Posts

JUNE 15 “OPPORTUNITY TO THOSE THAT DON’T DESERVE”

   Sometimes the people that have been giving the most, been given the most gracious opportunity, fail the worse. Handing over to someone something they have not worked or fought for is normally a recipe for failure. This is the problem with "well to do, good deed programs" that build houses for the poor any hand the houses over to these people for free, no investment, no sacrifice, no cost to them and most will run those houses into the ground, just like Jeroboam runs his Kingdom into the ground. Jeroboam receives one of the sternest rebukes that any King ever receives from God. Jeroboam was given one of the greatest opportunities of any man in the Bible. He is in no way in the lineage of David's family, but yet God, for some reason, when He decides to rip the Kingdom away from the House of David, chooses this man to hand it over to him. You would think that Jeroboam would have taken this opportunity and turned it into a long lasting Dynasty for his family, but he does t...
Post a Comment
Read more

JUNE 14 “IF ONLY GOD DID MORE”

   "If only God did more", we may not speak those words, but we do think them. Well, we can't accuse God of not doing enough in this story.  First He sends a prophet, a man of God, to speak. Result? His words are rejected. (Words aren't enough, how about a miracle, some demonstration of God's power, that's what people need to see).  Okay, so next we get our demonstration of God's power.  Jeroboam stretches his hand out to the guards to have the man of God seized and his hand shrivels up! (People need to see that God is merciful, that's what people need, people see God as mean). Okay, well next we have Jeroboam crying out to God, to the man of God, please have mercy, please heal me.  So, the man of God prays to God and God immediately heals Jeroboam's hand. God has done everything in this situation that we would desire Him to do. He gives a powerful word, 3 great miracles, the altar is split (wow!), hand shrivels up, then God's merciful, He heal...
Post a Comment
Read more

JUNE 13 “I JUST LOVE WOMEN”

  I believe Tom Cruise, the actor, on his 3rd marriage [at the time] (and many women in-between) has uttered those words on Oprah. Celebrity status, wealth & good looks are a recipe for disaster. One survey & research suggested that most men "don't cheat" simply because they don't have the opportunity. They don't have striking good looks, don't have money & power, don't have much that is going to have women drawn to them, soliciting them or making sexual advances. So these men don't cheat, at least not physically, but they probably still often cheat, in their minds. Find me a man with good looks, power and wealth and I'll find you a man with some infidelity in his background. "Solomon loved many foreign women", are text tells us. I'm sure he did. Solomon had a Harem full of super models, it was unrestrained lust and sexual indulgence. He was a man who had no governor on his heart. He was able to get the most beautiful wome...
Post a Comment
Read more

JUNE 12 "TWISTED AND CONVOLUTED HEARTS"

      People who want what we got, but don’t have what we got are a dangerous and crazy species. It’s a long standing issue in Christian circles and my guess is it will never go away until the Church is raptured. Until then, we will have to put up with heretics, Apostates, hypocrites and hirelings within the Church of Jesus Christ. Peter, you and I would deem this as completely ridiculous that someone would think he could buy what we have and what God is doing through our lives, but to them it is perfectly normal. This is what happens when people come into the Church but do not convert. There is only one approach with people like this and that is the approach that Peter takes, it is a direct, confrontational approach. We would never deal with a sincere church member like this, no matter how much they are struggling, this would not be the method, ie:  “repent of your wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps He will forgive your evil thoughts, for we can see you are fu...
Post a Comment
Read more

JUNE 11 "CAN YOU BE HAPPY WITH LESS?"

    Proverbs is the book of Wisdom, even more important, the Book of God's Wisdom.  The book of God's Wisdom, I should read that! But how many do? The Wisdom of God...."sometimes, less is better, if it brings you peace and quietness in your home".  More couples divorce over finances than infidelity or any other issue in marriage. Financial problems bring strife in a home like nothing else. I will never forget as a young Christian visiting a couple's home, that were long time members in that church. I was actually in the garage, with their son and I could hear the mom and dad fighting like cats and dogs over money issues. It ruined by blissful outlook that I had towards the new church I had become a part of.  I thought, "when I'm married, I will never fight over finances with my wife".  I would like to tell you I fulfilled that promise to myself, but I would be lying!"  I could buy billboards all across the USA and put the Wisdom of God up the...
Post a Comment
Read more

JUNE 10 "JUST A LITTLE DISOBEDIENCE"

    A little disobedience can’t hurt, right? Well then, let’s remove that scripture in Proverbs that God put in there that says, “ a little fly spoils all the ointment”. As we are busy reading about all the good things Solomon is doing “for the Lord”, …..the building of the Temple, the making of all the Holy Artifacts that will be used for worship and sacrifices for generations to come; there, mixed in the middle of all that, we read “he also built similar living quarters for Pharaoh’s daughter… whom he had married ”.  In the middle of all that good, surely there is room for a little faux-pas? Surely the Lord will overlook my one little transgression in the midst of all this good I’m doing.  Solomon was not the last person to ever think like that.  Many of God’s people think like that, not just Solomon. If Solomon was waiting for a sign, a bad omen to convince him he had done wrong, he didn’t get one. He didn’t’ get struck with lightning, the ground did not open...
Post a Comment
Read more

JUNE 9 "KEEP YOUR HEART RIGHT"

         As Stephen recounts Israel's history, the story of Moses is definitely one to learn from.  At 40 years old Moses feels he is called to be  Israel's deliverer . He fights and defends the Israelite against the Egyptian and the key phrase in this text is   " 25  Moses thought that his  own people would realize that God was using him  to rescue them, but they did not."   Moses didn't do this on some kind of ego trip or selfish ambition, it clearly states "they would realize  God was using him " Moses is attributing what he is doing as a "call from God".  How many men & women have set out on a quest for God and have fallen flat on their faces? Surely Moses falls flat on his face... ." 27  But the man who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us?  28  Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?  29 ...
Post a Comment
Read more