Don't Worship and Follow an Image

Do you Worship the Almighty God
or do we worship a lifestyle?

Sometimes we can get stuck in the rut of life
living out our daily routines
but for what??

We are
waking up
driving to work
working long hours
coming home
clicking on the television
prepare for the next day
and then waiting for Friday to come around
then maybe cleaning up and doing some chores on Saturdays
Sunday comes around pay our dues to our congregation
listen to a heart warming message of God's love
Sunday brunch
do some more relaxing
and prepare for the next work week
to do it
ALL OVER AGAIN!!!!

This my friends is the
IMAGE
of the
AMERICAN LIFESTYLE
and has leaked into the
AMERICAN CHURCH

So my question lies....
are we as the people of God living a life
to worship this image of routine and the American Culture or
to serve the LORD?

Yeah, I know we have to live and work
but where is our heart?

I am not against having the
nice house
nice cars
nice clothes
or nice education for our children
I believe the Father likes to give
good gifts.
These gifts are not for us to seek
or pursue
or to serve day in and day out


I personally am growing nauseated with the culture and image
this society and American Church is offering.

And for all you
prosperity teacher haters.....
I am not talking about the prosperity message
Those in little baptist churches with meager tithes
also can fall into the same rut of living a life for NOTHING

Small church and big church alike
are falling into the same old rut of following and seeking
the image

Actually those who are the prosperity teachers are helping those caught in a rat hole
to dream bigger and see beyond their hopeless lives
this is a good thing
....it's just that some of the "poor" they are speaking to
are desiring the prosperity of God more than
the LORD Himself.

Where is the Body of Christ
Is life more than just a routine....

This my friends YOU WILL find if you surrender your image, your desires, and even your culture.
lay it down and take a risk and do what God is leading you to do!!!

Is it selling everything you have and moving overseas?
Is it quitting your corporate job you've had for years and doing the things the Father has placed deep in your hearts.

DON'T WAIT
for when things look right
DON'T WAIT
when your kids are grown
DON'T WAIT
when you retire
DON'T WAIT
when you have more money

When God is calling He WILL make a way!

Just as the LORD told Elijah to go to the Brook Cherith
and commanded the ravens to feed Elijah in that place
Elijah had to pick up and go to that very place
to receive the providence of the LORD

1 Kings 17:3-5 ³ “Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. ⁴ And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” ⁵ So he went and did according to the word of the LORD, for he went and stayed by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan.

So in the NAME OF JESUS

I Pray the Lord will fill you with His passion and His ways
follow His leading
follow His call
and to take your wings and fly.
The Lord is your hope and salvation and will show you and take you to
the sweet waters and feed you with the bread of heaven
but also He will be there to provide you with everything you need
because you LOVE HIM
and desire to serve HIM
and not the image of this world.

Bless you all!!

The Message of Prosperity

PROSPERITY!

What is it? Do Christians need to be prosperous?

What does prosperity mean?

Prosperity: the condition of being successful or thriving; especially : economic well-being

What is wrong with this?

Why should Chrisitans not be able to succeed and thrive?

How on earth would we be able to give to the needs around us?!

You need money to do many things.

Just the other day I was thinking of a family in my church who were sitting with a cold sort of look. I came up to them and introduced myself with a big smile (no not cheesy) and genuinely wanted to get to know them. They were very distant. I understand sometimes you never know who is faking their hellos in Church. SAD BUT TRUE! Maybe they were thinking--(does this person really want to say hi to us?) Anway, they were cold. I tried to start conversation but they were cold. They just talked amongst themselves.

I am going to make a point to love on them every Sunday, whether they like it or not! Then the thought came to mind

I thought--If I handed them $50 and told them to go out to lunch and have a great time. Would they still be cold towards me? Yeah, they would be taken aback, but I know they would take the money. I would tell them the Lord wanted them to have it.....I would tell them this.

This sort of behavior doesn't happen in most churches.

Why?

Most Christians haven't been taught to give abundantly! We are always looking out for our needs first, not the needs of others.

YES

GOD

DOES

WANT

US

2

PROSPER

FOR THE

SAKE

OF

OTHERS

NOT TO

FILL

OUR

SELFISH

BELLYS

Ephesians 4:28

Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Why do we work? For what purpose....?

God's heart is that we would be givers.....Read the above scripture again.

2 Corinthians 9-12

(As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.

Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)

Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.

For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;

He wants us to be givers where ever we go! Money can move many mountains when used right. It can open up doors that have never been opened before. Queen of Sheba was able to dine with King Solomon because of her gifts she brought. He then gave her triple the amount of blessing back.

