I’m Doing This, Because I Love You

Judges 6:1-16

Can you recall a time, when your parent or guardian advised you of the dangers of making a certain decision, yet you chose to ignore their warning, and made the decision out of ignorance anyway? After you made the mistake, and was left helpless, you cried out to your parent or guardian for help. One would think you would have learned your lesson after this instance, but you would later find yourself in the same cycle over and over. Surprisingly, your parent was always there to pull you out of trouble, and into a safe place. This was the relationship Israel had toward God, unfortunately.

In times of plenty, and being protected from their enemies, Israel would often find themselves doing evil in the sight of the Lord, thus forcing His hand to turn them over to those who would oppress them. While some may think it was harsh and cruel for God to deliver Israel to their enemies, His actions were justified because of their disobedience. If the people were to consistently obey God’s commands, He would bless them, but for their disobedience, they would suffer chastisement.

In our text, the children of Israel suffered greatly, as the Midianites, Amalekites, and the children of the east came against them and destroyed all their crops, so much until nothing was left for them to feed from. Israel was greatly impoverished, and finally realized that God was waiting on their cry for help. God loved His people unconditionally, but when they willingly strayed away from His leading, He had to allow pain and suffering to overtake them, in order to bring them back to right focus.

When we stray too far away from living for God, He won’t allow it to go unnoticed. He loves each and every one of us so much, that He’ll allow a season of pain and suffering, but only to help direct our attention back toward Him. Learn to appreciate hard seasons, because they may be scheduled to help keep your faith rooted in God.

They Just Don’t Understand

Luke 4:23-30

There are some people in life, who try hard to shine in the spotlight, and are willing to go over and beyond normal means, simply to gain the attention and approval of others. On the other hand, there are those who try hard to remain hidden from the realm of popularity, but their righteous acts keep them at the forefront. Jesus came to the earth to make no reputation for Himself, rather to do as His Father commanded Him to do. As His fame began to spread during the early moments of His ministry, He decided to return to the place where He had been brought up. Walking through the streets of Nazareth must have brought many old memories to Jesus, one of which led Him to visit the synagogue on the Sabbath day.

While in the midst of those gathered together, Jesus read a familiar passage from the book of Isaiah, that was a literal reference to His mission. Rather than appreciate the son of Joseph for all the great works they heard Him perform in Capernaum, the people became filled with wrath instead. They allowed their familiarity with who Jesus was in a natural sense to cloud their judgment of who He was in the spirit realm. The Son of God had just told the people His purpose for His time in the earth, yet they deliberately rejected Him, and literally tried to throw Him over a cliff! Say what?! Yes, they were ready to kill Jesus, knowing He was of their own people, and the son of Joseph and Mary. I’m convinced, Jesus could only shake His head, and repeat in His mind, “No prophet is accepted in His own country” (vs.24).

Are you guilty of rejecting people who have gifts and talents, but are too familiar? Learn to love and accept those who you may be accustomed to, and appreciate their gifts, rather than showing more respect to strangers who seem to be experts. Be not surprised when your Christian life and faith are not easily understood by those who know you well, but keep doing what you do, and God will see you through.

Fighting Temptation

Luke 4:1-13

The following is a brief excerpt from the Life Application Study Bible (King James Version)

Sometimes we feel that if the Holy Spirit leads us, it will always be “beside the still waters.” But that is not necessarily true. He led Jesus into the wilderness for a long and difficult time of testing, and he may also lead us into difficult situations. When facing trials, first make sure you haven’t brought them on yourself through sin or unwise choices. If you find no sin to confess or unwise behavior to change, then ask God to strengthen you for your test. Finally, be careful to follow faithfully where the Holy Spirit leads.

Temptation often comes after a high point in our spiritual lives or ministries. Remember that satan chooses the times for his attacks. We need to be on guard in times of victory just as much as in times of discouragement. Satan often tempts us when we are most vulnerable.

The devil, who tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden, also tempted Jesus in the wilderness. Satan is a real being, a created but rebellious fallen angel, not a symbol or an idea. He constantly fights against God and those who follow and obey God. Jesus was a prime target for his temptations. Satan succeeded with with Adam and Eve, and he hoped to succeed with Jesus too.

