...in my head

What God's given me, I give you...

10.07.2011

Are You Reaping?

Revelation 14:15
And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe”

God has been and is at work in our midst as local assemblies and worldwide. This is by far NOT shocking! 

God has always been at work in the world. Although it may not always be seen clearly, He sure has. He is the Beginning and the Ending, Author and Finisher, Alpha and Omega; but what about in between?

Our parts and roles have always been the in between. We are urged to work out our salvation, but here's the point: We are also commanded to labor in the kingdom.

God has planted seeds through His Word all around us and in the lives of people in our everyday lives, but are we joining our hands with Him? We ought to be working it out and reaping it. God has not called us to patty-cake religiosity, God has called us to labor and reap what He has already sown into the Kingdom.

Just a quick thought...
Laborers are few, start reaping. The Law of the Harvest is that we reap what we sow, whether good or bad.

7.07.2011

Don't Save for Tomorrow What You Can Do Today

Acts 24:25-27


Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.” Meanwhile he also hoped that money would be given him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore he sent for him more often and conversed with him. But after two years Porcius Festus succeeded Felix; and Felix, wanting to do the Jews a favor, left Paul bound.


Amongst all the young people of America, this is our thing; procrastination.
Tackling one of the biggest devils in our faces is a big deal!


School work, homework, chores, duties, you name it! All of these things are vital in our daily lives, yet we tend with the trend to push it back.


Although many of us have mastered the art of procrastination, it is something that is taken lightly among us. But, this is a Biblical standpoint of how detrimental procrastination truly is!


Paul had been communicating the Gospel to Felix but he pushed it back. He'd been enjoying the conversations with the imprisoned apostle, yet he did not make any commitment due to procrastination. Maybe the severity of the situation is not really understood amongst ourselves. There are dangers in procrastinating!


When we push things back, we tend to continue to do so. It had been two whole years with opportunity to experience the goodness of God for Felix, yet his procrastination got in the way of his blessings! Listen, exchanging words is not enough for Biblical based salvation!


Here's what I'm saying:
DON'T SAVE FOR TOMORROW WHAT YOU CAN DO TODAY!


This is a struggle for many people in our day in age! Simply pushing things back as they come up is the wrong way to handle things. We are to live each day as our last!


Here's revelation: 
The Word of God declares that tomorrow is not promised. Furthermore, it is written, Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happentomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. James 4:13-17


It is revealed as sin! Being more specific, saying we'll do tomorrow what we can do today is boasting about tomorrow. Hence it is recalled as sin being that we don't know what tomorrow brings. We are to live TODAY and hope for TOMORROW. Hear me out, if you feel drawn to God today, respond today and don't wait for tomorrow for you do not know what tomorrow brings. Learn from the examples already presented:


Hebrews 3:12-19
Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said:

         
“ Today, if you will hear His voice,
      Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”


For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.



Therefore, don't save for tomorrow what you can do today... do it TODAY!

4.25.2011

One Word Is Enough

Genesis 3:1-5 

1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”
2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; 3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 
4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 

Based from a convo that I'd recently had with a fellow, I've decided to blog on this matter. 

We know that there are many denominations in Christianity in America and this is to provoke thought.

Is their teaching really in alignment with the Word of God?

The picture of the Garden of Eden is painted in this scene. God originally establishes His Word to Adam, saying: “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:16-17)

The Word of God is very precise, but it is dangerous to play with. It can be likened to a sword; only the skilled can weld it, but it is dangerous in the hands of the unlearned, consequences may be fatal! Wounds may be beyond self and pain is also inflicted to others.

The serpent was cunning and crafty. All he did was insert ONE word and beguiled Eve. One word is enough to cause deception and lead many astray as it's proven in the Garden.

In America, we are faced with a vast amount of deceptive doctrines. Many are lead astray daily with false Gospels... remember the garden, ONE word is enough for falsehood!

Paul issued out a warning to the Galatians and I pray that all the viewers of this blog also takes heed to it:
"But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed." (Galatians 1:8)

Any gospel that does not line up to the Word of God is deception. This will ultimately lead to destruction! This is a very important matter for the believer of our day and age, your soul is on the line!

