Counting the costs

Luke 14:26-28
"If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple.
And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.
"But don't begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? NLT

I have been very troubled this morning by this passage, so I know something is stirring in me. The book "not a fan" is really raising some questions in my heart. I am thinking if I lived in a country ….. Say the Ukraine …….. Like someone I know. Would I be a fan or a follower? I know what this person went through because off his faith in Jesus. I know that this person's family turned their back on him when he chose Jesus. I know this person IS A FOLLOWER. He counted the costs and he chose wisely. This person is someone I deeply respect. I know this person and if he was faced with denouncing Jesus or die he would die.

I have to wonder about myself though. I have to wonder if I was made to go live in China or Iran If I would still be a follower or a secret fan. I mean I wouldn't want to be beheaded because I was a follower of Jesus. This has really stirred me up this morning and is really giving me a lot to think about.

Am I a fan or a follower?

Have I really counted the costs?

I think I put more effort in my estimates when it comes to counting the costs.

You reap what you sow

Galatians 6:7-9
do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.NKJV

I have been reading and my heart is breaking for the people who walk in un forgiveness In the last couple of weeks I have run into several people who are either married or dating someone who are walking in this right now. This is where the above scripture comes in. "You reap what you sow" things happen in relationships … things happen in life that may not have been your fault. Something may have happened that hurt you deeply and you feel you may never be able to trust that person again. This is what I know. You will never be able to trust that person if you do not first forgive that person what they did. If you do not forgive ….. you WILL reap what you sow and it will not be pretty and your relationship will stay on a downward spiral or worse. You can man up (or woman up) ………. whatever you want to call it and forgive that person and start watching your relationship grow or reap the consequences. IT IS YOUR CHOICE. I really don't care if you feel the other person owes you an apology, because it is not about them it is about you forgiving them for what they did! Before you see improvement it has to start with you forgiving. Remember …. That forgiving someone does not mean that what they did was okay.

I can't help but wondered if you forgave that person if the apology would come later?

Canaan V

Lust

Now this lust is not necessarily sexual lust—that comes later when we deal with sex sins. This is the lust that is based on satisfying self at the expense of God and others. It's the preoccupation with what self wants. This is the satisfaction or gratification of the flesh.

Love is of God, and true love is always giving. God's love desires to satisfy the object of His love. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son" (John 3:16). God is love. Love gives.

But lust wants to get. It is basically selfish.

Love gives; lust gets. The entire direction of life differs between the two. The Israelites craved what they had in Egypt. Their feet were taking them to Canaan, but their hearts kept going back to Egypt.

They were lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.

Take this one step further ….. Anyone read James lately? James 3:15-16 for jealousy and selfishness are not God's kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.NLT

http://www.thevisionseeker.blogspot.com/2010/05/james-316.html this is a link to what I wrote back in 2010. That day in 2010 was a huge turning point in my life as far as what I was doing in my home. T Selfishness …….. This is something I deal with often in my life. Every time I feel like everything is coming unglued I can almost always come to this. I am either being Selfish, Judgmental or lusting. Those are three words I care not to have in my vocabulary. I can also say that all five sins that kept the Israelites out of Egypt I have been guilty of them all at some time or another.

Thoughts?

The cup of suffering

John 18:11
……………………… Shall I not drink from the cup of suffering the Father has given me?"NLT
My devotion came out of John chapter 18 this morning. Once again it stopped me right in my tracks. When I think back how many times I have gone through something bad, like a major trial ….. That I prayed for the Lord to get me out of this situation that I am in. Only to find out later that I needed to go through what I was going through to be a better man, husband, father and business owner. I had to go through the suffering to become the man I am today. Jesus made a choice that day and so can you. You can walk it out or you can run. 

What are you going to do?


Be blessed today!

