Quack! Quack!

Philippians 2:1-11

If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, more than likely, it’s probably a chicken. Don’t you agree? I’m only kidding… of course it’s a duck. It’s fairly easy for the average hunter to determine an animal by its tracks, sounds, and other things typical of its behavior. The actions and behaviors of an animal usually stem from their genetic makeup, and associated traits embedded into them, upon creation. Dogs bark, and chase their tails. Cats meow, and leave fur balls in random locations. Birds tweet, cows moo, alligators chomp, and monkeys swing from tree to tree. All these behaviors are expected from each associated animal, and rarely will you find either, behaving like something other than its own kind. Are you beginning to see where this lesson is going? If, not then I’ll get straight to the point.

All who are sons and daughters of God, are expected to behave in the earth, as Jesus did. This is because, the children of God are to operate with the same mind that was in Christ Jesus. Jesus was the most selfless man to walk the face of the earth. He would daily empty Himself of His own desires, so that He could be filled with all that His Father planned for Him to do. Jesus is the Son of God, and His actions and behavior proved this fact on a consistent basis. God is love, and Jesus showed love to the weak, weary, and even His enemies. God is faithful, and we can find countless scriptures where Jesus always kept His word. God is holy, and Jesus built a strong reputation of shunning the world, while representing all things holy.

During His brief visit to the earth, Jesus came as God in the form of a man, but never deviated from His divine nature, or behavior. Do you call yourself Christian, child of God, believer, or disciple? If so, does your life and daily behavior typify what you claim to be?

“He died for me… I’ll live for Him.” – Ell

Who Is My Neighbor?

Luke 10:25-37

God is love, and His love extends far beyond human comprehension, but the understanding we gain from how the Scriptures define what love is, is vital for all Saints to grasp and apply in their daily living. There are innumerable aspects to God’s love, some of which include compassion, mercy, grace, kindness, humility and many more, and all of them can be exercised by those who truly walk according to holiness. All who are in Christ Jesus, should be readily available to express the love of God in all situations, especially in times when others have great needs. We should not show favor to some, while disregarding others, because we were called to win the lost, and edify our brothers. In other words, we can’t refuse help to those who aren’t joined to the church, and we must not turn our faces from our brothers or sisters, who reach out for a helping hand. God truly loves everyone, and expects His people to distribute His love to all who have need of it.

Most of us know the story of the “Good Samaritan”, so I won’t delve too deep into it, but this story helps us understand, despite the title we wear, or position we hold, we should never allow those to keep us from helping someone in need. If Jesus could leave Heaven, and come to earth to save us, then we should never miss an opportunity to lend a hand to anyone, whether they be saved, or lost. In the Bible, the Samaritans were considered half-breeds, and were shunned by many, but when the certain Samaritan in our text saw a man battered, bruised, and near death, he had compassion on him, took care of his wounds, and carried him to safety. The priest and levite should have been ashamed of not representing God’s love in the time of need, and we should also be mindful not to allow our status, title, or the opinions of others, to keep us from showing love to all men, no matter their ethnicity, background, or the color of their skin.

“He died for me… I’ll live for Him.” – Ell

Gratitude

Luke 17:11-19

What are you thankful for? Think for a moment, of all the experiences you’ve had thus far in life; all the good, bad, and even ugly ones. After all the struggles, hard times, and suffering, how did you respond, when God finally healed you from a sickness or disease, made your crooked places straight, or kept you safe in troublesome times? What joy it brings to one’s soul, when God steps into an unfavorable situation, and makes things work for your good! Even though many of us presently suffer, and go through trials, knowing that God can, and will deliver us, should be enough to keep us moving forward. Never take for granted, the blessings of the Lord, because doing so proves what’s really in one’s heart.

