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The Unforeseen Harvest

In his poem Marmion, Sir Walter Scott said something profound: “Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.”

As we grow up in our respective communities, most people want to be seen in a favorable light. Some just want to be noticed. In some way they want to be accepted by their peers. However the case may be, people have a tendency to change their behavior or do compromising things to gain the acceptance of their peer groups or even society. You’ve seen it before. You’ve seen people do weird things. A tattooed body, or dye their hair green or blue, knowing they weren’t born with that color hair. They may paint their nails a bright color. They may cut their hair short on one side, and the other side may be cut in layers. They may dye their skin to match their clothes. You’ve seen tattooed people, and you ask them why they are so covered, they respond that they like them. But when you run out of canvas, where do you turn to? The Bible tells us not to tattoo ourselves, not to make marks on our flesh. Think about this, to change your attitude to change your behavior to suit someone else or some situation, because you want to be validated or accepted.

Some may just want to be accepted just by their peer group, whether old young, schooled or unschooled. Whatever individuals or groups or situations you’re in, you want to change who you are to fit in. No one wants to be the odd ball. So we’ll do what it takes not to be. Sometimes we’ll go beyond who we are. We do things so people will accept who we are and what we stand for. We don’t want to be the odd ball, the one that stands out and people point a finger at, the nerd. There are those who would go along with a lie to keep you from feeling different about them. There are some who would go along with the program, so as not to be the one who stands out against. Understand this: many aren’t always aware of the repercussions of their actions. They are not aware of what they are doing. All those things build up and add up, and cause people to have other issues. If you let something fester long enough what happens to it? It goes bad and begins to effect other aspects of who and what you are. When it comes time that all those things have added up and we don’t alleviate ourselves of them, they come at the most inopportune time.

When you do things, you reap what you sow. It will bring up underlining things later on, in your life, or in some situation where you are doing good. Do you know reaping doesn’t have a watch? However, it does have memory, perfect sequences of time to do what it does. You may not get it then, but you will get it later. You bothered this individual, year after year, over and over. You dog them out for so long. Guess what, you don’t bother them but you hurt them, bringing about a pain in that individual, and you don’t get it straight. Low and behold, your life goes great, everything is great. But its the seeds you’ve sown previously that are still out there. Does a seed come up as soon as its planted? No. It dies first, and brings forth new life. So when you lie on someone for years and years, never getting it straight, you’ve planted those seeds of lies. Lies need support. Then a situation comes up in your life where you need a person to tell the truth. Then all of a sudden reaping has memory. Your harvest from that lie is a lying harvest. One thing we don’t catch as human beings is that there are consequences for everything, which have a domino effect. It just doesn’t effect one thing, it effects several things, in your life. Its important to note that while these unexpected events in your life are going on, you too have caused hurt and pain in someone else. Its the promise we break and the choices we make that determines our end. 

Even today, some of us may have things in our lives we’ve forgotten about. Those things we’ve put on the back burner of our mind. Or had some things very hurtful, that have caused us or someone else to have pain. You might just tell yourself, “put it in the back of your mind, and it will resolve itself.” How many times have you done that and it worries you? It never stays in the back, it comes to the front. Why does that happen so much for a Child of God who never got things corrected? He will bring it to your remembrance until you get it corrected. Old wounds don’t heal? Why? Because if you keep nursing it, it will never resolve itself. What do I mean by nursing? What did I tell you about a lie? It needs support. When you hurt someone, that hurt you caused hurts them, but it sticks in your craw. People have been damaged and wounded by others. Those wounds and damages cause you not to think right. When a Child of God has damaged someone else, their prayers are tainted? Why? Its tainted with pain, anguish and hurt that you haven’t gotten corrected. So when you pray you offer God pain and anguish that you caused someone else. He won’t hear you. Come to Him with a pure heart. Some have been wounded to the point where they can’t pray right or think right. When your prayers are tainted with pain and revenge. 

15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.


