineveh and take a boat to Tarshish.

We all pay a price when we choose to do things the way we see it. This time David got it right. He instructed the priest to carry the Ark on poles. David dance before the Lord, I believe he said, "This time I got it right."

David knew the owner, the creator, the provider, the protector, the cleanser, the great I AM. He may have forgotten to do it God's way the first time, but not this time. Friend don't beat up yourself over your past bloopers and blunders. Get up again and do it God's way. His mercies are fresh and new each and every morning; Great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:23)

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Pastors Need MIghty Warriors

1 Chronicles 11:10-29

Paul says to the Ephesians, "We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and against rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness in high places. Take unto you the whole armor of God."

Why do pastors give in to discouragement? Why is it that 70% of pastors quit within the first 7 years and 80% within 10 years?

I'm convinced that all pastors need mighty warriors that will stand with them in prayer and a relentless spirit that will stand with them when the going gets tough.

David had 30 mighty warriors that stood with him in the heat of the battle. David had a connection with these men as he was being chased away from King Saul's palace. Saul was raging with jealousy as David had just killed an ugly giant, but God kept David alive and gave him men he would train to become mighty men of valor.

I'm convinced that every pastor that is going to overcome the pressures and stress and demises out of hell, must have those who will go into the battle with him. Joab was the man who went up to overcome the Jebusites in Jerusalem. David said; "Whoever is first to attack the Jebusites will become the commander of my armies!" Only then did David go in to reign in Jerusalem.

Years ago, a man made an appointment to see John Maxwell who had just taken the church at Skyline in San Diego California. John was informed that he didn't attend his church. John planned a way to quickly get rid of him until he realized why he had come. Bill said, "I'm a layman, I believe God has called me to pray for pastors. I came today to pray for you." That man became one of John Maxwell mighty men of prayer for his ministry.

In John Maxwell's book, "Partners in Prayer." Max Lucado tells while visiting Skyline, John's prayer team inspired him to believe for 120 prayer partners in his own ministry. He says, "From that time we experience record breaking attendance in worship, our income exceeded their budgets, we added 3 new staff members, 6 new elders, witnessed significant miracles, I finished a book on Grace, and the churches antagonism is down and church unity is up." Wow, that doesn't happen because a pastor goes to a church growth seminar.

My prayer today is God will raise up mighty warriors all over the world for pastors. God said; "He gave pastors for the equipping of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we come into the unity of the faith, unto the measure an stature of Christ." Pastor's have a challenging assignment. Who do you think is going to try to block and hinder their mandate? We all know hell is on assignment to hinder and stop the work of God's servants.

Could you be one of those that God will raise up to be a mighty warrior with your pastor? Could you be the reason that God takes the church to the next level? Could you be the next Joab that will lead the charge, so your church will become relentless, anointed, powerful in prayer, that doesn't back down or away from the fires of hell.

There are some churches that have become relentless in their assignment to win their city for Christ? One man can't do it, but with mighty warrior's who press forward with their pastor, hum, can you imagine what God could do through them?

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All Hope Was Gone

Acts 27:13-44

Have you ever been in a place that you said, "I don't know if I'm going to get through this one?" Every voice around you sounds a sound of hopelessness; every circumstance shouts your going under this time.

Paul was held captive with other prisoners, he was sent on a ship to be placed on trial before Caesar. As they were traveling, a great storm, a typhoon came in on their journey. Paul had warned the captain of the ship, "I perceive that this journey will face great harm to the ship and our lives will be at risk."

The captain ignored his words an attempted to sail on towards their destination Rome. What would they do now? Days and days passed in the midst of this storm. The ship was like a corker on the waves, bouncing around, trying to stay afloat. When all hope was gone that they would be saved, Paul stands in the midst of them as declares; " Be of good cheer, there stood by me last night the angle of God that said, Paul you will appear before Caesar, tell the men to stay with the ship and no life will be lost."

There will be times in all of our lives that everything will come apart. Possibly the job, the marriage, the kids behavior, the health report. So what do you do when all hope is gone that you will be saved? Listen to God's still small voice that declares; "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee."(Hebrews 13:8) When you walk through the waters I will be with thee, and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee and when you walk through the fire thou shalt not be burned neither will the flame kindle upon thee. (Isaiah 43:2)

Before the prisoners came to safety, the ship came apart at the breakers of an Island called Malta. All 276 swam to the shore, some on broken boards from the ship, regardless they all made it there safely. God never said there wouldn't be storms, battles, tests, trials and dilemmas in life. God never allows them to come to defeat us but rather to develop us and conform us into his purpose and destiny for our lives.

Paul states; "The things that have happen to me have happen for the furtherance of the gospel. (Phil 1:12) Are you allowing your hopeless situation, to illuminate the light of God, so that others will come to see Christ and His glory? 276 men saw the power of God before there own eyes and saw the God who Paul served was exactly who he said He was. Will you too allow your storm to reveal God's glory and hope to a hurting world that desperately needs the Savior?

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Not So Fast

Acts 23:11-35

Does God really keep up with each of our steps? Does God really know our days in this life? Does God really overshadow each of us with His angles in heaven? Does God really stop the plots of the enemy to take us out before our time?

The Jews were plotting and demising a plan to kill Paul. Forty men vowed a vow to not eat or drink until they had killed him. Was it by chance, that Paul's sister son, his nephew overheard the Jews coming up with a plot to kill Paul? Was it by chance that He would tell Paul what he heard? His nephew told him, this is what I heard these Jew plotting.

"Let's ask the Roman government to let us quiz Paul once again, but on the way to the hearing, we will ambush him and kill him." Paul told his nephew; "Go share that information with the Roman officials." Immediately the Roman government went into action to take Paul by protection with two hundred soldiers, two hundred spearmen, and 70 mounted troops to Governor Felix.

Friend, God will move all of heaven to protect you when you are under the demise and conspiracy of Hell. God was saying to the enemy, "Not so fast." The devil is on a big chain, and he can't go any further than God allows him. It was really God that revealed the conspiracy of these men to kill Paul before his time. God had already told Paul, "You must go to Rome."

There are many other times in the bible, where it was God who protected His children through the plots and schemes out of hell. "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the almighty. I will say of the Lord, he is my refuge, my fortress; my God in him will I trust. He shall give his angles charge of thee to keep thee in all thy ways." (Psalm 91: 1,2,10)

Go on and sleep tonight and realize that God has your trajectory all scoped out on His radar, and not even hell can detour or derail God's anointed plan for your life. What God has started in your life, He is big enough to complete it.

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