God loves our praise, not only after He blesses us, but when we do it willingly, and consistently. Our text gives an example of one who was conscious enough to acknowledge the One responsible for delivering him from an extremely unfavorable situation. According to Christianity.com, Leprosy was the scourge of the ancient world. Nothing evoked more fear, more dread, or more revulsion than the sight of these walking dead. That is what a leper was called, a walking dead man. The smell of his decaying flesh would announce his coming long before the tattered scraps of his clothing would be seen, or his raspy “Unclean! Unclean!” announcement he was required to declare, could be heard. The stumbling shuffle of toeless feet, the wandering of sightless eyes and the moan of a cheek less mouth, all pointed to Leprosy, this unseen attacker that slowly destroyed human bodies, and made the individual an untouchable to society.

Can you imagine being in a position where everyone who looks at you, considers you “dead” to society? I haven’t had an experience like the ten lepers in our text, but I’m certain when Jesus came to town, they were all prepared to throw out a lifeline for an immediate miracle.

After the ten lepers heard Jesus was in town they met Him at a distance, then lifted up their voices together and cried out for mercy. What a scene that must have been! Ten men, shunned from society, yet banned together by their shared struggle, were able to come to Jesus in unity, to seek deliverance. It’s amazing how healthy church folk can’t even get along to unite in prayer, let alone seek God for a miracle. But, these men were tired of their situation, and desired to be healed of their horrible disease.

Jesus, spoke a word, the men obeyed, and were instantly healed. Wow! Of all the ten lepers who were healed, only one returned to give Jesus an “I Can’t Believe What Just Happened Praise”! Why didn’t all the men return to thank Jesus for doing something in their lives that no one else could have done? That one, humble Samaritan, one who was considered a half-breed, and shunned by other nations, was grateful for his life-changing experience, and would not take another step forward, until he gave thanks to Jesus. How will you respond when God finally delivers you?

“He died for me… I’ll live for Him.” – Ell

“No Fear In Love”

(1 John 4:16-21

Do you fear the “Day of Judgment”? Are unsure, whether or not you are living a life that pleases the almighty God? Are you keeping the commandments written in Scripture to love God, love your brother, and your enemies? Do you find it hard to give to others, during their times of need? When people hurt and offend you, can you easily forgive them, and continue loving them according to God’s standard? When was the last time you visited the sick, widows, or the fatherless? Have you considered praying for those in prisons, hospitals, or even governments? Does most of the time spent during your day, revolve only around your needs, wants, and desires? Is prayer and fasting (according to Bible), a balanced part of your spiritual life?

One day real soon, this world will pass, and only what you’ve done for God, will last. So, consider your ways, dwell in love, and allow God to dwell in you. This way, you can be prepared to have boldness in the “Day of Judgment”, while overcoming the world until that day arrives.

“It’s okay to ask God for what you want, but don’t be surprised when He gives you what you need.” – Ell

A Different Kind Of Love

Luke 6:27-36

What does love look like in 2020? In the days of the Old Testament, men and women would receive blessings from God for their obedience. The people of God in ancient times were purposed to stand in contrast to the fashions of the world. God often reveal His love in many ways, but mostly through giving His people victory in battle, providing for all their natural needs, and keeping them safe in their own lands.

God’s children were oftentimes separated from the world, and were consistent in keeping with godly gatherings and traditions. Fast forward to present day, and we see an entirely different world. Gone are the days of God’s people fighting against invading nations and giants, and being in the presence of God, who would reveal Himself in different forms. Today seems more challenging for the church to function as a collective group, as in times past, because we are now living in the midst of sinners on a regular basis. The children of God are exposed to sinful people on their jobs, in department stores, and nearly every place they dwell in the earth. It’s nearly impossible to avoid a sinful encounter, but despite the change in times, the church has even more opportunity to spread God’s love, even to those not engrafted into His family.