Matthew 18:15-16 

We must be about loving our brothers; showing love. We can’t point the finger at someone and say “that’s what you get.” We have to be on guard with how we talk and what we say. We have to give an account of every idle word we speak. The Word says let your words be few and seasoned with grace. But if you refuse to get something corrected with you brother, and you try to seek out God, He will not be pleased. Your brother is your first responsibility. To love, nourish, encourage, to help grow to the potential where they should go. Don’t get to the point where God has to chase you down to get you to do what He says.  We need to understand hurting our brothers and sisters in Christ should be the farthest things from our hearts. Christians are good for talking love, but never showing it. Some of the greatest wars were fought by people who said they were Christian. Everyone is not a Christian, and just because they say they are doesn’t make it so. When the tire meets the road, you’ll know those who are true, because the river of life will flow out of us; the anointing will flow out of us. This walk is not easy, but if there is mess in us, the Lord will take us on a hard walk to get us to be fit as His Child. It gets you out of you, and puts Christ in you fully. As you walk though it, don’t look at it as the Lord whooping you, but He’s creating in you something that never was before. In order to create something good and kind hearted like Him, He has to take you through that. Sometimes we become problems to Him because we always stand in His way. The Lord told us to do something, but we won’t do it. We must remember that as humans we have a mandate on all of us, and that is to love one another, even in spite of ourselves. If we don’t we’ll only wind up hurting ourselves and our relationship with Christ. 

A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. 2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness. 3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

Proverbs 15:1-3

What does love have that hatred can never have? Caring. Hatred does not care. When you love you care, when you care, you don’t want to hurt a person or see them fail. You want to see them succeed and you do your best even when you don’t succeed. Because love never fails. While you’re helping them, all the while God has your back.

Don’t leave a seed of bitterness, hatred or anger. The harvest that you will come up with, you’ll not want to receive.

5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? 8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. 9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be. 11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased. 12 I would they were even cut off which trouble you. 13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

Galatians 5:7-15

A little bit of leaven, leavens the whole lump. A little bit of the sin nature it just doesn’t effect one particular thing, but every aspect of your life.

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The Seeds of Your Past Can Choke out Your Future

You’ve seen vines that grow around trees and on windows? Those vines come from a little, bitty seed, which grows like wild fire. They’ll cover stuff, choke out stuff, in so much that they even kill a trees. They’ll smother the branches and choke out the leaves, and kill the tree. Those kind of seeds will choke our your future and if you have that kind of see in your life, it will choke out your future.

The word Seed in Greek is Sperma, where we get the English word sperm. We all know what sperm is. The Bible tells us the origin of our seed; of us. But the Greek work Sperma means offspring.

Ecclesiastes 11:1-3

Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.

A tree can’t pick itself up and say it doesn’t want to lay where it fell. Like dominoes, when you set one off, all of them go off. This is how some things are in our lives. We set our lives up like dominoes. Whatever is in our past will knock down our future. We’ll wind up doing stupid stuff, and our future was based upon something we set up in the past. As we set things up in the past and we go beyond the past, we set up things like dominoes right behind us. Then we get to the point where we say we’ve made it! Were doing good. We have the car, house, wife, or husband, land, or job that we wanted. Everything is laid out just the way we wanted, and you sit back and say this is cool. Then all of a sudden, something comes out of nowhere that topples your life. When you take a deeper look, there were things in the past that have dominoed its self to the present that have caused me to loose. We look at these things and say “no I’ve cleared up my path.” Know this, whatever is in your past will become your future if its not taken care of.

Ecclesiastes 11:4

4 He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.

If you’re so busy worried about something else that has nothing to do with what is needed now, time flies by.

Ecclesiastes 11:5-10

As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good. Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun: But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity. Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.

 

