-aster 2012

Christianity, seems to be on a road of apostasy. Pastors, building their Kingdoms, while ignoring the mission, that they were supposedly called to. I feel disheartened and angry when I see the devoted lacking basic needs to enjoy this most important of Christian holidays.
No food baskets for -aster.

Jesse Jackson, Jeremiah Wright, Al Sharpton

Christianity has truly lost it's way, from when Jesus was alive and present on this earth that he created. Christianity shouldn't even be associated with Jesus. I'm sure that he (Jesus) wouldn't own up to the fact that these are his followers.
Christianity in general is truly apostate. But in the Black community it seems to take on a more perverse nature.
The Most Reverend, Reverends, (Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and Jeremiah Wright) are the center of the problem in the black community. Famed pastors and evangelist of the TV church are corrupt enough. But these three Revenders of the black community are by far the worst. They take from their own people who truly can't afford it. To have the title of Reverend in front of there name and conduct their public and private lives as they do, meaning: Living a lifestyle above the people their suppose to be the champions of and try to "minister" to. Living the life styles of the rich and famous and preaching a theology that even Jesus wouldn't recognize is shameful to say the least. Did Jesus preach Liberation theology or I'm a victimology? I did think so. These three all preach separation instead of unification of believers. Black culture vs white culture. Christianity is a culture of its' own, which embraces all people who want to have a relationship with G-d.
The people are the one's who suffer, because they are held in religious bondage by a false theology, instead of the teachings of their G-d and Savior, Jesus the Christ.
Judgement day is coming, I don't want to be following the the Three Stooges (Jackson, Sharpton, Wright) or (Copeland, Robertson, Roberts, Baker, and the rest) If you don't get what I'm saying read the Bible for your self, maybe for the first time in your christian life and run from these people.
It is better to please G-d, than man.
Whether your black or white is not the issue. Wrong is wrong, whether your a Reverend or not.
Don't get Stooged any more.

Capitalism at it's worst! This is a bad Company.

I was listen to the news the other night, and an expert was telling about the housing dilemia and how Large Companys (Banks, Mortgage Lenders ect.) exploit the everyday citizens. Today a friend of mine got a call from his supervisor and was told that he didn't have a job, because he was too slow.

The company Grand Rapids Building Services, hired a number of people to do janitorial work a local High School. After paying for security clearances, physicals and drug testing, new employee orientation ect., none of the people hired were "fast enough" to clean a Middle school, at $9.00 an hour.

With unemployement so high in our state company's can pick and choose. But to work someone a week and tell them their going to have a week off and start working on a certain date only to not truly hire them is stupid and irresponsible.

When the bottom line means more than treat people right is wrong. Companies like Grand Rapids Building Services won't be able to conduct their business when they can't find employees to work for them.

People talk and people listen to conversations about employers. Whether it's good or bad people pass it on. Well, if anyone comes across this blog and your looking for work. Grand Rapids Building Services is not an employer of chose here.

Miracles

Who does God use? Anyone He wants to. Why? Because, He’s God. The Word is full of people who lived less that perfect lives and committed outright sin and God used them mightily. I guess one needs to ask the question, what sin is greater? Is a sexual sin worse than murder? What about lying vs. stealing? Backbiting vs. gossiping? Who is without sin let him cast the first stone.
Miracles can also be a benefit to the person whom God chooses to use to bring them closer to Him? God desires that all His creation be saved. Will that happen? Sadly no. I read the end of the book.

To answer the questions you posed:
1. YES, Like, I stated above, God uses whom He wills. One only has to look at the genealogy of Jesus to see that.

2. NO, That’s what made them Miracles.

3. Depends, on what your definition of a miracle is. Signs and wonders (miracles) abound in today’s churches, but the church hasn’t been able to discern what is what. In some churches anything goes. I believe we need to stay to a scriptural definition.

The disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus on behalf of John and ask Jesus if He was the One or should they look for another? Now listen to what Jesus told them. He said go tell John the things that you have seen and heard; how the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleaned, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.
I call this the three things, the devil cannot or won’t do. The devil cannot do a creative miracle and heal the sick, the devil cannot give life, and he definitely won’t preach the (GOOD NEWS) gospel.

These are the signs, the true miracles that should be seen in the church today. And Jesus stated that Greater miracles than these would be coming through the Holy Spirit, because He went to his Father. In Mark’s Gospel it says, that these signs shall follow them that believe…

I believe in all 16 Fundamental Truths of the Assemblies of God, but that will not get me into heaven. Just believing is not enough. Faith without works is dead. If your waiting to become perfect before you start living for God in the manner He desires, your going to miss it. You have to start, where your at right now. Study the Word with other believers, to do and understand, not just to fulfill an obligation. Pray, to truly communicate, with the Creator. Asking for direction and help in practicing what you just read. That is what committing your life to God is about. You will see miracles, but they will be at your hands through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Decisions, Decisions

