Is It The Real Thing?

Have you ever handed cash at a check out register and they pulled out a brown marker to see if it was real or counterfeit? You may have questioned if a diamond ring was fake or real? You can put it under the x-ray machine or you can even blow fog into the diamond to see if it's real or not. If the fog stays two seconds it's a fake.

Coke wrote a jingle back in the 80's, "Ain't nothing like the real thing baby." All of God's 10 commandments are wrapped up in two commandments. Thou shalt love the Lord they God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. The second is to love thy neighbor as thyself.

In September 11th crisis, many of our churches filled up in America. We had more people respond in the altar call for salvation than any other time. Most people say I love you God, but then when their crisis is over, they fall back to their old ways.

Is your love for God real? Do you have the real deal? 3 Hebrew men in Daniel chapter 3 were confronted with the greatest test of their life. King Nebuchadnezzar stated in his dedication ceremony, "Whosoever doesn't bow at my image will burn." These 3 men said, "King were not bowing to your god. Our God is able to deliver us, but even if He doesn't we will not bow."

The king had his men turn up the fire seven times hotter, and then they were thrown in the fiery furnace. The fire was so hot that the king's men died in their duty. As the king looked down with his pomp and power and punishment, he notices there are not 3 but 4 men in the fire.

That day he found out that someone came to their rescue. The Son of God came and protected them from the king's demise. Not even one hair was singe neither was there the smell of smoke on their garments.

It's encouraging to know that God will get in the fire with you and I. God can turn up the fire of boldness in you that is greater than your ordeal, greater than your pressure at work, in your home life, in your everyday world. You will also come to realize that you have real thing as you refuse to bow down to the gods of this world. Anybody can stand up for God when things are going well, but what if the fire gets seven times hotter?

Do you have the real thing? The next test you face will either make you bolder in your faith or cause you to stand down. Stand up friend, God is with you and is for you, and if God be for you who can be against you? Choose to be the light of the world in these later days.

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Get Up !!

John Maxwell says, "When you fall down, get up and pick up something while you're down there." There is no one righteous, not even one. (Romans 3:10) No one has a perfect record except for Christ who came to die for all of our sins.

All of the great heroes in the bible had imperfections. Abraham got inpatient and took Hagar to bring his first son. Moses killed an Egyptian soldier and had to run for his life. David took Bathsheba and had her husband Uriah killed.

When a man falls, God says; turn and run to him and ask for His mercy and forgiveness. Don't sit in your guilt, don't stay away from the one who is ready to cleanse and forgive you of your mistake and failure.

Confess your sin and he is willing to cleanse and forgive us of all our unrighteousness. What if David had of not been honest before God? Nathan came to him and said, "David your the man with the sin." David said; "Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me."

God not only forgave David of his wicked sins but later said of David; "He is a man after my own heart. " God remembers that we are but dust.

Quit beating yourself up and allow his love and mercy and grace give you another chance. Abraham was ninety years old when God said to him, "Walk before me and be thou perfect." God was not finished with what He had started in him and Sarah. God went on to tell him, "You will have a son through Sarah." Keep in mind that she wasn't young either. God says that His mercies are fresh and new each and every morning."

Most people's issues are not that God won't forgive them, but rather they won't forgive themselves. Moses was tending to his sheep on the back side of a desert, but God shows up with a fire in a bush, and says; "Take your shoes off Moses, your standing on holy ground. Go to Pharaoh and tell him to let my people go." God doesn't write you off just because you have made some mistakes. Get up, in the name of Jesus and finish the assignment for your life. Moses did and 3 million Jews were delivered out of Egypt.

The next time the devil stirs up your old past, remind the devil that your sins have been buried in the sea of forgetfulness, never to be remembered again.

"It's better to wrestle with your struggle than to wrestle with the regret that you quit. Get up, even if the righteous falls seven times, he will rise and get up again.

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I'm In Over My Head

It's an incredible moment when you have overcome a bear, conquered over a lion who has attacked your sheep, taken off the head of the giant who has threaten the armies of your nation. David had incredible victories in his early days before becoming the King of Israel.

