“There’s the problem! It’s a wrench!”

Have you ever noticed whenever your on a diet or fasting and trying to eat right or do the right thing, that your “food senses” are on high alert? I can be minding my own business, driving down the road and all of a sudden I get hit with the delicious smell of fried chicken being cooked from a mile away. The problem is I’m a vegetarian craving chicken! “What’s up with that!?”
It seems when we are trying to do the right thing someone or something wants to throw a wrench in the machinery. We want to do good but many times we end up doing the opposite. This behavior is no phenomena but human nature.
The Apostle Paul says this about himself in Romans 7:19-20, “…I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.” (The Message) What Paul is saying is we have a natural tendency to be bad because of the sin nature within us. Now, before you throw your hands up and shout “what’s the use in doing good!” There is hope.
We have a high priest who understands what the struggle is because He was tempted too… “For we do not have a High Priest (Jesus) who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:15. When Jesus was here on earth He lived His life as a man and Jesus chose not to yield to temptation. We don’t have to yield to temptation either. We can “…come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Hebrews 4:16
We should not allow the threat of temptation or failure stop us from advancing in our Christian walk. God has great plans for our lives, but there are times when we must step up and take the chance even if in the past we failed. There is an old R&B song by McFadden & Whitehead I believe in part the lyrics fit ...“Ain’t no stoppin’ us now…There’ve been so many things that have held us down but now it looks like things are finally comin around…and if you’ve ever been held down before, I know that you refuse to be held down any more…” I refuse to be held down by the enemy, the status quo, or my weaknesses. We have everything we need to move forward all we have to do is choose. Christ.

“Suuuweee!!! Here pig, pig!!!”

“What a pig!” Have you ever said that to someone who has eaten all the Coco Pebbles or polished off the Rocky Road ice cream? Why a pig? Pigs are big; they eat everything and anything in sight and on top of that pigs lack judgment. We would not trust a pig with our most valuable belongings. Would we?
Matthew 7:6 says, “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine...” As God’s people, we are privileged to handle the “Holy things” (The Bible, Holy Ghost, gifts of the Spirit…) of the Lord. God has entrusted to us His precious truths. We mustn’t throw them carelessly away. An owner of an antique china shop will not allow a bull to enter. Why? He values his inventory. As Christians, we must value the pearls of truth that God has given us.
II Corinthians 5:20 says, “…we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us…” We are God’s representatives here on earth. Let us not cheapen the value of the “Good News” because we lack discernment, “…be wise as serpents and harmless as doves” Matthew 10:16. “We should not receive the grace of God in vain.” II Corinthians 6:1
Let us cherish what God has done for us and not throw away the morals, testimonies, and ministries God has so generously given us. I have never seen a pig value pearls. There are some in our circle who would rather roll in the mud, but we have been saved by grace… (Ephesians 2:8)
Regardless of what state of mind we find ourselves in this week, we will hold our heads high and remember, “… ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy”.
Enjoy your week and by the way, I give you permission to have a ham sandwich or some bacon on your burger. ☺

“It’s in the box”

When I was a kid, I use to watch Saturday afternoon movies. I loved to watch adventure movies! The Wild West, the dark jungle, the deep sea… man! I was there! But the movies I enjoyed the most were the ones that hunted for treasure. Treasure chests full of diamonds, rubes, and pearls! In all the adventures it didn’t matter what kind of treasures it was (Egyptian, Pirate, or Alien) it always came in a box.
II Corinthians 4:7 says, “We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this
all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” The Apostle Paul was pointing out that God’s power is contained in our ordinary lives. The treasure is powerful! When God works wonders in our lives there is no mistaking Him.
The Apostle Paul takes it a step further and tells us we are the temple (Something considered to contain a divine presence) of God, “…you are the temple of the living God. As God has said, I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” II Corinthians 6:16
The Lord will never leave us or forsake us (Joshua 1:5). He can’t! Jesus is residing in our very lives. We are rich with the treasure of the presences of God. Wow! I feel like singing “I’m in the money…” According to the Apostle Paul, with this treasure we can withstand anything. “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” II Corinthians 4:8-9
Come on work week! Put up your dukes! We may be ordinary people but we have a powerful treasure within us. Go ahead and enjoy your treasure this week. “Spend” some time with God! ☺

“For the love of God!”