D.T.R

Matthew 7:21-23
21 "Not everyone who calls out to me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. 22 On judgment day many will say to me, 'Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.' 23 But I will reply, 'I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God's laws.'NLT
Are you a follower of Jesus?
Reading a new book, the first chapter really made me think. Think back to when you were on your first date and the person you were dating wanted to have the D.T.R. talk with you…… you know the talk "where do you see this relationship going?" That talk would make some people run and some stay.
Define the relationship
Let's say you are in the back of a restaurant sitting by yourself eating a little snack and drinking coffee. Just imagine for a moment and picture Jesus walking in and He comes back to where you are and sits down with you. You feel awkward so you try a little small talk to break the ice and ask Jesus to turn your coffee into wine. Jesus looks at you like He used to look at Peter and before He can answer you realize you forgot to pray over your food. So you start praying and your feeling nervous but you continue to pray when you realize the prayer you just said was a quote from a movie (that is what the book said)
You stop praying and Jesus immediately skips the small talk and gets right to the point. He looks you right in the eye and says, "It is time we define this relationship" He wants to know how you feel about Him. Is your relationship with him exclusive? Is it just a casual weekend thing or has it moved past that?
How would your relationship with Him be defined? What exactly is your level of commitment? I am sure Jesus would have no problem clearly defining His relationship with you. He would not sugar coat it either.
I can tell you for me sitting in that coffee shop and listening to what he wants from me in a relationship would a little different than what I have actually been giving Him myself. I want to be on the same page as Jesus. I can honestly say I am not as committed to Jesus as I would like to think I am. So I have work to do. I will get there someday.  

If you had to write Jesus a letter defining your relationship with Him, how would it read?  I think some of you will ignore this question because you do not want to face reality.

23 pounds

1 Corinthians 3:16-17
Don't you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.NLT

My devotion was out of 1 Cor. 3 so I read all the way to 7. I have wanted to write about this for a while, but have not been allowed to until today. The Lord has convicted me on numerous occasions since January 2009 about my weight and eating habits. This January He really got me. I am supposed to be around 215 to 220. On Feb. 12 this year I stepped on the scales at 268 (the most I have ever weighed in my entire life). In my mind I had a shift in my thinking. It was instantaneous and I felt new strength and I knew it was on. The Lord had been showing me through many people and His word what I needed to do. Three years ago I fasted for 40 days without food for my marriage. I also found out during that time it was about my eating and discipline as well. I got down to 220 and stayed there for a while. I let the sin creep back into my life very slowly.

Discipline ……… what a strong word. I have noticed that since I have developed discipline in my eating it is carrying over into other areas of my life. Today I weigh 245 (23 pounds lost) and I am on my way down 220 at least. I am not eating special foods I am not doing HCG. I am not doing weight watchers. What I am doing is eating right and not stuffing my face. I have stopped drinking DR. Pepper and eating fast food. What has made the biggest difference I feel is where I am getting my strength. My prayer life and time with the Lord plays a huge part in my life. I do not eat over 2000 calories a day where I was eating 4500 to 5500 a day. Am I doing this for me? Yep. More importantly though I am doing it for Him.

One morning I got really convicted. I felt like I heard "Kevin how do you speak to someone about how they are living when you live in gluttony and have NO discipline in your own life? How?"

How do you answer that question?

1 Corinthians 6:19
Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself,NLT

Luke 24.16

Luke 24:16
But God kept them from recognizing him. NLT

There is much precious significance in this. The Lord is often present in our lives in things that we do not dream possess any significance. We are asking God about something which needs His mighty working, and the very instrument by which He is to work is by our side, perhaps for weeks and months and years all unrecognized, until suddenly, some day it grows luminous and glorious with the very presence of the Lord, and becomes the mighty instrument of His victorious working. He loves to show His hand through the unexpected. Often he keeps us from seeing His way until just before He opens it, and then, immediately that it is unfolded, we find that He was walking by our side in the very thing, long before we even suspected its meaning.

