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Be Not A Part of The World

19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. ~ John 15:19

We live in the world, but we’re not a part of the world. In other words, do not participate in the things of this world; they are passing away. Yes, we live in this world. Therefore, there are things that we have no choice but to participate in, such as voting, but only according to Scripture. We don’t vote for things that are blatantly against God. We need to get back to the basics where righteousness is the rule of thumb, and holiness is the way of life. We need to get back to where our main objective is to follow the teachings of Jesus and to be our brother’s keeper.

Without this, we are saltless salt. But the thing about saltless salt is when we become saltless salt, we are of no use to Jesus in His kingdom. Without action, our faith is dead. We are to work out our salvation with much fear and trembling.

But what does that look like? Well, for one, we are always self-disinfecting. We are disinfecting others. And we are always spreading the light of God with others. But before we can start correcting our brothers and sisters, we must do self-correction. We must evaluate our own lives to make sure they line up with the LORD and not with the world. Jesus should be our goal, not to be like a celebrity in the world but like the one who overcame the whole world.

We are called for greater things than the world can offer us. Therefore, we are to live in the world but not be a part of the world because we have been called out of the world. We’re not to seek approval or acceptance from the world. We aren’t of the world. Therefore, if the world hates you because you follow Jesus, cling to the Truth of what that really means. If the world hates you, it’s because you’ve left it behind and have clung to the Light of the World. You’ve clung to the cross, and you are running this race set before you with all that is in you. Be encouraged and finish your race strong and filled with hope, and the LORD will reward you.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Be Not A Part of The World.

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Judge With Mercy and Grace

1 Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. ~ Matthew 7:1-5

When Cain was confronted by God after he killed his own brother, he asked God if he was his brother’s keeper. The answer is yes, Cain, you are. And so are we. We are our brother’s keeper, but here’s the catch though, we must also keep watch over our own souls. If I’m honest, this is one of my least favorite verses, but only because of how people have taken it out of context in order to make an excuse for their own sin that they want to live in. The older I get, the more in contact I come with people who are quick to judge and pronounce judgment on anyone who refuses to accept their beliefs. And as time goes on, I understand why Jesus made a point to say this.

It’s easy to judge someone else and think ourselves better than them. We don’t sin like them. We don’t make mistakes like they do. When we act like this, and we make a true self-evaluation, we should easily see that we have become Frollo (the villain of Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame). Throughout the movie, he’s wicked, evil, and unjust, yet he sees himself as better than the common person. As better than the hunchback because the hunchback is deformed and Frollo is not. He then sings this verse:

Beata Maria…
You know I am a righteous man.
And of my virtue, I am justly proud.

Beata Maria…
You know I’m so much purer than
the common, vulgar,
weak, licentious crowd…

Throughout the song, he defends himself. It’s never his fault. He’s never to blame. It’s Esmerelda’s (the Gypsy Girl) fault. She set a flame in him, causing him to sin. He then even blames God.

It’s not my fault!
If in God’s plan,
He made the devil so much
stronger than a man!

Never do you see him look in the mirror and say, it’s my fault. I’ve messed up. I’ve made the mistake. Instead, he becomes more and more evil and wicked without even realizing it. His own pride blocked him from seeing that the judgment he set for others was the very judgment by which he would perish. He set all of Paris on fire and wanted to cast those he deemed as sinners into that fire, but instead, it was he that fell into the fire.

When we are quick to pronounce judgment on others and never show mercy or grace, that same judgment will be how the LORD judges us. So, we are to judge with mercy and grace. We’re not to judge with hatred, but we’re to judge the fruit. We’re to look at people’s actions and judge whether they are good or evil. Whether they need to be corrected or praised. This is our duty as Christians. We are not to want punishment for the wicked, but we are to pray for them that the LORD might show them mercy and open their blind eyes to see the Truth of who He is.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Judge With Mercy and Grace.

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Remove Anything To Follow Him

43 And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell. ~ Mark 9:43-47

These are some very strong words. A very hard teaching that we just brush over. Listen to what Jesus is saying; you have to examine yourself and remove anything from you that isn’t of God. You have to remove anything within you that contradicts the Word of God. You can’t walk in the Light and walk in the Darkness. You have to choose one. You have to make an active decision to pick up your cross and follow Jesus.

