Words of Encouragement

Did you know there is not a path that God will lead you to that he cannot keep you on.  This week meditate on the goodness of God and his care for his children.  Will you follow him completely?

Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said, "This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: 'You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you [a] will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites." - Exodus 19:3-6

Promises of God

MONDAY
Moses went up on the mountain to speak with God. In the third month after the Israelites left Egypt, they came to the desert of Sinai. The people were released from the bondage of slavery and had come to the mountain of God.


God spoke to Moses and gave him instructions to give to the children of Israel. He first tells Moses to remind them of what he did for them in Egypt. God had shown the Israelites his power and might when he brought them from Egypt. When Pharaoh had refused to let them go, God sent the ten plagues to show he was more powerful than the Egyptian gods. God showed the Israelites as well as the Egyptians that there was no god above the true God.

Thought for today - Have you thought today about what God has already brought you through?  If you have, how did that make you feel? 

prayer - Lord, help me to be reminded of that which you have already done for me so that I can be encouraged with the things I must face today.


TUESDAY
God states he bore them on eagle’s wings, and brought them unto himself. He is telling them of how his deliverance of his people was swift and how he protected them. When the plagues hit Egypt, the Israelites were spared. God first tells Moses to remind them of who he is and then tell them of what is expected of them.

God promised the Israelites if they obeyed him, he would set them above all other nations. They would be a treasure unto God. This is not because they are special for what they do, but because of what God will do to and through them. He is promising to be with them and make them a people for himself above all other nations.

Thought for today - When is the last time you thought of yourself as a treasure unto God?  Not because of something special you have done, but because of who God is?

Prayer - Lord today, help me to be reminded that I am treasured by you.  When I remember this, I will be able to see that you care for me and that no matter what I face, I am not alone.

WEDNESDAY
The message continues with God’s requirement for them to be a holy nation. God was preparing the people for his laws that he would give to Moses, which takes place in the next chapter. God was also warning the people to be set apart from other nations that were around them. God did not want the people to intermingle with the other nations and begin to pick up customs and behaviors, and move away from true worship.

“This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear. This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us: To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt, Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods, to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him” (Acts 7:37-40).

God was offering much to the children of Israel, yet they continued to be disobedient. They complained and murmured about food and water. They complained about too much manna and no meat. The Israelites continued to be ungrateful to God’s mercies. God’s warning on the mountain was one given to protect his people from themselves. He knew the hearts of the people, so he gave a warning to them, to be holy, because he is holy.

Thought for today - Have you been ungrateful for the many things God has done for you?  Have you complained when you should have been thankful?  Have you murmured or whined when you didn't get what you want, instead of asking God why?

Prayer - Lord this day, help me to see your hand in my life and that both the good and the bad are used by you.  You use everything for my good, to shape me and mold me.  Help me to be grateful and not complain.


THURSDAY

This message that Moses was to give to the Israelites, is still a vital message for believers today. God has deliverance for people today. He has the deliverance from the bondage of sin that we are not able to release ourselves from. We needed God to send someone to release us from that bondage and that person was Jesus.

God gives us this warning also, to remember what he has delivered us from. God has made provisions for us, yet like the Israelites we can be ungrateful and become grumblers. God also warns us not to pick up the customs around us. God wants his people to be set apart, a peculiar people. He calls for holiness because he is holy. He does not want his people blending in other religions and making a mockery of our faith. The promise is, if we are obedient to God, he will care for his people.

Thought for Today - Have you picked up some bad habits lately?  Do you look different from those around you, are you set apart and peculiar?

Prayer - Lord you have saved me from many dangers, both seen and unseen.  You have called me to yourself to make me into a holy people because you are holy.  Help me today Lord to be faithful to you and your will for my life.


FRIDAY
God was a faithful God, to an unfaithful people. God showed love, to an ungrateful, unloving people. Yet, God continued to call his people back into a right relationship. God’s love is still evident today, even to the ungrateful and unloving. Why is God’s love still evident today? God’s love is still available today, because God is still seeking the lost to come to him and be his people.

Thought for Today - Have you acknowledged God's faithfulness today?  Have you thanked him for loving you regardless of your ability to follow or not?  As you go to worship this week, seek God's help in being his faithful servant.

The Week In Review

Celebration – Inspiration - Communion

Luke 19:37-38 – And when he was come nigh, even now at the (1) descent of the mount of Olives, the (2) whole multitude of the disciples began to (3) rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they have seen; Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.


There were some interesting patterns within the Gospel of Luke. The first interesting structural pattern was the usage of the phrase “And it came to pass.”


This phrase was used 35 times starting in chapter 1:8 and the last time in chapter 24:51. This phrase is used when the movement or action transitions from one event to another, stating the completion of something. It is used in this chapter in verse 29 as this story of Jesus unfolds.


Luke also uses contrasting in his Gospel. One example is the speech by Mary (1:46-53).

From Low Esteem to blessed of All Nations (1:48)
How God will put down mighty to God exalt the low (52)
How God will fill the hungry with good to God making the rich empty (53)


Luke’s purpose for writing this Gospel is to present the evidence of Jesus and the fulfillment. He does that with his detail and themes throughout the writing of his Gospel. These verses follow that same pattern of the writer. We see some important points in these verses that correlate with Luke’s message of the fulfillment of God’s purpose through Jesus.

The first point is with his descent of the Mount of Olives. This dramatic visual shows Jesus coming down riding on the donkey to where the people stand waiting. All that are standing there see his approaching and Jesus coming to where they are. We can celebrate and take inspiration or encouragement because Jesus chose to come down to where you and I are. In the Old Testament, if you remember only Moses could go up the mountain to be in the presence of God. But now we have God, through Jesus coming down to be among the people. This picture shows us a glimpse of the love that God has for us. He shows his love by allowing Jesus to descend down to our lowly state to be our king. Jesus left his place in heaven and descended down to earth to be where we are, and in doing so, lifts us up to where God is. He comes down to be with us, because we were not capable of coming up to be with him. We cannot measure up to God’s standards. For God so loved us he sent his son…

Come back next week for the next installment.