1. B. Simpsom
   

How many times has this happened to you? You have something going on in your life that you have been praying about ….. and you wonder …….. Where is God in all of this? Then suddenly you realize that God has been right in the middle of it the whole time. YOU just didn't see Him or better yet you chose not to see Him, because you didn't like where it was going. In the end you are glad for the results; you just didn't like the road you traveled.

 

At this time last year I was on crutches recovering from a broken leg. It sucked! It was very hard to see God in that picture. When I look back, I see what He was doing. It gave me an opportunity to learn my design software, refine my paperwork, and refine my advertising. I may have been down for three months, but starting in June I did more work last year and had my best year in business ever and I did it in six months. Thank you Lord!

 

Think back…… where was the Lord when at the time you thought He had left you.

Bless you

Apologetics

This morning my devotion comes from Colossians 2. Immediately I think of apologetics. Apologetics (from Greek ἀπολογία, "speaking in defense") is the discipline of defending a position (often religious) through the systematic use of information. Early Christian writers (c. 120-220) who defended their faith against critics and recommended their faith to outsiders were called apologists. Colossians 2:4 I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments.NLT Colossians 2:8 Don't let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.NLT You have to pay attention to what you are listening to. You have to quit listening to what the world says. Be transformed by the daily renewal of your mind. Romans 12.2

Lee Strobel's wrote a book called The Case for Christ. Lee was an atheist who set out to prove the Jesus and the bible was just a book of stories and Jesus was not real. What he found out was Holy Spirit is very real and Jesus is real and he could not prove the bible was false. He came to know the Lord through his research. Here are some examples:

The bible has parables, prophecy, song, romance, biography, law, etc. And, depending on the translation, there are some 785,000 words comprised in 31,101 verses, which hold 8,000 predictions, 6,468 commands, 3,294 questions, and 1,260 promises. You can't prove the bible wrong! No matter how hard you try. Archeologists have found over 25000 sites that prove and validate the Old Testament.

From Bible Believers.org For example, what's the likelihood of a person predicting today the exact city in which the birth of a future leader would take place, well into the 21st century? This is indeed what the prophet Micah did 700 years before the Messiah. Further, what is the likelihood of predicting the precise manner of death that a new, unknown religious leader would experience, a thousand years from now - a manner of death presently unknown, and to remain unknown for hundreds of years? Yet, this is what David did in 1000 B.C. Again, what is the likelihood of predicting the specific date of the appearance of some great future leader, hundreds of years in advance? This is what Daniel did, 530 years before Christ. If one were to conceive 50 specific prophecies about a person in the future, whom one would never meet, just what's the likelihood that this person will fulfill all 50 of the predictions? How much less would this likelihood be if 25 of these predictions were about what other people would do to him, and were completely beyond his control? For example, how does someone "arrange" to be born in a specific family? How does one "arrange" to be born in a specified city, in which their parents don't actually live? How does one "arrange" their own death - and specifically by crucifixion, with two others, and then "arrange" to have their executioners gamble for His clothing (John 16:19; Psalms 22:18)? How does one "arrange" to be betrayed in advance? How does one "arrange" to have the executioners carry out the regular practice of breaking the legs of the two victims on either side, but not their own? Finally, how does one "arrange" to be God? How does one escape from a grave and appear to people after having been killed? http://www.biblebelievers.org.au/radio034.htm

There is so much more than just this. The point is this. You need to know apologetics so when you come up against the person who says. The bible is just a book ….. just a bunch of made up stories, you need to know this information it will help you. The flip side is if you come against someone who just doesn't want to believe, it will not matter what you say. Then you just have to shut up and let Holy Spirit do his job.

You couldn't make me believe when I wasn't ready.

 

 

 

Fruit

First of all, I would like to apologize for my writing skills. I don't always punctuate in the right places and I tend to write how I talk. Secondly I don't normally write this much, but I am hearing so I am writing. I don't write for your comments, but I would be lying if I said I didn't like them. So keep them coming! You comment may be the very thing someone else needs to hear so always reply to all. Your comment may set someone free!

