Do You Love Me?

Isaiah 1:11-17

Would you accept gifts from someone who said they loved you, but was inconsiderate, full of sin, weighed down in iniquity, evil, corrupt, rebellious, and turned their back on you? Whether it was something you desired, or simply something seemingly valuable, would you find it difficult to refuse? Love has been abused since the beginning of time, when men claimed to love God, yet their lifestyles proved otherwise. Even today, many have a limited understanding of what love represents, and cater only to the feeling and emotional aspects of it. The definition of love is vast, yet understandable, but many fail to take time to delve into the core of its meaning.

God is love, and when the term is used, God must be at the root of its intended purpose. When I tell someone I love them, it’s not because I get butterflies in my tummy, or goosebumps on my skin, but I understand they are a precious creation, made by God, and deserve to be treated as Christ Himself. I’d be willing to make sacrifices, and assist as necessary to make their lives better, in an effort to prove that the love I spoke with my lips, was more than mere words alone. Love is action, and our works reveal whether our professed love is genuine, or counterfeit.

Our text reveals God’s feelings toward those who abuse love, and attempt to justify ill actions with gifts. Israel had rebelled against God, yet still believed He would accept their offerings and sacrifices. To their surprise, their sinful behavior kindled the Lord’s anger, to the point He refused to accept any gift, offering, sacrifice, feast, or anything that brought Him delight in the past. Unfortunately, their offerings were vain and unable to please God, so He commanded them to put away their evil doings, and rather than present vain offerings to Him, show genuine love to those around them instead.

When you use the word love, what are your intentions behind it? Is it a tool you use to manipulate others, in order to get what you want, or do you understand the true definition of God’s love?

Walk in love,

Ell

Take a Break

Ecclesiastes 5:18-20

Suffering is inevitable on the earth, and hard times lay on the path of all men. The wicked perish, and the good die young. We work to make a living, and strive to be consistent in our effort to maintain a balanced lifestyle. The God of Heaven and earth understands that life presents challenges that weigh on the strength of His people, so He doesn’t mind when we take time to enjoy the fruit of our labor.

Men and women work hard for companies who care more about their business, than the total health of those who keep their business producing, so every now and then, it’s alright to schedule moments to bask in the good of your labor. Many people take vacations to escape the routine of their everyday lives, while others find pleasure in staying close to home, to appreciate times of peace, rest, and relaxation.

It’s important for the believer to not only maintain a healthy spiritual balance, but to also keep their natural living in good standing as well. While there’s nothing wrong with taking time to enjoy the blessings of God from your consistent hard work, how you enjoy that time is what matters. God allows us times of peace and rest, but we should never become lax, and forget holy standards during our relaxation. The body of Christ is still obligated to maintain a righteous standard, even during times of rest. Some feel that drinking, smoking, and enjoying other worldly methods are necessary habits of down time, but we are to eat and drink things that are proper, and kept within the bounds of God’s law, and what’s best for our health.

As we enjoy God’s blessings, we are to be temperate, and stay within holy limitations. This way, our lives will remain pleasant to God, and we’ll continue to enjoy a wonderful experience in His divine glory.

Walk in love,

Ell

As the Wind Blows

Ecclesiastes 5:1-6

Have you ever rode past a car lot, or saw on a TV commercial, one of those inflatable wacky tube men flipping, flopping, and flapping in every direction? Those things literally crack me up, and if you stare at one long enough, you’ll momentarily forget about your worries. Although they’re stationed in one position, their movements are beyond wild, and uncharacteristic. On the other hand, when you look at a statue, you notice it firmly planted, solid, and erected to portray the sculptor’s desired vision. Unlike the wacky tube man, who’s blown in all directions by the air from its base, and the winds that blow by, the statue stands strong, and is sustained in all situations and seasons.

There are many today who bear the title, “Christian”, yet are as unstable as the inflatable wacky tube man. Their righteous claim is accompanied by undisciplined behavior, including speaking rashly, showing no respect for the House of God, and breaking vows. These persons are easily caught up in every wind of doctrine presented to them, and find it hard to differentiate between the truth, and lies. Then, there are those who are true to their confession, as a statute is true to its form. Men who are grounded in God, aren’t easily beguiled by deception, and have a tendency to actually change the hearts of those who intend to distract them. Their faith is strong, hearts pure, motives good, and can stand firm in all situations and seasons. Those who follow after righteousness, carry themselves with the utmost integrity. In addition, they have a sure reverence for God, control their tongue, and always keep their word.

