2019, Christianity, Fruit of Spirit, Inspiration, love

Always Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving

With today being Thanksgiving I had to just have to write a short blog post! I would first like to wish you and your family a safe and Happy Thanksgiving! I myself find Thanksgiving to be my favorite holiday. In this post, I want to talk about what the Bible says about giving thanks. It seems to be always a tradition for people to reflect on what they are most thankful for during this time of the year. Then the day after today, people will go out and do some shopping. It seems like our society just wants us to be Thankful one day of the year, and the next day go out and splurge all our money.

What Does the Bible Say?

So, what does the Bible say about giving thanks? Are we only to be thankful just one day out of the full year? Paul told us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (AMP), “in every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.”. So, are you always thankful in every situation? Are you always thankful no matter your circumstances? Are you still thankful when you are faced with a sickness? Are you still thankful during the death of a loved one? Are you thankful when things get stressful at work? I am sure we can all find areas of our lives where we need to be more thankful.

Focus on God

Psalms 107:1 (NKJV) tells us, “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.”.  No matter what circumstances we are in, we will always have one thing to be consistently thankful for, and that is our salvation through Jesus Christ. When a trial comes your way, the devil wants to see you get knocked down and depressed. The devil wants you to lose your focus as a believer and focus all your attention and energy into the circumstances, rather than taking the time to go to your Heavenly Father in prayer. The more time you spend worrying and being depressed over your circumstances is more time you give to the enemy and your flesh.

The Flesh vs. The Spirit

When most people lose their focus on God, they always tend to blame it on an attack from the enemy. While certainly, this can happen, we must remember that the problem is often ourselves. Sometimes our flesh can get in the way of things, you know that thing we inherited from the fallen nature. When we are born again, we are to walk in the spirit. Galatians 5:16 (NKJV) tells us, “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”. This is all a part of putting on the new creation we are in Christ Jesus! A person who is born again should be giving less and less attention to their desires of the flesh and should be giving more attention to their spirit man inside of them.

Walk in the Spirit

So, if you are struggling with always being thankful and joyful, then I encourage you to take some time and begin to put on the spirit man that is inside of you more than ever before. The best way to do this is to get into the Word of God daily and let it transform your mind. God does not just want us to be thankful one day a year, He wants us to be thankful every day and worship Him always!

Challenge

I would like to leave you with a challenge, instead of reflecting on what you are thankful during this time of the year, I want you to journal one thing each day that you are thankful for. I would even encourage you to find something specific to each day as you do this for a whole year. I think this is a great habit for every Christian to get into. Walking in the spirit involves us changing our mindset, which means developing new habits, so why not start adopting one today!

2019, Book of Acts Series 2019, Old Testament

What About Circumcision?

What the Old Testament Says

In this post, I am going to talk about a key topic concerning the Law that is addressed in the Book of Acts. We see the Law of Circumcision brought into effect in Genesis 17:10-14 (NKJV), “This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised, and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant. He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”. As we get into the fifteenth chapter of Acts, we will see that the Jews and Gentiles are going to debate whether this is still necessary or not. Keep in mind the Gentiles do not participate in the Law of Circumcision.

Conflict Arises in the Book of Acts

In Acts 15:1 we see that men from Judea came with a desire to modify Paul’s approach of the Gentiles (non-Jews) salvation. In the following verse, we see after they have a discussion with Paul and Barnabas no agreement is made, and they decide to go to the church in Jerusalem to see what the leaders say. On their way to the church in Jerusalem, we see that Paul and Barnabas tell them about the conversion of the Gentiles and they are joyful to hear it. This is a reminder of how important our own personal testimonies are.

Free Indeed

In Acts 15:4-5 they are received by the church in Jerusalem; however, we see the Pharisees rise and argue that circumcision is necessary and should be mandated to the Gentiles. Even though some of these people are believers in Jesus Christ, they still believe in circumcision. This is because they do not fully grasp what freedom we have attained from Jesus Christ dying on the Cross and conquering the grave. Jesus told us in John 8:36 (NKJV), “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”. If we are made free through Jesus Christ, then we are free indeed!