After defeating Goliath, the number one hit song on the radio was Saul has killed his thousands but David his tens of thousands. King Saul eyed David from that day to destroy him. Jealousy had poisoned his spirit, and he aimed to kill David.

David is now running for his life. Saul's troops are hunting David down like a deer. He is sinking in quicksand. He is hoarse from calling for help, Bleary-eyed from searching the sky for God. David has more enemies than hairs on his head. Sneaks and liars are out to knife him in the back. His brothers shun him like a bum on the street; His family treats him like an unwanted guest. ( Psalm 69:1-18)

What now? Where do I go, what do I do when I feel like the darkness around me has consumed me.

I heard a story about a lion tamer that was performing in an arena, in a huge cage before the crowds. He had his weapons and tools, along with his whip and his four-legged stool for protection.

All of a sudden the power went out. Now this lion tamer is in the dark, He can't see the lion but he knows the lion is at his best in the dark. Lions have great night vision, and that's when they do most of their hunting and preying down on their victims in the night.

What does he do now? He can't see the lion but he knows the loin can see him. Being very smart, He keeps doing the same thing by popping his whip and holding up the stool, which throws the lions eyes out of focus.

The lion still won't attack because the four-legged stool confuses the lion and he can't focus on more than one leg at a time. Eventually the lights come on and the lion tamer is safe and secure.

Even in your darkness, in your pain, in your sorrow, in your valley, in your greatest fears of life, when you're in your darkest moments of life keep doing what you know is right.

David knew in his darkest days, in over his head with a gone crazy king, He kept believing in His God. He kept crying out to God for deliverance. He continued to worship His God; he continued to press through the darkness of the night.

I'm not sure how dark it will get with your money matters, your business that's on the verge of collapse, your marriage that's on it's last breath, but friend keep doing what you know is right. Hold steady with your faith, keep reading and meditating in His word, stay in church as it will increase your faith, don't ever quit crying out to God for help.

God knows where you are, and "No weapon formed against you shall prosper." (Isaiah 54:17a) When your in over your head, just know that He has promised that, "When you walk through the waters I will be with thee and through the rivers they shall not overflowed thee and in the fire thou shalt not be burned neither will the flame kindle upon you."(Isaiah 43:2)

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Fifteen More Years?

Can God extend someone's days here on the earth? Hezekiah had become deathly ill and had just heard from the prophet Isaiah, "Set your affairs in order, for you are going to die." 

Hezekiah turns his face to the wall and begins to cry out to God. "Lord you know that I have been faithful to you and have served you single- mindedly, always doing what pleased you."

Isaiah had not gotten out of the Kings court and God spoke to his prophet, "Go back to Hezekiah and tell him, "This is what the Lord says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will add fifteen years to your life. I will rescue you and this city from the king of Assyria. Yes, I will defend this city. I will cause the sun's shadow to move ten steps backward on the sundial of Ahaz." (Isaiah 38:1-8)

Wow, God is an awesome God. It's never over till God gives the final say. The doctor is not the final say over your life. The MRI report, or the x-rays, or the blood-work isn't the final authority for your days here on earth.

God has different ways that he speaks and confirms his word to us. Here God uses His prophet. God will use his minister's to speak to us, He will also use his children to speak a word of encouragement, a word of correction, a word of direction.

I have found that God will use others to confirm something that God has already spoken to my own heart. What God doesn't do is speak something that doesn't lineup with his word. God won't send you a message that contradicts what the word of God has already written.

God confirms to Hezekiah that what I have spoken will come to pass. "The shadow on the sundial will move backward ten degrees." This is an amazing event that took place in history. Most in the scientific technical field have interpreted that ten degrees represents forty minutes. Regardless of the exact time, can you image how this miracle quickly spread throughout this region of the world. Hezekiah went on the write 15 songs in the book of Psalms 120-134. These songs were used in the temple ceremonies.

In our day most of us sing songs of God's incredible grace and mercy that has been extended to us. I love Chris Tomlin song, "The everlasting God," or even one of our traditional songs like "Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now I'm found, was blind but now I see."

