Staying the Same In A Changing World

One of the most difficult things about having a victory is that it can lead to fatigue and complacency. Two things that are detrimental to the Christian faith. While rejoicing is in order and there is a time to rejoice it is not a time to ultimately rest. While you still wear the flesh there is coming another battle right after the one you just had victory over. This battle for your mind and heart is wicked and tiresome, but a necessary burden that God has give all mankind.

While ungodly manipulators change the hearts of many toward wickedness, you must remain the same. God does not ask the believer to change with the norms of society if they violate his righteous decrees. He has asked us to be faithful. He has asked us to contend for the faith and always tell the truth. We should never pick up lying to one another about what Jesus told us to do and how to live. We should remain faithful. We should remain the same. Do not change or conform to the standards of the world that violate the commands of God.

Its easier to go with the flow of others, but you will lose your soul. Do not depart from God, like the fallen angels in heaven. They can never go back. They are waiting for a promised hell. Stay the course and dig deep. Cut out whatever you need to. You want to be saved. You do not want to come short of oil in your lamp when the King of kings requires it. You want to be ready for Jesus. Keep pressing toward God’s high calling and walk in love and peace. Do not change to the standard of this world. God is not doing anything new. Same God. Same commands. Nothing has changed with him.

Put Light On It

Some people distort the idea of being positive by being living a lie, medicating through drugs and alcohol, living in denial or speaking straight up lies. This is not being positive it is ignoring issues that later grow into either suicide or a perpetual state of deep depression.  Being positive doesn’t feed the poor, or put clothes on the needy or give shelter to those without money. Speaking positively or hearing a thousand prosperity messages does not make you prosperous. Living in the truth of God’s word makes you prosperous. Understanding God’s real plan for the life of a Christian as defined within the pages of Scripture.

How do you measure your success? How do you measure beauty? Does your standard fit God’s word or the world’s view? Are you a Christian parent and use money as the litmus test for your children’s success or their relationship with Jesus. Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him (James 2:5)? Do you run from bad news or do you become the peacemaker? Are you salt and light? The only way to be salt and light is to be in a situation that is without it.

Does the subject of racism bother you? What is your response? Ignore it or do you put light on it. Only thing that is brought to the light can be discovered and cleansed. The dentist puts a light on your teeth, so that he can fix them. Your teeth live in darkness mostly and all kinds of things happen, but the only way a cavity is fixed is by putting light on it.

Christians must put a light on it. Show people another way. Don’t run from bad news. Run toward it. We are the salt of the earth, but if our flavor has been removed, we have become good for nothing. Time wasters that God will most certainly cast to hell. God does not suggest that we bear good fruit. It is a command. Go and put light on the darkness.

 

The Power Of Kneeling

There is a model in Scripture for the person who lives a life that pleases the Lord. There is a physical position that all will take whether willingly or unwillingly. Satanist have learned the power of positions in the form of yoga. The devil has revealed the spiritual implications of them that practice them. People who practice yoga will talk about being open, relaxed and filled with a spiritual release. Now this door opens one to the demonic realm and it brings all kinds of evil addictions that cling to the door opener and their family. Now God has a position for his believers and it is kneeling.

It is written: “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God” (Romans 14:11). To be made to bow before God will not be a good day, but to willingly take a knee, is safe. Written in the book of Psalm 95:6 the Psalmist writes “Come, let us worship and bow down, Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.” In Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians he say’s, “I ask you not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory for this reason I bow my knees before the Father, whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.” Taking a knee before the Lord in prayer is a position of strength. And Stephen kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep (Acts 7:60).

The knee is a symbol of submission, but more importantly it is the symbol that God sees. The sign of surrender that tells God I cannot handle the enemy before me and without your intervention, I am done. It is an acknowledgment of your weakness and an invitation for God to send you His power. Kneel before the Lord in prayer. Acknowledge your weakness and give God space to make you supernaturally strong.

Protecting Your Children From Satan

Raising children is no easy task and when you add raising them to love God and their neighbor as themselves it increases the difficulty 100 fold. Satan will not make this easy. He will take advantage of any hole, ledge, whatever he can to steal, kill, and destroy. He already has a preexisting advantage. Your children will not require you to teach them evil. Just let them raise themselves and you will raise a devil. We are born to die. The penalty of Adam’s sin shapes them. Interwoven within their DNA is condemnation. They have the ability to die the moment they are born, before they commit a sin. The curse is already on them.

Jesus, has instructed you as the parents to raise them in the admission of the Lord. Talk about Jesus you sit at home and when you are driving in the car, when you wake up and when you lie down. Your children must know that Jesus is your God. A God you discuss all the time. Taking every opportunity, like Satan will, to teach your children how to depend upon God. Have them seek the Lord early. When they are afraid, have them seek Jesus for comfort. Remember, you will not always be around and they will need to hear from God at school.

Tell your children that your decisions are led by God’s Spirit and you inquire of the Lord before making decisions. Not just prayer before meals, but for ALL decision you acknowledge the Lord. He is your wisdom, your strength, and your guide throughout the darkness that resides on earth. Let them hear you call out their name in prayer. Teach them the value of knowing Jesus. Instruct them on the issues that others face because of sin and how destructive it is.

Be honest about the difficulty of living holy. Share with them the grace of God and encourage them to run to Jesus after they fall. Never sit to long outside of God’s presence, repent, get back inside the race toward righteous living. God is able to use you to accomplish great things for the kingdom of God. He grants your desires as you delight in Him. He loves His children. He corrects, but is merciful.

How long do you train your children? Until they are no longer under your roof. If you quit early, they will suffer for it and so will you. The eighteen or 25 years will be long. Be faithful to God and you will reap the reward for your labor. You will have joy in your latter years, when others will only weep. Your hard work will pay dividends that you will not be able to keep up with and the rewards in heaven that you will receive, will be astounding. Its possible to raise Christian children, even in this evil, evil, world we live in. It will draw blood from you, but it will be super, super, worth it. It is your obligation as parents to raise them and not Satan. It is God’s command, so that blessings flow into your life like rain.

Fear and Honor

“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ By saying that the Lord’s table may be despised. When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts” (Malachi 1:6-8).

Are we giving God our best? Are we living in obedience? Have we gotten weary in well doing? Have we lost focused on maintaining our relationship with God in its proper order? Have we allowed they way of the world and the temptations that war against us to succeed? Is our profession more important then God? Is our fear of man more important then our fear of God? Have we become complacent? Complacency leads to relational failure in the spirit and in the natural. Have we forgotten that we are children of the Most High God and have left off in our honor? Are we stronger then God? Do we desire God’s blessing or curse?

Heavenly Father, lead us not into temptation and return to us a healthy fear of you. Remove the evil spirits that have nested in our members and replace them with your Spirit. Expand your Spirit on the inside of us and force out every spiritual thought that is out of alignment with your Word. Open our eyes wide and by the blood of Jesus, place upon us a garment that has been washed. Overflow our cup. Pour upon our heads the buckets of peace, joy, and love. Keep pouring until we are completely submerged in your glory. Keep pouring until my mind has been completely transformed. Keep pouring until my affection for you has blown open the doors of my spirit and all I see is you.