Just pray and get out of the way

Just doing a little reading this morning when I came to this devo. It reminded me how easy it is to want to fix someone and get in the way of the Lord. I had a couple that I was working with a few years back. Actually I was just working with the Husband. He would call and we would meet and we would talk. Many times he would ask me what he should do. I would tell him what I felt the Lord was showing me or I would give him advice from my life experiences in marriage. I began do get very frustrated with this person because he would not do anything I would say or suggest. In fact if he would have been paying me, I would have fired him because he was just wasting his money. One day, and this day was March 31^st 2008 I read the devo below. Two things happened, I stopped helping and started praying. The second thing I realized was this …. This person did not have a teachable spirit. You cannot teach someone if they are not willing to listen. This devo below really messed me up. It showed me to get out of the Lord's way.

 

Sometimes ….. all we are supposed to do is pray …..THAT IS IT……. Just pray.

 

March 31st

Heedfulness v. hypocrisy in ourselves

If any man sees his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and He shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. 1 John 5:16.

If we are not heedful of the way the Spirit of God works in us, we shall become spiritual hypocrites. We see where other folks are failing, and we turn our discernment into the gibe of criticism instead of into intercession on their behalf. The revelation is made to us not through the acuteness of our minds, but by the direct penetration of the Spirit of God, and if we are not heedful of the source of the revelation, we shall become criticizing centres and forget that God says—". . . he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death." Take care lest you play the hypocrite by spending all your time trying to get others right before you worship God yourself.

One of the subtlest burdens God ever puts on us as saints is this burden of discernment concerning other souls. He reveals things in order that we may take the burden of these souls before Him and form the mind of Christ about them, and as we intercede on His line, God says He will give us "life for them that sin not unto death." It is not that we bring God into touch with our minds, but that we rouse ourselves until God is able to convey His mind to us about the one for whom we intercede.

Is Jesus Christ seeing of the travail of His soul in us? He cannot unless we are so identified with Himself that we are roused up to get His view about the people for whom we pray. May we learn to intercede so whole-heartedly that Jesus Christ will be abundantly satisfied with us as intercessors.

 

Blinded by the darkness

1 John 2:9-11
Anyone who claims to live in God's light and hates a brother or sister is still in the dark. It's the person who loves brother and sister who dwells in God's light and doesn't block the light from others. But whoever hates is still in the dark, stumbles around in the dark, doesn't know which end is up, blinded by the darkness.The Message

I was actually looking for something else this morning when I came to this. It made me think about the people who are actually walking in unforgiveness and they don't think they are. There unforgiveness is effecting everyone around them. Their spouse, there kids and their friends. The interesting thing is this. The passage above speaks about stumbling in the dark, blinded by the darkness …. Don't know which end is up! The sad thing is so often we feel we are right and don't realize that the enemy disguises himself in the light and so we believe the lie spoken to us. Then everyone around us suffers. What is even worse is when we spread our poison to our spouse and get them to believe in the same thing which in a way is murmuring.

Corinthians 11:14
and no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.NKJV

Galatians 5:7
You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? NKJV

So here is the question today.

Are you walking in unforgiveness today and trying to get your spouse or friends or even your children to side with you so you can justify your actions? Are you feeding them your poison?

Psalm 128

 
This morning as I was prayer walking I heard this passage of scripture Psalm 128. Which took me back to what I wrote two years ago sometimes I feel right now that I am in the same place I was two years ago. It fluctuates
Psalm 128
How joyful are those who fear the Lord— all who follow his ways! You will enjoy the fruit of your labor. How joyful and prosperous you will be! Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine, flourishing within your home. Your children will be like vigorous young olive trees as they sit around your table. That is the Lord's blessing for those who fear him.! NLT