The Bible tells us that when I was a child, I spoke as a child, I acted as a child, but when I became a man I put away childish things. We look at some of the young men today; getting girls pregnant. Then they say that they can’t afford a child. Well, did they think about that in the past? The child is back here, and the girl is young, and the boy is young. The boy says I still have my life to live. Why do an adult act while you’re a child? As you get older, and she gets older, you get set in your ways and do your own thing. You want to see your child, but the mother withholds you, and asks for money for the child. Now he did it when he was young and irresponsible. Now that he is older and somewhat responsible, all that is in his life. So she goes and gets a DNA test to show that he is the father. Domino effect. Now you’re working a good job making a lot of money. Then someone takes half your check to give to the mother and the baby. Domino fact. The court now has garnished your wages. Now you say she doesn’t deserve your money, that you’ve worked hard to get that. Too late to say that because you’ve set the seed in the past, which caused you set affects in your life. Another situation; you do investments, make a little money as a young person; saved aside. Someone convinces you to spend your money on frivolous things. You put your money toward that, which sucks the money from your pocket. Now all of a sudden someone wants to cosign or borrow money from you; a good friend. In the process, they defraud on the loan, they don’t pay it, and because your name is on the loan, they come after you because you cosigned. So you’re directly responsible because you have a job and the other friend doesn’t. So now they garnish your wages. Now you’re stuck with the child support and a loan you helped cosign. That should tell you one thing. Don’t set up seeds in your past to control what happens to your life in the future. Don’t start off bad habits…smoking, drugs because your friends said it was cool. Because you want to be cool, you starting taking up smoking. A little weed here, smoking a little there. Next thing you know, you’re smoking weed on a regular basis. Now the money you have coming in is spent on a habit; your money is slowing dissipating. Bad habits can cause you to loose your future.

A lot of people allow different kinds of things in their life, not understanding that it can cause them to loose their future. We look at Israel. We look at their life and structure. Some of the things Israel did in their past, hampered their future. When Israel was in Egypt, they cried and pleaded to where they got to the point where they cried on a regular basis. The Lord sent them a deliver; Moses. Isn’t it something how you can remember your past, the things your thought were fun and awesome? But the Israelites in Egypt were making bricks from straw to build buildings, working the slime pits, working the straw in, doing everything designated for someone who was a slaves. They were being whipped and tortured to help build things for that dynasty. Its amazing when they cried out, God gave Moses, who said he was coming to set the people free. Moses a deliver? “What you call its,” son? That boy is our deliverer? People couldn’t believe it. As the people were walking to their place of destiny being free, isn’t it amazing how when they got in the dessert, and there was no water, no food, they started complaining. Now mind you, there was no food or water barely in Egypt, but they recalled they had a better time in Egypt. Isn’t it something the things of your past your were trying to get free from, your require to be in your present? We become Children of God, and then when things get hard in your walk, you think about how it was when you were in the world. I partied, I did what I wanted to do, but you complained then that you didn’t want to do all that. Now you get salvation and say I’m bored, this Christian life was boring. But what did you do in the world? Sat in the house all day.

Get yourself active in the house of God before you complain that being in the house of God is boring. Well you say you don’t know what do. Get active. Once you do, you’ll find something that you desire to do and God will enhance that. But most people like to complain. Don’t let the past, your past things you did, the things you were doing in the past, build up and cause your future to be jacked completely up. You can’t allow that to happen. Right now, as you set right now, get everything cleaned up. Even if you have to go to your old friends and apologize, apologize, because you don’t want to be the one who holds back their future. So now you are free and can grow to be what God called you to be, so that mess won’t come back later and bite you. I’ve been dominoed so many times from things, that I should be flat. This is how we are letting our past become our future. So we need to find those seeds, dig them up, and destroy them, because they will surely grow up and choke up your life.

Mark 4:22-29

For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath. And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.

Things in your life, if they are negative things, if you feed those things with negative process like thoughts, actions or deeds, as you bring those things into your life, that corn stalk in your life will begin to fill out and grow. As it gets into its maturity it bears fruit. All those things you’ve been feeding into your life, negative things, actions and deeds, will come to a maturity, and when they do, they will blossom out of you. So if you are fed being a liar, crook, thief, judgmental, nasty, lazy; when you get older it will blossom out of you because your nurtured those things. When they rear their head and blossom in front of you, its never in a good time, its always in a wrong time, but these things have become a part of you. So you’re only doing what you do, and what you have grown to do, what you have placed in you to do. Its just as I said earlier about the dominoes that you set up in your life. You’re in front of the dominoes and they are behind you. As a Child of God, don’t let your past become your future that will choke out the real purpose that God has for you. Just like that corn stalk with corn; the fruit on, they will build up. If its good things, your get a bunch of it, and if its bad things you’ll get a bunch of it. Make sure the things you do contribute to a good walk in Christ. Don’t let it be because of something in the past, or something you couldn’t let go of. Remember the Greek word for seed is Sperma, which is the natural offspring of something. Something natural; that you accumulated; that you gave all the time and nurture it needed to grow in your life. Understand this, the Bible tells us, what so ever a man soweth that shall he reap.