The Week In Review

A woman that seeks – marks of a virtuous woman

Ask, and it shall be given, seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: - Matthew 7:7


A virtuous woman knows God will open to her what she is seeking. This woman is seeking God not only for her creature comforts, but also for direction on how to be a godly wife and mother. I can say assuredly that this woman was one that sought God for directions, and this is evident in her attitude of looking forward to the future. She was not afraid of what the future held. She was not afraid of the evil times she was in, because she was seeking God and he was answering her questions for guidance and direction.


We today can have a hopeful outlook for our lives because of whom we serve. The crime in our streets, the murders, the lack of self-control do not have to make us function in fear. We do not have to function from fear because God gives us this same promise that if we ask, seek, or knock, he will give, we will find and he will open. If you are asking for help, he will give you help. If you are seeking direction, you will find the way in him. If you are knocking on the doors of heaven in prayer for something, the windows of heaven will be opened and blessings will be poured out on you. That is why as believers we can have a hopeful outlook. We do not have to live our lives based on what our circumstances look like, because we know we serve a God that says he will give to us what we need.


So what makes a woman more precious than rubies and worthy of praise? What makes a woman a virtuous woman? It is her relationship with God through his son Christ Jesus. He gives to us his righteousness and equips us for the journey ahead of us. He gives us each task to fulfill and he does not send us out unprepared to fulfill them. He gives us his Spirit, which will guide us and teach us for completion of our assignments. So if we have not made this very crucial connection then anything we do will never be successful by God’s standards. So today, I ask anyone that has not accepted Christ as his or her savior to do so.


When you do, he will not only offer eternity with God to you, but he promises to give you his Spirit that will help you walk here on earth as one of the set aside, holy people of God. And maybe you have Christ in your life, but sometimes you don’t always feel like this virtuous woman. Maybe you are having difficulties letting go of your way and accepting God’s way. You need to come today to an altar of prayer and ask God to help you. He says come and seek him and you will find him. Seek him for the strength you need to fulfill the role he has for you as wife and mother. What better day than on a day set aside to honor mothers, than to come and offer yourself completely to God so that he can make you into the mother that is worthy of all praise, because you fear the Lord. I leave you with this poem, the composition of a godly woman.

Words of Encouragement

This large piece of art was an eye catcher on the wall at the hotel.  If you were on the first floor you saw it.  If you were on the second floor, you saw it.  It was not a small "sunburst" it was a large one and it covered a large part of the wall.  As I looked at this I thought about this important point.  You and I need to be like this large sunburst.  The "Son" burst that should be evident to others is us.  They should see us if they are on the first floor or even if they are on the second floor.  In otherwords, no matter what level they are on (up or down) individuals should see that we are a piece of work!

Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me. Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.  Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence. - Psalm 27:10-12

Who is Leading? The True Leader. We started this week looking at God as the true leader and we will end it on the same.  God is the only leader that if we follow, we can find peace in.  We will never find complete peace and security in our presidents, while it is good to go out and make your political voice be known.  We will not find security in our bosses when they promises things to us that they have no intention of keeping.

The true leader that we must follow is the one that will never leave us, even if those that you love do.  The true leader that is concerned about our safety from our enemy is God.  He does not leave us under the hand of the oppressor.  He does not leave us to face the false accusations (the accuser) alone.

God, the lover of our soul will lead us away from the traps of sin and to the paths that lead to living water.  He will lead as by the still waters so that we can find drink.  He doesn't make us come to the turbulent waters, but the calm ones so that we can drink.

Who do you want to follow?  Do you want to follow the one that will lead you from death to life?  The one that will lead you from the oppressor of your soul who wants you to carry all the sins you committed as well as every one committed against you?  Who do you want to follow?  The false leader that will talk you into going back into captivity, or the one that will show the foolishness of the accuser?

Today, let us pray that God would do something in us so that we will never want to be the same again.  Set us aflame today Lord so that we can follow you where ever you want to lead.

Words of Encouragement

This image was from the post in the Amway Hotel.  As I looked at it, I thought about how we allow unnatural things to lead us astray.  This image was attached to what looked like a box or carriage.  Do we get carried away with unsual things?  Do unusual things catch our attention and then we find ourselves latched on and unable to get away?  That is what happens when we do not keep our focus on God.

                                                                                                                          

Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—became insolent [a] and rose up against Moses. With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council. They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron and said to them, "You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the LORD's assembly?" - Numbers 16:1-3

Who is Leading? Rebellious Leaders. There were those that were angry at Moses and wanted to remove his leadership from over the people of Israel.  If you notice, it normally only takes one person to stir up a bunch of stuff.  So with this rise up there were 250 men that were leaders of the community that were talking against Moses and Aaron.  They wanted to know why should they follow them when everyone is holy so they should not be set up above them.

Let us really look at the message in this scripture.  The ones that were in a position to lead, did not want to follow.  If you cannot follow how can you be a good leader?  The leaders did not think it fair that someone else should be above them.  It wasn't so much Moses and Aaron, it was God they were really angry with.  See it was not Moses or Aaron that appointed themselves, it was God.  They were angry with the way God wanted to lead. 

When God has called us to be submissive and learn how to lead, but we refuse to humble ourselves because we seek to be holy in ourselves and by ourselves, then we make a mess of things. 

Lord, help us to humble ourselves under your leadership so that we can learn to become what you have called us to be.  We do not want to be rebellious under your leadership and then lead others astray.  We do not want the blood of others on our hands because we have lead them away from your way and your will.

Words of Encouragement

As I looked at this picture, it stood out from amongst the other trees because of its beautiful, vibrant color.  It's red was easily identified.  When I thought about this tree, I thought about us.  We should be like this red tree.  The covering of the red blood of Christ should be evident in each of the believers.  It should show us as beautiful and vibrant. 

and said to the entire Israelite assembly, "The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them." - Numbers 14:7-9

Who is Leading? God, if We Obey. The children of God receive a message about the leadership of God.  They are told that if they please God he will lead them to a land of plenty and from that land he will supply to them.  However what will stop that flow of plenty is rebellion from the will of God.

If the people want to be able to obtain the benefits of God they must obey the one that can lead them to the land of plenty.  God is the provider and it is only through him that we can obtain the provisions that we need.  If we want that storehouse to be opened to us, we must humble ourselves under the leadership of an awesome God.

Lord, today we ask you to lead us.  Lead us so that we can obey you, your way.  Help us to be your people and when we do we can have access to your provisions.

Words of Encouragement

If you are trying to reach a destination, would you take the road backwards, away from that destination?  No, well why then do we want to go back into conditions that we have been delivered from.

Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn't it be better for us to go back to Egypt?" And they said to each other, "We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt." Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown in front of the whole Israelite assembly gathered there. - Numbers 14:3-5

Who is Leading? The Wrong Leader. The people of God became complainers and because of it, they wanted to give up on Moses' leadership.  However, it was not Moses they were really giving up on, they were giving up on God.  So in their complaining, they thought it might be better to go back into Egypt.  They thought to themselves, let us gather a new leader that will take us back to Egypt.

Do you know why Moses and Aaron feel facedown in front of the whole Israelite assembly?  It was because of the foolishness of the people.  What they were saying in essence is this, "We will gather a leader that will take us back to the place of captivity, the place where we had been released from.  We will gather to ourselves a leader that will take us back."

They forgot about their complaints and how those complaints had been answered by God and how they had been released from captivity.  Now they wanted to go back.  Well, there is one that is ready and waiting to lead you back into slavery.  Slavery to sin, to lust, to disobedience and bondage.  When you complain and grumble about how God leads you, there is one that quickly waits to lead you back from whince you came.  That leader is the devil. He will gladly help you make your way back into captivity and further away from what God has promised for you.

Lord, help us today not to become foolish and look backwards and follow wrongly back into captivitiy.  Help us to move after you and away from that which will destroy.

Words of Encouragement

This picture is of the river outside of the Amway Hotel in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The river flows in one direction.  The water does not simply flow in its own direction, it has to go with the "current" or that force that makes it go.  We must be like this river.  We must allow the "current" of the Spirit of God to lead us if we are to make it to the destination we were meant to go.

"In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling. - Exodus 15:13

Who is Leading? God Will Lead. We are often faced with the difficulty of knowing which way we will go.  It is most easy if we wake in the morning and see before us a clear direction laid out for us.  We would feel comfortable and more assured, wouldn't we?

It would seem so, however we are not.  We are given a clear path to take every day we wake in the morning but we often do not want to take it because it seems to difficult or maybe we see how we can do it better so we take our own direction.

Today I want to tell you we have one that will lead us (direct us, move us toward a destination).  That leader leads us in his unfailing (never ending) love. He leads us because we are his people that he has redeemed back to himself.  He took great care in bringing his people to himself.

Because of this great love of God, he will  lead us with strength and guide us to his holy place.  Did you know that you and I cannot make it to the holy place of God, if he does not first lead us there?  We cannot in our own strength make it there.  The climb is too high. Our foot will slip every time we try to climb up to where God dwells.  Yet, what this loving leader does is he reaches down and with a hand of love bandage our wounds we have from trying to climb and falling down, and they he leads us up to him.

This week, let us look at being lead by God and what that requires you and I to do.  Lord, we are thankful for you leading us with your love, strength and care to bring us up to you.  Help us Lord, to be your people that are lead by your Spirit.

The Week In Review

“Why are you feeding the dead?” (Part 6)
March 25, 2007
Preached in Wisconsin by Jewel D. Williams

MAN’S PERFECTION

Man believes his way is the best, man refuses to listen to correction.
God’s way is best, for God is perfection.

Man talks of the glory of the world and its offer of unholy things.
God talks of the glory of his world, the kingdom from where hope springs.

Man thinks he knows all there is to know, that he has all power in his hand.
God knows all there is to know and he has all power to command.

Man believes not in things he doesn’t understand, but only what he can see.
God believes in us, even though we rarely show him what we can be.

Man thinks only of what he is doing now, and not what will tomorrow bring.
God knows our past, present, and our future and he wants us to let go of unholy things.

Man reads a little of the word of God, and believes he knows what is wrong with others.
God is the word, and he wants to cleanse your heart before you can help another.

Man is but a fool, yet he believes to highly of himself, of his works and his deeds.
God is all knowledge and only the work done for Christ will help you succeed.

Man’s perfection. He believes to highly in himself, yet each day he falls.
God’s perfection. He is the Almighty and he has the power to keep us all.

Man’s perfection. It exists in his mind and it only leads to sins sting.
He believes too much in his own works and honors and not enough in the Great King.

When the day comes that man depends, leans, believes, trust and lives God’s word,
He will truly be on his path to perfection, living by what his heart has heard.

Man’s Perfection, it is not so.
God’s perfection, it is the only way to grow.

The Week In Review

A woman that seeks – marks of a virtuous woman

A RIGHTEOUS WOMAN RISES EARLY AND SEEKS:
The scripture says, “She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, an portion to her maidens. – Proverbs 31:15

If we look at all the different things this virtuous woman is able to do, it hinges on the fact that she is obedient to God and also on the fact that she rises up early in the morning, when the sun has not even shown itself over the horizons and begins to prepare for her family. She provides food for her family. I’m not simply talking about physical food, but spiritual food as well.

When you think about rising early, I think about more than simply getting up early from bed. I also think about early in the process. This attitude is pleasing to God as scripture says,

I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall fine me. – Proverbs 8:17

A virtuous woman then is able to provide for her family because she consults God about her day. She doesn’t simply get up early in the morning and seek him, but she also seeks him early in the process of what she is doing as well. She does not do things her way first, and then after she has failed or things have become too hectic go seeking God to help her or bail her out of her problems. Instead the virtuous woman seeks God at the beginning of her day, and at the beginning of whatever her hands will undertake so that she can be equipped for the task. The only reason why this woman can run a business, take care of a family, know how to shop for a bargain, is because she is not depending on her own wisdom, but is seeking God’s wisdom.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. – Matthew 6:33

A virtuous woman will benefit from obedience to God. This woman in scripture was one that exhibited her trust in God and because she rose early to seek God, she was able to trust him for the provision for her family. It was his working through her that enabled her to be a smart businesswoman. So it is with us today, we have to go to God first to seek what is his will for us in our daily lives. When we do that, he promises to add all the other things we need. So while I may have a list of things I want for my family, health, wealth, success, that is my “b” list. My “A” list is, God may your perfect will be done in our lives so that if you have to drop anything off my b or c list to get it accomplished, then your will be done.

When we seek God first and his righteousness, we then have our lives in the right priority. When we are doing things God’s way, we can have success. This is the mystery of how the virtuous woman was able to accomplish all that she did, she sought God first and he added to her. We cannot try to add to ourselves and then try to throw a “little” God in for good measure. When you do, you are already on the road to destruction. In her rising early, she also was giving the word “early” to her family. Her children were seeing the written words lived out in her life.

