My Endearing Heart

Colossians 2:1-5

I am proud of all those who have made Christ their reason for living. I am proud of all the men and women, who gave up their lives of sin, and decided to follow after the things of God. I am proud of everyone who willingly presents their bodies as living sacrifices to God daily, and do so without murmuring or complaining. I am proud of the fathers, who take charge in their homes; leading, teaching, and covering their wives and children in constant prayer. I am proud of the mothers, who understand their role in the family; to be the help, meet (suitable) for the husband, and submit to God’s order of the family. I am proud of the children who obey their parents, in the Lord; who will live long and prosperous, for their obedience. I am proud of those who lead congregations, operating in the fear and admonition of God, who teach the Word, and preach the Gospel boldly in season, and out of season. I am proud of those who remain faithful, even while working in spirituality hazardous environments. I am proud of the people who choose to be modest in their choice of clothing, and refuse to advertise their flesh to the world. I am proud of the men and women who have decided that living for God outweighs living for anything or anyone else. I am proud of those who sacrifice, so that others can benefit from their time, prayers, and other contributions. I am proud of all who are grateful for the blessings God gave to them, and don’t become jealous or envious of the blessings others receive. I am proud of those who remain strong, even during times of great loss. I am proud of those who mourn with those who mourn, and weep with those who weep. I am proud of the people who are not easily provoked, nor stricken with fear, from the biased and corrupt news, broadcasted throughout media streams. I am proud of the Saints, who boldly go where many refuse to, during the good times, and the bad (before the throne of grace). I am proud of the few who walk the narrow path, that leads to life. I am proud of the remnant, who suffer persecution for righteousness sake. I am proud of those, who will not bend or break in these end times. I am proud of those who refuse to quit, despite the pressure pressing against them. I am proud to be a Son of God; saved by grace, filled with His Spirit, and prepared to stand against the wiles of the enemy.

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

Ell

Family Matters

1 Corinthians 6:1-6

Every family has issues, and that’s a well-known fact. Whether a household is conventional (father, mother, kids, pets, bills paid), unconventional (single mother/father, struggling, little rascals), or from another planet (kidding), trouble will always find a way to rear its ugly head in some form or fashion. The key to effective problem-solving is, dealing with them as soon as possible, and keeping it all in the family (no pun intended – Archie Bunker). Problems within families should be handled head on, so that the source of each issue can be discovered, dealt with, and avoided in future situations. Life is tough by default, so eliminating issues in your own family is a great way to keep unnecessary stress and drama from disturbing your long-term peace and happiness.

Believe it, or not, problems even arise among the children of God. Say what?! You mean to tell me, church folk fight, argue, and bicker amongst each other? Sure nuff! The modern church has issues just as the churches of the past did. The difference is, the church was commanded to judge all matters amongst themselves, and not seek counsel from unjust world systems. The apostle Paul was in disbelief at the fact that the church in Corinth had members taking church matters to the unjust, and not the saints. Judging matters outside of the realm of godly wisdom would hardly go in favor of the purpose of the believer, so taking church business to worldly systems is shunned upon, and unwise.

If there’s no one in your church wise enough to handle even the most simplest of matters between believers, then I would advise you to find another church. God is forgiving, so seeking peaceful resolution should be our aim in resolving any, and every matter between our brothers and sisters.

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

Ell

G. P. S.

Proverbs 8:1-7

Having a keen sense of direction is very important to those who often traverse different cities, states, or even countries, as well as those sailing on the open seas. Finding your way around your own community can at times become a hassle, so having the right sense of direction always proves useful when searching out a place or thing. In the past, men would use the stars as a means of finding their way from place to place, but today, we use navigation systems in order to make finding places easy, and to avoid getting lost.