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Case of the Missing Faith

Matthew 8:5-13

And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.  And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

This man of the Roman army, a leader of the Roman army came to Him and said “My servant…” One thing we have to understand is that he cared about those under his authority, under his leadership. Jesus marveled. Why did He marvel? When the Centurion said he tells the one to go and he goes, when he tells the one to sit down, he sits down. Why are the Children of God so disobedient? When you were at school and your teacher told you to be quiet, you sat down and were quiet. At your job, the boss tells you go pick up that thing and bring it over here and put this together. You don’t look at him and say why. If you do, you won’t have a job long. If you challenge the one in authority, he can ask you why are you here? “I’m here because I need the money and have nothing else to do.” So he will ask, didn’t you sign some papers saying you will abide by the rules of this company? The point is, when God gives us authority, we have to obey His authority. We want people to do what we say, but we won’t do what they say. Can you imagine the sight of Christ saying that He’d not found so great faith in Israel, after having been teaching to His disciples on faith? The Centurion had great faith in Jesus Who commands the air, the spirits. The Centurion believed that Jesus authority was sure. He had enough faith in Jesus that He had authority. He knew that when Jesus said it, it would be done. He knew that all power was in Christ hands. He had not found one, no not even in Israel as faithful. Can He say that to you today? The Children of the Kingdom will be cast out..those who walk around thinking they are Christians when they aren’t. Because the servants boss had faith, the results went to the servant. It wasn’t about the servants boss, but about God because of the Centurions faith.

Do we have faith like that today? Or do we need something to crank us up? So if you’re going through something, could it be you’re the one going through, and its waiting on you?

Matthew 8:14-16

And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever. And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them. When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:

God was showing His authority over sickness. Some people are sick because they want to be sick. If you serve a God who can heal, why are you sick? We sometimes use sickness as a crutch. Has your salvation become a crutch so that people will look at you and praise you instead of God? Sometimes things may not seem so clear as to where we are in Him. We’ll do things because we’re not sure where He is or where we are, to test our faith to see if Christ will be there to help us out. We’ll stretch the limit, come almost there to only find out that maybe He’s not really watching me right now…”God are you there?” Sometimes things might not seem so clear where we are in Him, even if we may have strayed away from salvation, a little off mark from the high calling of salvation.

What do you tell children when crossing the street? You stop, look both ways and listen. Have we done that in our lives with our sin, and asked how it will affect our walk in Christ, affect my Salvation? Do you know its a personal walk, not a public one? You don’t need anyone poisoning your walk by their views or understanding. Words are powerful, and even more so to the feeble-minded. It’s important that you get the right info the right way and in all you’re getting get an understanding. It’s important that we stop look and listen for the Breath of God. People breathing down our neck, talking to about everything under the sun except the Son. Misery loves company, and company has friends. He has been exhaling in our lives, but we continue doing what we’re doing in hope that He understands. We’ve used that term before “He understands me. We’re that tight.” He understands what we are doing, walking by sight and kind of by faith. At one time or another we’ve done that. The Bible tells us we walk by faith and not by sight. But most of us blend it: a little bit of sight a little bit of faith. We comfortably do that. When your mind is walking by sight, then your mind is influenced around you, you are walking by others. When they are jacked up, you’re jacked up. Sometimes we allow things, emotions and situations to dominate our walk. In most cases we begin to second guess ourselves and our faith begins to wean, leading to faithlessness.

 

Hebrews 11:1-6

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

 

Everywhere you see faith in these passages, substitute for “complete trust.”