Knowing and obeying God’s Word is an effective weapon against temptation, the only offensive weapon provided in the Christian’s armor. Jesus used Scripture to counter satan’s attacks, and you can too. But to use it effectively you must have faith in God’s promises, because satan also knows Scripture and is adept at twisting it to suit his purpose. Obeying the Scriptures is more important than simply having a verse to quote, so read them daily and apply them to your life. Then your “sword” will always be sharp.

A Servant’s Plea

2 Kings 5:1-14

If you were suffering from a condition that alienated you from people, brought shame and misery to your name, and was guaranteed to make the rest of your days on the earth a living nightmare, would you pass up the opportunity to be totally healed, if told to do something that seemed uncomfortable and unconventional? Would you allow pride and arrogance to cause you to miss out on a once in a lifetime experience, and be left to suffer in your condition forever? I can’t speak for all men, but I wouldn’t hesitate to take that offer.

Our text introduces us to a man who was captain of the Syrian army, and was deemed great and honourable. He was also a mighty man in valor, and while these accolades portray him as someone of great prestige, there was something in his life that cast a dark shadow along his path. The head of the Syrian army suffered from leprosy. According to answersingenesis.org, leprosy was considered a curse of God for many centuries, and it was often associated with sin. It did not kill, but neither did it seem to end. Instead, it lingered for years, causing the tissues to degenerate, deforming the body.

Many have thought leprosy to be a disease of the skin, but it is better classified as a disease of the nervous system, because the leprosy bacterium attacks the nerves. Its symptoms start in the skin and peripheral nervous system (outside the brain and spinal cord), then spread to other parts, such as the hands, feet, face, and earlobes. People with leprosy experience disfigurement of the skin and bones, twisting of the limbs, and curling of the fingers to form the characteristic claw hand. Facial changes include thickening of the outer ear and collapsing of the nose. The Bible isn’t clear concerning the stage of the captain’s leprosy, but I’m certain he was ready and willing to do whatever it required, to be healed from it. Or was he?

After hearing from a young maid about a prophet in Israel who could heal the captain of his condition, the king of Syria sent a letter to the king of Israel, requesting the aid of the prophet. Elisha heard the news of what was going on, then asked that the men come to him at his house. When the captain and those with him arrived at the door of Elisha’s house, the prophet sent a messenger to them saying, “Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean” (vs.10). During these times, the Jordan river wasn’t known to be the cleanest, so upon hearing the instructions of the messenger, the captain became very angry, and thought he would receive healing by the hand and words of the prophet himself. He even made mention that there were other rivers more clean than the Jordan, so why not send him to those. Had it not been for his servants, who convinced the captain that the words spoken of the prophet should be obeyed, despite full understanding of the instructions, he probably would have kept his leprosy for the rest of his days.

The captain obeyed the words of the prophet Elisha, and his flesh came again like the flesh of a child, and he was clean. You may not suffer from leprosy, or a life altering disease, but God can do more than simply physically healing; He can restore the joy of His salvation in your heart, renew your mind and spirit, strengthen your weary faith and even bring your broken focus, back to Him.

“Trust God in all things, no matter how big or small, because there’s nothing to hard for Him to heal at all.” – Ell

Year Of Jubile?!

Leviticus 25:8-17

The year 2020 was a year when countless men and women “prophets”, spoke openly about various things they predicted would take place during the year. While some ignorantly prophesied the generic miracles speech (many are still waiting to receive them), others made random claims that have yet to manifest. While God used men profoundly in Scripture, to share His words of warning and foretelling, men today embarrass God, by making claims the Lord never inspired them to speak.

All those money-hungry men who so easily hyped people into believing their falsehoods, couldn’t even predict that COVID-19 would devastate the entire world. Rather than make false claims, using God’s name to predict things to come in 2021, I strongly advise all “profits” to preach God’s Word, as it is plainly written in the Bible. Everyone knows this world is fading away, so it’s easy to make generic prophesies concerning hard times or tragic events, but it’s more beneficial for the church, if those who claim to be prophets, speak from what’s already written in Scripture.