Yes, the prosperity message needs to be taught in a way that is not seen as covetousness. It isn't about the nice things we can get. Even though it isn't a SIN to live in a nice home for entertaining and making it a refuge for families to retreat.

I'm not against ministers that have airplanes. They are spreading the Gospel all over the world.

Why is it OK for Oprah to have it?

Donald Trump?

Many celebrities?

But not the man or woman of God?

Why do preachers have to walk in poverty and preach in creaky run down churches?

Many ministers have built churches, homes, orphages, hospitals, etc.... all over the world.

We can use money to touch many, many lives.

I pray that every Christian, Young and Old alike will come into prosperity for the sake of the Cross!

ALWAYS BE READY TO:

give someone a $100, for Jesus

Fill someones gas tank, for Jesus

Pay someone's car payment or mortagage, for Jesus

Buy someone groceries, for Jesus

Be a GIVER! A Cheerful GIVER!

2 Corinthians 9:7

Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

Why is it good to be abundantly blessed?

Because it opens doors to peoples hearts!

And let me leave you with this one to ponder on.

Who is the one in the Bible who said

"Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?"

Was it Jesus?

Of course not!

It was the traitor Judas Iscariot

John 12:4-6

Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him,

Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

To those who want to criticize, judge, and condemn those who have used money to bless many people around the world, or maybe have a nicer home than you...

Are you jealous? What makes you despise and be angered?

Mostly those who want to bite are usually the MOST COVETOUS people on the planet. Beware your spirit isn't like Judas! Check your hearts because the bitterness and lack of love that dwells in there is from Satan Himself (the ruler of the world who would love the gospel to crumble and never be spread)

The prosperity message, when preached right is A HUGE BLESSING in the KINGDOM OF GOD!

FREE IN CHRIST

HATED by the World and the Religious!

What will bring people to Christ?

What will bring people to know HIM?

Do we battle and fight?

What will it take?

What is God calling you to do for His Kingdom?

There are so many doctrines of Christianity. Yes, we are to be careful of false teachings and prophets. But why are some so quick to hate and despise the signs and wonders? They despise with utter anger the moves of God. They call it witchcraft and say it isn't of God. But think about it, you who are quick to judge and jump on those who want to lay hands on the sick and see them healed or pray in tounges or be knocked out in the Spirit?

Jesus came casting out demons, healing the sick, eating with sinners, touching the lepers, loving on the unlovable.....

The religious thought he was casting out demons by Beelzebub.

Matthew 10:25-26

It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?

Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.

WHY

DO

SOME

THINK,

THOSE

WHO

ARE

EXPERIENCING

THE

MOVE

AND

POWER

OF

GOD

ARE

DOING

SUCH

WORKS

BY

SATAN?

Or why do we call those who are raising the dead, healing the sick, casting out demons.......

WACKOS!

CRAZIES!

FALSE TEACHERS!

FALSE PROPHETS!

WHAT are WE fearing! And WHY are SOME not DOING these THINGS?

ponder on this!

be radicals

be like John the baptist

Jeremiah the Prophet

be hated by the world and the religious.

JESUS WAS!!!!

FREE IN CHRIST

part 2: Lost and Lonely People: Discipling the Babies

Discipling the Babies in Christ

Before receiving Christ we were lost and going to hell. We didn't know what the right thing was. We didn't know truth. We didn't know love. Throughout our lives we had people plant seeds of the Good News in our hearts. We thought some were absolutely crazy, but deep down there was something they had that we wanted. There was something to this Gospel of Jesus. Something was pulling us to want more.

What was this drawing?

What was this calling? IT was so strong it consumed the very core of our hearts. Crying at night not knowing that God Almighty was speaking to us in our sin. He was speaking to us saying what we had was nothing!!!

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!!

We can drive in our fancy cars. Work our nice jobs. Live in a nice home. Go out with our friends. Drink all hours of the night? Sleep around with whoever we want, but the emptiness of our soul was deep and wide. Nothing seemed to satisfy the thirst. This thirst that was gripping our bones. The innermost parts of our hearts.

WHAT IS IT??!!

What is this I long for!!!???

Alone in the quiet of our house, we realize we are dying. We are alone. Where can I go to find the love I need.....WHERE???

Someone who knows Jesus crosses our path yet again....this time we listen.

YEAH---- WE LISTEN!!

Ok, uh huh, I know what you are saying.....we hear, we receive, WE ARE SAVED!!

Now what?

What happens now?

We don't know what we are reading?

I guess we need to go to church?