Don’t Question God’s True Work

While there is much debating going on between the leaders of the church, we see in Acts 15:6-12 that Peter rises and reminds them that God told them to preach the Gospel to Gentiles. He also reminds them that when the Gospel was preached to the Gentiles that it was accepted. We also know that they received the Holy Spirit also, and the Holy Spirit is the person who does the work in our lives the moment we believe as a new creation. Since the Jews and Gentiles receive the same Holy Spirit, the conversion pattern is the same! Paul tells us in Galatians 3:26-29 (KNJV), “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”. If God is truly working behind something or through someone, then we should not challenge it. Peter also reminds them that salvation is through the grace of Christ by faith in Him. We need this because whether one is a Jew or Gentile, we cannot satisfy the requirements of the law.

What do the OT Prophets Say?

In Acts 15:13-21 we see James begins to speak and reminds them Amos 9:11-12 (NKJV), “On that day I will raise up The tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, And repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins, And rebuild it as in the days of old; That they may possess the remnant of Edom, And all the Gentiles who are called by My name,” Says the Lord who does this thing.””. After James reminds them of this, we see that this becomes accepted by the church that there is no more need for circumcision. However, if we are born again our circumcision is of the heart.

News for Antioch

In Acts 15:22-29, we see two leading men of Jerusalem get sent back to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. These two men are Judas and Silas. They go with Paul and Barnabas to back up the results of what the church in Jerusalem decided. A letter also gets sent with them stating there is no need for circumcision as some had previously debated. However, they do write a few moral conduct rules, which include abstaining from sexual immorality, idol worship, and the blood of animals. The people of Antioch are encouraged by this letter that was read to them.

Dealing with Conflict

Lastly in Acts 15:36-41, we see after Paul and Barnabas stay and teach in Antioch. Then they decide to revisit the areas they preached in before to see how they are doing. Paul and Barnabas do have a disagreement about who they want to bring with them, they do not settle on an agreement but go their own ways. They could have let their disagreement hinder them from continuing, but they did not. We as a church should neither let small disagreements stop us from being the church! Paul and Barnabas do split up on good terms and go separately to Syria and Cilicia.

Final Thoughts

You have just seen a transition take place in the Book of Acts, which is when the law of circumcision is no longer in effect as agreed upon by the church in Jerusalem. Romans 2:28-29 (ESV) tells us, “For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.”. Circumcision takes place in the heart when we are born again, it is now a spiritual thing and no longer a thing made by hands. The circumcision in the Old Testament had a purpose to point to Jesus. When you go through the New Testament you will often see footnotes to Old Testament Scriptures. I would highly encourage you to study those as often as you can. When you do you will begin to see how everything in the Old Testament points us to Jesus Christ!

2019, Wisdom, Word's of Wisdom

Why Church Why?

Introduction

I was spending time with the Lord today and He put on my heart a strong word of wisdom. I have gotten word of wisdom and knowledge, but never one as strong as this. Please share this with others, many need to hear this.

A Word of Wisdom

What happened to the church?
Why did you leave your first love?
Why did you become so powerless and submissive to the world?

Why church why?!?!
What are you doing?
Why are you still sleeping with the devil?
Wasn’t His blood good enough for you on Calvary?

You are so carnal with your mindset and programs.
Why are you letting the darkness of the world in?
Why do you resemble the bars and night clubs?
A true House of God should be a bright light to the dark world!

Are you just coming Sundays for a social gathering or for a feel-good feeling?
The House of God is not a social hall, it is a place to equip and correct His remnant of faithful people.
We need to be the mighty men and women of God that we are all called to be.
Why hasn’t the church today opened its doors to let the King of Kings in?

Judgment has begun in the church and it will continue until it is cleaned up.
Don’t wait for revival to happen. We are His people; it starts with us!
We need to be saturated in anguish first, and continually be soaked with it.