This is most important to a successful family; it is more than telling your children what to do, but mirroring for them the words of God from their “early years”. This is the greatest thing we can do to help our children go in the right direction. We can exhibit Christ for them, and then pray and ask God to water and grow the seeds we planted, but if we are not planting the right seed, we cannot expect the right harvest. And maybe you didn’t have the opportunity to mirror early for your children, maybe you weren’t a Christian at the time, but that is the blessing of God, to start then right where you are. Start early in your walk with Christ, even if that start was not early in your children’s life. It can still make an impact. You will allow your children to see, you were one way, but I now there is something to being a Christian, because you are different. What a gift to give.

Words of Encouragement

(Ezekiel prophesying to the elders)

                                                                                                                               He said to me, "Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you." As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me. He said: "Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their fathers have been in revolt against me to this very day. The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says.' And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet has been among them. And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house. You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you." - Ezekiel 2:1-8

You Want Me? Ezekiel: No Fear! Ezekiel is told to stand up!  Stand on your feet, stand for the Lord, be ready to stand in your position.  Then the scripture says the Spirit of God stood him up.  Do you know that is what God will do for us?  He will stand us up and make us able to be sure footed for what is ahead.

God tells Ezekiel, I know where I am sending you.  I am sending you to a hardheaded people.  He then tells him do not be afraid of them.  I will make you strong against them.  No matter how hard they are, I will make you stronger.  God tells him to not be afraid against them, I will make you able.  He also tells him, do not become rebellious like these people I am sending you to.  When it is all said and done, whether they believe you or not, they will know that a prophet has been among them.

What encouragement from the Lord.  Do you know it is difficult at times when God tells you to do something and no one sees it or wants to acknowledge it is God telling you what to do?  But we have God's reassurance that he will prove himself in us.  That which he calls us to do, we simply must be faithful to it and watch God changes hearts and minds. The last verse of this piece of scripture has God given Ezekiel the instruction to eat something.

If you read on in the scripture you will see that which he is instructed to eat is the word of God.  Do you know that is the true key to our success as followers of Christ.  When you and I follow after Christ and eat of his word, we are then equipped to stand.  Otherwise, we are simply weak and unfit for service.  We cannot do God's will if we do not know God's will.  We must eat his word and allow it the build our spiritual bones.

Today I pray for us that we cast of  all fear that would shut up our mouths to speak God's truth.  May we find courage to become mighty warriors for the Lord.  May we speak with boldness and power.  May we accept God's call that we are worthy not because of our own doing, but because of his.  Lord today, make us into the people you see us being.  Your chosen people, set aside, royal priest usable for service.

Words of Encouragement

The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior." "But sir," Gideon replied, "if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, 'Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the LORD has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian." The LORD turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?" "But Lord , [a] " Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family." The LORD answered, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together." Gideon replied, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me. Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you." And the LORD said, "I will wait until you return."  - Judges 6:11-18

You Want Me? Gideon: I Am Weak! Gideon was simply minding his business when he had an unsual visit. An angel of the Lord appeared to him and greeted him in a strange way.  He called him "mighty warrior". 
 
Gideon was unsure of this greeting. His first response was, God if you are with us, why has all this happened to us?  Why have you deserted us and left us in the hand of our enemies?  God then answers his and says, I am sending you, go and do it. 
 
Gideon's response is, but I am of the weakest, why send me?  When I read this do you know what hit me?  God often calls those that feel they are not able, to do things he will enable them to do.  Moses, said I cannot speak, but God sent him to speak.  Jeremiah said I am too young I have not power and ability, yet God sent him to tell kings and priest and gave him power and ability. Isaiah thought he was too unclean, yet God cleaned him up and made him worthy. Gideon thinks he is too weak, yet the greeting from God is mighty warrior.
 
The beauty is God changes us from what we are, to what he wants us to be.  I was afraid to speak, but God took away the fear and gave me the courage and strength to speak. I too felt like Gideon, surely I am the weakest, why send me?  I have no power and ability, surely like Moses, don't you want to send someone else?  Yet God said, no, I have called you for such a time as this.  I have called you, I have anointed you, I have appointed you and you will speak my words with power and authority.
 
Today I pray for us.  Oh mighty warriors of God.  You have been chosen for a time as this.  It does not matter what shortcomings you feel are in you, God's power is bigger than that and he can make you into the vessel of honor he so chooses.  He has take us (that were unworthy) and made us worthy.

Words of Encouragement

(Note: Often the pictures that are available of the prophets are of older men, but let us remember that all these men were not old when they were called, they were young.)

                                                                                                                                In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.  "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."  Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" - Isaiah 6:1-8
                                                                                                                             You Want Me? Isaiah: I Am Not Worthy! Can you image with me for a moment what the prophet Isaiah was experiencing.  He was beholding the wonder, beauty and excellence of the Lord.  He was seeing the glory of God before his very eyes.

When Isaiah experienced the presence of the Lord, he quickly took inventory of himself.  He said, I am unworthy!  I am unclean and I am amongst a nation of unclean people.  He acknowledge against the glory of God, there was none righteous.  He said "Woe to me, I am ruined!"  What an acknowledgement.

This was not a false "woe is me" but a true cry out of acknowledging what he looked like in the sight of God.  We are quick to think highly of ourselves, yet if we looked at ourselves against the back drop of a holy God we too would say, Lord, I am unworthy!

Yet, look at what God did. The angel took a hot coal and placed it upon his lips and purged his sins.  That hot coal came from the altar.  In otherwords, it was an example of the holy fire of God that will burn off the sins in our lives.  That hot coal became the example of the cleansing that took place in Isaiah.  What makes you and I worthy to stand for God is the work of the Holy Spirit that purges all the impurities from our lives.  The Holy Spirit with fire and power changes us.

When Isaiah was cleansed, the question then came, who will go for me? The answer came quickly, send me.  Do you know we can give a quick response to the Lord to send us when we allow his Holy Spirit to have total control in our lives?  When the power and the cleansing fire takes over in our lives, we become worthy for the journey.  Not because we say so, but because of what God makes so.

I pray for us today that we allow first ourselves to be submissive and acknowledge who we are before a holy God.  Then when we do, let God have total access to us so that he can send us on the mission that he has just for us.

