Be… So That God Can Do…

Various Scriptures

Oftentimes, we pray to God, seek His face, and hope for change in our lives, but we hardly see immediate results. Most of the time, all we have to do is, be who God called us to be, so that He can do what He promised to do for His people.

Love the Lord… and he will preserve you.
-Psalm 31:23

Be of good courage, and he will strengthen your heart…
-Psalm 31:24

Delight in the LORD, and will give you the desires of your heart.
-Psalm 37:4

Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land.
-Psalm 37:34

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
-Psalm 1:1-3

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
-Matthew 5:3-11

In your daily living, be who you were called to be, so that God can do what He promised He would do.

From Galilee To Jordan

Matthew 3

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to an exciting episode of, “From Galilee To Jordan” starring, John the Baptist, and Jesus! I’m your host, “holyell”, and I’ll be bringing you all the details of tonight’s most fascinating scenes!

John the Baptist: Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!

(Crowds of people from Jerusalem, Judea, and all the regions of Jordan begin to come and hear John speak.)

John the Baptist: Hear me, and let my words penetrate into your hearts. Confess your sins before the Lord, and be baptized.

(Countless men and women confessed their sins, and were baptized. Note, baptism was an outward sign of inward confession. Although the water didn’t save men, the act showed others that a person made an honest confession to follow God.)

(John’s quick popularity caught the attention of the Pharisees and Saducees; the religious groups who held themselves to a higher standard than what God set in place.)

John the Baptist: Ahhhh, look who’s here. Oh generation of vipers! You must have heard about the coming wrath upon all who oppose righteousness. Make sure your acts are righteous, and that your works are good, because if you have bad thoughts and evil intentions, you will be cut down and destroyed.

(This message obviously didn’t rest well in the hearts of those wicked ones.)

John the Baptist: Surely, I baptize you with water unto repentance, but there’s someone coming after me, who is mightier than I am, and I’m not worthy to even carry his shoes. He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.

(The crowds of people wonder in amazement of who this other person could be.)

(“Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.”)

John the Baptist: It’s you! But, I cannot baptize you. I forbid it! You are…

Jesus: It’s alright. Do it now, because we have a responsibility to fulfill all righteousness.

(“And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” I wish I could have witnessed this in person.)

In times when you feel as though you’re unworthy to serve God, remember, you were made to bring glory to His name. So, in all you do, do it as unto the Lord, and He will reward you for all the good fruit you produce in the earth.

This concludes the exciting episode of, “From Galilee To Jordan”. Thanks for tuning in, and have a fantabulous journey!

A Good Leader

Romans 10:1-4

A good leader cares for his people. A good leader desires only that those he leads, receives proper guidance, wisdom, and knowledge necessary to traverse life’s journey better. A good leader listens to his people. A good leader prays for his people. A good leader recognizes the good and bad character traits of his people, and tries to promote the former, while chiseling away the latter. A good leader exposes the unmasked truth to his people, to avoid the risk of them falling into the snares of temptation. A good leader promotes God’s righteousness, over self-righteousness. A good leader is not puffed up, haughty, or high-minded. A good leader walks in humility, and respects the opinions of others. A good leader cares for his people so much, until he’ll risk his own life, to keep them safe.

Peacemakers 2

Matthew 5:9-12

In a world of continual chaos and uproar, those who are united with God, through Christ Jesus, must uphold the standard of peace, so that others can hold fast to the hope of a secure eternity with the Father. The church of today, has a mandate to represent holiness, despite the cost. It’s unfortunate that we are living during the end-times, when many have fallen away from the faith, but there is a remnant of believers who have not bowed to the standards of the world, yet strive to maintain a holy, righteous, and peaceful lifestyle, on a consistent basis.

People around the globe are suffering in some capacity, and are desperately searching for peace. Some are dealing with sickness or the loss of loved ones, while others find it hard to keep money in their pockets or food in their homes. With all that’s going on in life, it seems impossible to find a mere ounce of peace. God sees the struggle of man, and desires that none perish, but all come to repentance. God does care about His prized creation, but He wants us to shift our focus off our problems for a moment, and back to what’s important; eternal security. God will take care of His people, but He’s more concerned with the state of their souls.

While the world entertains fear and uncertainty, the children of God should be known for maintaining hope and peace. There should be a noticeable difference in the behavior between those who are of God, and those who are lost. For example, when facing a season of trial and suffering, rather than act as if all is lost and hopeless, we should show men that our God is still in control, despite our possible setbacks. There were many in Scripture who suffered greatly, yet maintained a righteous standard through their suffering. A few examples include Joseph, Hannah, Jeremiah, and the apostle Paul.

