You Are Special

Isaiah 61:1-7

I often reference one of my favorite quotes which says, “The end of a matter, with God, is always good, and if it’s not good, then it’s not the end of the matter.” These words encourage, and inspire me to continue fighting the “good fight of faith”, despite what I see going on around me. Bad things happen to good people, and suffering comes as a package deal with salvation, but God will one day wipe every tear from our eyes, and reward His people for their dedicated service.

The prophet Isaiah recorded, Christ will soon comfort all who mourn, and give to them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, and establish God’s people as trees of righteousness. A tree, firmly rooted in good ground, is not easily moved, and brings forth good fruit. In the same sense, the body of Christ will be planted of the Lord, so that He might be glorified, through their good works.

Suffering is an occasional topic in my daily writings, because many are experiencing hard times, so I try to offer words of encouragement, to keep readers strong, and striving toward God’s expected end. While the world may despise, and call you names other than a child of God, when all this is over, the Father will call you His own, and tell you, “well done “.

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

Save Me!!!

Isaiah 49:1-7

If you were swimming in the ocean, and was caught off guard by an undertow current, would you ignore the help of an experienced lifeguard, swimming to your rescue? If you were severely injured in an automobile accident, and was unable to move, would you tell the ambulance and rescue team, you’ll figure things out on your own? When we’re in trouble, we rarely turn down the opportunity to receive assistance, especially if it’s rendered free of charge. Men and women are in position, in various areas of life, to aid and assist those, who require help. Whether a person was involved in a car accident, work injury, burglarized, or whatever the case, there are always people at the ready, to meet their need.

The world was once drowning in sin, and needed a savior, so God prepared for Himself, a body, by which to come to the earth, and redeem man back to Himself. For various ungodly reasons, many have refused to accept God’s help, and chose to figure things out on their own. These people fail to realize the gravity of the situation they’re in, and can ill afford to die in their sin, yet God offers limited time for them to reach out, and take hold of His hand.

Refusing to accept God’s free gift of salvation, is equivalent to the person rejecting the lifeguard’s help, while being pulled underwater, by an undertow current. Sin is real, and the devil cares nothing for men’s souls. For this reason, he attacks the children of God relentlessly, and won’t stop until his judgment is executed. Snap out of your world of selfishness and pride, and reach out to grab hold of God’s saving hand. Don’t allow the waves of sin to pull you under, into an eternity of sorrow.

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

God Brings Balance

Leviticus 25:8-17

The Year of Jubile, was an exciting season, ordained by God, so that all Hebrews could receive a fresh start in their way of living. During this hallowed year, people were required to live off their increase, so that the land could rest, and lie untended, for a season. Not only was the land given room to breath, but the people were also commanded to rest from work. God knew the importance of balance and fairness, so He made certain that during this year, business was to get a fresh start as well. This was a time when all mortgages were canceled, servants released back to there families, all debts forgiven, and all lands were reverted to the original owners. Jubile was set aside to be holy, and a time where liberty was proclaimed throughout the lands, and unto all the people there. God also stressed, that when conducting business, men were to be fair, and not oppress one another, during this time.

How I wish America feared God in such a way, that His standards ruled the government. Some say this country was founded on godly principles, but its obvious men have long pushed those standards aside, in place of their own ideals. Rather than proclaim liberty, fairness, and respect for our fellow man, this country is divided by parties, social classes, and the color of a man’s skin. Could you imagine how incredible it would be, if a year was set aside, where the government canceled everyone’s debt, including mortgage, credit card bills, student loans, and more? Although that’s only a fairytale, it would allow an opportunity for all things to return to balance.

Well, I guess I’ll snap out of my daydream, and focus back on reality. While we try to maintain balance in this world of unjust leaders, be certain to treat your fellow brothers and sisters with godly love, and respect. Always be honest, and keep God first in all your dealings. “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.” (Galatians 5:13)

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

Mission Possible

Luke 4:14-21

This world is dying. Chaos resides among men, on every continent of the planet. People are hurting, hungry, and in need of many things. While some live lavish, basking in the accumulation of their wealth and possessions, others would be grateful to have a hot shower, and warm meal. There’s no balance in the earth, because sin has caused men to behave in ways that are immoral, and ungodly. In its present state, the world will only get worse, so God has a plan to destroy, and renew what was once sinless and beautiful.

Until the time comes for this world to pass, the body of Christ must be diligent in sharing the Gospel with others. People need hope in something real, and not in things that will eventually fade away. Believers must dare to be different, as was Christ, when He presented His purpose and mission, to His own people of Nazareth. Jesus boldly proclaimed, He was anointed to preach the Gospel to the poor, heal the brokenhearted, preach deliverance to the captives, recover sight to the blind, and free those who are bruised. The world back then, may not have been as vile and wicked as today, but there were still many who needed God’s deliverance from certain issues. Jesus gave the people hope, and assurance that better was coming. Despite dealing with unfavorable circumstances, God would come through for those who love Him in the end.