Back in the day, God would use one man or woman to speak on His behalf, but today, all members of the body of Christ are ambassadors of God. While we strive to build up and edify one another in the body, we must equally distribute that same love to our enemies. Rather than slaughter all those who opposed the God of Creation, as they did in the past, our duty today is to win our enemies to the Lord’s side. I don’t fully understand the purpose and reason behind the events of the past, but I do know, we have an assignment today, to show love, and not hate, to all men, especially those who despise and despitefully use us. Love is seen, when we can hug someone who purposely tried to harm us. Love is witnessed, when someone attempts to take something from us wrongfully, and we offer to give them more. The world will never understand the nature of God’s love, because it totally contradicts man’s logic, but it’s only through the love of God, can man truly find purpose in this life, and the next.

“It’s okay to ask God for what you want, but don’t be surprised when He gives you what you need.” – Ell

From Dust To Life

Psalm 103:1-14

Isn’t it fascinating how man chooses to remember those things God forgets, while also forgetting those things God remembers? Sound confusing? Well, it’s truth nonetheless. Man was formed by the Lord God from the dust of the ground, and became a living soul, by the breath God breathed into his nostrils. Of all the precious jewels, stones, and other elements of the earth, why did God choose dust as man’s main ingredient? Could it be, there would come a time in history, when man would become tainted by sin, and need to be reminded how frail and fragile he really is? Or, did God choose the thing that seemed worthless, so that man could avoid the thought of becoming arrogant and haughty? Could you imagine, if man was formed from gold, silver, and other priceless elements? That would be totally awesome, yet would also come with a price.

There are many times in life, when men do forget they are only dirt, yet live as if they are worth everything, rather than forgetting those sins that so easily set them up for failure. When we seek God’s forgiveness from sin and iniquity, and are faithful in our approach to the Throne of Grace, the Father removes our transgressions from us, so far as the east is from the west. While we wallow and squirm in our errors and mistakes, God sits patient, waiting for us to step back on the righteous path, and start moving again.

God knows we are dust, and susceptible to making mistakes, so He set aside unlimited grace and everlasting mercy, so that we could always have a chance to redeem ourselves, if ever we come back to our senses.

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

No Weapon…

1 Samuel 18:12-18

When God is with you, expect the world to hate you. Harboring hate is such a miserable way to live, especially when that hate is aimed toward those doing the Lord’s business. Jesus was sure to remind us, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you”, so think it not strange, when those who aren’t engrafted into the body of Christ, tend to treat you unfairly.

God knows that His people are prime targets for the enemy to attack, because they are fulfilling something he can never attain. Satan’s pride and arrogance caused him to lose all heavenly privileges, and he now roams the earth, seeking whom he can influence with his wicked devices. Unfortunately, men give in quite easily to satan’s schemes, especially when they aren’t rooted in the Word of God. The prideful and arrogant traits of satan are passed on to those who entertain his evil ways, and such persons become willful puppets, who act according to the plan of the enemy. One man, who’s ungodly attitude and behavior caused the Lord to literally leave him was, king Saul. Saul was once revered by Israel, but when David came on the scene (and defeated Goliath), the people began to gravitate more towards the giant slayer. Like most men in power, Saul became very jealous of the glory and praise David was receiving from the people, and his once subtle appreciation of David, quickly turned into hatred in mere moments.

The instant we allow jealousy and hatred toward another to invade our hearts, we literally give satan permission to do as he wills with our lives. Hatred, jealousy, envy, strife, and other types of emotions as these, are extremely dangerous, because once they are set in motion, they can quickly become uncontrollable.

Guard your heart at all times against harboring hate toward anyone. As a believer, it’s your duty to “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). David could have easily taken the life of king Saul, for trying to take his own life 21 times, but his love for God kept him humble, and on the righteous path, despite the plan of the enemy set against him.

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

No Contest

1 Samuel 17:41-51

Throughout the Bible, there are instances when God would use divine intervention, to reveal Himself to the world. The purpose of the Lord doing this was to convince men that His power was indeed real, and false idol worship was senseless, useless, and extremely dangerous. When Israel failed to convince heathen nations of the power the true and living God holds, God would oftentimes manifest His amazing power and glory in ways that could never be imitated.

