YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL NOW!!

"Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions and be satisfied with your present circumstances and with what you have..." Hebrew 13:5. Be content my friend and don't be greedy. Stop "keeping up with Johns buddy". Have you seen the credit card commercials on TV. One card's slogan is "Don't leave home without it". Another one "What's in your wallet". A third one "You can have it all". Not much changed- sounds familiar? Satan said to Adam and Eve, If you want that apple , take it now' Leave the pay day till "someday". "That's right, folks, no interest and no payment for one full year". "Your payment will start only on 2018". Bro: do you want be a statistic of a typical overextended family carrying a per capita credit card debt of $15,000.00. Man, get out of debt. YOU CAN LIVE WITHOUT IT! TADA! If you are not careful, you are going to become trapped by your own envious desires as you forsake your morals and conviction in order to achieve your goal of financial gain and false prosperity. Your foolish and harmful desires will plunge you into ruin and destruction- when you love money and not God. Can I suggest you few Biblical principles: a) Don't be greedy for the good things of this life, for that is idolatry (Col:3:5). Stop craving things you don't need and try enjoying what you have. b) Tithe now thereby you will be switching from the world's faltering economy to God's fail-safe economy. 3) The earth is the Lord's and everything in it".Ps 24:1. Our God guarantees to "Supply all your needs". Philippians 4:19. 4) Start giving away some of what you have got! What? Yes, you heard me right. King Solomon said in proverb 11:24-25 "It is possible to give away and become richer.. and ..hold on too tightly and lose everything.... Hey hey hey "YOU CAN'T TAKE YOUR MONEY WITH YOU, BUT YOU CAN SEND IT ON AHEAD!!! Y'ALL HEAR ME.... L

HE WILL MEET YOU WHERE YOU ARE!!

"If ye shall ask anything in my name, I WILL DO IT". John 14:14. As we worship our Lord this Sunday morning let me share with you three things concerning the name of Jesus. 1) Fill your mind and your thoughts with the name of Jesus. Think about the limitless power with that name. 2) Have faith in the healing power of the name of Jesus. In Acts 3:16 Peter said, "The faith which is by Him hath given him this perfect soundness". Peter was saying here is that we cannot have faith in the healing power of the name of Jesus without God helping us have the faith. 3) Release the faith that you have in the name of Jesus and send it up to God. Acts 3:16 Peter says that. Miracles come through faith. But there is something we must do with our faith. We must turn it loose to God. We must release it. The lame man stood up and walked into the house of God. My friend you ask ANYTHING HE WILL DO IT! You want proof? Well, Nicodemus came to Jesus in the middle of the night, The centurion came in the middle of the day, The leper and sinful woman appeared in the middle of the crowd, Zacchaeus appeared in the middle of a tree, Matthew had a party for him. In another words, He met the needs of the educated, the powerful, the rejected, the sick, the lonely, the wealthy. Do you realize all they had in common were empty hopes. Though they had nothing to offer, they asked for everything: a new birth, a second chance, a fresh start, a clean conscious and without exception ALL THEIR REQUESTS WERE MET. So, this Sunday morning (Palm Sunday) believe that when you pray God will reward your faith- that your prayer will be heard and answered! HE WILL MEET YOU WHERE YOU ARE!!! WHERE YOU ARE!!!

PRESENT HELP IN TROUBLE!!

"God is our refuge and strength, a VERY PRESENT help in trouble". Psalms 46:1. As I was praying after hearing the news about Tornado warning in Oklahoma yesterday, this verse came to my mind. Just like Tornado, the storms of lives arrive with unnerving regularity. Often they strike without warning and linger without welcome, testing the limits of our faith and endurance. But God has given us a place of safety in the midst of our circumstances. If you are in the midst of a storm, you should remember the day HE silenced one. If you are in a terrible sickness, you should remember HIS compassion towards a leper and the woman with issue of blood. If you have concern about a child, you should remember the day HE held and blessed one. Three years ago a small bird accidentally flew into our closed patio through an open door. Attempting to find a way out , it bumped into many closed glass windows. Once when it stopped to rest, I tried to help it escape, but the frightened bird resisted. Again and again it flew at windows, insisting upon finding its own solution to the problem. Finally it became so exhausted that it gave up the struggle. Only then would it allow me to pick it up and set it free. My friend, when we find ourselves in perplexing situations how often we, like the bird, try to find our own solutions to our problems. We make one attempt after another until finally we give up and let God shows us the way out. How much better it is when we allow the Lord to help us with our problem when they first arise rather than after we have wasted so much time and effort. King Solomon wrote "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths". Proverbs: 3:5-6. My friend, I am talking to you, do you understand?