Oftentimes, we get so caught up in other people and what they’re doing wrong and how they’re making mistakes and we completely miss our own shortcomings. Jesus is warning us that we have to be self-disinfecting. Being salt is not just for others but for yourself as well. You must take a self-inventory and evaluate yourself. You can’t take for granted that you have accepted Jesus as LORD and Savior, and there is nothing else to do.

This admonishment or warning is directed toward Christians, not the world. It is us Jesus is talking to. If you, my servants, find that your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. Even if it is your eye that causes you to sin, pluck it out. Do not let any of them cause you to be thrown into the unquenchable fires of hell. It would be better for you to enter eternal life maimed or crippled or even with one eye or even blind than the alternative.

The treasures, toys, and fruit of this earth will one day pass away. You can’t even take it with you into Eternity. It doesn’t last forever. Eternal things last forever. Each of us is building up eternal property and treasure. The only thing is our property, and our treasure aren’t always in good real estate. Some of us are building up property and treasure where the moths and locusts can’t get into harm. A place of peace, love, and God’s Holy presence. Whereas others are building up property and treasure in a lake of fire. In a place of eternal torment and destruction. In a place where you have to pay for each and every sin that you’ve committed because you refused to accept the free gift of life purchased for you while you were on this earth.

As long as your heart is still beating, there is a chance of redemption. Jesus is knocking at the door of your heart. He’s calling for you to remove that sin from your life. To put away the greed, sexual immorality, anger, unforgiveness, rejection, and everything else that is keeping you from wholeheartedly following Him.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Remove Anything To Follow Him.

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Stand Confidently On Scripture

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. ~ 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Paul wasn’t just telling Timothy to judge others by these standards, but himself. This is not speaking just about others, but to one’s own self as well.

First, he says all Scripture is breathed out by God. Meaning Scripture is beyond dispute. It is without error, and it is 100% trustworthy because it is God-breathed. So, we are not indecisive about using Scripture. Neither are we unsure as to its accuracy.

Therefore, we are confident in using it to teach, reproof, correct, and train in righteousness. Now watch this; Paul tells us why. He says that we have Scripture so that the man of God may be complete and equipped for every good work.

It is the Scripture that we use to do all of this, not some other wannabe Scripture, but Scripture and Scripture alone. Everything we do, every offering we make, must be seasoned with salt. It must be influenced and founded on Scripture.

Too often, we get caught up in our own beliefs and opinions, and in doing so, we overlook the Word of God and twist Scripture to match what we want it to. This isn’t God’s desire for our lives. This isn’t how God intended us to use Scripture. It’s not to be twisted and taken out of context. It’s not to be changed and misquoted. Scripture is the Word of God that is a firm foundation for our lives.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Stand Confidently On Scripture.

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Have Compassion

36 When He saw the crowds, He had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ~ Matthew 9:36

When Jesus saw the people, He had compassion for them. Why? Because they were harassed and helpless. And He still has compassion for the crowds today. He described them as being like sheep without a shepherd. In other words, they were stray sheep. No protection from wolves. No covering. Without hope or direction. Just wondering vagabonds upon the earth. That’s not what God wants for us. God wants more than that for us. He wants good for us. He wants to Restore us. Therefore, if God wanted that for the people of His day, we should desire the same for the people of our day.

While Jesus was in the world, He was the Light of the World; now that is our call. We, the body of Christ, are to be the light in this dark world. Why? Because we are the only ones with the Light dwelling in us, with us, and through us. We are to share the good news of hope with anyone who will listen. We are to show the love of God to the world. That doesn’t mean we just accept every sin and say, “Don’t worry; God loves you.” No, that means we show them the way of the LORD, for love doesn’t rejoice in evil. It only rejoices in Truth.

Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him three times. And each time Peter responded, Jesus told him to do something. Feed my lambs. Tend my sheep. Feed my sheep. If we love Jesus, we’ll love the way He loved. We’ll have compassion the way He had compassion. We’ll feed the lambs and the sheep and tend to them. We’ll take care of the sheep without a shepherd and guide them to the LORD. That’s our call. Evangelism and Discipleship. We are to lead stray sheep to Christ and teach and encourage the sheep already there.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Have Compassion.

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Push Back The Darkness

14 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. ~ Matthew 5:14-16

Jesus said, “You are the light of the world.” He was speaking to the people of His day and age and to us here and now. This now begs the question, what is light? According to the Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains:

light, i.e., that which is contrasted to darkness (Genesis 1:3), note: in some contexts with the associative meaning of guidance, health, life, prosperity, enlightened judgment, and other positive things.

So, first of all, light is that which is contrasted with darkness. Which begs the question, what is darkness? According to wikipedia.org:

Darkness, the polar opposite of brightness, is understood as a lack of illumination or an absence of visible light.

If darkness is the opposite of brightness, or rather it is the absence of light, then we had better start spreading the light. Why? Because according to the definition above, light represents all that is good and useful for life.

  • Guidance
  • Health
  • Life
  • Prosperity
  • Enlightened judgment
  • And other positive things

And darkness represents the lack of all of the above.

Without light, there is no life, and we are the light. In other words, we carry the words of life taught to us by Jesus. What does that mean for us? We are to show God’s good work so that He might be glorified. But we must show God’s light now while we still can. A time is coming when darkness will overtake the whole world and forbid the working of light. We have to work while it is still day because night is soon coming when no one can work. Tribulation is coming for the full body of Christ, making it illegal to even say the name of Jesus. Unless we want that in our time, we have to spread the light now. We have to spread the Gospel throughout all the earth and push back the darkness that is closing in on us so rampantly.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Push Back The Darkness.

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Harvest Before It’s Too Late

35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. 36 Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. 37 For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.” ~ John 4:35-38

Jesus is drawing an analogy here. He said, “You are saying that there are still 4 more months left before I have to prepare for the harvest. So, I can do other things while I wait, and why not? I don’t have to worry about preparing for the harvest for another 4 months.”

Then He hits them with the reality that the fields are white for harvest. In other words, some of you are worrying about your earthly treasures or your physical harvest; what can I get out of life? You are busy climbing the corporate ladder, but you are ignoring the true harvest. The most important harvest is the spiritual harvest. The harvest of souls. There is no greater harvest, and the harvest is ready now. The fields are white for harvest now.

I looked up why the wheat field would be white unto harvest. Then I texted a farmer friend of mine who confirmed it. Apparently, there are several reasons. Fugus, disease, etc. The disease is usually caused by a lack of proper watering, insect infestation, or not harvesting the grain on time. In every instance of the grain fields being white, it leads to the death of the grain.

I thought about this, and every account can be related back to the harvest field. The lack of proper watering can be related to a lack of evangelism. Insect infestation due to lack of discipleship. Lack of harvesting due to, again, lack of evangelism due to not enough workers.

What am I on about? The fields are white onto harvest in your world. People are dying without being reaped for the LORD. In other words, they are not being evangelized. They are not being told of the goodness of Jesus. They are not being saved! We are called not to keep our light hidden within us but display it to the whole world. We are called not to be silent but to go out and spread the Word of God to anyone willing to listen. We are to harvest the crop before it’s too late and they die. This is our call. This should be our main focus.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Harvest Before It’s Too Late.

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Lean If Needed

18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. ~ 1 John 4:18

8 Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand, and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. ~ Leviticus 26:8

I remember several years back, we were visiting someone in their home, and the owner of the house was seeing 3 black forms with long straggly black hair. My wife also saw the apparitions. Not long after our visit, the owner actually died in the house.

I went back to the house and was praying and worshipping in the house all day until evening. When the night started to come on, I heard a voice, not audibly, but I heard it in my head, and to me, it was very clear. It said, “The night is coming. Soon it will be dark, and he is coming. If he finds you here, they will have to carry you out also.”

I’m not gonna lie to you; it shook me up a little. Okay, it shook me a lot. But in defiance of that voice, I still stayed right where I was for about another 30 or 40 seconds, maybe less, but about another, at the very least, 20 seconds, and then I got out there.

