Tag: Fall

Stumbling And Falling

Romans 11:11

There are some who stumble, and there are some who fall. The former can be good, but the latter, not at all.

God chastises His children, to shift their minds to Him, but when a child falls, the decision was all on them.

In those times we stumble, it’s easy to stand aright, but falling from the hand of God, can make you lose your sight.

Be careful not to stumble, be certain not to fall, but if you lose your focus, the stumble trumps the fall.

Lock The Door!

Psalm 41:8-10; John 13:21-30

One of man’s most essential inventions were, doors. That’s right, doors!!! The use of doors dates all the way back to 1st century AD, when the Romans made folding and sliding doors in Pompeii. Long before that, in 3000 BC, wooden doors were known to be used in Europe. No one truly knows who invented the first door, except that it was first incepted somewhere in central Egypt. In any case, doors have proven essential in keeping things out of places, keeping other things in, and offering safety and security in most cases.

Modern doors can offer extreme protection, and can be even more secure with the proper knobs, handles, and locks. I remember as a child, during hurricane season, we would hear stories of how people had no problem leaving their doors unlocked, because those days weren’t as corrupt as they are now. Unfortunately, that ain’t happening in the average home today. Not only do families purchase top grade locks to put on their doors, but the “Ring” has become a popular addition in offering safety and security in most homes.

We are living in a time when it’s unsafe to leave your home unprotected, because robbers and thieves are prevalent in most societies. While there are laws and authorities in place to help guard against unruly individuals, this fact never really stops anyone from attempting to burglarize your home, if their mind is set on it.

In the same way we protect our homes by keeping all entryways locked and secured, so that thieves and robbers can’t break in, it’s IMPERATIVE for the body of Christ to keep their hearts, minds, and souls open to God, but closed to all things evil. In other words, when we leave any hint or thought of sin or wickedness in our heart or mind, these tiny entryways are more than enough room for evil spirits to enter in, and cause us to fall. This is why king Solomon taught us to keep our hearts with all diligence, and his father, king David, prayed for God to create a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within him. The devil and his minions wait patiently for opportunities to cause God’s people to sin, but if we guard ourselves daily from evil, he can only roar like a lion, but can’t touch the children of God.

Our text gives a very sad example of this valuable lesson. Of Jesus’ twelve disciples, one had allowed himself to be overtaken by evil. The whole time he was in the presence of Jesus, Judas had ample opportunity to turn from his secret evil ways. Unfortunately, he was too far gone, and had been comfortable allowing evil spirits to influence him. The Bible mentions it as such, “And after the sop satan entered into him” (vs. 27a). The devil literally invaded the mind of Judas, to the point at which all his actions were under evil control. The enemy has a knack of influencing a man just enough, until he brings much shame to himself, and those he loves. Then, the evil influences will leave (for a season). How sad… Judas walked with Jesus, talked with Jesus, operated in the power Jesus gave him, yet even Jesus couldn’t convince him to change. Let that marinate for a moment…………… I’m speechless.

Never allow yourself to become frustrated or angry when people choose to ignore your warnings for them to change, because some are too far gone, and there’s nothing we can do to help them. These are the Scriptures that bring tears to my eyes. God offers salvation to all men, and requires nothing in return except total soul surrender, and an obedient lifestyle. Sadly, like Judas, many will refuse to accept God’s invitation, and find themselves in eternal damnation. Guard the doors of your heart, and seal all cracks in your mind, so that no evil may befall you, and cause you to sin.

“The enemy uses our dirt to shame and manipulate us. God uses it to harden our foundation and strengthen our faith in Him.” – Ell

Repent, And Keep Moving

Psalm 51:1-12

When a Saint falls, their number one priority should be to first seek repentance from God, then allow Him to cleanse them from their error. Oftentimes, when we stumble, we tend to care more about the opinions of others, rather than coming before the Lord to seek forgiveness. While those who are the body of Christ should strive to represent holiness at all times to the world, when they veer off track, their first conversation should be with God alone. Man has no power to forgive sin, but God has all power, and He alone can purge, wash, and restore us back to our rightful place in Him. Throughout our lifetime, we will fall short of God’s glory, but because of Jesus, we can approach the Throne of Grace, and have our iniquities washed away.