The Gospel as Preached by Paul:

 1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. 6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. 7 After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. 8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 11 Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. (1 Corinthians 15:1-11)

The Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Christ.

Our Response to the Gospel as Preached by Peter:

36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” 37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men andbrethren, what shall we do?” 38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” 41Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. (Acts 2:36-42)

Now, it is up to you upon whether you will believe the Truth of the Word or the Deception of the Lie because One Word is Enough to throw you off.

One cut corner can lead you in the wrong path...

3.12.2011

P.S. How Far Will You Go?

I've had this blog on my mind for the past week.
Finally coming home from PAYC 2011, this Word has been confirmed from the Lord.
The theme was "GO" and was accompanied with anointed preaching and teaching via Bro Handkins, Bro Harry, and Bro Ensy. They challenged us, the PA youth, to allow God to use us and be witnesses, to paraphrase.

My question to you is, "How far will you go?"

We've just gotten back from this spiritual high, this is where the enemy attacks. Jesus had just gotten baptized and the Spirit was seen over Him, then He got tempted. But, the Word says He was led. What will you do? Will you give into the temptation that so easily entangles us or will you continue steadfast in the faith? How far will you go?

Has there been a desire in your life that God has sparked at PAYC? How far will you allow Him to take you?

God is fixing to spark revival through the young people of Pennsylvania, and anyone else reading, but how far will you let the passion take you? All God needs from you is availability and a desire and He will do the rest. What will you give up to see His purpose fulfilled in your youth groups? your schools? your communities? your friends? Here's the challenge, how far will you go?

We're living in a dying world and I'm going to be blunt.
Some people are so concerned with defiling themselves by having relationships with lost people.
I'm asking you, how far will you go?

Well, Jesus communed with the sinners, crippled, unclean, lepers, and His disciples were cursing fisherman, tax collectors, and etc. This life isn't about material gain, it isn't about how people look at you (even church people), it's about relationships. You can't lead the lost without a relationship. In the end, the most important things in life are relationships. Your relationship with God as primary, and the relationships with people as secondary. Jesus had relationships with all who were at Pentecost. I'm asking you, how far will you go?

To see them saved, how far will you go?
To see them delivered, how far will you go?

Here's your challenge PA, hold fast to the Words that have been spoken and live this like you've never lived it before! Go, and shine the light. Intoxicate the people around you with the Gospel of Christ! Go and establish relationships and win the lost to Christ!

PA Youth, let God use YOU!
The Word says: "Looking unto Jesus..."
How far will you go?

2.18.2011

Godly Arithmetics: Distinct Division

There's many things currently going on in the world, here in America and overseas.

But, what believers are failing to recognize is the subtle shift of this generation.
There's something lurking around and it's also creeping into the church; believers beware!

The world is grasping this certain concept where "everything just needs to come together" or "let's all be united." I'm writing to tell you, that's not the will of God! I may get controversy but I don't remember the last time I cared. Here's the Word of God integrated into this:

Luke 12:51
"Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division."


There's my proof! He didn't come to bring peace, He came to bring division!
I'll bring it a step further...


"You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own peculiar people that you may proclaim the praises of Him who brought you out of darkness into His marvelous light!"


The church is a called out people! Not a people who blend in! You ought to be distinctly divided from this world! The church doesn't need to change to reach this present dying world, the church doesn't have to merge with this present culture to make a difference, the church needs to rise up and be the church!


The church has always seemed like a defense mechanism, but Jesus didn't picture the church on the defensive! It's about time to kick it in gear church! It's time to rearrange Satan's borders for him! It's time to attack the devil's castles!


That's what this generation is enveloped with, not culture, Satan's stronghold!


Wake up!


All of this "emerging church" stuff is BOLOGNA! 
Believe it or not, it's creeping into some apostolic assemblies as well!
I'll make it clear, you won't reach me if I can't see a difference in you from my past way of living.


Know this, these are just signs of the times and we are to expose them for what they really are!



[For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.


But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.] 2 Timothy 4:3-5


1.22.2011

Something Ugly at the Gate

Acts 3:2
"And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple"



This blog is only intended for understanding the work of God.
But, there was something ugly at the gate called beautiful!

Just gonna get straight to the point. 