Are you more aligned with the inflatable wacky tube man, or are you solid and strong, like a well-built statue?

Walk in love,

Ell

Fighting Temptations

Matthew 4:1-11

One of the most valuable words of advice I’ve ever received after giving my heart to the Lord was, never underestimate the power of the devil. There’s a misconception that’s been going around for years that satan is powerless, and can do nothing to harm the believer, but if you study the Word carefully, and even look back over your own life, you’ll discover that the devil is more powerful than you can imagine. Satan is the master of deception, and he delights in twisting God’s Word, in order to serve his devilish purposes. Not only is he skilled in his deceptive arts, but He knows the Bible better than many of God’s own children (sad, but true). One of satan’s most successful strategies is, confronting the believer with temptation. If the devil can get the believer to focus on his distractions for only a few moments, that’s long enough to ensnare them in his traps. For this reason, it’s vital that the children of God know the Word for themselves, so that when temptation comes knocking, they’ll be strong enough to resist.

In our text, Jesus gave the perfect example of how to effectively resist temptation. After fasting 40 days, Jesus was “led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil” (vs. 1). Why would God purposely lead His Son into a trap? Could it be, because He knew Jesus was strong enough to overcome what lay ahead of Him, and also needed us to see how we are to handle the temptations in our own lives? Yeah, I think that’s about right. God also wanted to prove that His Word was more precious than anything satan could offer, and that even in a weakened physical state (Jesus), the strength of God’s Word was enough to drive evil away.

I mentioned earlier that satan has power, and in our text, we see two instances where the devil took Jesus into the holy city, and set Him high, atop a pinnacle of the temple, then took Him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world. If you ask me, that sounds like more power than the average super hero. In all his desire to see Jesus submit to his own will, satan was disappointed, as Jesus dealt with the scheming serpent by using God’s written Word.

When facing temptation in our own lives, how we approach it can mean the difference between overcoming it, or being overwhelmed by it. If Jesus had given in to His “hangry” pains, He probably would have turned those stones into barbeque ribs, macaroni and cheese, and corn on the cob, but His spiritual hunger far outweighed the natural, and He was able to easily deflect the devils temptation.

Allow this lesson to be strength to you, as you face your daily struggles. Never give in to temptation, no matter how appealing it may seem, because the grass may be greener on the other side, but it might be overrun with serpents, waiting for the right moment to strike you down. “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 6:41 KJV).

Walk in love,

Ell

Light It Up!

Matthew 4:12-17

Jesus is the light of the world! He lived a selfless life on earth, shed His innocent blood to guarantee salvation for all mankind, arose from the grave with all power in His hand, now sits next to the Father, as He intercedes on our behalf daily, and awaits God’s command to return to the earth to claim His people. Have you ever wondered why Jesus did all that for us? I’m all for loving my neighbor, and treating all men with kindness, but to die for people who are arrogant, stiffnecked, hard-hearted, hardheaded, and plain wicked, takes a level of love I’m striving to attain.

The sole purpose of Jesus leaving His place in Heaven, taking on human form, and living among men was, to be light in a world of darkness. In more simple terms, Jesus came to expose the evil revealed to mankind (darkness) with the light of God’s Word (knowledge), and to reestablish the union between God, and His precious creation.

Every breath Christ took while in human form, was dedicated to making others see, and come into the knowledge of His Father’s plan. Christ knew full well that in order to grasp any understanding of the will of God, men were to first repent, turn from their evil ways, then they could freely receive, digest, and properly apply God’s Word in their lives.

When we walk in the light of God’s Word, and live in ways that please Him, people who sit in darkness will see our light, and be forced to make a life-changing decision. Others who are on the verge of giving up, or at the point of spiritual death, can be influenced by our lives, and possibly renew their strength, simply by gleaning from our holy living. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16 KJV).

Walk in love,

Ell

Keep On Striving

Matthew 3:13-17

It’s the year 2020, and you’ve had your share of life’s ups and downs over the years. Along your journey, you’ve crossed paths with people who have either inspired you to be better, or made you think twice about being in their company again. As the days progressed, you grew in the knowledge and wisdom of God, and made applying the teachings of Christ habitforming. The path you walked was not always easy, yet you continued to strive to do good, despite inevitable challenges. Up to this point in your life, can you truly say that God is pleased with the way you’ve lived? When your name is mentioned in Heaven, what assessment will God submit of how your life compares to what He expects?