People today already have so much to deal with, including job instability and corrupt government, so the last thing they need is the church working against them with lies and manipulation also. I’m no prophet, nor do I make claims to “hear from the Lord”, but I can confidently predict, in the year 2021, if you obey God and keep His commandments, He will bless you in ways no man can. While some look for answers to prayer in the form of dollars, God can also manifest things like favor with man, physical or mental healing, and deliverance from hard situations.

It’s 100 percent obvious, the coming year will present inevitable challenges, but by the grace of God, the body of Saints can trust more in His written Word, than the false prophesies of lustful men.

Remember Me?

Deuteronomy 8:1-11

What is prayer? Prayer is rendering to God sincere words of worship, praise, thanks, or petition. Why do men pray? Men pray for various reasons, but most importantly, to God in their hearts and minds. How can a person forget God, who is the great “I AM”, and creator of all things? To forget is to fail to remember, inadvertently neglect to do, bring, or mention something, and to put out of one’s mind, or cease to think of or consider. In this lesson, I’d like to focus on the latter description of the aforementioned term.

When God blesses His people, it’s only fitting that they return praise and thanks to Him for all He does, but history has its share of instances, when men allowed their success to supercede the source of their blessings. God loves to bless, and He is ready and willing to bestow good things to those who obey His commands. Unfortunately, men are susceptible to allowing all their good, to cloud their focus on the purpose for being blessed, which causes them to develop a bad habit of putting God out of their minds. For example, after God miraculously brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea, and on dry land, they were soon after found murmuring and complaining. Even after wandering through the wilderness 40 years, while God kept them fed, protected, and their clothes never got worn, the people were still found being ungrateful.

Men ought to always pray, not only because of how great God is, but so that we can keep Him first in our hearts. Be mindful to always keep consistent communication with the Father. Thank Him for waking you up, bless His name for giving you salvation, praise Him for the strength He gives to move as you do, and honor Him for every breath you breath, and wholesome thought you think. When you find yourself getting close to brink of complaining, consider all the things God has done, is doing, and will do for you, then let praise and thanks flow from your lips in humble submission to His unmatched love.

Fulfill All Righteousness

Matthew 3:13-17

Jesus, the Son of God; mighty in power, knowledge, wisdom, and understanding, thought it not robbery to be equal with God. Jesus, the Savior of the world, made no reputation of Himself while in the earth, yet fulfilled His assignment flawlessly. Jesus, the matchless king, and only begotten of the Father, submitted Himself to the authority of the land. Jesus, the first Comforter, walked in unparalleled humility, while not losing His status as God’s gift to mankind.

John the Baptist saw first-hand, the ultimate act of humility, when he was approached by Jesus, to be baptized. John was effective in fulfilling his act of righteousness, commanded by God, to prepare man to receive Jesus. So, when asked by the Son of God to baptize Him, John immediately forbade Him saying, “I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?” In other words, John felt unworthy to baptize the One who has the power to save his very soul. When God gives you an assignment, you’re expected to carry it out. John’s assignment was to baptize, and prophesy of the coming Savior. Fortunately, Jesus was wise in sharing with John, they both were sent of God, and had to fulfill what they were sent to do. This freed John to then carry out the baptism of the Savior.

Has God called you to do something special, but you’re hesitant to fulfill it, because you are intimidated by the titles and prestige of those you are to serve? If God called you to do something, He’ll give you the strength to carry it out. John wasn’t wrong for feeling the way he did toward Jesus, but God called him to do a job, and that job had to be fulfilled. Take pride in doing what God created you for, knowing that in your obedience, you’ll be fulfilling your part in God’s plan of righteousness.

“Set your mind on doing your best, and allow God to do the rest.” – Ell

Christmas Every Day

Matthew 17:9-13; Malachi 4:4-5

As we near the end of the Christmas holiday celebration, it’s important that we continue to teach the true meaning of the season; not only gift giving, but the greatest gift that was given to all mankind. Children in every corner of the world, are having their fill of joy and laughter from the presents they received, but imagine the effect, if that joy was directed toward God’s best gift to the world. Jesus is the reason for every season, not only during Christmas, and His message is relevant every day of the year. Man was born in sin, and in need of a savior. Jesus came to the earth, died for man’s sins, arose from the grave with all power, and sits at the right hand of the Father, awaiting His cue to return to the earth, to gather the Saints.