This story is a reminder that God is No respecter of persons. He doesn't play favorites. What He did thousands of years ago; He can still do it again. If He heard the cry of his servant Hezekiah, He will hear the cry of your hurt, your pain, your sorrow, and your dilemma. Even now, call on His name.

He is Jehovah Jira, The God who supplies and meets all of our needs. He is Jehovah Rapha, "I am the Lord that healeth thee." He is Jehovah Shalom. He is our peace. He is our Jehovah Rohi, He is our shepherd that will guide and direct us on the right path.

Be encouraged today that "God is our refuge and strength and a present help in the time of trouble." Psalm 46:1)" The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run to him and they are safe."(Proverbs 18:10)

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Is It Out Of Focus?

When your eyes get blurry, it can be very frightening and frustrating. It then makes sense to get an appointment with the ophthalmologist. An eye doctor can look deep into the eyes to see what's really going on. Has your sugar gotten out of wack? If skin in the lower lids looks pale rather than bright pink, it normally means you are anemic and are lacking iron. God has much to say about our eyes and focus. "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith." (Hebrews 12:2)

Is there anything keeping you from your focus and faith on the Lord? What happen to the great faith of Abraham who was promised to be the father of a nation? In a long difficult season he gave in to his doubts and took not his wife Sarah but her handmaiden Hagar to have a son for his future family and nation.

What happen to the faith of Moses to deliver Israel out of bondage in Egypt? In a weary season he ended up killing an enemy solider and had to run for his life but then he spent the next 40 years on the backside of a desert.

What happen to Peter who got out of the boat and walked on the water to Jesus? In a scary moment of looking into the winds and waves he ended up sinking in the waters because fear had gripped his heart. He quickly began to sink crying out to the Lord to save him.

What's going on in your life today? Are you in a difficult season? Where is your focus? Where is your faith? Possibly you have hit a place where you feel like you're hitting the quicksands of life. Are you in a season that you feel yourself sinking in your doubts and your disbelief's? Have you said; "Where is the dream that God spoke to my heart? Where is the fruit of success that God said would come?"

 

Hope deferred will make the heart sick, but a desired fulfilled is a tree of life. (Proverbs 13:12) Somewhere in these heroes of faith, they lost patience to stay focused on the prize and the purposes of God. Abraham got impatient waiting on Isaac. Moses got impatient in waiting on Israel's deliverance out of Egypt. Peter got impatient in not understanding Christ plan to go to the Cross for our redemption.

 

Let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season you shall reap if you faint not. (Galatians 6:9) When will any of us learn to wait out the promises of God? If God said it, He will do it. Get your focus on Him, the author and the finisher of our faith.

 

When these men of God focus was corrected, God gave Abraham his promise son Isaac through Sarah. God called out to Moses from a burning bush and said, "Go to Pharaoh, tell him to let my people go." When Peter got his eyes back on the Lord and not his failure, he became the rock in which Christ would build His church.

 

Correct your focus and it will encourage and strengthen your faith. What's got your attention today? Has your trouble, and problems, and worries, and your dilemmas got your head in the fog? David said in his own quagmires of life, "I will lift up my eyes to the Lord from which cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth." ( Psalm121:1,2)

 

Change your focus to the Lord and your faith will leap to heights that you will say, "No weapon formed against me shall prosper. Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world." You will say, "If God be for me who can be against me."

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Rejoice?

Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice.

Eleven years ago on September 11th an attack was made in America on our own homeland by evil terrorist. Who would have believed the damage, the lost, and the fears that would strike like a serpent rattler out of the brush? Was this the end of time on the earth? Was this part of what God said would be shaken in the last days?

Paul faced times of being shaken by sorrow and grief in his day. He continued to preach the good news that Jesus saves, and heals and delivers and brings meaning and purpose in life. It's easy to be shaken up by all the destruction of terrorism and wars and rumors of financial collapse on the horizon.

How did Paul rejoice when he was thrown in a prison cell, stripes pierced in his back, shipwrecked, beaten with rods, stoned and left for dead? How did he rejoice with the weight of the churches on his plate, concern over those who abandon ship? Some walked away like Demas who had loved this present world and those who fought him within the religious inner circle?

