Tag Archives: love

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What Kind of Sacrifice are You Offering?

Oftentimes as we experience different situations in life, we sometimes ask ourselves, “why is that like that, or how come this happened? “What caused this problem to be that way?”

For instance, have you ever went to a bakery and you tasted one of the pastries and that pastry tasted kind of funny, like it was missing something, or you were thinking that if they had a little bit of ‘this’ type of an ingredient the pastry might taste a little better than it does now. So it stands to reason that you’ve noticed there was something that spoiled the taste of that pastry.

Well, I liken this to some of the things in our life, you know we partly do things these days. We have to do our jobs and then we wonder towards the latter part of our employment at a particular job, why didn’t I get a bonus? or why didn’t I get promoted, or things along that line. But the thing you have to ask yourself is, what have I sacrificed for this particular company to earn that promotion or to earn that raise? What have I done? If I haven’t done anything, or if I didn’t do my job properly then as the old saying goes, “you get what you deserve.” But in the House of Lord, it’s a little different. The Lord asks of us to have a pure heart, and when we make sacrifice to him, your sacrifice has to be incorruptible to him; not corruptible. Because we love him, we don’t want to give him something that is imperfect and corruptible. We want to give him something pure from our heart as possible, to be as perfect for us as human.

But as human nature will have it, we can’t do any shortcuts to God or give him not our best. Sometimes we give God a sanitized version of sacrifice, but not a true sacrifice. I guess the question remains, what type of sacrifice have you been giving God lately?

In these times, we are so quick to want everything so quick and fast just to get it out of the way, that we don’t give a pure sacrifice to the Lord – a sacrifice of our time, of our abilities, a sacrifice of our capabilities for Him. He has given us all these things for His glory, so why not return it back to him without any strings attached?

Read Malachi 1:7-14

7 Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the Lord is contemptible. 8 And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the Lord of hosts. 9 And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the Lord of hosts. 10 Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts.12 But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the Lord is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible.13 Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the Lord.14 But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.”

Let these words of God rest with you. When you make a sacrifice to the Lord, what is your mindset? In my conclusion, make sure sacrifice doesn’t come with strings attached. Strings can be attitude, jealousy, envy, hatred, selfishness, and anger.

In Yeshua’s name, it is so.

Sermon by Pastor Tony Catron

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The Uncompleted Struggles of an Unforgiving Heart

When we look at the word struggle, it means to contend with an adversary or opposing force, war, fight, conflict, or contest of any kind. As we go through the highs and lows in our lives, how many different types of struggles do we encounter in our hearts? How many of those encounters deal with emotional ties? How many of those encounters deal with unforgiveness? Do we understand what the word unforgiveness means?

Unforgiveness means:

1. Not disposed to forgive or show mercy; unrelenting.

2. Not allowing for mistakes, carelessness, or weakness: the unforgiving nature of aviation.

Let’s read James 4:1-6:

“From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? 2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. 4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. 5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? 6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”

As your emotional struggles begin to build, your heart moves farther from Jesus/Yeshua, and you move towards self-pity, which is closer to demonic influence. These are the signs that follow them that are following down that path of thinking. Here are six signs and traits of this infectious behavior:

  1. I’m alone and no one understands me
  2. The blame game 
  3. Self-condemnation
  4. Self-isolation
  5. Self-destruction
  6. Demonic vexation

If you know anyone you’ve seen or heard exhibiting any of these signs or traits, then it’s time for you to react and not get lax. You need to give them care immediately by:

  1. Showing them God is present by being present with them
  2. By listening to their heart
  3. Being humble and genuinely caring about their concerns and not interrupting
  4. Let them see the love of Yeshua Jesus in you by what you do
  5. Tell them of the love of Yeshua Christ has waiting to give them
  6. Pray the prayer of healing and restoration on them so they can hear and agree

Sometimes, the biggest failure in ministries is not actually ministering to that person’s needs. Some will console their flesh and temperament.

Temperament:

1. the combination of mental, physical, and emotional traits of a person; natural predisposition.

2. unusual personal attitudes or nature as manifested by peculiarities of feeling, temper, action, etc, often with a disclination to submit to conventional rules or restraints. 