This morning my devo took me to Matthew 3 and the verses speak for themselves. Matthew 3:8-10
Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don't just say to each other, 'We're safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.' That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. Even now the ax of God's judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.NLT

Ask someone close how your fruit taste?

Bless you this day! May you have favor today!

Are you doing what you’re supposed to be doing?

So today I am reading in my devo (from my Oswald devo) one sentence just sent me over the top! "But if we walk in the light as He is in the light." Walking in the light means for many of us walking according to our standard for another person. O.C. day 16 Which basically means "This is what you need to do to get free, but I will not do that myself. How many times have you given advice, Godly counsel to someone and it was really for yourself? If you followed that counsel yourself your life would be better! So, if you are living by the very counsel that you give out then I think you would be walking in the light and therefore you would be keeping the same standard as you hold your friend. That quote led me to the next scripture that I got out of 2 Corinthians 5:9
So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him.NLT So I feel if you are doing what you are supposed to be doing then you are pleasing Him and if you are not ……… well then we have this scripture below to contend with. This one always nails me. James 4:17
Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin. NASB95 James 4:17
In fact, if you know the right thing to do and don't do it, that, for you, is evil. The Message

The scripture covers everything the God's word does not cover; the scripture right here makes it personal. This word is about you, your heart and the Lord. It is about personal conviction. For me, female magazine covers are porn, today I will not look. You tube .. stay off. Not enabling our children, but teaching. There is more, but I think you get the point.

Guess what? If you are not doing what you are supposed to be doing … what is that called disobedience! When you walk in disobedience then doors get closed.

What is the Lord showing you that you need to do and you are not doing it?

Ask Holy Spirit right now, close your eyes and ask and then obey.

 

 

 

 

Be Alert

This morning my devotion took me to 1 Thessalonians 5 I just stopped when I got to verse 22. 1 Thessalonians 5:22 Stay away from every kind of evil. Can it get any plainer than that? When I come across scripture that stops me right in my tracks I have to realize that it is a warning for me that something is coming. Right now that evil could be in any form. I have to be on the alert today. We all know that the enemy is prowling around just waiting for his moment. So today it is about guarding my heart and my eyes.

So today be watchfull!

Forgiveness

 

What is forgiveness?

It is a burden lifted off your back.

Forgiveness will allow you to put your life back on track.

Forgiveness runs hand in hand with faithfulness.

 

Forgiveness comes from the heart.

Forgiveness is needed when two grow apart.

Forgiveness is what God does for us.

That is why He sent His Son, Jesus.

 

We want to learn to forgive,

Or it will be very hard to live.

Forgiving others for what they have done,

Will allow the Father and us to be as one.

 

Forgiving will break down the wall,

Between Heaven, Earth and us.

This will allow us to have,

A loving relationship with Jesus.

 

Forgiveness is a decision,

Only we can make that choice.

Forgiveness is obeying God,

Listening to his voice.

 

If you have anger that you repress.

Let it go or you will digress.

This emotion will eat you up inside.

One day you will wake and have no pride.

 

Your life may be a mess,

Therefore, you must look to Jesus.

Through Him, you will have success.

He is there for all of us.

 

Forgiveness is getting your heart right with God.

Whatever you do, do not put on a facade.

Make the decision and turn it over to Him.

He will forgive you and your sin.

 

Is there someone in your life that you need to forgive today?