Somehow this man chose to turn his focus upward. In spite of the test, the mess the chaos, and the oxymoron's of life he chose to bless the name of Jesus. He remembered that Damascus road experience where a great light shined down upon him and forever changed and transformed and rocked his world.

See if God never does another thing for Danny, He has already done enough. My name may never be written down in the guis book of records of running the world's fastest marathon like Geoffery Mutai of 2:03:02, but my name has been written down in the Lambs book of life. And that my friend in spite of all of mans success and prosperity will out shine them all. Your name may never be listed on Hollywood's top 10-movie list, but if the Lord Jesus Christ has personally written in your name in His book that's all that matters. What have you gained if you gain the whole world and lose your own soul?

Put it all in perspective. Get a good view of what really matters in life. Get in God's presence and see what He sees. When you really see what He sees, It will bring a smile in-spite of your sorrow, it will bring a cheer in-spite of your chaos, it will bring a exciting testimony in-spite of your test, and it will bring a peace and a praise to heaven in-spite of your pain.

Someone once said, "Worry is like a rocking chair, it will give you something to do but it won't get you anywhere." Choose to Rejoice, it will do more than give you something to do, it will take you somewhere higher and higher and higher in God's presence." In His presence is the fullness of joy." (Psalm 16:11) "This is the day that the Lord has made I will rejoice and be glad in it."

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Generosity In Your Giving?

Yesterday I went through the drive through and got and Ice-cream dipped in chocolate. Ummmmm was it good. The only problem in my enjoyment it was putting out more than I could consume and contain. As I broke in to the chocolate shell it went to running down all sides of the cone.

That is really what happens when we learn to be generous in our giving to God. He knows how to open the heavens over our lives. God declares as we give, He will give back more to us than we can contain. When we break into the shell of his word in obedience He will give back more than we can fathom.

Are you enjoying the seasons that God opens wide the heavens for you? If not look at this story of the widow woman who had lost her husband in great detail. (2 Kings 4:1-7) Her husband was in ministry. He had left a debt in his death and the creditors were coming to collect the debt by taking her two sons as slaves.

She goes to the prophet Elisha for some advice. He ask her; "What do you have in your possession? She responded; " I have nothing but a little bit of oil in the house."

Notice that he instructs her to go borrow from your neighbors jars and containers and not a few. Now she goes from house to house asking to borrow their jars. She obeyed the word of the Lord and next he said take the little bit of oil that you have and start pouring it into the jars.

It's important to notice, nothing was going to happen without her obedience to the prophets word. As she started pouring the oil, every jar was filled. When did the oil stop flowing? When there was no more jars to fill. She then sold the oil and paid their debts and was blessed to keep her sons.

Her blessings came as a result of her obedience to the word of the Lord. Our blessings our based off our ability to obey what God tells us to do. God says; "Give and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over shall men give into your lap, with the same measure you use it shall be measured to you again." (Luke 6:38)

We were moving into a new home after our college days. As we moved in we didn't have any appliances. The day we were moving in I received a call from someone in the church," Danny do you and Vonnell have a refrigerator for your new home? Since we didn't she said, "Meet us downtown at the appliance store." Before we left that day, Vonnell and I were crying over a new side-by-side refrigerator and a washer and dryer to be delivered that weekend.

Don't tell me that God can't still pour out the oil when you have a need. He can give you more than you can contain. God is a giver back to those that will obey his word. Choose now to be a giver of your tithes and offerings unto the Lord, and He will give you back more than you have the ability to contain. By the way God says he loves a cheerful giver, is that you? Are you ready for some ummm blessings?

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Generosity In Forgiving?

Ephesians 4:31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger...32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other just as God through Christ forgave you.

A woman came home one afternoon and told her husband that the carburetor had water in it. Her husband not wanting to be rude said. " Honey I'm sorry but you don't understand a spark-plug from a carburetor." Being persistent she said, Trust me there's water in the carburetor." The husband finally said, "Okay where is the car?" She said, "It's in the lake."

Have you ever had to forgive someone for something? If you live very long, trust me you will have to forgive people for more than messing up an automobile. Joseph had a dream about his future but was tested by his brother's jealousy towards him. He had to overcome the poison of pain and hurt from consuming his heart for what his brothers did to him.