HONESTY!

"Conduct yourselves properly (honorably, righteously) among the gentiles, so that, although they may slander you as evildoers, [yet] they may by witnessing your good deeds [come to] glorify God..". 1 Peter 2:12. AMPV. The old-fashioned virtues of HONESTY and INTEGRITY are, all too often, missing in today's society. It's the day of "FINE PRINT", isn't it? Years ago in my Sunday school class I asked two questions: 1) If you were in a restaurant and the waitress accidentally undercharged for your dinner, would you bring that to her attention and pay or pocket the difference? 2) If you found a wallet with 500 dollars, would you contact the authorities to find the owner or would you make a deposit at the bank? Cheating is so prevalent in schools and colleges that the cheater seems almost to be normal to have that behavior. They call it "The good neighbor policy". The Greek word for honesty is "kalos" which means that which "good", "admirable", and "becoming". It also carries with it meaning of what is fair, right, honorable and of such conduct as deserves esteem. It certainly looks as if honesty is becoming less and less popular now a days. As Christians, we need to be committed to being honest. Whether we are filling out a tax form, completing a business expense account, time card, taking tests, just relating something that happened to us,and in all our activities we need to tell the truth. Living with honesty and a good conscious isn't just a religious and moral obligation. It's the only way to be able to walk with Christ in the spotlight of a watching world! It's good to be a Christian and know it, but it's better to be a Christian and show it!! TADA.

Are you anemic?

"So- because you are lukewarm- neither hot or cold- I am about to spit you out of my mouth". Revelation 3:16. My friend, many people are bored to frustration. But they weren't born bored. It is a state that that we allowed to develop. Lost enthusiasm! The gusto of life and calling is gone. Like the church in Laodicia. Without enthusiasm no book is written, no church grows, no Christianity is propagated, no business flourishes, no battle is won, no ministry flourishes. "Doing just enough to survive" means you lost your enthusiasm. Are you a lukewarm Christian? Lukewarm Christians are comfortable and complacent because they have compromised their beliefs and their behavior. And they don't realize their need. They are afraid to take a stand. They say they are wholehearted for the Lord, but they are afraid to being on fire for Christ. They want to be politically correct. They do not want to be labeled as fanatics, emotionalists, or extremist. But they are enthusiastic about, sports, and life in general. Is your Christianity anemic? Yes yes, we have programs in the church to entertain. But the mission of the church is the redemption of lost souls, the winning of this world to the cause of Christ, and doing the work of God as outlined in the Bible. WE MUST NOT BE SIDETRACKED from this royal mission. Lukewarmness of us make the Lord sick. That's why he wants to spit (Spew) us out. Well, this morning the preacher and missionary in me came out!! Don't be a pew warmer satisfying our consciousness before the Lord by just attending a church. Y'ALL HEAR ME!!

A BOUT WITH DOUBT!

"Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish: so that we are not able to build the wall'. Nehemiah 4:10. My friend, "we have to persevere in the midst of our opposition". You are not a leader or a Christian with conviction if won't fight for what you believe. Opposition is bad enough when it comes from without, but it is a worse heartburn when it comes from those who are in our camp. Sometimes we have the same problem like Judah. Judah got discouraged because he lost sight of God, and kept looking on the adversaries, the weakness of burden bearers, and much rubbish that lay in the way, And having lost faith in himself, he sought to discourage others in the work, saying "we are not able to build the wall". Bro: a discouraged man is a useless man in the work of the Lord and he is a positive hindrance. When things are going good it's easy to have FAITH and not to DOUBT. But when things are not going well: sickness, Job loss, Family Crisis, Ministry Crisis, opposition and persecution, we all have a "BOUT WITH DOUBT" isn't it? In John chapter 20:25 we see a doubting Thomas. Satan loves when he can make us doubt our faith, doubt our abilities, doubt JESUS IN US. He knows the first reaction from us will be to hide away from people who care. In verses 19-22, we see other disciples not only saw the resurrected Lord, but they received the blessings of the Holy Spirit. Hey, hey, A BOUT WITH DOUBT MAKE YOU MISS OUT AND MAKE YOU A SOUR KROUT. My friend, when you have "A BOUT WITH DOUBT, DON'T POUT, BUT CHECK OUT"! Are you a Judah or Thomas? Well, what did you say? I CAN'T hear you!!

MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR GENERATION!!

"The Lord turn to him and said, Go in this your might, and you shall save Israel from the hand of Midian, HAVE I NOT SENT YOU?". Judges 6:14. After our conversation over the dinner table last night with a very special family, the Lord gave me these thoughts during my devotion this morning. History reveals that individuals who impacted their generations and affected the world most dramatically were those who, because of circumstance, pressure, or adversity: Challenged the tide of conventions, Stretched the boundaries of traditions, Deliberately violated the expectations of "status quo", Upset the mind of "the average", broke through the "accepted" in order to accomplish the unexpected. In another words they did something to fulfill their God-given destiny. Hey, SHATTER THE WIT OF THE NORM! Every person under the earth was born to make a difference and to add value to his/her generation. It is very unfortunate that many Christians resemble Gideon by concluding that because of their poor background they are going nowhere and they are amount to nothing. My friend, where you are is not your destination; it is just a bus stop to your destination in Christ Jesus. What does it mean to make a difference you may ask? well, it means you making a positive impact, you adding value to whatever resources God has given you, being a blessing to others, changing the world around you, being a solution and a hope giver and leaving a legacy of blessing and change when you leave the earth. Please don't leave the earth like an animal, eat- sleep-fight- Bhoom- you are gone. Look at the men and women in the Bible who impacted their generation. Joseph, David, Elijah, Elisha, Daniel, Esther, Ruth are few of them. Mother Theresa, Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Abrahan Lincoln and many others. OUR LORD JESUS HAD A VISION TO SAVE HUMANITY FROM SIN AND ITS CONSEQUENCES- AND HE DID IT!! My friend "IMPACT YOUR GENERATION"- you are created to do JUST THAT!! Y'ALL HEAR ME? Yeah...YEAH.. GOOOOD!

MARTHA'S SYNDROME!

"But the Lord replied to her by saying, Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things;" Luke 10:41. My friend, Busy like a Bee? Aren't we? STOP AND TAKE A TIME OUT! Can I share something our Lord spoke to me during my devotion? The only socially acceptable answer now days to the question, "How are you?" has become, "Busy, I am so busy". "How are the kids?" "Oh you know, busy". "Mom, can you.." "No, I'm too busy". Oh well, now a days our friends are asking my wife "How's retirement treating you?". "Oh, I'm busier than ever is her answer". To which our societal chorus responds: GOOD! Really? As if being busy is a sign that life is as it should be. Busy means productive. Busy means our kids are successful. After all, we have to play a lot of sports and musical instruments to be busy. Mama's taxi taking kids to piano lessons, voice lessons, Karate, Little league soft ball, soccer practice, gymnastics etc. We have to have an important job for it to keep us busy. We have to be superhuman parent, the most devoted kind to get the society's approval. No time to spend with kids at home, no devotion, no family prayer, no time for spouses, no time for cooking a decent meal and eating together at the dinner table. Oh well, Fast Food restaurants are a blessings, isn't it? Busy, busy, busy. What if being busy is keeping us from our most important work, which is LOVING GOD and ONE ANOTHER? MARTHA'S SYNDROME! Today's reality: Big house-Small Family, More degrees-Less common sense, Advanced Medicine- poor health, Touched Moon- Neighbors unknown, High Income-Less peace of mind, High IQ-Less emotions, Good knowledge-Less wisdom, Number of Affairs- No true love, Lots of Human- Less Humanity, Yes, Costly Watches- No time. TADA. We have cluttered our lives with secular things that we feel important. But, Bro: Take an eternal view of our life! What do we fill our lives with that will last forever? Is that too much to ask? STOP, TAKE A TIME OUT NOW. NOW, Y'ALL HEAR?