It’s the duty of the Saints, to continue spreading the Gospel to the world, even though it’s often rejected. There are many yearning for better in this life, but need a little encouragement, to press on, and not give up. Jesus took His calling seriously, and obeyed His Father despite the naysayers, so we should not allow anyone to stop us from obeying the will of God. Consider all those who are in worse conditions than yourself, then pray to God for them, that they will endure, until the end.

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

Be Wise In God’s Eyes

1 Kings 3:16-28

“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.” (Proverbs 4:7 KJV). Knowing how to rightly judge in all situations, takes more than book knowledge to accomplish. Those who have aspirations to become lawyers, or judges, are required to undergo years of extensive schooling, in order to be certified to operate in the field of law. Even with countless hours of training and experience, there will always be situations too complicated, from which to discern the truth.

With the wisdom of God, man has the ability to understand, and carefully uncover truths, not easily revealed. Our lesson gives a perfect example of how wisdom can bring truth from a confusing situation. When commanded to ask anything he desired from God, Solomon said, “Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad:” (vs. 9). Solomon knew he would need more than money and his father’s good name, to lead the people of God into glory, so asking for wisdom was the wisest decision he made in his entire life.

Before you begin a task, or are confronted with a challenging issue, do you deal with it head on, and wind up regretting your actions in the end, or do you ask God for wisdom, to make the decisions that would please Him? Never make the mistake of trusting your own wisdom, or the wisdom of men, over the wisdom that comes from above. The all-knowing Father, can guide you safely through all the difficult situations you’ll encounter in life, without causing harm to yourself, or innocent bystanders in the process.

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

Overcome Evil With God

Esther 7:1-10

“When they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it. When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people; He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes; Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm” (Psalm 105:12 -15 KJV). God protects those He loves; who diligently seek after Him, and keep His commandments. In the same way a father guards his children from robbers and thugs, or a lion protects its cubs from hungry predators, God will always clear the path of those who are purpose-driven, and seek only to fulfill His will for their lives.

While it’s not laid out in plain text what every man is supposed to do in the earth, the basic instructions written in Scripture, are fairly simple to grasp. We learn in the book of Ecclesiastes, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:12-13). Those who are fulfilling the whole duty commanded by God, will receive His divine protection and provision, while traversing their journey. Proof of this is evident throughout the Bible, but more specifically in our recent lessons concerning Mordecai and Esther. Despite the overwhelming obstacle set before them in the form of the wicked Haman, God imparted heavenly wisdom into the hearts and minds of Mordecai and Esther, that allowed them to devise a plan to destroy the enemy’s evil plot. With careful planning, patience, and fasting, the trap Haman set for Mordecai, was turned around against his own self. This is how God works through us today. While some are under the impression, God is like superman, who will swoop down from the skies, and rescue those in need (as they believed Jesus would do when He entered Jerusalem), through His Spirit, God imparts wisdom into us, that helps us plan, and develop strategies that will allow us to overcome the plans of evil.

The body of Christ has a job to do, and that’s for each member to carry out their individual assignments, until the end. Whether you are skilled in teaching, preaching, arts and crafts, or any other area, ask God to give you wisdom from Heaven, to aid you, as you use your gift, talent, or special ability, to win souls for the kingdom.

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

Strive Until The End

Esther 10:1-3

“Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?” (Galatians 5:7 KJV). There are many who start out serving God with all their heart, whose lives exemplify the example Jesus left for the church to follow, after He left the scene. These men and women put God’s best interests at heart, and strive to love their neighbors, while doing all they can, to help those in need. They shun the spotlight, and take advantage of opportunities to bless others, without being seen. Rather than make a name for themselves, these bold believers choose to boast in the Lord, and His goodness. Although these individuals seem to be unhindered in their purpose, they are still susceptible to falling short of God’s glory. The devil tries hard to knock the children of God off track, by influencing them to cling to carnal things. If the believer entertains carnal thoughts long enough, they’ll inevitably give in to the enemy’s temptation.

Many have run well for God, and fought hard to keep His name holy, but after being elevated, and getting their heads puffed up, they gave in to the temptation that was so desperately awaiting to pull them down. Men who once preached “holiness is right” from the pulpit, have allowed their stardom to alter their message, only to please itching ears. Others have been hindered by the mighty dollar, and sought to make profit from the church, rather than speak as a prophet, to benefit the people.

It matters not how you start, but how you uphold what you begin. This was proven true in the life of Mordecai. From the beginning, Mordecai sought only to protect the people of God, while serving as an example of righteousness before them. When faced with adversity, the man of God never wavered, nor altered his stance on what was right in the eyes of God. Even when his faithfulness and trust in God, allowed him to be elevated to a high degree throughout the land, he still held true to his initial motive, to keep the people of God safe, to ensure provision for them, and to continue speaking peace to all his seed.