God commissioned the church to love Him, and keep His commandments, and in doing these alone, you’ll develop a more clear understanding of what God expects from you, and how to carry it out. Just as John the Baptist, and Jesus were sent by God to “fulfill all righteousness” (complete what they were sent to do), the body of Christ also bears the responsibility of fulfilling their individual assignments as well. Before an adventurer sets off on any journey, he makes certain to gather the necessary tools and supplies, that’ll assist him throughout his endeavors. Of all the things the adventurer collects, the most important is his compass. Without knowing which direction he’s traveling, the adventurer would no doubt find himself in unfavorable territories, and possibly run out of supplies. When we attempt to navigate through life without God’s Word, we assume the same position as an adventurer, without his compass. Eventually, we’ll get lost, and desire the help of someone to guide us back on track.

It’s been said, there are many paths to God, but the one way to reach that final destination is through Jesus, the Son in whom God is well pleased. We all have a job to do while on this earth, and staying in the will of God, will ensure that job is completed. Just as the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs players are preparing mentally, and physically for the Super Bowl on Sunday, the Saints of God should prepare themselves daily, to walk the path of righteousness, and strive to carry out their purpose, despite the distractions that are set to hinder them.

Let the recent death of Kobe Bryant serve as an example that tomorrow is indeed not promised to anyone, and our days are numbered, so spend your precious moments in this life trying to please God, and He’ll ensure that all your labor will not be in vain.

Walk in love,

Ell

Can’t Touch This

Hebrews 4:14-5:10

The longer I live, the more disgusted I become toward men who have yet to vomit from smelling the stench of their own egos. Gone are the days when the average Christian walked in humility, and men actually considered others, over themselves. I expect worldly men to think highly of themselves, or maintain a haughty demeanor, because they are under the influence of sin, but when men who claim to have the love of God in their hearts act as if they’re too hot to touch, this is what causes problems on both sides of the spiritual war. Leaders have allowed the fame and glory of hearing crowds of followers promote their name, to the point they’ve succumbed to pride, and self-exaltation. God ordained men to bear leadership roles for the purposes of edifying the church, and bringing glory to His name. Positions were never intended to be used to promote self, nor as a means to gain riches.

Jesus set the perfect example of how leaders should conduct themselves in the presence of the church, as well as to the world. Christ walked in humility, although he was, and is, the only begotten Son of the almighty God. Jesus could have easily puffed Himself up everywhere He went, but He shunned the spotlight in favor of setting an example that would help make life better for us today.

Jesus is the true high priest, who intercedes on our behalf to the Father. He is our mediator, and the means by which all our sins were wiped away. Unlike men, who have the tendency to ignore the needs of others in place of their own selfish desires, Jesus always puts the needs of others at the top of His to-do list. The same way we feel and struggle with making the right decisions, Jesus relates well to our situation, because He dealt with all the temptations we guard against today, yet He never sinned.

Men who think they are above everyone else, are in for an inevitable rude awakening. So always remember, God honors the humble, and makes examples out of the proud. “When pride cometh, then cometh shame, but with the lowly is wisdom” (Prov. 11:2 KJV). “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate (Prov. 8:13). “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit” (Prov. 29:23).

Walk in love,

Ell

Don’t Get Caught Up

Deuteronomy 8:11-20

Prospering in this life, is what most people strive for. Whether obtaining wealth by way of money, land, or other means, the average person longs to be in a position where suffering and struggling are non-existent. Prosperity is no doubt a blessing from God, that offers benefits all believers can enjoy, but there are two things men must be mindful of while reaping the harvest of God’s blessings. Temptation is a very dangerous thing, and when associated with prosperity, men usually get caught up in pride and self-exaltation, or develop the tendency to forget God in place of “things”. How would you feel, if you blessed someone with everything they desired, and rather than show gratitude, they moved on as if you did nothing for them? They didn’t even consider telling you “thank you”, but took your gifts, and bounced. The average person would have an inkling to snatch all their gifts back, because ungrateful people don’t deserve certain things. How do you think God feels, when He blesses us over and over, then we turn and give our time to all things except Him?

The children of Israel were issued a grave warning in our text. After receiving all good things from the Lord, they were warned not to forget Him. God knows the hearts of men, and their susceptibility to want to take the credit of others for themselves, so He made certain to inform them of the great consequences they would face, if they forgot the Lord, and walked after other gods. Obedience to God is the difference between blessings and curses, prosperity and poverty, and eternal salvation and eternal damnation. God gives us the ability to prosper, and we should always acknowledge Him no matter what season we experience. In times of plenty, God deserves our obedience. In times of trial and testing, we are still commanded to obey the Lord.