Words of Encouragement

Jeremiah had to go wherever God sent him.  He had to go to the potter's house and gain understanding of a message God wanted him to give.  God will do the same in us today, if he sends us to gain understanding, we must be willing to go.

                                                                                                                                The word of the LORD came to me, saying, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew [a] you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."  "Ah, Sovereign LORD," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child." But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD. Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, "Now, I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant." - Jeremiah 1:4-10

You Want Me? Jeremiah: I'm Too Young! The Prophet Jeremiah was called by God at an early age to speak his words. Some scholars give Jeremiah the age of between 12-20 at the time of his calling to speak God's word. 

Whatever his age, Jeremiah was fearful of his ability to speak because of his age. Yet God assures him that he will speak through him.  The scripture says that God touched Jeremiah's mouth and in doing so, anointed his mouth the speak the words he would appoint to come through him.  Jeremiah would speak words that would be given over nations and kingdom.  The words Jeremiah would speak would tear down and build up.

They would tear down false beliefs and lies or tricks of deception.  They would build up God's truth and standard. Surely to speak for God in such a way is not always easy nor is it easily accepted.  To speak the truth no matter whom you must face is difficult for Jeremiah.  It is also difficult because who wants to believe one so young?  The beauty is this, God can call and use whomever he desires to use.  It does not matter you age nor does it matter your experience.

In this instant you may not be young in age, but maybe you are feeling the resistence because of lack of spiritual maturity, or lack in wisdom or anything that makes you feel "too young" to accept the assignment God has for you.  Yet, if God is going to call you to do something, he is also going to equip you to do it.

So today, I pray for us that we accept those assignments given to us by God and do not be afraid of what is lacking in us, because God will touch us and put into us what we will need for the journey, if we let him.

Words of Encouragement

The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt." But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"  - Exodus 3:7-11

You Want me? Moses: I Cannot Speak. Moses was faced with an awesome encounter, he met God.  He didn't just hear about God, but God was present before him speaking to him.  What God spoke to Moses was I have heard the cry of my people and I am choosing you to go be the one that stands before Pharaoh to have my people released.

While God was speaking, I could see Moses joy at knowing that God was going to release the people from their misery until he heard his part in the plan.  Instantly when the Lord stopped speaking, Moses was ready with an answer.  Not an answer of yes, but of one that said wait a minute, do you know who I am?  Surely you couldn't be talking to me?  I am not one able to go and speak to Pharaoh.

With the objection that Moses gave, God answers him in the next verse and says, but I will be with you.  Moses then begins to come up with one excuses after another as to the reason why he could not be the one chosen to carry out this task.  Moses finds excuses all the way to the next chapter, verse 10 where he says, look God, I have never been great at speeches. I am slow of tongue, so surely you can pick someone better than me.  Finally Moses, just simply said, Lord, please send someone else. Moses objected so long until God became angry with him.

We cannot look at Moses and say, he was speaking to God so surely he should have been able to accept the assignment.  Well the question is, are we any different?  Don't we too doubt our abilities to do what God ask of us.  Especially when we see that we will have to stand up against strong authorities and powers.  Surely, I cannot speak to the powerful, the mighty and expect them to listen?  Yet if God sends you to do a task, he will surely equip you to do it.

What Moses did not think about was this, he had lived in Pharaoh's house, he had learned the ways and customs of Pharaoh.  Moses had been trained for this position and he did not even realize it.  God allows us sometimes to be in places both good and bad that are a learning ground for us.  God allows those places to be what trains us for the next journey, the next assignment that God has for us.

So we like Moses may become doubtful that we have the skills, the talents or the ability to speak for God, but if God calls us he will place in our hands that which we need to show he is with us.  Like Moses staff, he will place in our hands access to his power and wonders.

I pray for us today.  Lord you already know what power you have given to us, so allow us the ability to us that power to do your will.  Help us not to become fearful in stepping out in the call you have on  our lives.  Help us today to have that encounter with your presence that will assure us of what you require from us.

Words of Encouragement

Jesus, the word.  It is the word, the truth of that word that brings freedom.  It is through that freedom that captives are set free.  Free from sin, from disease (of the body, the mind and the soul).  It is through that freedom that we then can worship the Lord and have it acceptable unto him.

And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. - Hebrews 10:10-12

Sacrifices. The Eternal Sacrifice. I mentioned this in one of the post earlier this week, but I wanted to end the week with this same message.  The sacrifices that were made by the priest under the Old Testament did not remove the sins of the people.  The sacrifices were done because it was the law.  However, all was not lost.

We can be made holy by the sacrifice of  one, Jesus Christ. We are able to be living sacrifices because of the sacrifice of Jesus.  His life gave us the ability to live for God so that we would be acceptable and not detestable in his sight.  Jesus' sacrifice gave us the right to be called righteous, because God imparted his righteousness to us. He gave it to us because of his Son's blood.

Today, let us rejoice in the Lord because of the sacrifice that took away our sins.  Not just my sins, but the sins of the entire world.  He did it so that none would perish.  Now he requires us to go and be living sacrifices to others so that through our lives we can draw people to the one that can save, Jesus Christ.

Words of Encouragement

I liked this picture.  When the "dogs" approach, it is good to have someone willing to sacrifice themself to be by your side so that you do not have to face those trials alone.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. - Romans 12:1-3

Sacrifices. My Reasonable Service. I know I have written using this scripture several times before, but you can never speak about this too often. The call from Paul to the people is to understand the mercy of God.  This mercy from God has given them life because of God's sacrifice of his son.

So then the call is be willing to be a "living" sacrifice unto God.  God's Son sacrificed himself for you and I so that we can walk right before the Lord.  When Jesus did this for us, we then were given the strength to walk right, live right, think right and obey him.  We can sacrifice our bodies to God so that they can be used for his purpose.  When we do that, he will glorify himself through our sacrifices. 

We can worship God and give ourselves to him and know that he will bring about something wonderful, even if we have to face difficulties.  The difficulties do not stop the beauty from coming through. 

Lord today, we say thank you for your Spirit and your gift that helps us to live for you, your way.