King David, a man after God’s own heart, was responsible for committing two ungodly acts, that caused much misery and pain in his future. But, rather than blame others, or try to sweep those situations under the rug, the king repented, and sought reconciliation with the One Whom he had transgressed against.

God loves His people, but He hates when we sin. Everytime we submit to sin, we acknowledge that what we allowed to gain our attention, was more important than what God warned us against. For this reason, we should always get convicted when we mess up, because this proves that we are aware of our actions, and aren’t fixed on making sin habitual.

After king David messed up, then repented, he committed the rest of His life to service to God. Never allow your sin and mistakes to cause you to lose faith in God. We are born in sin, and shaped in iniquity, so it’s only natural for our flesh to desire things of the world. But, when we put off the old man, and gird ourselves with the new and improved, God fills us with His Spirit, that helps make avoiding sin a lot more easier, than trying to resist the devil on our own.

We live this life for purpose and reason, but not too long, for only a season.

Ell

Mindless Paparazzi

Mark 7:1-8

When people deliberately go out of their way to get on your nerves, how do you respond to them? When some of those same people join themselves with others who have nothing better to do than disturb your day, and make attempts to find fault in your life, when their own lives are torn up from the floor up, what method works best to get them to think twice about approaching you ever again? What do you do, when the people who seek to bring you down, confess to be followers of Christ? Believe it or not, Jesus dealt with these same issues more often than He would have liked to, but the way He handled His haters were always priceless moments.

I love Jesus so much! He always knew the perfect words to say to those who often made attempts to set Him up for failure. The scribes and Pharisees would usually follow Jesus and His disciples, in the same way the paparazzi hover around celebrities today. Rather than commit their hearts solely to obeying the commandments of God, they took more delight in holding the traditions of men. Thus, their worship to God was in vain, because their hearts were set on keeping to traditions, instead of sincere worship and obedience to God’s commands.

In our text, the Pharisees were so concerned about the disciples washing their hands before eating, that they failed to see how dirty their own hearts were toward the ways of godliness. Jesus confronted the pesky men with Scriptures, to counter their failed attempt to ensnare Him in their futile trap.

The Word of God is the best defense, against any trick or trap the enemy sets against us. The next time someone boldly accuses you of not following a tradition that means nothing to God, slap them with a few verses of Scripture, showing them that their souls are more important than dove-washed hands, and febreeze fragranced clothing.

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

Ell

Why Good Men Fall

Proverbs 2:12-19

How do good people turn bad, and how can men who once pledged their allegiance to God, commit themselves to the way of evil men. Throughout history, many had started out as sensible, wholesome, and genuine individuals. These persons were reliable, and would offer assistance to those who were in need, without hesitation. But over time, such persons begin to show signs of notable change; revealing behaviors contrary to their once praised virtues.

At the root of all things evil, is sin, and the author and orchestrator of wickedness, is the fallen cherub, satan. The believer’s adversary, the devil, is extremely crafty, and more cunning than the average human. He seeks nothing more than to kill, steal, and destroy all that the body of Christ stands for. Not only is satan the master of deception, but he’s fully equipped to infiltrate, and subdue the hearts and minds of those who lack God’s spiritual armor. The devil is indeed a formidable foe, but a man who’s rooted in God’s Word, and properly girded in the right armor, will be able to withstand the wiles of the enemy.

In addition to being clothed for spiritual warfare, warring against satan and his minions requires one to be full of God’s wisdom, and mature in the knowledge and understanding of the words in Scripture. It’s easy for any man to put on the equipment of an NFL football team, but wearing the uniform while not knowing the coach’s plans and schemes, would cause them to easily be defeated by their opponents.

Good men fall, because they fail to invest enough time in meditating, and walking according to the Word of God. The more time we spend entertaining carnal things, the more we neglect to solidify our godly foundation. No man ever “arrives” in godliness, so it’s imperative for believers to grow in the knowledge of God daily. Times will come when a child of God will fall or error, but if handled properly, that person can be restored and become stronger, while avoiding being ensnared by the enemy’s traps.