January 2010
Once again the Lord amazes me. This morning he directs me to the book The Fear of the Lord by John Bevere to page 79 (I have not read the book yet) and to Galatians 2:20. The biggest thing I got out of the story is this. Do I give everything to the Lord or do I hold back and Lie. Do I make myself look good to man (Which is fear of man)? This all goes back to how you conduct yourself when no one is around. Do you walk with integrity and honesty? Is your Fear of the Lord lacking in this area? I know for myself I lack in this area in places. These places are in my heart. After I read several pages of this chpt it made me realize once again that my Fear of the Lord is not where it should be. I mean …. If someone stood beside me and I knew they were lying to the Holy Spirit and then they were struck dead right before my eyes, would that be enough for me to change my ways? I don't think so…….. Maybe for a while. As I have seen for myself what the Lord has done in my life and in others. Why am I not in Awe? This is a place that I am seeking.
Acts 5:1-11
but a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God." Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him. Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter answered her, "Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?" She said, "Yes, for so much." Then Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out." Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband. So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things. NKJV
As I am reading in Galatians, I does not even dawn on me that Galatians 2:20 which I have memorized fluently is in this chapter until I get to it. When I get there it leaps of the page at me. It becomes Rhema. Once again the Lord shows up, but why is that not enough for me to be in Awe? He kept my mind blank until I got to 2:20. Many times I read a chapter the first thing that goes through my mind is "Oh yeah I remember that" Here is what I know, I am a son and I have been crucified. I like what the Message version says.

Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.NKJV
Galatians 2:20-21
I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not "mine," but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that. Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God's grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily. The Message

 

Matthew 18.32-35

Matthew 18:32-35
Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.
Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?'
And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.
"So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."NKJV Had lunch with a gentleman today and we had a good talk.

It was Iron sharpening Iron today. The biggest thing that I took was the hurt I could see in him. The hurt comes from going to someone and confessing sin knowing that you have been told this is a safe place. Only to have stones thrown at you after you confess. The man I met with today is not harboring un-forgiveness, but he is hurt because he confessed and asked for forgiveness but the forgiveness was not given. So who is the one being tormented here? Not the man I met with today. No wonder people do not like to confess to other people. They're afraid they will get hurt. It is a real shame to do what the word says only to get slapped in the face.

I have a question. Has someone come to you and confessed something and then you turned it around and threw it back at them? Or did you receive the confession like Jesus with skin on? Did you pray over that person for there healing?

Lord, I am walking with you

When I am in pain.

I sit down to explain

Lord You are my light,

That is when you burn so bright.

 

I know you hear me.

Answer me when you are ready.

When You talk to me,

The answer is meant to be.

 

Our Lord will find a way

To protect me everyday.

He gives me the tools that I need.

It is all in the bible, just read.

 

The answers are there,

In the bible everywhere.

Apply the laws of the word.

Nothing will go unheard.

 

I see you work through my friends.

They always have the right things to say.

My friends support me through out the day.

They say, keep seeking and looking too him and pray.

 

Lord, I am walking with you.

Bless me in all the things that I do.

Lord, You are the best.

You give me peace and allow me to rest.

 

My life now has a purpose.

There is more than just believing.

Live God's way,

Begin to pray.

 

Your Holiness took me by surprise.

My faithfulness to You will constantly rise.

Your glory has me hypnotized.

You love me for who I am that I realize.

 

By kevin gwyn ÓCopyrighted 03/29/2002

Un-belief

Out of the mouth the Heart speaks. Ever heard that little saying? I heard a great message yesterday about the words that come out of our mouths. The scripture below was touched on.

Hebrews 3:12-13
Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. You must warn each other every day, while it is still "today," so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. NLT

This is just a small part of what he touched on yesterday but it was so dead on. Unbelief

If unbelief is in your heart then you will speak negative and negativity is the language of the enemy.

I don't know about you but speaking the language of the enemy did not sit with me very well. I know that there is power in your words. I try to be very careful in speaking. I don't want to speak anything over myself or over anyone else. That is why I believe I never get sick, because I say "I don't get sick all the time"

Have you heard the saying….."Crap rolls downhill" When you are with someone who is negative have you every noticed that you will allow yourself to get sucked in and before you know it you are being negative as well. Do you have that friend that every time you call for help they are always negative and when you get off the phone you are actually worse than before you made the call? Negative people will suck the life right out of you. You must be careful.

If you complain all the time and gripe and speak negative then what do you expect your life to be like?

How is that attitude working for you?

Lord, Help me with my un-belief today, Help me to speak with love and to not be negative, but to bless everyone I come into contact with.