While everyone starts to remove all their beautiful lights, garland, snowmen, and other decorations from around their homes, apartments, and stores, the church should continue to let their lights shine bright, so that men can see God working through their lives continually. December 25th is only a day, but Christmas should be every day, for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Can You Hear Me Now?

Matthew 17:1-8

Hearing the voice of God has been misunderstood for ages, and many have taken advantage of others, by claiming to hear from God, while taking money in exchange for a “word from the Lord”. Throughout the Old Testament, God spoke to men in various ways; from a burning fiery bush, to even using a donkey to get a man’s attention. In the New Testament, God spoke though His Son, Jesus, and gave Him all the instructions required, to guide men back into the fold. Today, the Holy Ghost is in the hearts of those who have received God’s gift of salvation, to offer strength, comfort, and bring back to remembrance, the teachings of Christ.

God would never leave His people to traverse these perverse lands alone, so He made sure to give us His Spirit to keep us on the right track. Men who claim to hear from God on the behalf of others, typically have motives to manipulate them for selfish reasons. God doesn’t speak to men as He did in the past, so for those who yearn to know God’s plans for them, read His Word. Also, for those who want to hear the voice of God audibly, read the Word out loud lol (credit to Justin Peters).

The Bible entails all the instructions and tools the church needs to keep themselves occupied, until Christ returns, so I admonish all to be mindful of those who claim God gave them a Word for you, because everything God wanted you to know, is written in His Word. While God can bring people to your heart and mind, He will hardly ever tell someone what you need, without first revealing it to you.

Be strong, be vigilant, because the enemy is still trying to take us out before this year ends. We’ve had ups, and downs, but by the grace and mercy of God, we are still here. Continue to guard yourselves against the evil one, and keep your faith in the Lord. Study and meditate on the Word of God daily, so that you can prove to Him, your love and dedication to His will is solid.

Respect My Rep!

John 1:19-34

The most telling sign of a true born-again believer is, humility. Many who claim to be witnesses for Christ, are professing and showing outward signs of what Christianity is supposed to be, but for all the wrong reasons. Men and women alike, pride themselves on wearing a title in the religious community, but desire only to promote their own names, rather than the name of the Lord. Televangelists flood “Christian” networks, preaching and teaching diluted doctrines, and selling all types of vain things. Unfortunately, those who aren’t mature in faith, can easily be seduced by men who have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof. Rarely will you find a man behind the camera, who purposely humbles himself, and truly glorifies the name of the Lord, over his own.

Humility is the mark of a Saint, and this character trait was evident in our text, as John the Baptist proved how a child of God should represent themselves in the midst of those who come with bad intentions (as well as among men in general). In the past, the Pharisees were known for their wicked and conniving schemes, but they were in for a rude awakening when they encountered John the Baptist. During the time when John’s reputation for baptizing in water, while also foretelling of the coming Savior began to be spread abroad, the Jews sent a group of Pharisees to investigate the identity of who this man really was. The stone-hearted men questioned whether John was “the Christ”, the prophet Elijah, or another prophet. John’s response was an example of how all children of God should respond, when being baited for information, but with the wrong intentions. John confessed that he was not Christ, the prophet Elijah, nor any other prophet, rather he mentioned, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said by the prophet Esaias” (vs. 23). The men continued to press John for straight answers, and he remained true to his confession. Yes, he baptized in water, but he made known, Jesus (who was among them, yet they didn’t know who he was) would baptize with the Holy Ghost.

When people come against you to set you up to fail, respond to them in humility, and with the Word of God. In the same way Jesus dealt with satan by using the Scriptures, after He had fasted 40 days, we must use God’s Word as a defense against all who come to us with bad intentions. The Word of God is a keeper, protector, shield, and sword, so use His Word daily, and not only when you’re in trouble, or to make yourself seem righteous to men. Grow your faith stronger in Him through the Word, and make His reputation known to the world.

“Image is nothing, God is everything. Respect His Rep!” – Ell