Decisions, Decisions as Youth Extreme says. We continue to do the same thing everyday hoping things will turn out different. Even Youth Extreme recognizes what’s going on here. I see the same thing everyday too. It’s like sometimes living in the Groundhog Day movie, in real life.
We have to purpose in our hearts that we are going to change. Base that change on the Word of God, Ask the Holy Spirit to prepare our day and to bring to our remembrance what we’re trying to do.
God is not going to change us, we have to change us. Scripture tells us to resist the devil or the Evil Inclination and he will flee from you. I’m talking to myself here. If we want to start making better decisions than we need to keep our focus on who we profess to serve and rely on what His Word says for us to do. Discipleship means discipline.
We have to approach our lives from who in control? If God is truly on the throne in your life, than follow and do what he says. The answers to every question, and how to make the right decisions, is in the Word of God and the Holy Spirit will reveal it to you. But you have to give the Holy Spirit something to work with here. How can he help you make the right decisions in your life, if your life is not centered around and given over to His Word? God’s Word is His Will.
But, you know, that takes to much time. I’ll go ask bother or sister so and so.
Then you live by the decisions you and so and so make.
The Holy Spirit is your Council, your teacher. He will not guide you into all truth concerning the Will and Word of God.
So the choice is yours. If you want to truly stop making bad decisions. Than stop, it’s up to you, the ball is in your court.

DeVinci Code who cares?

I guess I’m one of the one’s who could care less about the DeVinci Code book and movie. I don’t plan on reading the book or going to the movie. I believe that there are some places that as believers we should not go and literature that is not profitable for us to read.. I know how this may sound, but I believe before we try to be intellectuals and open minded, that we need to have both feet firmly planted in the Word and Will of God. I think focusing our minds and discussion on this and other worldly media, that attack that our faith is just another way, our adversary (the devil) gets us to chase or tails in a circle. We don’t have to defend the Bible or the Word of God. It stands alone and states who it is and changes lives as the Holy Spirit opens it to the minds and hearts of those seeking the Father in Jesus Christ.
The singer Madonna, is involved in Jewish spiritualism called Kabbalah. Amongst Jewish people, Kabbalah isn’t encouraged to be studied until you are firmly grounded in Torah. Kabbalah is considered to be the last thing to study.
After our congregational meeting Wednesday, I was again wondering where our church is going to be headed in the next 5 to 10 years once all of the old people are dead? I looked at who was at the meeting and who attends Wednesday nights and Sunday nights where the majority of the teaching is, and well….
Personally, I won’t give legitimacy to these topics, by mentioning them. The only legitimate truth is the Word of God. If you don’t know the Word of God, then any wind of doctrine, any new book, any TV evangelist will move you, and a double minded person, need not think he will receive anything from God, because he unstable in all his ways.
There are a lot of things that you don’t need to know, but one thing you do. The Word of God is true concerning you, now and for eternity.

In reply to Jon, relying on scholars is exactly the reason this is being discussed today. I’m not a scholar and I wasn’t born yesterday, but things are plain. It’s black or white (no gray), right or wrong, your a saint or a sinner, your in or out, the Word is true or false. The Word of God is not open to discussion. It is the final answer for all the problems of man. Like in the beginning, God offered to give the Torah, to every nation on earth. And they all declined. They didn’t like the prohibitions that the Torah had connected with it.
Thou shalt not have any other gods before you, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not commit adultery etc. The Jews on the other hand said. Everything God has spoken, we will do.
As Christians we need to learn to answer God in this manner when He speaks to us through his Word or emissary, and say we will do and we will understand. Understanding comes from studying the scriptures and the Holy Spirit will teach us. Now The Holy Spirit is the only reliable scholar we have. And guess what? He lives in us! We need to be just dumb enough, to believe what the Word of God says, without any earthly scholarly certification.
Not only are “church” scholars discussing the fact or fiction of the DeVinci Code, but homosexuality and abortion just to mention a couple. Don’t let your eternity ride on earthy wisdom, when the real “know it all” abides within us, if we allow Him.
Wisdom is applied Knowledge

Saying No to God.

I have to agree with Youth Extreme, that expectations need to be up front. Hidden facts that come up later can cause a lot of unwanted stress on every one.
We have to realize that you will always have your givers and doers and your ones that just don’t want to be involved at any level. That is between them and God. Personally if I have the time and resources I will usually say yes. I’m more of a instant in season and out of season type of guy. I have a very flexible life. No, I’m not retired yet. But, if someone needs something, I’ll usually drop what I’m doing to help. Everything and anything can wait, when it comes to doing something for God.