Have you ever gone to someone who you know can’t help you? Most of the time we go to someone who can help. You have faith that they can do what you know can be done. If you can’t trust in anybody, then you’ll not go to the “body,” but go to another body to help you take care of your body! We’re sick because we want to be sick, laid up, stressed out, and prostrate before everyone because we get attention. We’re sick because we want attention. What about those who really are sick? Where is their faith? The case of the missing faith. If you have the faith of a grain of a mustard seed…

I have a concept of what faith is: trusting in something that you don’t have an idea or clue about, because you have complete trust. You exhibit and use complete trust everyday. When you get out of your bed do you step on a cloud or the floor? You trust that the floor is going to hold you. You don’t have to think about it because you trust it completely. This is how it should be with Jesus. We don’t have to think about Him because we know He is faithful. This is what faith is, not having to worry about your salvation. Not arrogantly, but not having to worry about if you are going to be healed, or going back with Him. Why do we read the Word of God? Because we completely trust in it. Do you completely trust God? Then why are you limping? By His stripes you are healed. Our complete trust is conditional. What we don’t want to accept is we’ve given Him conditions for our life, when He never gave us conditions. How many love the Lord? We love Him on conditions and completely trust Him on conditions. Have we lost our hope? Or more than that, have we quietly lost our hope in Christ Jesus? Maybe a dream we’ve had that didn’t come to pass or a relationship that did go the way you planned and you quietly blamed Jesus because it didn’t come to fruition. And now you sit in your pity, patty party, blaming yourself and Jesus too, instead of standing on your most holy faith and asking the Lord to forgive you and forgive yourself. Hope lost. You have no faith when hope is lost. Without faith you can’t please God. Hopelessness sets into you.

In conclusion, we can’t allow our self pity to rule or ruin our walk in Christ Jesus.

Romans 12:1-16

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

 

5 Points to remember:

1 Do not lean-to your own understanding, Proverbs 3:5-6

2 Change the way you have been thinking from a selfish worldy mind to a Christ Jesus mind, Romans 12:2-4

3 Don’t allow things or your situations to dictate your walk, Ephesians 4:14-16

4 Without faith you cannot please God, Hebrews 11:6

5 You can do all things through Christ, Philippians 4:13

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Tell Me What’s Going On?

Tell Me What’s Going on in this age?

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8

Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.

When the people in this world or even in the House of God despise you because you choose not to indulge yourself in the sexual behavior of today, don’t allow those things to bother you. Because whom God has given His Holy Spirit to, they are holy and they have the power of the Holy Ghost to endure all these sexual behaviors. It is so easy these days to get caught up in some form or another of sexual depravity. It is so easy to get caught up in someone else’s sin. Those who are the Children of God have to be very careful whom they talk to, who they hang around with, whom they associate with, what they look at, where they go, and whom they listen to. Because Satan is trying his best to lure the Children of God into a snare. If you look at it, a snare does not kill the creature; its like when you have a snare to catch a rabbit or deer, it does not kill the creature, it holds the creature at bay. It keeps them from running away, from moving from their spot, so that when the hunter comes, he can capture it. So the snare delays your walk in Christ. And what men and women of the Church don’t understand is that Satan is not trying to kill you, he just wants to catch you up to put a snare or stumbling block in your way, because if he can put a snare around you, he’ll keep you from pursuing your growth and understanding in the knowledge of God. So don’t count it all strange when you enter into diverse temptations. Those are diverse snares. But when you overcome those diverse temptations, you will have the ability to go through to help someone else to come out of those snares in their life. You will become a living witness of the Word.

1 Thessalonians 4:9-11

But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more; And that ye study to be quiet,

Sometimes, we have to know how to keep our mouths shut. Sometimes, we need to be quiet, so that we can hear what another individual is saying. Because a lot of times, their heart is speaking concerning an issue. Not their mouth. That is the problem with the Children of God today. They open their ears to someone telling them mess, but close their ears to someone telling the truth. The Children of God today would rather hear a lie about a thing than to hear the actual truth.