 

By kevin gwyn

Ó Copyrighted 4/20/2002

The other little dog

A little story about another little dog from a few years back. A Rat Terrier named Duchess. I had a wrought iron fence in my back yard that was bent in one spot. This is where she would get out. Every morning I would let her out and she would go to the bathroom and then come back to the door and scratch to come in. One day I heard Holy Spirit say "you better fix that fence or the coyotes are going to get her" I said, "I will" (but I didn't) Holy Spirit reminded me several times for the next three weeks. I kept saying (I will!) How many times to we tell Holy Spirit I WILL AND THEN WE DON'T DO IT! So one morning I let Duchess out and she didn't didn't come back as quick as she normally does and I could not wait, so I left. Later I called home and my wife said she had not come home yet and I got a really bad feeling in my stomach. That afternoon I was driving home and I see buzzards flying over my home …. Not a good feeling. I had a feeling she was out in the field behind my house. I put on my pants and went looking for her. I looked for about 10 minutes no luck. I prayed and asked the Lord "where is my dog?" I then felt that I need to turn left so I did …. I walked 10 feet and one buzzard flew up and there was my dog, one head and two front legs. I was heartbroken. I said, "Lord, I don't understand why this happened, but I will stay praise you." ………… So I just stood there with tears in my eyes and I hear "Son, your procrastination killed your dog" When I heard that I just broke, because I knew it was my fault. So here is the moral of the story and my devo this morning. Duchess was always safe around the family. She was always safe in the back yard. One day she was tempted to leave the back yard away from the safety of family and went off on her own. She got isolated and got picked off. She was all alone and that is what the enemy does to us. He tempts us by telling us lies to get us alone. You know what the lie is … rejection …… UN forgiveness ……..judgment …. Need I go on? I leave you with this. If you are meeting with men or women but you are lying to them when you meet. Then you are still isolating or posing or wearing a mask. Whatever you do stop it and get honest. The enemy will pick you off if you don't. 
If you are not meeting with anyone ……. then start,  You can’t do life by yourself.  Your spouse does not count.  You need other men in your life to meet with or other women.

Hebrews 10:24-25
let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.NLT
Proverbs 27.17 As iron sharpens iron; so one man sharpens another

 

I failed

I failed yesterday; I let my flesh get the best of me. It just goes to show that even though I walk with Jesus … That I spread His word. That I do my best to live a life worthy of the call. I will fall. It is not a matter of why, but only a matter of when. I am driving yesterday having a great conversation about Jesus with a friend. I look in my mirror and this person is tailgating me so close I can't even see his headlights. I am speeding 10 mph over the limit myself. So when I can finally get over, the person fly's by and gives me the finger. What do I do? Well, I did not do 1^st Timothy 2:1 I flipped him back off myself, Why, because I judged him and he pissed me off. How dare that person tailgate me! So this morning I am reading. I read all of 2 Timothy, but it was 1^st Timothy that nailed me. I actually thought about praying for that person. Lord, cause them to have a wreck so they will slow down. Character is what you do when no one is around. It weighed on me for a couple of hours. That is not who I am, I really hate it when the old man comes out of me. It is not pretty. It happens though, it happens to all of us.

I did pray for that person later on and I did pray for protection. That person I became for that couple minutes is as far from whom I want to be as I can get. Lord thank you for reminding me that I am just a man and not perfect.

The stick was laid down yesterday…. Very quickly.

1 Timothy 2:1
I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them..NLT

1 Timothy 2:1
The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know..The Message

Canaan part IV

Fornication

Actually, this sin includes every kind of sex sin. Sin is still sin, no matter how you spell it. Fornication is popular and sexual promiscuity is acceptable everywhere today—except in the Bible. No wonder men want to burn it, deny it, or crucify it. The Word still sets the standard of faith, gives the rule of conduct, and reveals the character of God. Reading about Samson, David, and others in Scripture is in itself a vital lesson concerning the results of sex sins. But the roll call goes on today. Man after man, who in many areas of life develops the potential of his manhood, is limited because of his sex sins. Both single and married men, young and old, are subject to the desires, appetites, passions, and temptations that take their toll and prohibit them from becoming what God intends them to be. Men's ministries are undeveloped or lost. Men's characters are underdeveloped or weak. God's promise to sit with Him on His throne is given to those who are called overcomers. Overcomers are godly achievers. Every man is given opportunity to enter his Canaan, to develop his potential of manhood to the maximum. When the men of Israel committed fornication, they died in the wilderness, never seeing Canaan. Men still die in their wildernesses, bogged down in a moral morass, missing God's best for their lives.