If the rapture were to happen today there would not be many people in the church missing.
The majority of ‘Christians’ are not even close to ready.
The time is almost out, get your heart’s ready and spread the Gospel.

The church needs to be put on a new diet and it is a grease-free diet of Grace and Mercy.
The greasy grace diet has and will continue to lead people to hell.
You should be taking fewer repentance pills every night.

The King of Kings loves you so much.
He put this word on my heart so strongly. 
This is a message ordained by the King of Kings.
It would be wise of you to take this word seriously and make your heart right.
It would be very wise for the church to take a wrecking ball it’s denominational theology and takes His Word for what it truly is.

2019, Christianity, Inspiration

Your Thought Life

I felt lead to do a blog post regarding what Scripture tells us about our thought life. I want you to ask yourself what do you spend most of your time thinking about? Also, how many of your thoughts are positive, and how many are negative? How many of your thoughts lead to fear or even sin? The thought life is a very important key to the Christian life. It is something that all of us struggle with, even me included. When you think about it, we have so much that goes on in our life, it is no wonder our thought life can become a mess!

Our Mind

So, what does the Bible say about our mind and thought life? Look at what Paul told us in Romans 12:2 (NKJV), “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”. How do we renew our minds? Well, get the Word into you! The Word of God is the main ingredient we need so that we can become complete. Most people cannot control their thought-life because they do not get into the Word enough. If people would get into the Word as they should, then they would be able to control their thought life and renew their mindset. You don’t need psychology to renew your mind, you need the Word of God. 2 Timothy 3:17 tells us that the Word of God makes us equipped and completed.

Why Renew Our Mind

So why do you want to renew your mind? Many people just look at Romans 12:2, rather than Romans 12:1-2.  Let’s rather look at Romans 12:1-2 (NKJV), “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”. So, the reason we want to renew our mind is that our bodies are a living sacrifice to God. Not only should we be free from sin in our actions, but our mindset must be renewed into the likeness of Christ. When you are thinking something sinful or negative, ask yourself what Jesus would think about it. When your mind starts going off in fear, ask what Jesus would think about it.

Get the Word Into You

It is time that we stop putting our-self in subjection to the worldly thought system and begin to subject our-self to a mindset that is renewed by the Word of the Living God! If you cannot keep your thoughts under control, then get into the Word of God more. The reason people have trouble controlling their mindset is that they don’t know what God’s Word says about the new nature they have in Christ Jesus.

Put Every Thought Captive to Jesus Christ

2 Corinthians 10:5 (NKJV) tells us, “We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ,”. Many sophisticated arguments come against us every single day. If we are true sons and daughters of God, then why on earth would we subject ourselves to an ugly thought life that is nothing but disobedient to our Lord and Savior? I’m not trying to beat you down; I am trying to push you to clean up your thought life. I know what it is like personally to have negative thoughts, it is challenging. But the only way to push through it is by renewing your mind by getting into the Word, and then put your thoughts into captivity and obedience to Jesus Christ.

You Are a New Creation

When the sophisticated arguments that are against the obedience of Christ come into your mind, get into the Word. You can even play an audio Bible. The more time you can spend in the Word and absorb what it says, the more effectively you will be able to get a handle on your thought life. I can tell you personally that my thought life has significantly improved since getting into the Word more. Don’t get me wrong, I still have a long way to go. But every bit of progress made is so worth it. Keep in mind that it is not us who renews our mind, it is the new nature that is in us from the moment we accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. That is why we must get rid of the old man and put on the new man. That means we need to erase the thought life of the old man and reprogram our thought life with the new nature.

