 Philippians 2:12-13 “Therefore, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to His good purpose.” ~CSB
When I was growing up and my daddy asked me to do something, it would never enter my mind to ask him, ‘why’. No sir! Not in my time and not my daddy. I know I am not the only one so understand, I may have not wanted to take the trash out, or go to bed, or wash the dishes, but I did it anyway and did not question him. As parents we claim we don’t understand when our children ask us ‘why’, when given a direction from us. With today’s child, we can’t sound off like our parents did. In fact, we get better results from them when we give them the reason they are looking for. It’s funny how we give our kids the ‘You must be out of your mind’ look when they ask ‘why’, but don’t even notice when we do it to God. That’s right, we question God all the time. In the little things like when we can’t find our keys, we talk to ourselves, “Not today. Why is this happening today?” To the big things like funerals, “Why did you take my loved one Lord?” “Why would you do that?” Big things like loss of jobs, homes and or cars, “Lord you know I need that car for transportation!” “Why?” First of all, just like we tell our children, God allows us to know that some of the trials we go through are the results of the choices we’ve made. God tells his children, “I didn’t tell you to take that path. I told you to take this path. But you chose not to.” In our spiritual walks, we may come to certain paths that look impossible. We don’t want to walk those paths because it takes us out of our comfort zone. But it is in those paths where miracles happen. Think about it, if you were to travel a path of ‘possibility’, that would be you talking about what ‘you’ did. But it is in that path of ‘impossibility’, that path of uncomfortableness, where you will talk about what God did for you! This is how healing is passed on and where miracles of blessings are born. Let’s not be concerned with the world telling us to question God about whether we are up for the task. It is not about our abilities. It is about God’s power in us that will birth the success in the path we walk. The path God directs us. When God gives us direction, let us not question Him on ‘why’. Instead, be in position. Walk the path with our heads held high. We do this, “...For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to His good purpose.” To God be the glory. Amen
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 Deuteronomy 30:16 “For I am commanding you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commands, statutes, and ordinances, so that you may live and multiply, and the Lord your God may bless you in the land you are entering to possess.” ~CSB
We have been blessed by healing! Now what? Now comes the hard part, walking in righteousness! The devil is a tricky one because if it was up to him, he would not allow it. September 21st 2013, I was healed and the chains were broken from my alcohol addiction. God laid His hand on me by removing the craving from my body! It’s like I’ve never had a drink before in my life. Understand, God took it, but He did not give it to me. You see, the devil knows what kind of blessing we will be in this world. He knows that God created us to do His work, with His power in this world. The devil doesn’t want that. So the devil gives people, (like myself), vices that they cannot get out of, in order to keep them from being proper servants to the Lord. When the devil got me hooked on that addiction of alcohol, that was his mission of stopping me from being what God intended for me to be. So when I confessed to the Lord and cried out for help, God healed me. Now I’m back on the job of making disciples for the kingdom. What did the devil do after that? He tried to sneak another addiction on me. For some, the devil’s second try may be lust, anger, or selfish ambitions. But for me, it was Cookies! Now I know the consumption of cookies is not as bad as alcohol abuse, but it can be an addiction just as well. I realized that I was conducting the same routine and developing the same habit with cookies as I was when I was drinking alcohol. The same pattern existed. When God healed me, I made a promise that I would not let anything take control of me again. Thinking about those cookies, I came to the conclusion that I did not walk away from the bondage of alcohol just to walk into the destruction of diabetes. I thank God for loving me so much to give me a third chance at this life. The first was Him creating me. The second was the sacrifice of His Son for my sins. And His forgiveness, healing and restoring me as the man I am today, that is the third. I will not throw this blessing away. “No devil, you cannot have my life!” Let’s tell the devil that we are no longer on His mission. Tell him we are loyal to God and will wake every morning determined to walk in God’s ways! Tell him that God will deliver us from any temptation he is trying to offer! And that we will keep the commands, ordinances and statues of His Holy Word. Say this with me: “Thank you Lord for allowing us to live and multiply! Allow us to tell others what you have done in our lives! And thank you God for blessing us on the path that you have created for us! This path that leads to the kingdom you have prepared for us! For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever…Amen!  Deuteronomy 30:19 “I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live...” ~CSB