God’s grace is sufficient for His people, and His strength is made perfect in their weakness. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7). This truth should encourage believers to change their perspective on their view of life, and shift God’s agenda to top priority. Only through the power of God’s Spirit, can we find the peace that helps us endure all manner of hard times and difficult situations.

Blessed Redemption

Galatians 1:20-24

20 Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.
21 Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;
22 And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:
23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.
24 And they glorified God in me.

Everyone deserves a second chance in life, even the man who once persecuted God’s people without hesitation. How do you handle those who were once unruly, but God turned them for good? Do you hold grudges against people whom you once despised, or do you offer a helping hand, to assist them on the path of holy and righteous living?

“Words”

Luke 18

Jesus was a great teacher, during His time on the earth. Whenever He wanted to relay a message to someone, He would either speak in parables, or use plain speech. He never used tactics or manipulation to woo men with honeyed words, but spoke clear enough for them to understand His motives and intentions. The purpose of His teachings were to bring to light, the knowledge of His Father’s plan, and expose the darkness that roamed the earth, which had infiltrated the hearts of men. Also, Jesus proved that He cared more for men’s souls, rather than abusing His influence to gain wealth. Oftentimes, those who heard Jesus speak, would either be amazed by His words and desire more from Him, or offended by them and seek to kill Him. Either way, the Son of God came with a purpose, and every word He spoke was in direct relation to His Father’s plan.

Listen, And Take Heed

Proverbs 5:7-14

If you were to take a moment to think back on all the times you bumped your head for not adhering to wise counsel, how many bumps would you count? Oftentimes, people (especially children) tend to seek advice when it’s too late. Parents warn and teach their children of the dangers that lurk outside the walls of their safety, so that in the event the child encounters such a temptation, they’ll know how to escape it unharmed, and unscathed. Unfortunately, many children have had to run home with a few bumps and bruises, because they failed to follow their parent’s teachings.

Failure to follow instruction is also typical of some members of the body of Christ, unfortunately. The church has been commanded to read and obey God’s holy Word, but there are times when even God’s own children hate instruction, and despise reproof. It’s during these moments when even the believer gives in to temptation. Not only are these persons disobeying God’s direct commands, but they’re also giving of themselves, to those who consume them without remorse.

If allowed to, the enemy will drain every bit of energy and life from the believer, so that they’ll be unfit to walk according to God’s standards. For this reason, it’s of great importance that the church take heed to the words of Scripture, and apply them daily, as to keep from falling into temptation. To avoid living in regret, or wasting time, effort, and resources on those who are cruel and undeserving, hear the words of the Lord, and depart not from the instruction of those who care for your soul.

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold… don’t become one of them.

Ell

Gone Too Far… Smh

John 13:31-35

This lesson’s text is filled with so many teaching points, that I would be writing for days expounding upon them all. Instead, I prefer to bring your attention to verse 31. At first glance, many would skip to verse 32, without noticing a valuable lesson written in plain sight in this verse.

Jesus was the most true, honest, reliable, and dependable friend anyone could have ever asked for. His obvious connection to God should have been a dead giveaway of the character one could expect from sharing experiences with Him, and those who shared the most experiences with Jesus during His ministry were, His disciples. Jesus selected 12 ordinary men, and empowered them to perform some of history’s most extraordinary works. Can you imagine, walking, talking, laughing, crying, and enjoying all the experiences of life, but in the presence of Christ? I can’t fathom how that would feel, but I am certain that every disciple who followed after Jesus, was changed from the moment they gave up their past, to the very instant they saw His power in action.

Although Jesus proved to His followers that He indeed was sent by God to save the world, this amazing truth did little to influence a man who shared in those amazing works and experiences with the Son of God. Judas Iscariot, was handpicked by Jesus, to become one of the chosen disciples. In the same way as the other 11, Judas also left all, to follow Christ, but his experience was on a level his brethren knew nothing about. If Jesus had not known the thoughts of Judas, I’m apt to believe, He would have carried Himself a different way. But, from the beginning, to his betrayal, Jesus knew full well, the heart of Judas had been hardened to the point of no return. It’s sad to fathom how a man can become so consumed with the cares of this world, that even God in the flesh, could not influence him to change.

Judas had gone too far, and although he was blessed with power to do things ordinary men could only dream of, he couldn’t let go of his lust for the world, which caused him to make the most devastating decision of his life. Yes, God’s plan was that Christ be sacrificed, but maybe… just maybe, it could have been triggered by someone other than Jesus’ disciple.