Although the warning in our text was given to the children of Israel in ancient times, God will not let the church of today, get by with giving what He deserves, to something or someone else. God promised to destroy Israel for their disobedience, and He’ll be certain to punish us as well.

The more God blesses you, the more humble you should become. The higher God takes you in this life, the lower you should bow before His presence. Walk in humility, to avoid falling into pride, and possibly allowing your blessings to cause you to forget God.

Walk in love,

Ell

The Secret Place

Psalm 91

What does it mean to be saved, and what does salvation protect us from? Throughout my childhood, I would often hear the older saints say, “get saved son, or you’ll spend eternity in hell”. That advice would always spook the bejeezus out of me, because I considered hell a place where you’d sit in a giant hot oven, and burn for eternity, while the devil poked at you with a flaming pitchfork, but the more I matured in godliness, I learned that salvation also guards the people of God against the evils of the present world. While it’s true, Christians strive to live according to God’s will, so they can eventually see Him in peace, the daily struggle to reach that point presents challenges and difficulties that can only be countered with God’s salvation.

Aside from being delivered and set free from sin, salvation also grants the believer access to God’s divine protection, and life-changing spiritual blessings. Since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, satan has worked diligently to turn men away from God, and his methods and tactics have proven successful for centuries. The reason men are influenced by the devil, and eventually give in to his wicked devices is, they refuse to abide in God’s “secret place”. Attempting to navigate through this world of unyielding wickedness on human strength alone, will prove fatal in the long run. In addition, spiritual attacks can only be countered with spiritual forces, and God is the source of the believer’s salvation, so when the enemy attacks, God covers us with His divine protection.

God blesses us when we trust Him. He provides for us when our faith is planted firmly in His power. When we make the Lord our dwelling place, or refuge, He will keep us from falling prey to the enemy’s devices, keep us in good health, allow His angels to assist us whenever necessary, and keep us standing when others around us are falling by the wayside. We prove our love to God by how we live, and He reciprocates the same in blessing us with the necessities of life, but God takes His love to another level when we willingly choose to trust, and abide in His salvation daily.

Walk in love,

Ell

Training Days

Deuteronomy 6:16-25

Parenting is one of the most challenging professions in the history of life, yet it offers the best benefits to all involved. While it’s easy to bring children into the world, it’s another story raising, and training them to be model citizens. Oftentimes, how we raise our children stems from our own upbringing, and many of the values and standards we apply to our kids, were what we once lived by under our parent’s wings. I notice daily at work, how little children tend to imitate their parents, or share some of their mannerisms, which is normal, as the child grows and adapts to their mother or father. It’s always wise to first develop a level of maturity and understanding, naturally and spiritually, before having children, because once they arrive, they come packed full of questions.

God instituted marriage for many purposes, and one such is having a solid foundation from which the seed of man could always be connected to, and nurtured from where it came from. The body of Christ was always responsible for training, teaching, and nurturing their children in the things of God, but trying to get modern-day kids to understand the Bible has become more challenging, due to the many distractions from schools, and unhealthy propaganda from various media sources. Children today, believe more of what they see on TV,  than the words from the mouths of their parents. It’s sad when your own child will believe a lie from a stranger, than a truth from their own blood. God knew this day would come, and urged His people, even in the days of Moses, to walk according to His way, and do good in His sight consistently, so that they could grow in knowledge and wisdom, and prosper in good times, and bad.

Many children suffer, because parents aren’t investing enough time in doing the things of God themselves. They expect their children to do all things right, yet they live fifty percent for God, and the other fifty percent living as they please. You can’t expect a child who sees you daily, to not notice your spiritual imbalance. Kids see everything, and some are bold enough to bring certain things to light, in front of their parents. God even uses children as a way to get their parent’s attention, in case they tend to veer too far out of bounds.

To those who have children, God expects you to know His Word, and understand it’s purpose, so that the knowledge you obtain, can be passed on to your children. Imagine a church, where children were educated on the Bible at home, so when they went to church or school, or listened to others bring forth messages, they could have a better understanding of what was being preached. Some children could even utilize the spirit of discernment, and tell when men are preaching false doctrine. Unfortunately, we spend too much time prepping and priming our children to be the next Kobe Bryant (may he rest in peace), or Patrick Mahomes, rather than soak them with the Word of God at an early age. “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)

Walk in love,

Ell