Knowing where you’re going, removes doubt and worry, while replacing them with trust and confidence. This is how navigating through life with God’s wisdom as your guide, supports the Christian. Many start out well, trusting and believing in God to direct their paths, but over time they tend to confide in their own abilities to help them make decisions. Would you trust a tour guide to lead you on any nature adventure, when they have no sense of direction? You’d be better off using Google Maps to guide you on your way.

To those who are in God, and God in them, wisdom guides them in all areas of life, from the moment they accept Christ, until they leave the earth. God never wants His children walking blindly in this decaying world, so He gives wisdom to them, so that they’ll be guided along the righteous path.

Not only does wisdom guide men in the ways of holiness, but it also helps them control the words that leave their lips. I’ve heard some say they are Christian, but after hearing some of the words they spoke, I was convinced they were on the same payroll with Samuel Jackson. Wisdom will keep you from speaking perverse things, and fill you with right things. If you squeeze an orange and apple juice comes out, it was never an orange to begin with. In the same manner, if you squeeze a Christian, only words that are pure, lovely and wholesome should come out.

Wisdom helps us in all things, seeking only to keep us in right standing with the Father. Be sure to allow the wisdom of God to take the reigns of your heart, because only then will you have a sure guide to follow, as you strive to be more like Christ.

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

Ell

Selfless Consideration

Romans 15:1-6

In our society, working together is promoted in all areas of business, education, and entertainment. Businesses thrive on increase and productivity, but their success can only go as far as their unified organization allows them to. Teachers work hard to ensure that their students learn and develop the skills required to advance to the next grade level. When done for the right purpose and with right intentions, teachers can impact the lives of their students far beyond their initial expectations. Without unity and togetherness, it would be unwise for any team, of any sport, to attempt to challenge an opponent, because their lack of teamwork would weigh heavily against them, causing them to suffer a great and embarrassing loss. From these examples, it’s safe to presume that working together as a single unit, will always produce better results, than operating from a system of dysfunction.

While teamwork involves all members working together toward a common goal, each individual must exhibit behaviors of humility, compassion, and understanding, in order for the “team” to “work” effectively. In our text, the apostle Paul helps Roman believers grasp a better better understanding of the importance of unity, amongst the body of Christ. Although each member of the body performs different functions, not one area holds more importance than another. The Bible does teach that we are to honor our leaders, and give them respect, but we must not consider our own callings irrelevant, in comparison to theirs.

The church is at its best, when all members perform their duties with all their heart, aiming to give God glory from their lives. Unfortunately, times will arise when those who are weak in faith, may tend to get weighed down by the heaviness of life’s struggles. During these critical moments, those who are strong in the Lord, ought to make haste to cover, protect, edify, and restore those who may fall, because at any moment the enemy could come and sift them as wheat. The Bible doesn’t teach us to be “people pleasers”, but we are commanded to live to please others. In pleasing others, we make ourselves available to lift them up during times when they feel down, supply their needs during seasons of lack, or simply loaning an ear or shoulder for someone to cry on, giving them hope that they’re not alone in the fight of faith.

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

Unbearable Yoke

Acts 15:10-17

Disagreements amongst believers are never fun occasions, but how those disagreements are handled is what God focuses His attention on. The church should always handle matters with love, especially when seeking resolution during times of controversy. In our text, certain men were teaching that in order for the Gentile nations to be saved, they had to be circumcised after the manner of Moses. This group of Jewish Christians insisted that following the law was necessary for salvation. Notice, the law was only to act as a mirror, for man to see the error of his ways, and strive to live a holy life. Unfortunately, no man has ever kept all the law, so forcing the Gentiles to base their salvation on the law, was unfair.

During this discussion, the apostle Peter arose and added, “And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?” Isn’t that something? Members of the Pharisees desired that the Gentile converts adhere to a standard they themselves were unable to keep. Men are now saved by grace, and the apostle Paul confirmed this in the book of Ephesians when he wrote, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast”.

Thankfully, the men gathered in discussion, used God’s Word to settle their disagreement, and gained a better understanding of what God expected from His people. When you encounter a situation where you and another believer express disagreements, be sure to use the Word of God as the standard, by which you seek to find resolution.