Words of Encouragement

The cross means nothing without Jesus.  It only represents a crude method of death.  However, Jesus intertwined with the cross represents life forever more.  How could something so crude and ugly represent something so beautiful?  Only God knows.

and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement,[a] through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. - Romans 3:24-26

Sacrifices. The Right (and true) Sacrifice. We looked at the fact that God required a sacrifice without spot to atone for the sins of the people.  Let me just say here, the Old Testament system never removed the sins of the people, it was simply a foreshadowing of what would be done through Jesus.  The ritual of sacrifice for the people was what God required so therefore it was what the people should do.

Yet, it was not a system that would do the job needed, therefore Jesus came.  Jesus was the sacrifice that would not be detestable to God because he is pure and without sin.  His sacrifice would also be the only one ever needed again.  It was and is the right and true sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins.

The scripture says that what God did was he had in fact left sins unpunished.  Let us not get this wrong.  It does not mean God was not just, it simply means that God allows through his mercy the Old Testament system to suffice until the New system was in place. Jesus is now the atonement for the sins of mankind.

Jesus made a sacrifice of his life so that you and I could live.  He gave his life, to give us life.  He shed his blood to purify our blood line from the curse of sin.  He took the sentence of our crime so that we would no longer be guilty.  Today let us thank God for the sacrifice of his son, the true and righteous sacrifice.

Lord, today I say thank you for loving me enough to redeem me from the sins that I committed.  I deserved the punishment, instead you saved me and gave me the promises.  You are worthy of all praise.

Words of Encouragement

(modern abstract of flames)

They forsook all the commands of the LORD their God and made for themselves two idols cast in the shape of calves, and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the starry hosts, and they worshiped Baal. They sacrificed their sons and daughters in [a] the fire. They practiced divination and sorcery and sold themselves to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, provoking him to anger.  So the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them from his presence. Only the tribe of Judah was left, - 2 Kings 17:16-18

Sacrifices. Destructive Sacrifices. If you are like me, when I read these verses of scripture, I find this discomforting.  The first thought comes to your mind, what matter of person would take their own son or daughter and thrown them in the flames to sacrifice to a worthless god?  We become outraged at this.

However, we must stop and think how does this relate to people today?  While we may not take an actual fire and put our children in it, what about the lives that are set before them that lead them to the fires of hell?  What about the parent that lives a sinful life before their child and sets that behavior as righteous?  When that child becomes a product of that behavior, which leads to sin can this parent say they are truly any better than the children of God of old that physically put their children in the flames?  It was for their own lust that they did it.  Isn't that the same today?

Instead, the call for us today is to make sure we are not making sacrifices that are destructive.  We are not sacrificing our time to sinful behavior which will result in the effects being lived out by our children. These sinful behaviors only cause us to be removed from the presence of the Lord.

I pray today that God will help us to have ears to hear what he is telling us and eyes to see what the cause and effects are of our lives.  Lord today we seek you to help us to give you the sacrifices of ourselves that are acceptable to you.

Words of Encouragement

Have you ever just taken the time to look at the beauty of God's earth?  Have you noticed the detail he puts into even the petals on the flower?  Do you know what he does that?  It is because he is perfect.  God does everything good.  If he can fashion the flower to reflect his beauty, surely he can do it with man?

Do not sacrifice to the LORD your God an ox or a sheep that has any defect or flaw in it, for that would be detestable to him. - Deuteronomy 17:1

Sacrifices. What is acceptable to God.  When you read the Old Testament and learn about the sacrificial system, it seems quite strange to say the least. Yet, this was the requirement for the people.  God set up a system of sacrifices that were to be given for the people on behalf of their sins.

One requirement was that the animal be without defeat or flaw because this would be detestable to God.  Why do you think this would be so? God is a holy God and he requires that which is right before him.

How can something flawed be a true sacrifice unto God?  We do not really have to completely understand the reason why, we simply must accept that this is God's way. When we do, then we can have a better understanding why our sacrifices to God must be without flaw or defeat. 

The only way that happens is if our sacrifices are done unto God through his Son, Jesus.  Jesus makes our efforts acceptable to God.  If I yield myself to Jesus then my sacrifices becomes acceptable in the sight of God.  Jesus was the true sacrifice that was without blemish or spot and was acceptable unto God.

His sacrifice is what presents you and I to God as one that is not detestable.  If you try to go to God without the blood of Christ, you are a defeat and are flawed, and therefore you are destestable to him.

When you stand represented by his son, you are then acceptable to him.  Today I pray that we continue to stand in the path that Jesus has set for us so that we will continually be acceptable unto God.  That our lives, when sacrificed for God, are acceptable unto him.

The Week In Review

“Why are you feeding the dead?” (Part 5)
March 25, 2007
Preached in Wisconsin by Jewel D. Williams

Singles, I am not leaving you out. The world tells you because marriage is so bad it is best to just shack up with a person first, because then you won’t be caught in a bad marriage, you can test it out first. It seems the right thing to do. I don’t care how right it seems in the world’s eyes, it is not before God. Sex is made for marriage, period and that is the end of that story. There is no way around it, it doesn’t matter how much in love you are, it is not permissible. And God knows you are a sexual being, because he made you. But he also says this desire is to wait to be fulfilled in marriage. So if God tells you to wait, then he will strengthen you to do so. That means God does not want those that are calling themselves children of God, succumbing to sexual sin. When you succumb to sexual sin of any kind, God says to you, stop eating out the garbage. Stop eating that which will kill you, come instead and eat from my bounty.

God says stop listening to those that tell you evil is good and good is evil, and convincing you that the garbage you are eating is really good for you. That relationship you are in is really a good one, when God says, its garbage. If you need to read every scripture about purity, holiness, righteousness and being victorious over sin, then do so until you are full. So when the temptation comes, you will be able to avoid it, because the spirit man is strong and not weak and anemic. Remember these are the people Paul was address in his time, and the message is still of importance today.

Why was Paul giving this message? He was doing so that the people of his time could be conquers over the sin that entangles. He was doing so that not only could individuals live a successful life here, but also that they would be able to reap heaven. So we need to see if everything we do lines up with the spirit or is it lining up with the will of our flesh. Anything that has selfish motives is of the flesh. Paul sums up what our spiritual pursuit should look like in (READ Roman 12).

