Tag: Food For Growth

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Follow the Word

1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. ~ Romans 12:1–2

We must listen to and evaluate what is being said, or what is being taught, or what is being propagated. Then we are to test it. In other words, we are to compare it with the Word of God. If, for whatever reason, it does not line up or match up with God’s word, if we don’t have full and complete congruency, then we are to throw it out. Dismiss it completely as false and misleading. We are to drop it like a hot potato.

When it is not a blatant contradiction of the Word of God and a little more in-depth analysis is needed, then that is where prayer comes in.

If God’s word says, ‘Do Not Do It!’ then there is no need to pray about it. That is what Balaam did in Numbers chapter 22-24. Although he knew God’s good and perfect will, he was enticed by the lure of wealth and profit. Don’t succumb to Balaam’s error. Don’t allow the world to lure you away from the straight and narrow by its beguiling, poisoned fruit. Let the Word of God lead you on your journey, not the world.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Follow the Word.

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Watchmen Where Are You?

17 Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel, and he saw the company of Jehu as he came and said, “I see a company.” And Joram said, “Take a horseman and send to meet them, and let him say, ‘Is it peace?’ ” 18 So a man on horseback went to meet him and said, “Thus says the king, ‘Is it peace?’ ” And Jehu said, “What do you have to do with peace? Turn around and ride behind me.” And the watchman reported, saying, “The messenger reached them, but he is not coming back.” 19 Then he sent out a second horseman, who came to them and said, “Thus the king has said, ‘Is it peace?’ ” And Jehu answered, “What do you have to do with peace? Turn around and ride behind me.” 20 Again the watchman reported, “He reached them, but he is not coming back. And the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives furiously.” ~ 2 Kings 9:17–20

The Hebrew word (ṣā·p̄ā(h)), translated watchman, means:
keep watch, be a lookout,
i.e., intently watch a situation using primarily the eye-gate, but possibly also using other senses, implying a future hope or expectation.

Jesus told us to watch and pray. By this, He made the Christians watchmen on the wall, so to speak. We are to announce good, and we are to announce bad. We are to announce friends, and we are to announce enemies. We are to announce peace, and we are to announce war.

It is our responsibility to protect the flock from potential dangers and warn of surprise attacks from the enemy. Therefore, it is our job to keep watch and to warn the body of Christ of impending dangers and threats.

We are to watch for approaching friends and let our fellow Christians know they are friends. We are likewise to watch for approaching enemies and sound the alarm that an enemy is approaching.

Not only this, but it is the watchman’s responsibility to warn the people on behalf of God when they are straying or falling away from His impending judgment. We are to warn them to turn from their wicked or their compromising ways and return to God.

It is a serious and crucial responsibility that we have and one we should not take lightly. Therefore, blow the trumpet and sound the alarm; danger and enemies disguised as friends are all around us. Warn the people of God, watchmen.

Father, give Your watchmen wisdom and understanding to recognize enemies from friends, danger from peace, and the prudence to act accordingly. Grant us boldness and confidence to warn, advise, and caution the body of Christ. Bless Your people LORD and watch over them as they climb the mountains and cross the valleys. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Don’t Stay Complacent

8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death. ~ Revelation 21:8

Many believe that sin really only includes sexual immorality, murder, idolatry, or things like these. Often times we overlook the fact that Jesus said that the cowardly (those who are fearful), the faithless (those who do not believe), and the sorcerers (those who are into witchcraft) all have their portion in the Lake of Fire (Hell). So many times, we get caught up resettling the settled that we can’t move into the deeper things of Scripture. We get caught up in rebuilding and rebuilding the foundation that we can never grow spiritually as Christians. Why is that?

If the Devil can keep us locked in at the entry-level of Salvation, then his war isn’t against strong men and women of God; it’s against babies in the faith. Sin has become the dominant force in our society today because we have become so stuck on the basics we aren’t growing in our faith. We aren’t getting spiritually stronger. We aren’t getting spiritually wiser; instead, we’re staying complacent in our own ignorance, unable to mature in the Spirit.

Don’t let settled foundational beliefs hold you back in your faith. Build your foundation, then build on top of that. Seek more, and you will receive more.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Don’t Stay Complacent.

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Fear the Holy One

10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. ~ Proverbs 9:10

The fear of the LORD is not the kind of horror you feel at the sight of a mob of vicious men walking toward you and your family bent on total destruction and annihilation. Instead, it is the fear of the LORD, mixed with love and reverence, that keeps you from sinning because you know that His judgments are true, yet His mercies are renewed every day.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Fear the Holy One.

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Go Ye Into All The World

16 Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. ~ Matthew 10:16

Jesus said that He was sending His disciples out amongst wolves. Today, He is still sending His disciples out amongst wolves, in His command, “Go ye into all the world …”

We are commanded to go into all the world and preach the Gospel.

And the wolves are ravenous out there, and even more so as the end of time approaches. So, don’t just take their word for it. Don’t just believe it is all about you and your best interest; look at the facts and do what is right for you, no matter the consequences. Do what is right for you and what is right for your family in the sight of Jesus.