They threw him in a pit, and then sold to some Ishmaelites. Then the Ishmaelities took him and sold him down in Egypt at a slave auction. A man named Potiphar bought him and gave him a good job. His lying wife falsely accused Joseph for attempting to rape her, so he ended up in prison for years.

Would Joseph be angry with his brothers, a lying woman, or maybe God? He spent time in prison for a crime he never committed. What would become of his dream? Would he end up bitter, angry, resentful, and sour with life?

It wasn't till years later that God revealed to him just why he was in Egypt? He ended up saving thousands of lives as the Prime Minister of the land to manage seven years of plenty then seven years of famine. Joseph chose not to get bitter but rather to engage in God's dream in savings lives.

Each of us will be tempted like Joseph to:

• Curse our offender
• Nurse our hurt, and to live in a pity party.
• Rehearse over and over again what has happen to us.

God would rather each of us:

• Disburse all the hurt and pain that can poison our hearts.

In the end God can:

• Reverse all the evil that has come against us.

Joseph had an opportunity to get revenge, to get pay backs in what his brothers did in nearly killing him and throwing him in a pit, then later sold him to some travelers. He chose not to get blind and bitter by his nightmare in life. He chose to be generous in forgiving his brothers. He says to each of them; "What you did, you did for evil, but God has meant it for good."

Have you come to realize that God does allow things to happen, not for evil but rather for good? I know the plans that I have for you declares the Lord,"plans to prosper you not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11) God really does have your future in the palm of His hands. Don't get all rattled and frazzled each time a nightmare comes in your life. God could be up to doing something great through the painful steps of your life.

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Generosity With Your Tongue?

A group of frogs was traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. All the frogs gathered around the pit, when they saw the frogs were as good as dead, they said, "just give up and die." One gave up while the other continued to jump. Finally after of hours of trying one finally made it out of the pit. They ask, "Why did you keep jumping when we told you to just give up and die?" The frog explained that he was deaf; he thought they were encouraging him the entire time.

Each of us needs to be careful what we say with out tongues. People's words are like an elevator; they either take you up or take you down.

He that will see good days let him refrain his tongue from evil that his lips speak no guile. (1 Peter 3:10) Some people wonder why they don't have many friends? Could it have something to do with the way they express themselves in their conversation. Twenty seven times in the New Testament we see the words one another. God tells us to encourage, to edify, to pray, to build up, to fellowship, to tolerate, to be patient, to be compassionate with one another. These are just a few of God's direct words in our conversations.

God tells us to do two things in life. "Love God and to Love people." Be careful and cautious with the words you use to those around you. A pastor was building a fence while the neighbor's 12- year- old son watched. The pastor smiled and said, "Interested in carpentry, "Nope, the boy replied. "Just want to hear what a preacher says when he hits his thumb with a hammer!"

Remember people are listening to our words, are they edifying, encouraging, compassionate, controlled? David said, "Let the words of my mouth and the mediation of my heart be acceptable in they sight, blessed is our redeemer." (Psalm 19:14)

Here are a few things to remember when you are in a very difficult time with another person.

1) Always attack the problem and not the person. It's easy to allow your hurts and emotions to say something that you may later regret.

2) Cool off before you engage in this conversation. The cap on the radiator under the hood of a car says " NEVER REMOVE WHEN HOT." That is some good advice when you have gotten heated about an issue.

3)Plan a good time to have a discussion about the problem. Midnight isn't usually the best time to approach your issues. You are tired and will end up saying something you regret.

4) Pray for the one who has upset you.Do we really believe in prayer? Praying is saying, "God I can't do this thing without you." I have learned that prayer has so much more effect in working through the issues with people, than all my talking and debating about the issue.

5) Look for the best in people.Give people the benefit of the doubt. Everybody is not an evil person. The dude who just took your parking spot, or who cut in front of you on the highway, they may have just lost their parent, they may be going through a divorce. Most are living in the fog during these times.

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Col 4:6) May we all humble ourselves each morning and ask God for His abundant grace and help in being generous with our tongues.

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