Our gracious Father in Heaven, freely gives wisdom to all who ask for it, but without His wisdom, you’ll become easy pickin’s for the enemy to distract, and deceive.

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

Ell

Prophetic examples of faithfulness

Luke 4:24-30

Throughout the Bible, prophets of God were known to expose wickedness in the hearts of men, warn others of coming judgment for failure to repent, and predict inevitable events that would eventually take place. Rarely were prophets accepted by the public, because they often challenged men to change their hearts from haughty, to humble. One of the scariest things to do is, ignore a prophet’s warning, because God usually sends them moments before bringing judgment. Of all the prophets who ever lived, Jesus was no doubt the greatest of them all (for obvious reasons). Where the prophets of old, such as Elijah and Elisha, exhibited faithfulness to God in great ways, Jesus took faithfulness to another level.

The irony in prophecy is, those you seek to save, often reject your words of positive influence, and make attempts to get you as far away from them as possible. This took place vividly in our lesson’s text, as Jesus returned to His hometown of Nazareth, to teach, and to prophesy. When Jesus taught from the Scriptures, His gracious words filled the people’s minds with amazement, but that glory was short lived, as the hearts of the congregation changed when Jesus began to reference the days of Elijah and Elisha, when God blessed one heathen for sustaining Elijah during the famine, and healing the other by the words of Elisha. Apparently, the people of Nazareth despised the heathens, and refused to appreciate the words Jesus spoke, so they gathered together, and drove Him out of His own town. The evil in their hearts was exposed the more, when they went so far as to make an attempt to push Jesus over a cliff! Are you kidding me? They tried to push JESUS over a cliff? Lol, wow! What disrespect this was to Mary and Joseph as well; their own neighbors, trying to kill their son for telling simple truths?

The heart of a man is always revealed when the light exposes their hidden motives. Don’t get angry when God sends someone to help bring you back into right standing with Him. Warning always comes before a fall, so take heed when you’re given warning to tighten up, and get back on track. Also, learn to appreciate those who are faithful to God, and their calling, and aren’t ashamed to perform the works He called them to do, because many who started out well, have given up, or given in to life’s pressure.

Walk in love,

Ell

Seek peace and pursue it

Psalm 34:1-14

When God abides in you, and you in Him, the decisions you make in life will not only be good ones, but the right ones. We learn in the book of Proverbs to acknowledge God in all our ways, in turn, He’ll direct us in the ways we should go, but the believer still functions in a flesh body, thus are still able to be influenced by sin. It’s only when we trust in ourselves, and lean on the understanding of others, do we sin and fall short of God’s wondrous glory.

King David understood that the more he trusted and depended on God, no matter what he faced in life, God would always come through for him. After every victory, accomplishment, or success, David never allowed a moment to pass without giving praise to God for His love, mercy, and protection. But the great king David had his share of moments when he took his eyes off God, and made moves from fleshly motives. He indeed suffered the consequences of his actions, but didn’t allow his mistakes to cause him to turn away from the source of his life, health, strength, and purpose. Unlike king David who made a few bad choices, but learned from them, many today get caught in cycles of bad decisions, that make it hard for them to break out of. The key to being freed from the cycle of sin and bad choices is to seek the peace that God offers, and diligently search for it. Most of our bad decisions are made when we’re stressed, frustrated, depressed, angry, tired, sad, or any other unfavorable feeling, but when God’s peace resides in our hearts, we’ll then be able to make wise choices with humility and patience.

In the same way that we search intensely for jobs, or pursuing a guy or gal, we should strive with more determination to understand the ways of the Lord. Only through God, can we land that career job that could have been impossible to get otherwise, or meet Mr. or Ms. Right, without having to spend hours on dating sites or apps. God knows all, and understands all, so why not trust Him to help you maneuver through life, rather than damaging your health by stressing over things you can’t change or understand on your own. Seek God, and pursue Him, because living on your own wisdom will lead you in places where you’ll wind up praying for Him to deliver you from anyway.

Walk in love,

Ell