Final Thoughts

If it is written in Scripture that the Word of God makes us complete and fully equipped, then we need to take that home with us! If the Word of God is what fully equips us, then that should be our go-to with every single problem and thought in our life. We need to get to a place where first pray to God and get in His Word, rather than jumping instantly into an earthly exit. So, for the next month, I want you to spend at least 30 minutes in the Word a day. Then increase it gradually as your schedule allows you to and meditate on the Scripture by keeping a journal. It is time you make an investment in something that is guaranteed to work, rather than something that is imperfectly made in this World. Investing time in the Word of God is one of the smartest investments one can make in their life.

2019, Book of Acts Series 2019, Christianity, Inspiration

Acts 14:8-28: Standing Firm

In this post, we are going to look at an issue that the Apostles encounter in the Book of Acts. There are many important takeaways from this problem they encountered, along with an example of how to deal with problems as they arise in the church today. No matter what, no church is going to be totally perfect. We need to look to the Word of God and look at the best examples to help us deal with issues when they arise. The most important aspect of being a Spirit-Filled believer is being filled with the wisdom and revelation that is within the Word of God.

Lame Man Healed

If you followed my previous teaching in my series on the Book of Acts, you will see that the Apostles went to Lystra. We see in Acts 14:8-10, while they were in Lystra they saw a man, who was lame since birth. Paul perceived that this man had faith to be healed and told him to stand up and walk, and the man was made well through the power of Jesus Christ. Now one thing to keep in mind is that many of the signs done in the New Testament are to be a sign to unbelievers and show us the sovereignty of God.

Idolatry in Lystra

Continuing in Acts 14:11-13 we see something strange taking place. We see the people in this area who noticed the miracle take place begin to praise false gods. The people in this area mistaken Barnabas for the false god Zeus, and Paul as Hermes. This was a cultural issue in the area from local folklore roots. There are many articles written about this, but I am not going to get into the extra details. As the people started praising their false gods, the Priest of Zeus lead the people in worship. I could not imagine being the Apostles during this ordeal! One similarity I see with the church today in this manner is with the healing ministries that go on. Sadly, many people only go to healing ministries and don’t even have a home church.  Too many people only focus on the signs and forget to get to know Him! Don’t get me wrong when healings happen it is a great thing, but we cannot get carried away and only seek God just for healing or breakthrough. We need to be seeking Him because without Him we would be going to hell!  Many people who do get genuinely healed might say ‘that Pastor healed me’. Well, that is incorrect, when people are genuinely healed it is through the power of Jesus Christ. God certainly will use certain people as vessels. But we must keep in mind that no pastor or minister is above God, and we should not view them in that way.

Stand Firm

We see that Paul and Barnabas do not tolerate this form of idolatry at all in Acts 14:14-18. We see that they speak up about it. They tell the people to turn away from what they are doing because it is vanity and useless. These people in this area of Lystra were unrighteous people, who participated in wickedness. They did not worship the true living God. In Romans 1:17-32 we are told that the realness of God is revealed through creation. Just think to yourself how everything in the world we live in is formed. Our bodies are so well designed and programmed, you would have to be a fool to say we evolved from apes or all of this is an accident. God gives people who fail to realize His realness and live in unrighteousness over to reprobate minds. People with reprobate minds are unprincipled people. Some synonyms for the word reprobate are good-for-nothing, villain, wrongdoer, and evildoer.  I don’t know about you, but I would not want to be any of those!  However, we must be mindful that we will encounter people like this when we witness the Gospel to others.

Facing Tribulation

As we continue, we will see in Acts 14:19-20 that some unbelieving Jews come from Antioch to stone Paul. They then convinced the people of Lystra that Paul is dead. However, we find out that Paul was not dead, and he does recover. Regardless of the persecution that took place, they moved on to Derbe. The Apostles could have easily given up, but they did not. When we are faced with temptation or persecution, we should not give up either we should continue! Psalm 119:28 (KJV) tells us, “My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word.”. The Lord is our strength and we need to put our full trust in him when difficulties come our way!