Dear LORD, help me to be as wise as serpents and innocent as doves, that our character may not even be questioned as Daniel’s wasn’t. Help me to learn to use our two greatest weapons, Your precious blood and the word of our testimony. Teach me to go out into all the earth and not fall into the traps of the evil one. Be with me in everything I do. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Man of Integrity

5 Then these men said, “We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.” ~ Daniel 6:5

Imagine if the Church today had this type of integrity. Our two greatest weapons are the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of our Testimony, yet we don’t use our testimony. We no longer preach change in the Church. We now only preach ‘come as you are,’ which is important. But we can’t leave as we are. We have to change. We can’t stay our old selves.

The Church has to begin to transform, starting with our minds. If we want to change our actions, we have to first change our thoughts. When we change our thoughts, then our actions will follow. After that, our testimony will be unshakeable, just as Daniel’s was.

Dear LORD, please help me to strive for perfection as You are perfect. Help me to build my spirit-man within me that I might not sin against You, for my spirit is willing, but my flesh is weak. Strengthen me with Your precious Holy Spirit. Help me to be a great man/woman of integrity. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Flattering Lips

28 A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin. ~ Proverbs 26:28

Do not fall for every word of flattery you receive. Be wise. Weigh their words. If it is flattery, it will feel good. It will stroke your ego. It will fill you with pride, but it will not end well.

Flattery never ends in the best interest of the one being flattery. Instead, flattery always ends in ruin for the one being flattered. It is not in your best interest, no matter how important it makes you feel. No matter how good it makes you feel. Or how admired you think you are. Flattery is always in the best interest of the flatterer.

Flattery is just another form of manipulation. We are sheep amongst wolves, so be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves.

LORD God, help me discern the deceitful words of the world around me. Open my eyes to the lies of the enemy. Teach me to love Your word that it might be a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Be with me in everything that I do. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Go Ye

21 Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ ~ Matthew 7:21–23

Jesus said that we can’t just live our lives however we want. We can’t just keep our testimony, what Jesus has done for us. You don’t just get to do your own little thing. You don’t get to do whatever you feel like.

There is a way, the right way, walk ye’ in it.

I mean, if nothing else, don’t you want to be an example for your own loved ones so that you can win them and lead them in? But we are not evangelizing. I was talking to a friend of mine, and I mentioned that I had visited one of my clients in the hospital and that I had led her to the LORD. He responded with, “Wow, that must feel wonderful. I’ve never done it.”

One statistic I read said that 63% of the leadership in a certain denomination, including deacons and elders, have not led one stranger to Jesus in the last two years through the method of “Go Ye” evangelism. Over half has never experienced the joy of winning a soul to Christ.

That’s our call as Christians. We are ALL called to win souls. To share the Gospel with as many people as we can because if no one tells them, how will they know? There’s more to Christianity and our relationship with Christ than just reading our bibles and praying. Don’t miss your opportunity to save a soul; you may never get another chance.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Go Ye.

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Do What is Good

3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. ~ Psalms 37:3-4

David, who is described as a man after God’s own heart in 1 Samuel 13:14, tells us to do what is good, dwell in the land, and befriend faithfulness. Delight ourselves in God, and we’ll have the desires of our hearts. In other words, follow God’s commands, fulfill His call for your life, be faithful to Him and His word, seek after Him and His presence, and your heart will be changed. When your heart is changed, your desires change as well. You no longer desire evil, but your spirit will then desire good. And when your spirit desires good, you will receive the desires of your heart, for they will be in line with the LORD’s plan for your life.

When we delight ourselves in the LORD, we are filled with the Joy of the LORD, and we are no longer filled with a desire to be happy. That hole that we had that couldn’t be filled by anything this world has to offer is filled by the Holy Spirit, and as the Holy Spirit fills us, He plants, nourishes, and grows the Fruits of The Spirit within us, including the Joy of The LORD.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Do What is Good.

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Lead By Example

1 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision. 2 At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. ~ 1 Samuel 3:1-3

The first thing I want you to notice is the second sentence in the first verse. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.

In those days, what days? The days under the end of Eli’s ministry.

    • So, what was going on?
    • Why were there no frequent vision?

If there were no frequent visions in those days, it would stand to reason that there were frequent visions in days prior. Right? So, what has happened to bring such a change?

Whatever the culture is, meaning the way we do things here, whether it’s their goals, their priorities, their vision, it all stems from the leader. And again, it doesn’t matter whether it is ecclesiastical, meaning the church, or secular, the society; it all reflects the real leader(s) at the time. That is true in churches and in the workplace. The organization can be judged by its leader.

Therefore, if you are discouraged by the culture you are in, then be the change in that culture that you want to see. Lead by example. Don’t blindly just follow the status quo. Do as the apostles did, follow Christ, and others will follow you. Don’t be discouraged by the world around you, be encouraged by the reward awaiting you if you finish the race that has been set before you.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Lead By Example.

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