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

Ell

God Brings Balance

Leviticus 25:8-17

The Year of Jubile, was an exciting season, ordained by God, so that all Hebrews could receive a fresh start in their way of living. During this hallowed year, people were required to live off their increase, so that the land could rest, and lie untended, for a season. Not only was the land given room to breath, but the people were also commanded to rest from work. God knew the importance of balance and fairness, so He made certain that during this year, business was to get a fresh start as well. This was a time when all mortgages were canceled, servants released back to there families, all debts forgiven, and all lands were reverted to the original owners. Jubile was set aside to be holy, and a time where liberty was proclaimed throughout the lands, and unto all the people there. God also stressed, that when conducting business, men were to be fair, and not oppress one another, during this time.

How I wish America feared God in such a way, that His standards ruled the government. Some say this country was founded on godly principles, but its obvious men have long pushed those standards aside, in place of their own ideals. Rather than proclaim liberty, fairness, and respect for our fellow man, this country is divided by parties, social classes, and the color of a man’s skin. Could you imagine how incredible it would be, if a year was set aside, where the government canceled everyone’s debt, including mortgage, credit card bills, student loans, and more? Although that’s only a fairytale, it would allow an opportunity for all things to return to balance.

Well, I guess I’ll snap out of my daydream, and focus back on reality. While we try to maintain balance in this world of unjust leaders, be certain to treat your fellow brothers and sisters with godly love, and respect. Always be honest, and keep God first in all your dealings. “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.” (Galatians 5:13)

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

Ell

Love Thy Neighbor…Or Else

Malachi 2:10-16)

*”why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother…?” In times of crises and distress, family should always stick together. Despite how difficult things get, family unity is what gives everyone hope, and strength to endure all things. The family of believers thrive, when each member faithfully carries out his or her calling, without being a hindrance or distraction to their brother or sister. Conversely, when supposed members of the church turn against those whom they should support, this allows the enemy the opportunity to infiltrate the church, and plant seeds of chaos and wickedness. This is why the state of the modern-day church is in total disarray. Leaders are beyond corrupt, and have caused many to follow in their misguided footsteps. God loves order, and can only bless those who walk according to His way, but corruption has overwhelmed, and overtaken the minds of many, who at one point, were committed to holiness, but have been turned over to a reprobate mind.

How can a man who claims to love God, harbor unforgiveness in his heart? To his surprise, the unforgiveness he clings to, doesn’t affect those he hates, but it negatively affects his own self. It’s impossible for anyone to truly love God, and hate or hurt their neighbor. God’s love works against all evil, and can never cause, nor initiate anything that would hinder a man from growing in godliness.

I often mention how these are the days when “The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law” (Luke 12:53). Knowing the days are evil, should motivate the body of Christ to join together, rather than fall apart. Our adversary, the devil, takes pleasure in watching us fight against each other, and uses our bitterness to keep us separated. But, God wants His people to be holy, and treat each other with kindness. Only together, can our witness be strong enough to have an impact on this perverse society.

Walk in love,

Ell

Are You Convinced?

John 17:20-26

Have you considered lately, why there has been so much difficulty for Christians to convince the world, that Jesus was sent by God, to become the savior of all mankind? Well, I have, and it’s rather disheartening to witness how men give more reverence to dead athletes, than to a man who sacrificed His life, to save their souls.