So I leave us with this today, stop feeding a dead body, church. Do you hear what God is saying to the church, stop breathing life back into that which Jesus came to do away with, the control of sin over our actions and thoughts. This may not seem to be a message of encouragement, because it doesn’t feel good, but it is. It is one to encourage you to release yourselves completely into the hands of God. When we live by the flesh we offend God because we are rejecting his provisions for our lives and are dumpster diving for our food. Let me say to the unsaved, you are losing this battle all the time.

It doesn’t matter how it looks to you, if you do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ, you stand before the Lord and are found guilty of sins against a holy God. Paul’s letter told us that in the beginning that every man when compared to a holy righteous God is found lacking. Their destination is total damnation. Yet there is hope today for you, because there is no more condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus. You must first confess you are a sinner before a holy God, repent (which is to turn from all unrighteousness, which is anything that goes against God). And then you must believe by faith that he has saved you. Now you must allow God’s Holy Spirit to lead you in all your actions and thoughts.

For those that are saved, Paul’s message did not exclude you. He spoke to the Gentiles and the Jews who had the law of God. As children of God we must turn from following after the flesh and turn to walking in the Spirit. God is calling us to come and take advantage of all the provisions that he has for us. Let us stop offending him in the things we do, say or think. Stop offending him in our marriages that should be a witness to those coming behind us. Stop offending him by saying with our mouths one thing, but our actions speak differently. Stop offending him by calling ourselves one of his children, but acting like an enemy. Stop offending him in our singleness when we tell others by our actions we cannot control ourselves, when in fact we can have control through the spirit of God. Let us stop offending in everything we do.

So today I invite you to come to a place of repentance. First, to repent of whatever you have done that offends God. And then for what you have done to others. When you have done it to the least of these, you have done it unto me. When we have treated others wrong, we also have done it unto God. Is he pleased with our actions, our words, or our walk? If not, then we need to come to a place of repentance. Then when we come, we come to receive from God a renewing of our hearts and mind. Create a clean heart in me, and renew the right spirit within. God promises us that he will revive us if we come and turn from our sinful ways.

If you want a different walk this year and years going forward, then you need to come releasing everything you are holding on to. If you haven’t heard anything I said today, remember this, God says it is time for his children to start following him with their whole hearts. God does not want us offending him anymore with our actions. For those going through a hard place, know that you can completely depend on God and he will see you through, but it calls for you releasing your control into his hands. Let him have the complete control of your life. I stand here today to tell you, I have made up my mind, that nothing is going to separate me from the love of God. I am more than a conquer. And who shall separate me from the love of God? Nothing will, not hardships or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? So no matter what the devil brings I will be more than a conquer. So your situations, your circumstances, your children not acting right, your friendships disappointing you, your marriage falling apart, your job gone, none of these things can separate you from the love of God.

In order to walk in the fullness of this we must stop selling ourselves back into bondage to sin by following the pursuits of our flesh. We must release our will into God’s capable hand and he promises to make us more than conquers because we are trusting, following and leaning on him. Let God be the one that controls your life. I end as I always do with a poem I wrote about 16 years ago.

The Week In Review

A woman that seeks – marks of a virtuous woman

So what are the marks of this virtuous woman, any virtuous woman for that matter? Or another word for marks, is what characteristics does this virtuous woman in scripture show us today, that can help us be successful in our assignments as wives and mothers? The first characteristic is:

A RIGHTEOUS WOMAN MUST HAVE COMPLETE TRUST IN GOD: Even though verse 30 is almost the last one in the list of characteristics about this woman, it is the most important. In order for any of us to be a righteous wife and mother, we must put our trust in the Lord. When we give ourselves completely over into the hands of God, he is the one that equips us to carry out the tasks of our lives. Something we must understand is this woman is not righteous because of her own doing, for none of us are righteous in ourselves. What makes this woman righteous is the same thing that makes you or I righteous, our relationship with God. For when we accept Christ as our savior, his blood paid the cost of our sins and replaced our sinful nature and scarred lives and replaces them with his nature and his righteousness. So let us remember we cannot boast if we are a good wife or mother as if it is in our own power, because it is our relationship with Christ that equips us to fulfill these assignments of wife and mother.

Many times we have problems in our assignment because we are doing things from our own understanding and ideas. That’s why when our marriages are not as they should be or when our children are misbehaving, we are discouraged and ready to give up. Yet, if we take nothing from this scripture, and understand where this woman’s success came from, it was her trust and obedience to God. And we are already victorious if we are children of God. Paul says we are more that conquerors in Christ. So we don’t have to go through our situations beaten down, broken down and defeated. We can come across the finish line of the assignments we have in joy, peace and triumphantly.

A RIGTHEOUS WOMAN IS NOT AN IDLE WOMAN: The righteous or virtuous woman is at work because she understands the importance of redeeming the time and not wasting any. Scripture says, “Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is” Ephesians 5:14-17. The righteous woman takes care of the needs of her family and of her mission for God. We know she has an assignment because in vs. 20 she is cheerfully feeding the poor and taking care of the needy. This let’s us know that even as mothers and wives, we still have a place and a purpose given to each of us by God that he wants us to fulfill. As a wife and mother first yes, for that too is a mission, but he also calls us to work within the kingdom. Sometimes trying to manage home and church can seem to be overwhelming, but that is why you must seek God for his direction on what to do and how to do it. Plus it doesn’t hurt that this woman was in shape (vs. 17). In other words, she took care of herself so that she would be able to accomplish the things she needed to. You know how tiring it can be to handle all the things in your day so wisdom should say to you, care for yourself so that you are able to do what is required of you.

Wisdom says, “Eat well, rest and exercise”. And I have to tell you personally I hate to exercise, but I hate feeling bad more, so I get up most times 5-6 days a week and exercise. I starting doing that because I said, Lord, I want to be able to go when you say go, and do when you say do. I had some problems almost 3 years ago, and I was well over 200 lbs. and I was not able to get up in the morning and stand on my left foot. But when I realized that God wanted to use me, I not only asked him to discipline me in the word for service, but to show me how to discipline myself in how to take care of my self. I’m not talking about any of those crazy fad diets that might kill you. I’m talking about simply taking the best care you can of yourself and disciplining yourself to stop over eating. Now I no longer have the pain when I walk, I can get up in the morning and walk or whatever I need to do. So we must take care of ourselves, otherwise, how will we be able to take care of others if we are not well ourselves?