Its good to be quiet, because a lot of times when God is trying to talk to us, we can’t hear Him because we’re over talking Him! It’s what we call reasoning out God. In other words, we’ll reason something out 1st before we hear the Word of God. So we need to study to be quiet. Be abased in every situation. Some of us can’t get along with anyone on our jobs because we don’t know how to keep our mouths quiet. We’re mad at other employees because they said something to us we didn’t like. So now we have to get revenge. So we open our mouths and express ourselves. Most of the time the Children of God will tell someone they’re mad with “I’m saved,” as though that gives them license to speak and condemn someone. You don’t need to utilize salvation to attack someone. God never put us down on this Earth to attack our fellow man. As a matter of fact, He speaks against that all the time. In His statement to Peter, after he’d cut off the ear of the High Priest’s assistant, He said to Peter, put the blade away. If you live by the sword, you will die by the sword.

Your mouth is like a sword. It will cut people up, it will kill people. It takes no hostages. God said with a kind word have a drawn thee. Ain’t no kindness gone to come outta your flesh. There is no kindness that will come out of your flesh. You need to study on how to keep silent, how to keep quiet. It’s important that you hear the end of a matter before you speak. When you speak, make sure you speak from the Word of God, and not from your mind.

 

1 Thessalonians 4: 11

And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;

We can’t be about someone else’s business. We are always up in side of some else’s mind and business. Ain’t got nothing to do with you. One of the first words that comes out of our mouth is “I just gave my opinion.” But no one asked your opinion. Keep you mouth quiet, mind your own business. The next word people may say is “Well I feel, I know better.” When a person says out of their mouth “I feel,” then its not God’s will, its that individuals will. Your feeling is based on your thought, how you want things to be. Then you begin to judge others according to your understanding, and not God’s understanding according to His word. Study to be quiet.

 

1 Thessalonians 4:12-14

That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing. But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

 

You can’t be worried about the dead. Let the dead take care of themselves. If they died in Christ, they are a raised in their dead. If they died without Christ, they will be raised without Him and go to Hell.

 

1 Thessalonians 4:15-16

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

If they died in Him, the will be raised in Him. So why are you worried about what the dead are doing? Keep quiet, study to be quiet. Don’t go out asking off the wall questions or off the wall things. You are bringing up mess to hold others from the truth. Study to be quiet.

 

1 Thessalonians 4:17-18

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:1-2

But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

 

Its so important that we be not concerned about the things going on around us because we are liable to get caught up with those things, and we’ll be like the 5 virgins who were not wise, and be left behind, because we are so entangled with the things of this world and life. I tell you brothers and sisters in Christ, don’t allow your family members to get you caught in your past. Don’t allow, yourself to be hung up with what someone has done to you in the past. Even if its not in the past and happening now, don’t allow that to lock your growth in Christ, and turn your walk off. You can’t allow old mess to become new mess in your walk. You can’t allow old mess to become new mess in your walk in Christ.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:3-4

For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

 

You are aware of the light, and know what is going on in this world. There is nothing going on in this world that should surprise, upset or cause you to turn back. So there shouldn’t be anything of this life that should catch you unaware.

1 Thessalonians 5:5-8

Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

Now if you look at that correlation. A helmet protects your head, which is where your thoughts and brain are at. The helmet is the hope of salvation. In your mind, your goal and your one hope is in Christ. That is your protection because in Christ you are a new creature, old things are passed away. Let that be your helmet so when other things come against you, you know the truth. When other lies come at you, you know the truth. When anything exalts itself against the Word of God you know the truth.

1 Thessalonians 5:9

For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

For God has not appointed the Children of God who worship and love Him to receive the damnation that is coming upon this world.

1 Thessalonians 5:10-11

Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

 

The Church today is guilty of attacking their brothers and sister, what the Bible calls biting and devouring one another. If you are busy attacking your brothers and sisters in Christ, not only have you become a hindrance to the Word of God being spread, your hindering someone else’s salvation. This is abomination to God. “I don’t like this,” and “I don’t like that.” Study to be quiet. We don’t need to hear your opinion, everything is not going to go your way, but God’s way. You have to study to be quiet.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:12

And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;

 

To know them that labor among you. We have an 8 weeks course, about knowing them that labour among you. Who is over you? Do you have someone that has the best interest of God over you, or do you have someone over because your friend likes them, or you hear someone else speak highly of them? Do you know them? This is personal, reason being is because your life depends on it. You have to know them that labour among you whether brothers or sisters, the Bishops, Pastors and Ministers. Because if they are wrong and lead you down the wrong track, you cannot do what God has purposed you to do. Sometimes, we go years being in a particular ministry or belief system, only to find out that late in your life, they’ve been teaching you wrong. If you aren’t getting the truth the unmitigated Word, then its time for you to leave that ministry, or call to question of your leaders, “What is going on? I don’t feel I’m getting fed.” If they are true leaders of God, then they will find out what will meet your needs. If they say this is all we have for you, then you need to leave. Go where you can grow. Ask God to lead and guide you to the right place, so you can grow to your potential in Him.