Not ‘Your Best Life Now’

In Acts 14:21-23 we will see that the Apostles were in Debre and then returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch. I find it inspiring that they returned to areas where there was persecution. The Apostles set for us a high standard in terms of persecution, temptation, and tribulation. We also see that more disciples were added and that they ordained elders of the churches. Also, we see that the Apostles told these new disciples that they “must go through much tribulation to enter into the Kingdom of God”. So, this Christian walk is not easy. This lifestyle is not meant to be ‘Your Best Life Now’.

Share Your Testimony

Lastly in Acts 14:24-28 we see that the Apostles continue to travel as they were led by God. Every place they traveled to; they shared their testimony as to how God was faithful to them. When we minister to others, we need to share our personal testimony. It is often our testimony that will be a sign to the unbeliever.

Final Thoughts

I would like to encourage you to reflect on how you deal with persecution, tribulation, and temptation. Where are you weak at? Where are you strong at? Where can you improve? This Christian walk is not easy in this dark world. But by leaning on God, all things are possible because He is our strength and salvation. I encourage you to go back through Acts chapter fourteen and look at how the Apostles set an example for us in dealing with persecution, temptation, and tribulation. In my next post, I will continue in Acts chapter fifteen and we will see a bit of a transitional period within the Book of Acts, so be sure to subscribe to this blog!

2019, Christianity, Healing, Inspiration, love, Wisdom, Word's of Wisdom

A Word on Anxiety

What is Anxiety?

I decided to make a blog post on something that everyone can relate to. No matter what everyone has dealt with some form of anxiety in their life. Anxiety is defined as a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. We all deal with bouts of worry from time to time. Maybe you are worried about things at work, your health, family, or financial issues. Or maybe you had some major life-changing events that had a negative impact on your mindset, and this resulted in a chronic type of anxiety. In this post, I want to talk about anxiety and how to deal with it according to the Word of the Living God.

What is Your Go-To?

So, what do you do when you are stuck worrying about something and cannot get it off your mind? Many people both believers and unbelievers will often find themselves doing some sort of stress-relieving activity. It could be reading, going for a walk, listening to music, talking to someone, the list goes on and on. Is there anything wrong with the activities I just listed? Absolutely not! But I would like to pose a better solution, that is Biblical.

Your Mind-Set

So, thoughts of worry, anxiety, and depression all come from our mind, right? So instead of bandaging the problem, why don’t we tackle the cause? Why don’t we begin to tackle our mindset? If you are struggling with anxiety, depression, and worry, then you probably need to work on your mindset! Romans 12:2 (AMP) tells us, “And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].”. So, we are all to transform our minds as believers by focusing in on the things of God and learning who He is and who you are in Him.

The Word of God Transforms

So how do you begin to know who God is and who you are in Him? Well, get into the Word! Psalm 119:105 (NKJV) says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”. When you truly know who God is, and who you are in Him, along with knowing His Word you will be well equipped! So many people often jump too quickly to all the earthly exits for their situations in life, rather than taking the time to seek God in prayer. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes you might have to talk to someone else for advice or go to a doctor. But we cannot let our earthly exits be valued more than God! I myself often pray every time before I go to the doctor, that God would give the doctor wisdom and knowledge, and God has been faithful to me with that.

The Word Makes Us Complete

The people of this world will go to self-help books on how to deal with their problems. Often, they will need several self-help books for all their problems! We as believers are lucky! We only need one book, and that is the Word of God! 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV) tells us, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”. The Word of God is our ultimate source of wisdom, knowledge, doctrine, correction, and instruction.

Know Who You Are

So how does reading the Word of God help you with anxiety? Well once you begin to read the Word of God, you will begin to learn who you truly are in Him. You will know that God did not give us a spirit of fear, but one of power and of love and of a sound mind, as written in 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV).  I could have given you many scriptures about anxiety, but I didn’t. Because we all need to know who we are in God, and what God’s Word says about the things we deal with in our life. Once you get the Word into you and let the Holy Spirit teach you, you will see transformation take place in your mindset.