Another thing I have heard, and I have had to laugh about this statement was, “Okay, I see all that she is doing, but what is her husband doing?” I guess this statement from many women is, why does this woman have to do all the work, or so it seems so? What we have to do is look at this scripture in this way; it does not focus on the man, because it is talking about the virtues of a righteous wife. And do not feel men are getting off easy as husbands. I did a study for myself about the role of the husband, and I said, Lord thank you for not making me the head of the house. Men do have more requirements upon them, whether they do them or not is another story. It is really the man’s responsibility for the spiritual growth of his family. It is the man’s responsibility for providing for his family’s needs (spiritually, emotionally and financially). It is the man’s responsibility to learn his wife’s moods and live with her according to that knowledge, now that is a task in itself, because there are certain times that I really don’t even like myself.

Scripture also says if men are not taking care of these responsibilities such as loving his wife, for example, then his prayers will not be answered or that this hinders his prayer life. So God is holding men responsible as well for what they do. So don’t read this looking for the lack of the man’s responsibility, this is not about him. The other point you can glean from this is, does it really matter what kind of man HE is, or does it matter more that you are obedient to God or not? What I am saying is this, I don’t think much is said about the man because then we would look at this and make the conclusion that we only have to be this kind of wife, if we have a certain kind of husband. If he isn’t acting right, I don’t have to do any of these things. Not so. If your husband is not as he should, that is God’s responsibility to get him straight. Your responsibility is to be a righteous woman in every situation and circumstance. And when you do, you can pray and ask God to work on your husband and family situations.

Words of Encouragement

When we let go of our own way of thinking and begin to think more like Christ, we will see our thoughts elevated above the "worldly" things and become focused on the "heavenly".

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. - Isaiah 55:7-9

What's On Your Mind? Higher Thoughts. We started this week talking about how God saw man on the earth and how his thoughts were always evil.  So then the question we end with this week is, how do we change our thoughts to be inline with God?

We change our thoughts by changing our ways.  When we forsake any ways that make us think and then act in an evil way, we can then have the mind of God. See God's thoughts are greater than ours.  His thoughts are not our thoughts, God does not think like we do.  God does not think selfishly, or evil, or thoughts of a liar.  These are not thoughts that God has.

So if we want to be in line with his thoughts, we must have a willing mind to release our way of thinking and ask God to give us a mind of God.  He will then teach us how to think higher thoughts.  We will no longer want to dwell on thoughts that are selfish.  We will no longer want to dwell on things that are evil, or unrighteous.  We will not want to think of things of a liar or cheater. Why?  Because we have been changed.  Our minds have been transformed to be more "Christ Like".  That is what a Christian is, a person that is like Christ and forever becoming more like him.

Today, Lord we say thank you for helping us to have higher thoughts.  Help us from this day forward to no longer have an evil mind, or selfish mind but to have the mind of Christ. Help us to think on what is good, and lovely and of good report.

Words of Encouragement

How many times have we worried about our lifes problems.  Yet, we can release them and know that God's thoughts are thinking about us, and his thoughts about us are good.

your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you. - Psalm 139:16-18

What's On Your Mind? I'm in God's Thoughts.  How wonderful it is to know that I am on the mind of God. This is something wonderful for us to remember when we begin to feel down in our thoughts. We can remind ourselves that God knows us because he formed us in our mother's womb.  He already knew the number of days you have in this life.

God's thoughts are so wonderful that they are great to even try to count.  Yet think about this, those vast number of thoughts that God has are also thoughts about you and what good and perfect things he has in store for you.

Today, let your mind be settled by knowing that you are on God's mind.  He is thinking about you and he cares about the things that are on your mind.  So when you thoughts become worried about life and your situations, remember that God's thoughts are on you and how to help you through.  He is waiting for your thoughts to line up with his, so he can direct you through.

Words of Encouragement

Those that have the "blues" are sometimes thinking all the time about troubling things.  Yet, God can sooth the troubled thoughts.

Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea; hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught at the voice of the enemy, at the stares of the wicked; for they bring down suffering upon me and revile me in their anger. - Psalm 55:1-3

What's On Your Mind? Troubled Thoughts. I need to take today to speak to those that find themselves depressed or troubled from time to time in their thoughts.  We (meaning the body of believers) have done a disservice to other believers that suffer from depression or troubled thoughts.  We often simply tell them, "Get over it."  If you are doubting or depress or troubled you are just not believing in God.  As if that will make them snap out of the depression.

Instead, I come and hope to offer encouragement from the word of God.  The psalmist writes to speak about his own depression. The writer is speaking about how he is depressed because of the trouble that surrounds him.  Sometimes we need to just not be so "holy" in our action as simply acknowledge our humanness.  We hurt sometimes.  We get discouraged sometimes.  We face so things that just make it hard for us to keep a "stiff upper lip."  Sometimes we are overcome by what we face.

But let me offer us some help today. The psalmist says, listen to my prayers Lord, do not ignore my pleas.  Sometimes when you are going through, you simply believe that God is not listening to you and that he has missed your prayers.  But I come to tell you he hears them.  Not only does he hear them he has the release for your troubled thoughts.

God cares about us and he will give us the strength to overcome that which brings us down.  We don't want to stay down, so we have to look up.  God will tell us "get up."  We wonder how to do that, and can't really understand the message.  Well what he is telling us is this, get up from your thoughts that way you down.  If the thoughts about how to solve your problems are weighing on you, stop thinking on those downard pulling things, and start thinking upward to me.  I am the solver of every problem.  I am the release of every captive.  The captivity of your thoughts can be released by the hands of a mighty God.

Today, I pray for the troubled minds.  I know you might think this is strange, but I ask you right now as you repeat this prayer, to trust God can do it. Repeat after me:

God, take my thoughts today and think through them.
God today I release every care of my mind into your hands.
God today, I release and yield myself to you completely.
Now that I have released myself, I ask that you would impart to me your joy.
I ask that you would give me your peace.  Give me that peace in my thoughts.  Help me to no longer think troubling thoughts that depress me, or bring me down.
Let me have the assurance in my heart that you already know all about my cares and will take care of them.  I trust in you today.  I trust you to help me, to save me and to keep me.
I ask that you would release my mind today from all the things that burden it and depress it.
I am healed NOW by your power.  I have been set free.  I am no longer held captive to the thoughts of my mind.  I am no longer depressed or confused in my mind.  I will now think on things that are pure, lovely and of good report.