“For the love of God!” What about the love of God?! Our society tells us that “God doesn’t love us He hates us”. If God loved us there would be a chicken (Unless you are a vegetarian) in every pot. It would rain money from heaven. Everyday would be Friday… or something like that. If we believe that, we have missed the true meaning of God’s love. When we as people think of love it always has strings attached (“If you love me you would paint the house.” I will love you if you buy me diamonds…”). We exercise conditional love. I John 4:19 says; We love Him because He first loved us. Conditional! If God didn’t love us first we probably (unless you are the Mother Teresa type) wouldn’t love God.

The love of God is so different from ours. The difference is Jesus’ love has no strings attached. Romans 5:8 says; But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. When we hated God, He died for us. When we hated God, He forgave our sins. When we hated God, He loved us. Unconditional! Wow! no wonder I love Him.

People may try to make us, shape us, form us into something they can love, but God loves the raw, zit on the nose, no preservatives added YOU! Let’s throw ourselves not into the arms of an angry God but into the arms of a God who loves us. I John 4:8 says; He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

“Float like a butterfly…”

The butterfly is an incredible insect not only because of its beauty but because of the amazing metamorphosis that takes place in its early life. The butterfly goes from an ordinary caterpillar, to a cocoon, to a winged creature. I can’t imagine a butterfly has ever wished it were a chubby caterpillar with stubby legs. Why would the butterfly want to go back to something so limited? It is free to fly from flower to flower; the butterfly doesn’t want to be bound by the past when it was a ground crawler.
This is exactly what the Apostle Paul was speaking about in Philippians 3:13
“… Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.” Why do we want to dwell on our past failures, past weaknesses, past limitations when we were caterpillars? God has given us wings! The Lord has given us wings of mercy, grace, and forgiveness. The Lord has set us on high places (…sets me on my high places. Psalm 18:33). The place of caterpillars is but a speck beneath us.
The devil, people, and even circumstances want to remind us of our past. But our past is past. It is under the precious blood of the lamb. The Lord doesn’t see our past because it is behind Him… “Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back.”
Isaiah 38:17NIV. We are not caterpillars! We have experienced a metamorphosis. You and I are not what we use to be. II Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
NEW!!! We have been transformed into new beings.
This week when your “caterpillarness” starts creeping up, remember that God has changed us and given us wings to soar… the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles… Isaiah 40:31. Fly! Fly in the confidence that Jesus loves you right now and accepts you just the way you are today.

Spring is a comin'

Spring is in the air! Even though the “New Year” is fading fast in our rearview mirror there is always this fresh sensation when spring begins. The days are longer, the flowers bloom, and bright colors return to our wardrobes.
It is like hope is reborn. Maybe your “New Years” resolution has fallen flat or your year isn’t shaping up like you planned… Is the spiritual winter cold still nipping at your nose or the itchy sweater of last year still irritating your life? There is hope! Spring is in the air! …Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Psalms 30:5.
If your job is threating layoffs, or a family member is acting up, or your plans for this year have been dashed… Sssh! be still, and know that I am God… Psalms 46:10. Hope is in the air! God is still on the throne and He is our present help. Not our winter help. Our present help!
David of the Bible was guaranteed the kingdom of Israel but before his kingship he was a fugitive. During David’s dark winter he wrote, God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him. We stand fearless at the cliff-edge of doom, courageous…Psalms 46:1-2 (The Message).
I promise you, your flowers will bloom…the sun will shine. Just like we can count on spring coming every year, we can count on God to make a way.
Look up! Hope is in the air because God is on His throne.

That's Pretty Customized!

I really enjoy reading custom car magazines. In these magazines there are articles and pictures of cars that the owners spent countless hours and money either restoring an old car to its original state or entirely customizing the car. There are two kinds of owners that build these types of cars. The first one is the wealthier car owner who sends his car off to be built by commercial car builders. The second car owner is the person that spends any free moment in the garage working on their car because of the love and passion for the vehicle. To me the home built cars are works of art, not because the car is perfectly put together but because of the car builder’s love for the project.
You may not know this but God is in the custom building business as well.
Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” The word workmanship comes from the Greek word poiema which means “work of art”. God has put countless hours of work into us, that we are literally a priceless labor of love. Each and every one of us is like a custom made key for a lock. Psalms 139:14 says that we are wonderfully made and God’s handy work on our lives is marvelous.
We are like clay in the potter’s hands where God fashions us to be that vessel of honor… sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. II Timothy 2:21. The Bible doesn’t say we are perfect, but it does say we are useful. We may have flaws and problems but that doesn’t mean we can’t be used by God. Romans 9:20 says …Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” Let us stop resisting God and except who and what we are…the workmanship of God, custom built for the honor and glory of our Lord. This week if someone becomes short tempered with you just respond by saying, “Be patient with me, I’m a work in progress!”