 

1 Thessalonias 5:13-14

And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

This 14 verse is an awesome verse.

1 Thessalonians 5:15-28

See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. Brethren, pray for us. Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss. I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

Those from the 18th to the 28th verse, you need to read that and reread it over, and get an understanding. Christ doesn’t want us to quench the Spirit. Don’t halt the spirit God has placed in you. Don’t keep it from trying to perceive or stop it. Don’t quench the spirit of someone else. Prophecy comes to you from the prophet of God to warn, encourage, enlighten and guide you. Don’t say anything without proving all things. Hold fast to the things that are good. Don’t allow things that aren’t good for you to come into your life and hold fast to that. Sometimes you have to let it go. If they aren’t good for your growth and soul, you have to let your friends go. If its a lifestyle you’re trying to become accustom to, if its causing you not to pray, or spend time with your Lord and Saviour, or come to church its got to go. It also says abstain from all appearance from evil. If you know it doesn’t look good, why are you hanging around it, why are you even near it? “But everyone else in my job is going and I’m a part of that job.” Well i’m sorry. If they are going to be partying and drinking then, you shouldn’t be there because its evil. Anyone who sees you will associate you with that. You have to be in oneness with Jesus. Those who aren’t are against Him, so you have to be in oneness. You want to be presented before God blameless.

Its very important that we love and spend time with God, sometime during our lives. Its very important that we spend sometime. Its just like if you have a relationship with your wife or husband, they know time builds relationship. As you build a relationship, trust is built. They know that you can go here or there and you won’t be influenced by your surroundings, and the love won’t be lost. Spending time, builds character, builds trust. So its very important that you spend time with you husband your wife, and with your Lord and Saviour and also with the Body of Christ. The Bible says fail not to assemble yourself together. You draw strength in numbers. Someone may be going through something that you can help them with, and vice versa. Its very important to remember, study to keep quiet, listen first.

James 1:19

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

 

 

 

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Who’s Fooling Who? Part I

Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

2 Corinthians 2:11

 

As humans, we tend to create an atmosphere of power and control in the environment around us.  But in most cases or situation, there is a disturbance that takes place in our atmosphere that is usually followed by four main elements:

  1. A Lie
  2. Deception “to deceive”
  3. Fear
  4. Anger

With these tools, it is almost assured that you will fail. In Satan eyes, he knows that these are weakness for all mankind and they have worked for countless numbers of years. So lets discover and discuss these elements further.

 

First a Lie.

The lie is first and most often used tool in satan’s toolbox, and with it, the whole world was plunged into a life of murder, war, greed, selfishness, hate, vanity, sedition, inordinate affection and last but not least fornication! That in itself was a mouth full. In our short of lifespan upon this earth all of us can relate to ” A Lie” and its relative results, can’t we? The first lie was told by satan to Eve and we are still living the repercussions to this day in one way or another. In the Bible Genesis  2:16-17 God said to Adam:

And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:  But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Then in Gen. 3:1-7 man fell through the eyes of the woman Eve via the lie of satan. In seven verses the misery of the world began, and the number seven in the Bible means spiritual completeness now think about that one! The Bible says in the book of Revelation 21:8 that all liars, shall have their part in the lake of fire.”

Deception

Deception is a trick or scheme used to get what you want, no matter how small of a deception or seemly insignificant of a matter it is, it still is deception. For example, you want someone to pamper you so you act like something or someone has hurt your feelings. What are some of the things you’re being deceiving about, at work, school, home and even at church, yes I said at Church! Have you or are you using deception in your relationships with spouses, friends, or even with Jesus?

In Proverbs 27:6  Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

Next week part II.