The hair on the back of my neck started to stand up. I felt like my only exit out of there was being blocked, and I would have no way out. In that moment, without even thinking about it, I second-guessed God coming to my defense.

You see, you cannot cast out or drive out what you fear! Fear is a form of weakness that leads to distrust. We have to trust God because He will never leave us, nor will He forsake us. If we don’t fully trust God, we can’t operate in power. Why? We can’t operate in power when we walk in fear. Likewise, we cannot operate in fear if we walk in love.

My family and I went back to the house after that, and we began praying and casting out any evil that was in that home. We went from room to room in the confidence of the love of God. And to make sure fear didn’t have a foothold in our hearts as we prayed, we went at night and left all of the lights in the house off. You cannot cast out what you fear. And if you aren’t filled and surrounded with enough love to face fear alone, take someone (or someones) with you that will believe and stand in faith and love with you. A three-strand cord is not easily broken. One can put a thousand to flight, but two can put ten thousand to flight. Therefore, lean on your brother(s) or sister(s) in Christ when you aren’t strong enough to stand alone.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Lean If Needed.

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Be Encouraged By Grace

33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. ~ Acts 4:33

The Apostles were giving their testimony about the resurrection of our LORD Jesus Christ, and grace was upon them all. But I want you to notice; it was not just grace, but great grace that was upon not just the apostles, but upon them all. And through that grace, mighty miracles, signs and wonders, and mighty acts of healing were being performed by the believers.

All the believers enjoyed the grace or the favor of the LORD. I want you to understand that grace or favor is not the same as mercy. Mercy is defined as NOT getting what we deserve. Grace, or favor, is defined as getting what we do NOT deserve.

The favor, or the grace of the LORD, can and will open doors. It can and will heal the sick. Save the lost. Raise the dead. Perform signs and wonders. It will perform miracles. Because of the LORD’s Favorable Grace, the first-century Church moved in power. Without grace, or favor, there is no Holy Spirit, and thus, there is no power.

It is because of this –Favorable Grace– that we can sing:

Let the weak say I am strong
Let the poor say I am rich
Because of what the LORD has done for us
Give thanks

It is not by man’s might; it is not by man’s power; it is not by man’s intellect, but by God’s grace and God’s favor. When we enjoy the Favorable Grace of the LORD, we don’t need anything else.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Be Encouraged By Grace.

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Lift Up Their Names

11 But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong. 12 When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile believers, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision. 13 As a result, other Jewish believers followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 When I saw that they were not following the truth of the gospel message, I said to Peter in front of all the others, “Since you, a Jew by birth, have discarded the Jewish laws and are living like a Gentile, why are you now trying to make these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions?” ~ Galatians 2:11-14NLT

Peter wasn’t perfect. He made mistakes and had to be corrected. Why? Because Peter was human, just like all of our leaders today. If you see a leader in sin, don’t curse them. Don’t get angry at them. Remember that all of us make mistakes, and everyone needs correction when we do, but make sure you correct with the Scripture as Paul did. Make sure you correct with love and not hatred. Make sure you are speaking from the Word of God and not from your own ideologies, traditions, or opinions. Yes, correction is good, but only if it is in line with the Word of God.

If you see one of our leaders in sin and you have no way to show them the error of their ways, that doesn’t mean they’re a lost cause, and you have to just destroy them online or any chance you get. You still have to lift them up in prayer. We’re to pray for our fellow believers when they make mistakes. We’re to pray for them to see the Truth. I heard this story of a pastor who would get up at night to pray so much that his wife rowed with him. You know what his response was? I have 8,000 people I must give an account for, and I know not the condition of their souls. If this is on the mind of our Church leaders, as it should be, on whose mind are the condition of the souls of our Church leaders?

We’re very quick to condemn, but very few of us put our money where our mouth is. We do a lot of talking and condemning but not a lot of action. How can we expect our leaders to be held to a standard that we don’t even hold ourselves to, especially if we don’t pray for them? No, no one is above correction, but no one is above needing prayer either.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Lift Up Their Names.

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