 

 

Hosea 6.1-3

Encounter Marriage Weekend (this is a link to the website) ………… That is where my Bride and I went this weekend. From 6:00 Friday evening until 12:00 AM Sunday Morning. It was good and there were awesome teachings. There were very good moments that I will never forget for the rest of my life. There were some moments that were painful or you could say wounding. There are many times that we may get a word from the Lord and it wounds us because it is truth. Hosea 6:1-3 "Come; let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces; now he will heal us. He has injured us; now he will bandage our wounds. In just a short time he will restore us, so that we may live in his presence. Oh, that we might know the Lord! Let us press on to know him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring."NLT James says that if we draw near to Him He will draw near to us. So Saturday, Kelly and I drew near to Him as a couple and He revealed Himself to us and it was good. What we realized as we set in that broken down trolley was the trolley represented our marriage. We had not been seeking the Lord as a couple but as individuals. That will not work in a marriage. The trolley represented what a marriage will be become if you do not work together as a couple. It will be become broken and become a trolley sitting in a junk yard rusting away. Many times you have to get to a broken place before you can get fixed. I sat in that trolley with my bride for 3.5 hours without getting up. It was one of our longest and for me the most in depth conversation we have had in 9.5 years. Thank you Jesus. The other main point that the Lord showed us is this; since we both serve in the Ministry of Fellowship of the Sword for the last six years ……. We poured all of our spare time into the ministry and nothing into our marriage and our marriage has suffered. James 1:26-27 If anyone thinks himself to be religious (piously observant of the external duties of his faith) and does not bridle his tongue but deludes his own heart, this person's religious service is worthless (futile, barren). This is the person who ministers outside of his home but does not minister to his family. External religious worship [religion as it is expressed in outward acts] that is pure and unblemished in the sight of God the Father is this: to visit and help and care for the orphans and widows in their affliction and need, and to keep oneself unspotted and uncontaminated from the world. AMP This is what happens when you don't. You make your spouse and children widows and orphans in your own home.

So in the same breath these two scriptures are about Honor. Honor your spouse and your children first and then what you do outside of your home will be honorable.

Thank you Jesus for bringing us to a place of brokenness so we can be restored.

 

 

All of the tools

2 Peter 1:3
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.NLT

The Lord showed me about six months ago why I continue to want to look at porn. I don't look but sometimes I want too really bad. I asked the Lord one morning, "why do I struggle so much in my mind in this area?" He said, "I have giving you all the tools to walk in freedom, you choose not to use them!"

That was an eye opener and I got more freedom from that. I had realized once again that I was still trying to do it on my own. There are many times I feel like I have turned it over, but I have not. I did not realize that what the Holy Spirit spoke to me that day was actually scripture until today.

Are you using everything that the Lord has giving you? Or are you still trying to do it yourself?

How is that working for you?

Who Is This Man?

Who is this man?

He is called the Messiah.

He came to deliver us.

The Son of Man, He is Jesus.

 

They say You are the King of The Jews.

We know You are the King of all.

That day You felt so small.

But we knew You stood tall.

 

Your time has come, it is okay to cry.

You knew You were going to die.

You knew You were going to be betrayed.

You were in the garden and You prayed.

 

You knew what You had to do.

Which was to die for everyone.

No one wanted to help.

Nothing but scars and whelps.

 

He healed so many at his expense.

He was accused and had no evidence

The truth is all He had for his defense.

Still, He had to suffer the consequence.

 

They hit You.

And called You names.

Your tears fell like the rain.

How could your people be so insane.

 

So much dissension.

The crowd had every intention.

The people needed to repent.

But Jesus, did not resent.

 

They flogged You.

They spit on You.

What could you do?

They knew Your soul was true.

 

The thorns pierced Your skin.

In addition, you knew you could not win.

You did this for me.

To the cross, You carried my sin.

 

They drove the spikes through Your wrists

You were in so much pain.

Yet, You did not resist.

This was your destiny.

 

They slashed You with a whip.

Broke open Your back.

All they did to You was attack.

As Your blood did nothing but drip.

 

His blood washes away our sin.

His blood did not go to waste.

His tears dripped from his chin

Jesus searched his soul deep with in.

 

Jesus, they could not keep You down.

God took away Your frown.

You rose in three days.

Jesus, thank You for giving Your life away

 

By kevin gwyn Ó Copyrighted

04-10-2002

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!