It wasn't God's plan then or now.

The Word says …… Jesus says ……

Matthew 5:28
but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. NASB95 This is why I lost my first marriage ………. Pornography. I might not have had slept with other women physically but I did in my heart. I gave a part of me away that was not mine to give. I have struggled in this area before since I found freedom. Today it is more like a hiccup. Like gorging my face with food, or being jealous, or being judgmental. I don't sin in those areas every day. I am free! I told my wife yesterday that I just feel joyful. She said, "The joy of the Lord is your strength" I think for the first time I actually understood what that meant.

So what is Holy Spirit telling you?

 

Lead a life worthy of your calling.

Ephesians 4:1-2
1 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love.NLT

This morning's devotion took me to Ephesians chapter 4. I don't know if there is much to say other than when I walk in forgiveness and I am humble, my life has so much peace in it. When I am mad at my children or my spouse all the time for reasons I cannot control or my co-workers. It makes it very hard to live by Ephesians 1-2 and 32

Ephesians 4:32
instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.NLT

So I guess for me the big question would be, do you have peace in your heart? Or do you have anger and un-forgivenenss? Are you still bringing up the past or are you living in the present?

 

 

 

 

Canaan part III

Idolatry page 25 Maximized Manhood

Idolatry is a value system that we create, in which we esteem something to be more worthy of our devotion than devotion to God. Power, prestige, education, money, business, religion, popularity, ego, pornography—can all become idols. Some men worship at the shrine of their businesses; others at temples of recreation and sports. Still others may bow at the sound of the cash register. For some ministers, even their ministry can become an idol. They become so devoted to it that they cannot take time to worship God, wait in His presence, or spend time ministering to Him. For others, their television set has become an idol. All pornography is idolatrous. It's based on man's ability to create in his mind a fantasy or image that satisfies him, and to which he can devote himself. Corporate life in America today has become idolatrous in many instances. Men sacrifice their families for the sake of the company 1 Peter 4:3
For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries.NASB95 1 Samuel 15:23
"For rebellion is as the sin of divination, And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king."NASB95 Colossians 3:5
therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.NASB95 These are three very powerful scriptures. The last one really spoke to me. It says all these things are dead in my earthly body. So to me that means when they come back it is not because the enemy is attacking me; it is because I made the choice to bring them back. For me if the temptation of porn comes up, that could very well be the enemy. What I choose to do next is not. If I click the mouse at an ad on the computer or phone, now I have made the choice. The enemy did not make the choice for me. So many times we give the enemy way to much credit when in reality it is our own choices that give in. For me over the years sexual lust has been my idol. Thank you Lord for bringing me women who is mature enough in her walk to see me as just a man and not perfect. So if or when I fall as a man she prays for me and helps me instead of falling apart and making it all about her. A Godly woman who will pray for me so that I can be healed. Thank You Lord!

Right now I can honestly say I have no idols in my life today. I am not going to live in the future nor am I going to live in the past.

If you don't change then nothing changes.

Do you have an idol? Ask Holy Spirit right now.