Final Thoughts

So, if you have been struggling with anxiety or depression, I want to encourage you to take some time and get into the Word like you never had before. Make yourself some good notebooks! Each time you start reading, ask for the Holy Spirit to teach you. Start getting into the habit of getting in the Word and praying when storms come your way in life, rather than jumping to an earthly exit right away.

2019, Apostolic, Book of Acts Series 2019, Christianity, Gifts of the Spirit, Salvation, Testimony, Wisdom

Being Used By God

How do you know that someone is truly called by God? In this post, we are going to look at two people in the Book of Acts, who were truly called by God. Additionally, we will look at a few signs to look for in someone that is being used by God. At the end of this teaching, I am also going to dig deep into the term Apostle in hopes to bring some clarity.

The Need for Boldness Today

Starting with Acts 14:1 we see that the Apostles Paul and Barnabas were in Iconium speaking in a Jewish synagogue. If you look in the Amplified Bible, it tells us they both spoke with boldness and power. How did they have this boldness and power? It was because they were Baptized in the Holy Spirit. They spoke with boldness and power because they had the Holy Spirit working through them. Therefore, their ministry was powerful and bold, even though it faced much opposition. This is the way the church today needs to be! Additionally, in Acts 14:1 it tells us that many Jews and Greeks accepted the message of the Gospel. In the Amplified Bible, it tells us that they confidently accepted Jesus as our savior.  I am not sure how we can possibly get true conversion today if the average church in America is weak and dehydrated from the Holy Spirit. In America’s church today I see many people who say they have been born again for so many years, but no evidence of it, you cannot tell them apart from the unbelieving world. Therefore, we need bold and powerful preaching in our churches today! Many people are going to go to hell when they die, and it is truly sad!

Facing Opposition

Acts 14:2 goes on to tell us the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against Paul and Barnabas. This is what will often happen to people who are truly being used by God, they will have people oppose them, they will often face opposition regularly. One way to know for certain that someone is being used by God is that they are facing opposition regularly. God never promised that this walk would be easy, and He never promised that the work of ministry would be easy. In fact, Jesus even warned us that we would face rejection and even persecution.

Signs and True Salvation

In Acts 14:3 we see that God allowed signs to follow Paul and Barnabas as they continued ministering to the people in Iconium. Verse three specifically tells us that God granted signs and wonders to be done. I think it is safe to assume that these signs were healings, miracles, and deliverances. Jesus told us in Mark 16:20 (NKJV), “And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.”. God will allow signs to follow those who are truly seeking Him. God will use a minister who regularly spends time with God in the prayer closet, rather than a minister who only reads the Bible when they are preparing their Sunday sermon. Someone who is truly being used by God will have bold teaching that cuts the heart of the sinner, and even corrects the believer. This type of preaching is what should bring true salvation and conversion. We should not be concerned about the number of people we get to say the sinner’s prayer, we should be concerned about the number of people who are truly saved and converted. This is something that is lacking in the church today, which has resulted in much carnality in the church today.

Division and the Enemy

Continuing Acts 14:4 tells us that the city of Iconium was divide, some sided with the apostles, and some with the unbelieving Jews. The enemy’s work was at hand right here, because there was division. The enemy loves to divide churches and families. I would like to encourage you that when you start seeing division happening in your church or family, make sure your first action is to start praying rather than letting your flesh get the best of you!

Grace and Opposition

In Acts 14:5-7 we see that there was a violent attempt to harm and stone the two Apostles. However, both Paul and Barnabas became aware of this and went to Lystra and Derbe to continue their ministry. As I have said before they did not let the opposition get the best of them. Whether you are in ministry or not, you will face opposition. It might be from people, circumstances, or even your own health. We cannot let circumstances stop us from doing what God has called us to do, along with praising Him and staying in the Word. In fact, this past week, I was dealing with some tooth pain, which in my opinion is one of the worst pains you can get. I do not like dental pain at all, however, I knew that I could not let that dental pain stop me from getting into the Word, and spending time with the Lord. So, whatever it is you are going through, do not let it get the best of you. Each time you deal with opposition and push through it by leaning on the love and grace of God, you will be more prepared next time.