Overcoming our circumstances!

"Because the Lord was with him, and which he did, the Lord made it prosper". Genesis 39:23b. My friend, the Story of Joseph in Genesis inspires me and encourages me to live beyond our circumstances and how to use our gift even in difficult times. Joseph was bound by his circumstances. But he overcame them by using his gifts. He transcended from the mundane to the miraculous, isn't he? It is easy to become engrossed in one's circumstance and lose sight of the limitless power that lies within what we have been given. It's vitally important that we all recognize how tremendously gifted we are. It is through this understanding the power of our gifts that we can escape the prison of despair. If Joseph didn't understand this he would never been released from prison and would not have prepared Egypt from the impending famine and countless lives have been lost. It would have been easy for Joseph in the moments of repeated despair to feel forgotten by God and people and he didn't soak up the opportunity to sulk. How about you my friend? Through out Joseph's story we see a phrase in the Bible "The Lord was with him". I learned three things from Chapter 39 of Genesis about our God. 1) Circumstances don't indicate God's memory (Genesis 39:21). While the exact nature of his penitentiary is not known, one thing is quite clear- Joseph was imprisoned. Bible says "God had not forgotten him and God maintained His memory. What is the best manner of His loving care? HIS PRESENCE. 2) Circumstances don't limit God's ability. (Genesis 39:23). Circumstances surprises you and me but they never surprise God. Circumstances limit us but they never limit God. Difficult circumstances you are in don't indicate that God has forgotten you or he won't rescue you or degrade your worth in your life. 3) Circumstances don't determine our usefulness. (Genesis 39:22). God can use you where you are at in a powerful way. Your usefulness is not determined by the circumstances you are in. GOD CAN USE YOU POWERFULLY! Y'ALL HEAR ME!!

GIVING TO THE LORD!

"But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices GOD IS WELL PLEASED". Hebrews: 13:16. (10-16). This Sunday we are worshiping our Lord who is the source of every blessings in our life, isn't HE? The scripture calls us to worship the Lord by "the sacrifice of our body" (Roman 12:1), "by the sacrifice of praise" (Hebrews 13:15), and "by the sacrifice of substance" (Hebrews 13:16. My friend, why are you asking me "In Greek does it say tithing" or "In Hebrew does it really means tithing or 1/10th. Don't bother about studying Greek and Hebrew if you don't want to give to the Lord. Remember, God doesn't need our resources. He has all He needs. He owes everything including us. The issue is not that God needs it to do His work, but HE WANTS US TO BE OBEDIENT. He is calling us to give back to Him what He has so graciously given to us. Let me tell you why I believe in Tithing. 1) Tithing teaches us always PUT GOD FIRST in our life (Deut 14:23). 2) Tithing is a Bible DOCTRINE with CONTINUITY in the scriptures, before, during, and after Moses' Law. 3) Tithe is not mine to withhold: it BELONGS TO GOD (Leviticus 27:30). 4) Tithing is an indicator of our GENEROSITY (2 Chro:31:12). 5) I don't want God to consider me as a ROBBER (Malachi 3:8). 6) There is a Bible principle of SOWING AND REAPING (2 Corinthians 9:6). As we sow generously, we shall reap generously, both naturally and spiritually. 7) For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Luke 12:34). Let us worship our Lord with our substance also this Sunday. I have never heard somebody became a pauper because they have given their Tithe and Sacrificial Offering to the cause of Christ's KINGDOM! LORD YOU ARE NOT A DEBTOR TO ANYBODY...THANK YOU LORD.