No man will ever face betrayal on a level as Jesus did, but I’m 175 percent sure, that someone in your “circle of friends” has been holding a blade, and waiting for the opportunity to stab you in the back. Unlike the average human, Jesus showed love to Judas, despite knowing He was never really true to his confession.

Will you continue to love those who you know hate your guts, but haven’t been bold enough to confess it yet? Those in your life who have gone too far, and allowed the opinions of others to dictate their perspective of who you are, can you still smile, hug, and shower them with the love of Christ?

After Judas had left the table, Jesus said to those who remained faithful, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (vs. 35). Judas betrayed the Son of God, yet the Son never stopped loving him…and the Son will never stop loving you, but you must give the same love to one another.

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

Ell

Absolute Authority

John 5:19-24

After studying this lesson, it brought my mind back to a time when I was a young lad, nearing the end of the third grade school year. I wasn’t the smartest in the class, but I had earned the teachers respect by maintaining perfect attendance, behaving respectfully toward my classmates, and always making the honor roll. You can tell just by those merits, haters were gonna hate, but my parents raised their children to be respectful, and to take schooling serious. So, I did, and my scholarly conduct earned me a few extra perks with my teacher. One day during class, my teacher had to leave the room for something important, and left me in charge to monitor my classmates until she returned. Boy, why did she do that? Knowing I would report those who acted out of character in the teacher’s absence, there were some who deliberately acted a fool, just to get under my skin. What my fellow law breaking students failed to realize was, whatever I reported to the teacher, would be taken as if she had witnessed things with her own eyes. My words, would in essence be her words, and my judgments the same. Despite how anyone else felt about the teacher’s delegation, or that we were all the same age, my words were the authority in that classroom, until our teacher returned.

This flashback is kinda on par with the lesson’s text. God the Father, is the omnipotent, and sovereign ruler of all creation. He alone has the power to do as it pleases Himself. But in the earth, the Father left all judgment to the Son, and by this delegation, all men should honor the Son, just as they would the Father. So those who dishonor Jesus, are literally dishonoring God the Father also. Jesus, the Son, does the same works as the the Father. In addition, He has absolute and unlimited power and authority from God, to do as God directs Him. Just as my classmates were under the authority of our teacher, on behalf of little ole’ me, all men are to reverence Jesus, the Savior of the world, in the same way they honor and respect the God of all creation.

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

Ell

Just An Average Joe

Acts 6:1-7

“But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:” (Philippians 2:7 KJV). Contrary to popular belief, there was nothing fascinating about Jesus physically, that stood out amongst those He encountered. All the pictures and images of the long hair, blue eyed angelic Jesus, are highly exaggerated, and inaccurate. Not only was Jesus visually an “average Joe”, He made certain to keep a low profile, while focusing all His attention on redistributing the Words that came from His Father, to preach and teach to the world.

“For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.” (Isaiah 53:2 KJV). When God prepared Himself a body, He was wise enough to refrain from molding an image like James Dean, Marlon Brando, Cary Grant, Rock Hudson, Denzel Washington, Idris Elba, and Shemar Moore, because people would more than likely gravitate toward them due to their outer appearance, rather than the message they presented. While it’s good to dress modest, and present ourselves decent while doing the Lord’s work, we should be focused more on increasing the reputation of God, rather than promoting our own.

In our text, the twelve disciples were persistent in their efforts to spread the message of the Gospel, and the more they preached, the more the church grew. Unfortunately, they were unable to balance preaching, and maintaining the well-being of the church, so they decided that it was wise to appoint others to handle the domestic duties of the church, while they preached the Gospel, unhindered. This idea was received well by the church, and they identified seven men, whom they deemed fit to carry out the daily ministration. Rather than make known the physical attributes of the chosen men, the Bible was sure to acknowledge that Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas were men with strong spiritual attributes. What an honor it is, to be acknowledged by others, not for vain and irrelevant characteristics, but for traits that are relevant to the God of all creation.

Is the reputation you seek to gain, the same as God’s, or do you flaunt looks, money, and other things to gain the attention of men? Do you receive the message of the Gospel the same from all God’s people, or do you tend to give more attention to those who have mega churches, and may be more fit to star in Hollywood films? “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”(Colossians 3:17 KJV). “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;” (Colossians 3:23 KJV).

Seek not to gain vain glory, but desire that the body of Christ grow together. Whatever God called you to do, give it your best effort, and be proud of rendering your reasonable services to the Lord.

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

Ell