On this day, 10 years ago, I had no idea that my life was about to change…8 days from now. I had no idea that I would be involved in an extremely painful accident that would result in me losing certain abilities. Abilities that I have had all my life. I had no idea that the man I was, I would no longer be. At the same time, I also didn’t know that the pain, the suffering and that transformation would be for my good. You see also at this time, 10 years ago today, I was about to lose my wife, my children and possibly (eventually), my way of life. But because people who love me prayed for me. Because I confessed to the Lord my shortcomings, the Holy Spirit intervened and put in a request to God for the help, I could not give myself. This scripture in Deuteronomy came to me from a ‘Bible Study’ guide at that time. And the Lord put in front of my face, “...Choose life or death my son…” At that time I didn’t know what that meant. But it is this scripture that allowed me to realize the path I was walking led to death. I became afraid of this awareness. And in my heart and mind, the Holy Spirit recognized this fear as a cry for help. Since I can’t tell myself ‘then’ what I know ‘now’, I’ll just speak to those of you who have an ear to listen. Before the healing through suffering and pain comes knocking at your door, (like it did mine); hear God when He tells you to stop walking down that path of destruction. Choose life and meditate on His Word so that you can actually stop, turn around, and become aware of that path he created for you on your own. For me, I was too far into my addiction to turn on my own, but God loves us so much that He will strike us hard enough to get our attention. And through the healing process, He will help you journey down that path He created. What may be difficult at first, will eventually become easier as you exercise Christ in your heart. Choose life, choose the right path and choose God’s will for your life. Try your best to do it with the Holy Spirit in you. And should you have to be struck down to start over; know that rebirth in the Word of God is one of the best beginnings a Child of God can experience. Either way, thank God for loving you enough to bring you back to Him. Amen  Deuteronomy 6:5-9 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your city gates.” ~CSB
My wife and I took a trip to the islands earlier this year. Our children asked us why they weren’t going with us. I told them, “There will be a time we will all vacation together. But I enjoy my time alone with my wife.” As this statement was directed to my children, I said my ‘wife’ and not your ‘mother’ because I wanted them to understand the intent of my message about the relationship I have with their mother. My children observe, watch and receive my relationship with my wife. They see how I treat her, how she treats me, and how important we are to each other. But please understand that we have raised our children to see much more than that. Our children see that it is because of our relationship with God, we are able to have a godly relationship with each other. Individually Yolanda and I have our very own strong, unique relationship with the Father. Because of this, we allow Him to lead us and show us the path we need to lead this family. Because we know how much the Lord loves us; and we know how to love the Lord; we then know how to love each other. It is great for families to go to church together and sit in devotional meditation together. But the nourishment of godly ‘relationship exercise’ should also be fertilized with ‘godly lifestyle living’. This way our children see in us, God working, guiding, leading and healing us as well as them. And they will grow and take the same godly lifestyle with them. Tony Evans puts it beautifully when he says, “That purposeful approach to spiritual training, that effort to welcome the Lord to be part of all aspects of life, is how parents can transfer to their children a biblical worldview so that God is their point of reference as they navigate choices.” Let the love of God in your heart show in you always. Let this love be the words that come out of your mouth and, “...repeat them to your children…” Have godly conversations in your home and when you travel. Go to bed with God in your heart and wake up in thanksgiving with Him on your mind! When you live in the name of Jesus, your children will receive the blessing of knowing not only who He is, but just how much God loves them. May God continue to bless and keep you under his guidance and protection in Jesus’ name. Amen |
Authors Billy & YolandaThis is the place where we share our heart through God's Word in faith that will inspire and empower you to live in peace. Archives
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