Hear the Lord Speaking!

As I look back on my life and I carefully consider the way certain things have happened and the people that GOD has brought along to speak into my life, t becomes easy for me to see that GOD definitely speaks to His children. We may not necessarily be listening, as I can well attest to, but there is no doubt that GOD speaks clearly to us, we just simply neglect to receive it as His voice to us. Recently, a lady approached me and simply said, “GOD told me to tell you to ‘Take the Plunge!'”

Now I had been considering numerous ministry opportunities at the time and my mind swirled as I tried to understand which plunge He wanted me to take. I figured, well, I will just keep moving forward and GOD will toss away those He doesn’t want me to carry on with and He will continue to open doors to new adventures as I faithfully move forward. Certainly things are changing and I am recognizing GOD working to lead me to the place He desires for me to be. But I also have feelings of unworthiness and unpreparedness to fully engage in all GOD would call me to do.

As I carefully contemplate these things, I’m reminded of a fellow in the Bible who also felt unworthy and unprepared to carry out GOD’s divine plans for his life. That man’s name was Gideon. The Angel of the LORD came to him in his place of hiding from the enemy and said to him, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior” (Judges 6:12). Now remember he was “hiding” from the enemy at the time. Far from being a mighty warrior and he said as much in his response back to the LORD. But, GOD didn’t see the little weakling Gideon saw rather He saw a mighty warrior. And as you continue reading the Scripture, you recognize quickly that by submitting to GOD, Gideon definitely proved to be just what GOD called him.

Today, you may look at yourself and see an individual that has no ability to move the kingdom of GOD forward. All you can see is your weakness and your inabilities but GOD is seeing a mighty warrior capable of shaking things up and making an impact upon the world GOD has placed you in and called you to service is. Today, He is speaking to you through your experiences, through His still small voice and through words He gives to others to speak His truth into your life.

Gideon could have easily turned a deaf ear to the call of GOD and never fulfilled GOD’s desires for His life. But, he didn’t. He listened and he responded. Are you listening today? Are you hearing what GOD is leading you to do. There are no unnecessary people in the family of GOD. Everyone is important and everyone has a job to do. Step up and fulfill GOD’s plan for your life today!

Fetching the Lost One!

As I move among churches and talk to their people and leadership, I am saddened by hte great numbers of people that “just don’t come to church anymore.” I wonder how many of them have joined another church and how many have simply quit going altogether. I wonder how many of those have been hurt by something another person said or did to them and the one causing the hurt wan’t even aware. So many things go through my mind as I prayerfully consider these lost ones.

Church, Jesus is concerned about the lost ones. Fact is, He is usually much more concerned than we are. As the church, we often show very little, if any, concern for the wandering. Consider what Jesus said about these lost ones as recorded in Luke 15:4-7: “What man among you, who has 100 sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the 99 in the open field and go after the lost one until he finds it. When he has found it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders, and coming home, he calls his friends and neighbors together, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!’ I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who don’t need repentance.”

As we look at these verses and carefully consider the Great Shepherd’s concern for the lost one, we recognize very quickly the importance He puts on that one. Sadly, churches are often content that they still have the 99 and show little, if any, concern for that one. They figure that lost one isn’t worth the effort required to go searching after them. Why waste time trying to bring that one back into the fold when I need to be putting my effort into the 99 who haven’t strayed? That is a poor excuse! In fact, that is a wrong excuse—one for which many in the church will have to give an accounting for on judgement day.

Perhaps what bothers me even more today and I’m certain it breaks GOD’s heart is the total lack of concern by many of the church’s shepherds today. So many have placed their personal concerns, desires and daily activities far above their sheep. All they think about and talk about is their hobbies and sports and other activities that tend to take up their daily routine. I see those who talk all about what is going on in their personal world yet never mention the wonderful people in their church and how awesome GOD is working within their church. Many who do mention their church tend to be heaping all the glory upon themselves rather than the Great Shepherd and what He is doing.

CHURCH, as you gather, consider those who used to be there and aren’t anymore. Consider how important they are to GOD and then go look for them as JESUS spoke of in Luke 15. He went out determined to find and bring back that lost one, so should we! 

Be Ever Watchful of the Deceptions of Our World!

It is interesting to me how quickly people jump from one thing to another. I know there was a time in my life where I had trouble maintaining one train of thought and had a tendancy to jump from one idea to another. This was especially so when it came to dealing with Biblical and doctrinal issues. But, I found the more grounded I became in the Word, the easier it became for me to differentiate between Scriptural and tradition. It is really sad to see the number of people in the local church who have little or no Biblical foundation, trusting simply in what they are told and taught. Of course the enemy loves to keep GOD’s people blinded to GOD’s truth because he recognizes their ineffectiveness as such.

As I think about this, I begin to see how easy it is for believers to fall into the trap of worshipping false gods and false ideas. The lure of sugar-coated teaching and preaching draws the unknowing into the trap of deception and before long the idea of the object of worship becomes entangled in a web of deceit.

Consider for a moment, the Israelites. If you read the Old Testament, it is easy to see how readily they accepted the deception of the gods of the foreigners. It almost seems like they would find GOD, begin to follow after Him and worship Him and then it wasn’t anytime at all, they were back to worshipping the god’s of the nations surrounding them. Consider for a moment what GOD said to His people through His prophet, Hosea:“The LORD said to me, ‘Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.’ So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and about a homer and a lethek of barley. Then I told her, ‘You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will live with you.'” (Hosea 3:1-3).

Its easy to see from GOD’s viewpoint that any doctrine, any belief, any train of thought, any deceptive practice that is un-Scriptural or in any way outside of Biblical teaching is considered the same as prostituting ourselves to other gods. Sounds harsh, doesn’t it? But, GOD takes following completely after Him as very serious. Because He knows how easily entrapped we can become. Before long, we fall prey to the deception of prosperity teaching. We soon accept and begin to live the idea that GOD is a genie in a bottle that wants me to be nothing but happy no matter how I get to that point. Before long we are chasing after the doctrines of demons, the lies of the enemy, and before too long, we have lost sight of what being a true believer in JEASUS CHRIST is even about any longer.

If you have fallen prey to these lies, turn back to GOD while you still can. Reach out, repent and confess your faults and failures to GOD and return to a right relationship with Him. 

Why Am I So Fearful Today?

It seems interesting to me that some of the most fearful individuals on earth are Christian people. Yet, as a child of GOD, fear should be the one thing that we have complete victory over in our lives. Think about this for a moment, the phrase “do not fear” and “do not be afraid” appear 365 times in the Bible. That is a lot of times. I believe GOD is trying to make a strong point here. That fact should create within each of us the reality of GOD’s specific warning to not fear. So, if I was to ask you what the opposite of fear is, chances are you would say something like bravery or courage. But from a Scriptural standpoint those answers are not right. 

Consider what John wrote in 1 John 4:18: “There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. So the one who fears has not reached perfection in love.” To carry this a step forward, we must remember what John had said earlier in verse 8: “The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.“ So, Scripturally-speaking, the opposite of fear is love and since GOD represent the fullness of love, we can arrive at the truth that the opposite of fear is GOD.

As believers in Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD, we are in that perfect, divine relationship that should cast aside all fear and doubt. Fear should be the furthest thing from our thoughts. In closing, consider what Joshua said to the Israelite people and consider its intent for your heart and life today as well: “Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9).