No matter where you are in life, strive to maintain your initial stance in godliness. Whether God allows you to abound, or be abased, don’t change your belief in Him, nor in His power to overcome all evil. If you resist the devil, he will flee from you, but if you don’t keep God’s Spirit in you, the enemy will return with backup, to try and take you down. Run well until the end, and avoid all obstacles thrown in your way.

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

Reverence God, Love Thy Neighbor, Bless The Poor

Esther 9:18-23, 29-32

Remembering, and celebrating the good things God does for us, is actually promoted by Biblical text. The modern church holds gatherings, showing appreciation for leaders, and …(I can’t think of much more than that lol). Seldom do churches celebrate each other, as it was in Scripture, because men and women who lead, are viewed as gods. But, our God is pleased when we gather to honor Him, for giving us victory in all our circumstances, as well as when we bless other believers (and there poor), from the same platform. Celebrations should never be self-centered, nor focused on one individual, no matter the title he bears.

The people of God in ancient times, always acknowledged God, as their focus of gathering, on all occasions. The fact that man can do nothing on his own strength to combat evil, is reason enough to reverence God, who has all power and authority over the enemy. The body of Christ should focus more on appreciating each other, in edification and encouragement. Not one member is more important than the other, and once we come to this understanding, we’ll be better prepared to care for the lost and needy. Think back over your life, and give God praise for all the victories He won, on your behalf.

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

God Protects His Own

Esther 8:3-8, 16-17

Throughout history, all who made attempts to thwart the progress of God’s people, were eventually convinced to stand down, by way of force, or even death. When Pharoah refused to release the children of Israel from Egypt, he and his people suffered plagues, the likes of which caused many to lose faith in their false gods, and respect the power of the true, and living God. When the mighty Goliath breathed threatenings against God’s people, the Lord used young David, to prove to him, and the Philistines, where the source of true power came from. Time after time, God’s people were confronted by men, whose sole purpose was to stop the spread of His kingdom in the earth, but despite their unyielding efforts, God worked mightily through His people, to keep His plan in motion.

Our text this week, was centered on the story of Esther, and Mordecai, and How God protected, and provided for them, in the midst of an evil plot to destroy all the Jews within the king’s provinces. The same evil spirit that controlled the minds and thoughts of men like Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, and Pol Pot, once ruled in the heart of Haman. Such a spirit promotes pride, arrogance, haughtiness, jealousy, strife, wrath, lack of reasoning, lack of understanding, and lack of love. Men who portray these attributes may cause certain levels of shame and destruction to the lives of innocents, but God will always have the last word in such cases.

Through prayer and fasting, God turned Haman’s plot against him. The same gallows he built to hang Mordecai, was ironically used to hang himself. In addition, the Jews were permitted to destroy all those who hated the them (including Haman’s ten sons), so that God’s people could be free from any more threats of destruction. Without hesitation, the king reversed Haman’s wicked decree, and allowed Mordecai to write whatever law he desired, that was in favor of his people. That’s amazing! This was equivalent to being granted a blank check from a billionair!

God has a way of doing things, and while we may not always understand His plans at first, it’s comforting to know, He will expose our enemies, provide protection through the process, and give us more blessings and resources than we had, in the end.

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

Rotten Apples

Esther 5:9-14

Have you heard the phrase, “one bad apple spoils the barrel”? This quote simply implies, if you hang around trash long enough, you’ll eventually wear the stench of it. Typically, the people you spend time with, are more than likely influencing your behavior, whether negatively, or in a positive way. In the case of the bad apple, there could be fifty, to a hundred pristine and healthy apples in a barrel, but one could be internally infested with worms and germs, that could eventually transfer to the good apples. Unless they are separated with haste, all the good apples could become rotten in a matter of moments.

Corruption has a tendency to spread, and cares not for who or what it infects, because the root of all corruption is sin. In our text, Haman continued his plight, to terminate Mordecai, and all the Jews. This man was full of corruption, and found pleasure only in material possessions, and the praise and glory of men. A prideful heart, is incapable of harboring feelings of compassion, sympathy, and empathy, thus causing one to ignore the values required to love thy neighbor as thyself.

Haman was so wicked, until his evil influence infiltrated the hearts of those in his home as well. The wife and friends of Haman advised that he build a gallows, from which Mordecai would be hung. This idea pleased the unjust man, and further blinded him from the path of self destruction ahead. 

When men plot evil against the children of God, we ought not avenge ourselves, because we can only see so far in the spirit, whereas God can see the whole picture. “For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people” (Hebrews 10:30). Mind your company, and remove yourself from those who are contaminated with corruption.

Walk in love,

Ell