Apostles of Christ

Lastly, I would like to get into something a little deeper. I would like to bring some clarity to the term Apostle. We see the term Apostle used in the New Testament several times. You may have even noticed that some people today might refer to themselves as Apostles. When using the term Apostle today, we need to be careful of our meaning behind it, because there are two types of Apostles. The first type of Apostle were the ones who were an eyewitness of the resurrection of Jesus, these are called Apostles of Christ. These ones are limited because these only refer to the 12 and Paul. 1 Thessalonians 2:6 (NKJV) tells us, “Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ.”.

Apostles of the Church (TODAY)

The second type of Apostle we find in the Bible are the ones who are considered Apostles of the Church. They obviously were not eyewitnesses of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 8:23 (NKJV) tells us, “If anyone inquires about Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker concerning you. Or if our brethren are inquired about, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.”. These types of Apostles are also noted as sent ones of the church. Today we do have people who operate in the office of an Apostle, even though they are not eyewitnesses of the resurrected Jesus Christ. These people bring a big impact on our church today, and I feel that God will be calling more people to fulfill this rule to be Apostles of the Church today!

Final Thoughts

So, I want to challenge you to ask yourself, is God calling you to do something that you have been holding off on? Maybe this is doing more evangelism in your community, or volunteering at your church. Maybe God might be calling you to the five-fold ministry? Lastly, are you prepared to put time aside and truly seek His Face? By doing so are you ready to face some opposition? I encourage you to take some time this week and ask God to show you what He is calling you to do at this point in your life.

2019, Announcements

Important Announcement

What Changed?

Some of you may notice as of today that my social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube), are now listed as just my name without my title as Evangelist. This does not mean that my content will change, this is simply being done to improve the number of people I reach.

Why?

There are many algorithms involved with how pages appear on the web and how they rank. I am continually working to always improve my platforms to reach more people. This is all done for the Glory of God.

Thank You!

I would like to take the time to personally thank all of you who regularly follow my content, and I encourage you to be sure to share it with others!

God Bless!

2019, Book of Acts Series 2019, Christianity, Inspiration

An Example of Missionary Work

As I continue my series on the Book of Acts, I would like us to look at one of Paul’s first public speeches in the Book of Acts. This is also his first recorded missionary speech in the Book of Acts. His speech goes on from Acts 13:14-41, this is one of his longest recorded speeches he did in a Jewish synagogue.

Paul’s First Missionary Teaching

When we look in Acts 13:14-41 he discusses several concepts with the people in the synagogue. He first discusses the Jew’s time in the wilderness, as mentioned in Exodus 16:35 (NKJV) “And the children of Israel ate manna forty years until they came to an inhabited land; they ate manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan.”. Secondly, he talks about some key people from the Old Testament which are the prophet Samuel, and King David. He then goes on to talk about John the Baptist. He reminds the people that John the Baptist was to fulfilled Old Testament scripture. As we know John the Baptist was the forerunner to Jesus Christ, he was the voice crying int the wilderness. Isaiah 40:3 (NKJV) says, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God.”. Paul also talks about how John the Baptist taught about the remission of sins and water baptism. Not only does John the Baptists fulfill Old Testament scripture, but Jesus fulfills the Old Testament prophecies of the coming of the Messiah.

Death is Defeated Through Jesus

Paul then talks about how Jesus was raised from the dead and defeated the devil.  Praise the Lord! Death no longer has a hold of us if we abide in Jesus Christ. Hebrews 2:14 (NKJV) taught, “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,”. Lastly, Paul reminds us that those who truly abide in Christ are counted righteous.

Paul Faces Rejection

In Acts 13:42-43 and 49-50, we will see that when Paul was done speaking many wanted him to come to speak on the next Sabbath. Additionally, many Jews followed Paul and Barnabas. Then in Acts 13:44-45, Paul and Barnabas come again to the synagogue to speak but because of the number of people who came to the Jewish leaders become jealous and expelled them from their region. In Acts 13:46-47, Paul and Barnabas knew they were to bring the Gospel to the Jews first, but since it got rejected, they went to the Gentiles to preach.