All who are adopted into the royal family of God, have been blessed with power, love, and a plethora of amazing benefits, that when exhibited properly, should easily convince men, that God is the only way to gain eternal peace. So, why does the world make mockery of men and women, who preach the Gospel? The main reason people today shun Christianity is, because there is great division among the body of Christ, and where unity is absent, the power of influence is non-existent. Take for instance, those who gather in protest, to stand for certain rights. The power of their unity and togetherness is potent enough to cause change, even in government. An example of this was made evident when the lgbtq community fought to legalize marriage. Not only was this an example of the power of unity working in one’s favor, but throughout history, men have banned together, standing for what they believe, in order to induce change. This makes me wonder, why don’t Christians join together, rather than separate themselves, to show the world the truth, and power in God’s love? There are countless churches today, that all teach from the same Bible (or at least they should), yet their messages are watered down with doctrine and opinions that are irrelevant to one’s salvation. The church is divided, because leaders aren’t representing themselves appropriately, and the message of the Gospel has been altered to keep “members” in the seats, rather than “disciples”.

Gone are the days when church was a place where men, women, and children would go in feeling one way, then leave ENERGIZED, and ready to face what may come the next day. In our text, Jesus prayed sincerely to the Father, that the disciples, and those who would come to God in the future, would be unified, so that the world could see real evidence of Christ’s purpose, and mission on the earth. Christ knew, a unified church, would be more than enough to prove His love to an evil world.

I pray now, that all who have given their hearts to the Lord, submit yourselves once again to His will. I pray that you allow God’s Spirit to lead, guide, and direct your paths, as well as keep you safe from all harm. I ask God to give you power, boldness, strength, and courage to stand against those who seek to divide you from those who fight alongside you in faith.

I believe that you are a powerful piece in God’s plan, and you WILL accomplish what He created you to do. Keep your heart and mind fixed on Jesus, and try your best to encourage those around you. We all need each other to be effective, and make an impact in this crazy world. In those moments when you feel the pressure of conflict or drama arising, pray quickly, and ask God for resolution, because only through His strength, can we overcome the enemy’s plans to break us apart.

Walk in love,

Ell

No room for pride

Ephesians 4:1-8, 11-16

As I often write concerning the importance of unity amongst the body of believers, I find it necessary to always reference the similarities of the human body as well. Every part of the physical body, from the smallest detail, to the most prominent, is important. Without feet, the body would experience great difficulty moving from place to place. Without hands and arms, we would have issues working diligently to earn our keep. Our eyes, nose, mouth, and ears, were all uniquely designed to make God’s most wonderful creation a masterpiece! Even eyelashes were designed to protect the eyes from small particles such as dust, sand, or debris from entering and harming the eye. Contrary to the belief of evolutionists, every part of the human body, was, and is necessary, in order to perform as God designed it to.

The church of the living God, consists of one body with many members, that operate under the leading of one Spirit. Every person born again into the body of Christ, is important. It matters not one’s age, ethnicity, our background, because when a person gives their heart to God, they instantly become a shining light in Christ’s body.

When we become followers of God, He bestows gifts to us, that we are expected to make wise use of, as we edify each other, and build up His kingdom. Although gifts vary in their operation, all are intended to be used solely for the purposes of godliness. God is wise beyond any imagination of man, and He desires that we grow in wisdom as well. He also gave some certain positions, from which the body could be perfected, and the work of ministry increased.

The purpose of church meetings, Bible study, and all the things men do to promote the Gospel is, to help believers reach a level of maturity, where they grow to the point where men can’t deceive them with “every wind of doctrine”. This is why unity is so vital, and the church should always be on one accord in their beliefs. In the same way we feed our natural bodies, and exercise to develop strong muscles, we are to also build our spiritual muscles as well, by meditating on God’s Word, praying without ceasing, and taking time to fast, so that we can tune out our natural desires, and focus solely on spiritual ones.

Each member of the body of Christ, must take pride in what God has called them to do. Whether you were called to teach, preach, or simply be a supporter of a ministry, “walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called” (vs. 1). Walk in humility, and learn to appreciate the diversity of God’s gifts in others, so that you’ll never get jealous, or grow envious of how God works through your brothers and sisters. You are special to God, and unique in your own way, so learn to love yourself, and who God made you to be, and continue maturing in all things that are pleasing to the Father.

Walk in love,

Ell