Now don’t take me wrong. I have my own sense of priorities.
1. My relationship with God.
2. My relationship with my wife
3. My relationship with my children
4. My relationship with my job.
5. My relationship with the church

You might ask yourself, where do you fit into my priority list? My relationship with God requires me to be obedient to Him and His Word. The Lord impresses on me, what I am to do for you as the situation requires. Ministering to people is ministering to God. Jesus said. “If you have done it onto the least of these my brethren, you have done it onto me.” Remember our Motto: Love God and Love People. When you live a life with that in mind, you really can’t live past the present, because something might come up, where God requires you, to do something.
I can take people telling me, no. But I can’t say no to God. If you tell God no too often, He just might quit asking. Another way to look at say no to God, is how many unanswered prayers do you have. Why should God answer your prayers when you are constantly saying no to Him? It’s something to think about. To the one who knows to do good and doesn’t, to him it is sin.
Say yes to Jesus and he will say yes to you.

Receiving from God!

Divine healing, divine supply, divine protection / deliverance, divine intervention on all levels is considered a miracle. Why does God seem to intervene on the behalf of some and not another? Why does it seem like God will perform a supernatural intervention on behalf of a sinner while at the same time allow a “believer” languish in pain and suffering, poverty, etc.?

I can only look at what the Word of God states concerning these things and see where I might fall in there. Do I believe and do I truly have faith?
1. I know that God is not a respecter of persons.
2. I know that cares for those who love Him and obey His Word.
3. I know He has everything under control that enters my life.
4. I know that He is the author and the finisher of my faith.
5. I know that He hears my prayers, because I believe that He exists
6. I know that the will of God that I perform in my life will come back to me in this life.
7. I know He won’t let me be tempted, above my ability to resist.

A lot of what we desire to receive from God is conditional upon how we believe and act out our beliefs in this life. By doing onto others you are setting things in motion to have them returned onto you. When we minister onto the Lord, we are showing our faith in what He said. By you being obedient to His word, He will perform His Word in our lives. Do you want to be encouraged? Then, go and encourage someone in the Lord. Do you want to be healed? Go lay hands on someone that needs healing and pray for them. Not just one time, but every time you come across someone who is sick. Remember it’s not you anyway, it’s God who heals. You are just the instrument at the time. Do you need supply? Give to someone else that has a need and know for yourself, that God is truly your supply. When we start living and ministering the Word of God to other people, we will see the Word of God performed in our lives too.

We need to know whether or not we have faith for these things, or is our faith, really hope. If you believe, that God is who He says He is and He holds His word above His Name, then when you’ve done all that you can do to stand, STAND.

Without faith, it is impossible to please God. Faith is now. Hope is in the future. Read Isaiah 53 1-5 and 1 Peter 2:24 in the KJV. Our healing was part of the atonement. Jesus paid for it all on the cross. He redeemed us spirit, soul and body. If your in Him, then all this is for you. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so. SO!

Go or stay

Go or stay? Go or stay? We have to ask ourselves the why’s in all of this. Why do I want to go? Why do I want to stay? Some people make a list of each and the one with the most wins. I’ve heard people be religious and say the Lord told me to go. My question is, does the Lord really care if you stay or go? I’ve heard people say, I’ve been called to a different church. This poses a particular question, especially when this individual didn’t do anything in the church they were at.
I think it’s easy to go and hard to stay. The people I’ve seen go are not any better off and not any happier then they were. Some are even not serving God anymore, just because they went. We see this stay and go dilemma played out every day. Spouses go, people go to different jobs, go from one addiction to another, move from one city to another looking for something and finding nothing. We’re not happy where we’re at, so we’re going to go and find our happiness. True happiness and joy comes from God. When all we have to do is learn to be content with what the Lord has given us and to understand that this is our lot in life. Financially, we’re only going to prosper as our souls prosper. For the Christian to keep trying to reach for the golden ring, it will always be elusive. If you believe that you truly are in Christ Jesus and He is your source for everything, then you really don’t have to go anywhere. He will prosper you, where your at. Supplying all your needs according to His rich’s in glory through Christ Jesus. He is the author and the finisher of our faith. How would it make Him look, to allow you to prosper above what your able to handle, (because he knows everything) and your wealthy lifestyle causes you to fall away, as some have and they haven’t realized it yet?
In Judaism, it is believed that every persons standard of living is set by God. By understanding this, you don’t need to struggle with trying to be something that God has determined that your not. I find great peace and comfort in this. I’m right where God wants me economically. We gave up our rights to build our own careers when we accepted Christ as our Savior. We are to be working for the Kingdom. We were bought with a price. We are not our own. Any job we have or career we work at is to pay the bills. It’s a means, not an end. The Kingdom has to come first. That’s why the term living within your means should mean something to Christians. What profits a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul?
Even if you’re your lot in life is to be average, your obligations are the same as the one who is above average or better. You see we’re all to do our share with what the Lord has given us. We are to be Stewards.
Stay or go? Ask the Lord and leave it in his hands. But be honest with yourself and with others. If you go and the Lord didn’t tell you to, and your chasing the golden ring or the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, your going to be disappointed. Come back and tell the Lord, that your willing to live His way and He will bless whatever you put your hands to.
I’m going to stay. There is a lot of work for me to do for Him right here in Battle Creek.