Whenever God sees ugly, He uses it as a Gateway. God shows His strength in our weakness.
The Lord KILLS, then He makes alive!
The Lord raises the humble and casts down the proud!
God allows the ugly to turn it into beauty, He uses ugly as a gateway to beauty.

Your problems, your insufficiencies, your struggles, God's got a plan for them!
What you CAN'T do is where He calls you.

So when you see ugly, it's only a matter of time before you see a transformation!
This lame man was lame from birth. He sits at the gate called beautiful asking for change. He was at the right place at the right time! He may have been asking alms, but he got real change this time! He met the right ones! They said, "We ain't got no money, but we DO got Jesus!" Nothing stays the same in Jesus' name! He got CHANGE! His ugly deficiency became a beautiful encounter!

Check out the 'lepers with the goods', they were outside the GATE! They were pretty UGLY!
Isolated from civilization, rejected from the city due to their medical condition. But, ugly is the gateway to beauty! The city was in an ugly state as well! But there is a God in heaven that uses ugly to bring you victory!

Your situation may be dark; But, light shines in the darkness!
Your trial may be ugly; But, beautiful change exits from beauty!

I just wanna hit you with this Word from God! He knows how to turn everything around for your good and His glory! Your ugly situation is only His platform to work on!


HE PROCLAIMS LIBERTY TO CAPTIVES,
OPENS PRISON DOORS TO THOSE BOUND,
HE COMFORTS THOSE WHO MOURN,
GIVES BEAUTY FOR ASHES,
THE OIL OF JOY TO THOSE WHO MOURN,
AND A GARMENT OF PRAISE FOR THE SPIRIT OF HEAVINESS!

None can compare, He's the God that uses U-G-L-Y!

1.02.2011

In The Air, But Under My Feet!

Psalm 8:3-9

3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,

         The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
 4 What is man that You are mindful of him,
         And the son of man that You visit him?
 5 For You have made him a little lower than the angels,
         And You have crowned him with glory and honor.          
 6 You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;
         You have put all things under his feet,
 7 All sheep and oxen—
         Even the beasts of the field,
 8 The birds of the air,
         And the fish of the sea 
         That pass through the paths of the seas. 
 9 O LORD, our Lord,
         How excellent is Your name in all the earth!


This psalm is what I find to be the most profound out of all 150 of them!
"What is man that You are mindful of him?"

Ya see, in this generation, in this new year, people need to understand their worth to God!
Man has been the the most cherished creation of God since creation! The only beings that God had an appointed time and place for! We all know the story!

But, here's a new tone to your mind, walk in revelation and not emotion. 
God is thinking of you and me! 
He made us with authority, power, and purpose!

Here's the revelation, your worth to God is shown by your rank in creation!
He's made the stars in the sky, the sun, the moon, the universe and the only verbiage they get from God is a command to spin in orbit! 
God says: 
"Ocean, this is your boundaries and you shall not cross them!"

But, God takes the extra mile to visit man! He walks with the man and talks with the man!
It's RELATIONSHIP vs DUTY. That's right, relationship with man and creation's duty for God...

So, every created thing, God's placed man above! All things are subject to man! I won't go into the Hebrew of the word translated "angels" here but this is profound!

Even the birds of the air are subject to man! What's my point?

Here's my point:
Though they're in the air, they're under my feet!
Though the earth may shake, it's under my feet!

I'll take it a step further!
"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."


Yes, I said it! Principalities, powers, rulers, spiritual hosts in [heavenly places]
In the air, but UNDER MY FEET!

Profound! 
But here's what happened when Jesus sent out 70.. they came back with a great report! They rejoiced! 
"Even the demons are subject to us in Your name!"

But listen, Jesus said, "I give you authority to trample... but don't rejoice in this, rather rejoice that your name is written in heaven"

Here's what I'm saying, the product of our personal relationship with God is the authority of Jesus the Christ!

Problems ARE coming, hard times WILL come, but it's only in Jesus that you will be able to say,
IN THE AIR, BUT UNDER MY FEET!

Your coming perplexities and struggles and storms, you can overcome with relationship and revelation with and in God!
Like Peter, we too can walk on the waves of the storm!

I pray, Jesus bids you to come into the revelation!