Dealing with Rejection in Ministry

In Acts 13:49-50, when the Jews expelled Paul and Barnabas from their synagogue, they both shook off the dust from their feet. This was something Jesus instructed us to do when someone does not accept their message while ministering. Jesus told us in Matthew 10:14 (NKJV), “And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.”. Sometimes when we minister or witness to people we might be rejected. We cannot let it bother us or hinder us from spreading the Gospel. We ought to do as Paul and Barnabas did and continue with what God has called us to do.

Pressing On

Lastly in Acts 13:51-52, we see they travel to Iconium and the people there do accept the Gospel Message and become filled with the Holy Spirit. You know that Paul and Barnabas could have gotten upset when the Jews did not accept their message and could have stopped ministering. But despite the rejection and difficulty, they continued. This is an example for us!

Start Journaling

This week I would like to encourage you to start keeping track of the victories you have through God. Keep them in a journal. Then when you face difficult times go back to that journal and look at how faithful God has been to you. Also, journal scriptures of Gods promises as you go through trials, you should confess these over your life! In my next teaching, we will look at what goes on in Iconium.

2019, Baptism of Holy Spirit, Book of Acts Series 2019, Christianity, Discernment, Gifts of the Spirit, Inspiration

Being Led By the Spirit

In this post, I am going to talk about the importance of being led by the Holy Spirit. You should let Him lead you and not your flesh. Romans 8:14 (NKJV) tells us, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”. If we want to truly be children of God, we not only need to be born again, we need to let the Holy Spirit lead us in everything we do!

What Are You Called To Do?

Starting with Acts 13:4-5 we see the start of Paul’s missions’ trips. Most importantly we see that he was sent out by the Holy Spirit. I am sure there are many believers out there today who have a divine call on their life but fail to answer that call. Paul was sent out by the Holy Spirit to go and minister to different regions. He could have resisted and stayed in his comfort zone, but he led by example and yielded to what the Holy Spirit called him to do. Just because you are not called to the five-fold ministry does not mean you are off the hook from serving God! Some people are called to help at their church, whether that as administrative, cleaning, or any other tasks. 1 Corinthians 12:28 distinguishes the office of helps.

Walk the Walk

We even see that Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit throughout His earthly ministry. Luke 4:1 (NKJV) tells us, “Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness”. When we live according to the Spirit we walk in it, Galatians 5:25 (AMP) tells us, “If we [claim to] live by the [Holy] Spirit, we must also walk by the Spirit [with personal integrity, godly character, and moral courage—our conduct empowered by the Holy Spirit].”. When we walk in the Spirit, we must have a godly character and be a light that shines in the name of Jesus! We also need to have the nine fruits of the Spirit evident in our lives. I wrote a book on the nine fruits of the Spirit, click here to check it out.

The Holy Spirit Empowers Us

Continuing Acts 13:6-13 We see that Paul has a confrontation with a sorcerer. In verse nine it specifically tells us that Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit when he confronted this sorcerer. Paul rebuked this sorcerer and a dark blinding mist fell upon him. When the proconsul saw this, they believed and was astonished at the teaching of the Lord. This sorcerer that Peter dealt with was trying to turn the proconsul away from the faith. This is often what false prophets do, they will turn people away from the truth of the Gospel. However, Paul was able to address this issue only because he was filled with the Holy Spirit. We all should seek God for the discerning of spirits! The gift of discernment is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit as mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10.

A Personal Challenge

I want to challenge you to something different this week when you read your Bible ask the Holy Spirit to open your spiritual eyes. Also, when you read your Bible, act like you never read it before each time. This is how you will get a fresh revelation. If you get fresh revelation please feel free to share it with me, I would love to hear your testimony.