Canaan pt. II

Murmuring: from Maximized Manhood
Murmuring in its simplest form is nothing more or less than "negative confession."
Complaining, criticizing, faultfinding, rumoring—all and more are classified as murmuring. First Corinthians 5:11 KJV speaks of a "railer," a word we don't ordinarily use today. A railer is a slanderer, a blasphemer, a reviler, and God requires us to deal with them in vehemence and discipline.
1 Corinthians 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.KJV

James 3:5-6
So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.NASB95
The tongue is like that. Small remarks, cutting comments, or sarcastic jibes eventually create roaring bonfires of hate, warfare, and enmity. Consuming relationships, it leaves nothing but embers. Men murmur about their company or boss at the water cooler, and then complain because they do not get promoted. They murmur against the preacher, and wonder why their children don't respond to the Gospel. They murmur against God's Word, and then complain when they don't see faith take effect in their lives.
Here is my confession "I have done this" There has been many times I have murmured where I have worked or served in because I don't like what I see sometimes. Instead of going straight to the person and just asking questions, I will murmur which turns into judgment and then it gets even uglier. I will murmur with my wife, and instead of making a situation better, I make it worse. It is just a bad deal. I could write more but I think you get the point, You have to be very careful, because when you murmur with anyone and they murmur back. You then just make the situation worse. I have the hat and Tee-shirt for that one.  
 
I think for me the next time I feel like I need to murmur then I should take that problem straight to Holy Spirit and see what He thinks about that.

Do you murmur?

Holy Spirit I ask you to reveal yourself right now and show this person if they murmur and to walk as a Son or Daughter ….. To live free!

Canaan pt. 1

I had a conversation with someone the other day and it stirred something up in me. I have read a book called Maximized Manhood by Ed Cole. This book really spoke to me about the 5 sins that kept the Israelites out of the land of Canaan. Canaan is where God wanted the Israelites to live after they were delivered out of their bondage. I sometimes wonder about my on Canaan
1 Corinthians 10:9
nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents;NKJV
Page 27 When the crowds demanded that Christ come down from the cross, they tempted Him. Tempting Christ is demanding that God do what is contrary to His will or inconsistent with His character. Today, men still do the same by demanding that God provide some way of salvation other than the Cross. Lying and cheating in business and demanding that God bless and prosper the results is tempting Christ. Men and women pursuing promiscuity, though they know it is wrong; children rejecting the godly counsel of parents; congregations demanding the pastor build the church on social programs rather than the Word of God and prayer; believers wanting to enjoy the benefits of salvation and the pleasures of sin at the same time—all are tempting Christ.
It kept Israel from Canaan.
It keeps men from their Canaan today.
This one has always stuck out for me. My website for my business www.cchomeimprovements.com (this is not an advertisement) Says Honesty, Integrity, and Quality Workmanship this is how I treat my customers and it is how I treat my employees and subs. I have never put money in my pocket to avoid paying the taxes. If someone pays me cash. It goes in to my account. I could be audited by the IRS and everything is legitimate. The flip side to that is I never pay anyone without keeping a record. In other words, I never pay anyone under the table as some do. That is stealing. Seriously! Lord, would you bless my business, then turn around and pay an employee with cash so you don't have to pay the taxes or get paid cash for a big job and not report it. I love this one, you want the Lord to bless your marriage but, you go home and look at pornography. Lord please bless my finances, but you don't tithe. I think you get the point. Now before anyone thinks I am throwing stones I struggle in other areas of my life that are keeping me from my Canaan. The positive side is this, I believe the reason I never worry about my business. Even when I have down time is because I trust the Lord in this area of my life and I know He is going to provide. The problem is I need to carry this over into other areas of my life.
What is keeping you from your Canaan?
Lord I pray right now that you reveal yourself to those who are asking you this question right now. In Jesus name.

 

Rest

Hebrews 4:6-12
So God's rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God. So God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David much later in the words already quoted:

"Today when you hear his voice, don't harden your hearts."

Now if Joshua had succeeded in giving them this rest, God would not have spoken about another day of rest still to come. So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God's rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall. For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.NLT

Are you resting? Holy Spirit says, if we don't rest we will fall! When was the last time you rested? When was the last time you got away by yourself for a couple of days and rested? I don't mean away with your spouse I mean by yourself! Go to someone's cottage or a hotel and have the TV removed and just get alone and rest no phone to computer just rest.

 

Rest today