Read with me James 2:14-19:

14 “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.”

In my conclusion, read Matthew 25:31-40:

31 “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

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What Does It Take to Get You Awake?

How many of you remember when you were going to school and every morning your parents would always try to wake you up for school, but it seems as though that’s when the best sleep of your life came on you even though you heard your name being called. Then, the desire to not let go of that wonderful time of peace and relaxation had bound your body, mind, and soul to that bed. You willingly did not want to leave the warmth and the comfort that the bed had to offer though we knew we had to get up to face reality and growth in our life for the future. Sometimes, we get into situations that tend to lock us in a certain mindset that is not healthy for our body physically, or a subjugated lifestyle that is not profitable and beneficial for our soul.

Turn with me to Romans 13:1-14:

1 “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: 4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. 5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. 6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. 8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. 11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”

So in conclusion, we need to know that when we get a clear understanding of the word of God then we need to walk in that understanding.

Extra Readings: John 12:35-36, John 12:44-49

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As There are Building Blocks in Life, There are in Your Christian Walk

In this world, we spend most of our time and money becoming faithful sinners and doing the wrong thing with the wrong understanding. For example, we are taught the worldly type of love, which is based on your emotions, pride, and respect for a person, instead of the biblical principles or Godly type of love. In Greek, Agape means a Godly type of love and understanding. 

We are also taught to set our hopes, desires, and dreams in things on this earth, and we are also taught the principles and understanding that we should put our trust in others. Now, in these last days, we are taught to put trust in ourselves totally, and lean to our own understanding. So, in a nutshell, we are taught from child to adulthood to believe in everything and have faith in what we can see and feel in order to succeed in this existence.

With a little understanding, and no wisdom, come a lot of mistakes and challenges in this life. Why not listen to wise counsel or why can’t you listen to wisdom? In the Bible was the most wise man in the world, and he was able to judge the smallest and the largest matters, but in the end, emotion and not using wisdom was his downfall. 

Let’s look at the word of God. Turn in your Bible to Proverbs 14:1-12:

1 “Every wise woman buildeth her house: But the foolish plucketh it down with her hands. 2 He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the Lord: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him. 3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: But the lips of the wise shall preserve them. 4 Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: But much increase is by the strength of the ox. 5 A faithful witness will not lie: But a false witness will utter lies. 6 A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: But knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth. 7 Go from the presence of a foolish man, When thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge. 8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit. 9 Fools make a mock at sin: But among the righteous there is favour. 10 The heart knoweth his own bitterness; And a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy. 11 The house of the wicked shall be overthrown: but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish. 12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, But the end thereof are the ways of death.”

If you are the type of individual who leaps before they look, or have all the answers to life, or keeps making the same mistakes throughout life continually using the same understanding from the age of accountability, which is the age of 12 years and on; this means that your life and understanding are caught in a loop and sometimes that loop can be generational. 

Let’s read Proverbs 3:5-10: 

5 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. 8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. 9 Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: 10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.”

In my conclusion, take this to heart and soul and turn with me to Proverbs 4:5-9:

5 “Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. 6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. 7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. 8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. 9 She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.”

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What Have You to Give to Christ, After He Gave His Life?

I wonder sometimes what my life would have been like. Just think, all you have is the world, if you don’t know Yeshua, Jesus Christ. 

Turn in your Bibles to 1 John 2:15-18:

15 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. 18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.”

If we count on our mindset or the ways of the world, then all that we say and do are but messed up situations. The Bible puts it like this in the book Isaiah 64:6:

6 “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”

You might say that what I do, I owe a response. What would you give in exchange for someone saving your life by giving their life to save yours? They would do it unselfishly, because of the love they have for you.

Turn to John 3:16:

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Yeshua wants us to give, and in all cases is more concerned about how we give.

Let’s read 2 Corinthians 9:6-10:

6 “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 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. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: 9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. 10 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;)”

In my conclusion, Yeshua doesn’t ask for something earthly, or of this world, but all He needs from us is love. Cause to know Him is to love Him, and to love Him, is to serve Him. And it is so.