We come to church?

Who is a friend in this church?

These people are suppose to know God?

But why isn't anyone coming up to talk to me?

Don't they see me?

It must be the way I am dressed?

It must be the look of sin I am carrying?

Help? Lord are these your people?

Some are nice, but then most seem.........well

busy

talking

chatting

AM I IN HIGH SCHOOL AGAIN?

Is there anyone who loves and cares? Who is going to show me who this Jesus really is? Where is He?

I was expecting love and embrace!

I DIDN'T COME TO FEEL REJECTED!

I AM OUT OF HERE!!

These are feelings of people who are searching for an example and a true disciple of Jesus Christ. The church can be so quick to embrace the lost and see them saved but who is discipling these babies. Who is feeding them the Word of God? Who is showing them who Jesus is?

No, I am not talking about shoving religion down their throats and trying to cast the demons of alcohol, tabacco, fornication, homosexuality, the old man... . NO!! This will come off in time. We need to teach them the unconditional love of God. Encourage them to seek the Lord for who He is. Truly disciple someone till they can hear God on their own, when they can stand on their own. Yes, babies can sit on a pew at church and receive, but then turn around and continue to live in their soiled diapers and their dirty clothes. We need to be there as true disciples of Jesus and carry them around, feed them, show them, train them......

This is how you would with any small baby or child....you feed them, clothe them, instruct them.

I encourage you to reach out to someone this week. Look around your church and see if they need a friend and to study the word of God. Look for them....Some are waiting for someone to take their hand.

And then I saw them....they spotted me from the front of the church. They came and said HELLO.... and ask...........

Tell me more about WHO you are?

I want to get to know YOU.

What is the body of christ for?

We are here to hold you up, embrace you, PRAY for you, and teach you who Jesus is.

Are you ready to get to know Him more?

Come on.....let's go out to lunch!

FREE IN CHRIST

A Shout Out to All Christians!!

GOD WHO ARE YOU?? Whom are we to believe?? DO YOU STRIKE US DOWN WHEN WE ARE SINNING?? Lord reveal yourself!! I know....these are the sorts of questions we ask in our hearts.  Not really understanding who we serve and what we serve.  Yeah, yeah....you might say you know God, but do you really?    Is it the God of the old testament or the God of the New?  I am sure you all have wondered "who this God is?"  Why is He so mysterious?  But is He mysterious?  So many people will say,"Oh, the Lord works in mysterious ways" or "We don't know why God took so and so home at 16 yrs of age."  "I guess God is in Control and Sovereign."  "We will never know on this side why these things are happening."  "What ever will be, will be."  "How dare question God!!"  As they say it with a hypocritical look, judging you like you are such a LOSER who has no idea who God is.   I am sorry but these are lame reasons to not seek the Lord as to why certain things happen.  I, personally, am a big believer in a big God who will speak truths to me and will answer my questions.   I won't relent until I have some sort of answer or peace!!  I am determined to find the answers to the many questions thousands of believers might just think about, but never really search them out.   Some Christians will settle on the same old response "It must have been God's will!!"  They won't seek any further;  they will stop seeking and continue to live a life where they are hanging on by a thread in this world and not wanting to know more.   Hello People??!!  Lets be like the fathers of the faith...Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, Jacob (Israel), Moses, Elisha, Elijah, all the Prophets, Paul, John, Peter, and many devoted Christians that have come after.   Lets stop sitting on our fat behinds, sucking our thumbs and spending endless hours doing absolutely nothing to find out who God really is!!  Lets READ THE WORD people and stop creating our own ideas of who God is!!  Stop living in the natural and live in the supernatura!!  If we are truly Christians then we should be walking in greater works then the Lord Jesus!! John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. Why aren't we?  WHY??!!!  Have you ever asked yourself these questions?  Why are we not living like the new testament church?  Are we truly walking in the power of the Holy Spirit?  We have fallen to worship the world and not walking in the power of the Kingdom of the Most High!!  We have decided to walk as lukewarm and live a life of godliness lacking power.   2 Timothy 3:4-6 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, FOLKS......OPEN YOU EYES....people are dying!!!  Not just spiritually but literally dying of sickness and diseases, tragedies, and we are falling into the trap of believing that God is doing this.  WAKE UP....STOP being so deceived!!  Has the devil blinded you so much that you are believing such LIES?? WHO IS JESUS??  What did He come to do?  Read the word and find out for yourselves!!  THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND!!  Not just for heaven it is HERE AND NOW so act on it and know that God is Here!! FREE IN CHRIST