Our text mentions the fight between David and Goliath. Ironically, this fight was over, before it had even begun. The men of Israel’s army were afraid of the towering 13 ft beast of a man who opposed them, breathing threatening and blasphemous words toward their God. Goliath assumed the God of Israel was weak and frail, probably like the ones he and his men served, but David’s God was well-equipped to work through the young, faithful lad, and bring him the victory.

Although David had impressive combat experience, killing a bear and lion, while protecting his father’s flock, this fight with the “giant” required a different set of weapons… spiritual ones. “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). The arrogant and haughty Goliath, thought too highly of himself, not just because he was physically great in stature, but because he lacked the common knowledge of the God who backed the children of Israel. Had the giant known who David’s God really was, he probably would have kept his head attached to his neck. This is a prime example of how arrogance and pride can literally cause you to lose your head.

I doubt we will have a David experience in our lives, because there aren’t 13 foot giants walking around threatening the children of God, but there are evil spirits that existed even during the days of king David, that lurk in our time, seeking whom they can influence to do their bidding. For every obstacle that comes to threaten your love for God, slay them with God’s Word. It matters not who, or what comes against us, we have the same power that worked through David, also working in us, through the Spirit of God, who enables us to overcome all evil. The enemy stands no chance against the children of God, because the battle isn’t ours, it’s the Lord’s.

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

Hard Work Pays Off

Genesis 44:14-17

The average person who works to maintain a steady income, seeks to fulfill all their assigned duties, so that there will be no problems or issues when pay day comes. Many of us dress ourselves in such a fashion, that we exemplify what our position represents. We arrive to work clean, well kempt, and giving off sweet smelling fragrances. Most people care about how they look at work, and also how they perform. They take pride in the work they do, and seek to go above and beyond what’s expected of them. When problems arise, we work diligently to correct all issues that may have gone wrong, and our end goal is to prove to our superiors, that we are well able to perform all duties assigned to us, as well as show them that our hard work deserves just recompense.

Imagine for a moment, if we took the same approach as we do working for worldly men, and applied the same work ethics to living for God. Do you monitor how you dress yourself on a daily basis (as being a representation of holiness)? Do you love God and keep His commandments diligently, and wholeheartedly? How do you expect God to reward you on judgment day, based on the fruit you produced during your lifetime? Reconsider all the effort you put forth to please men, and redirect some of that time and effort into fulfilling God’s will for your life. While it’s commanded in Scripture for man to work, it’s also commanded that we bring forth fruit meet for repentance. Strive to maintain a healthy balance of physical and spiritual labor, knowing that in the end, God will reward us not for clocking in and out at work, but for what we accomplish for His kingdom.

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

Ell

Hearts Of Repentance

Genesis 42:29-34

To what lengths would you go, to save the life of someone you love? The story of the life of Joseph is filled with many valuable lessons, that can all benefit anyone who desires to be more like God. In our text, Joseph was very careful not to reveal his identity to his brothers suddenly, as he perhaps desired to uncover the truths of his younger brother Benjamin, and his father Jacob. Joseph knew how vile and malicious the hearts of his older brothers were, so he was wise in his initial approach toward them.

The text reads that Joseph spake roughly with them, no doubt to bring back to their remembrance, how they willingly planned to end his young life. Through God’s wisdom, Joseph’s strategy worked. After a moment of harsh, yet necessary dealings with his brethren, Joseph caused the once unruly men to finally face the truth of their actions toward him as a child. It’s hard to get over being hurt, especially when it comes by the hands of family, but time always has a way of reminding your persecutors that their ungodly acts toward you, will always work against them, until they repent.

Joseph was able to endure extreme hardships, receive the highest honor as ruler of Egypt, and be reunited with his father and younger brother once again. Joseph’s brothers thought selling him into slavery would be his end, but God sent the young lad on a journey, to eventually preserve their very own lives. Your life may not seem to be all that and a bag of chips at the moment, but keep on pressing on, and watch how God orchestrates the events of your life, to serve His life-changing purpose.

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

Ell