Words of Encouragement

Jesus is God's truth.  He came into this world so that you and I would not be put to shame for our inability to know what the will of the Father is.  Jesus came to be the truth that protects us from the shame of our sins. 

Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me through your law. I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws. I hold fast to your statutes, O LORD; do not let me be put to shame. - Psalm 119:29-31

God's Way. Your Truth keeps me Safe. Have you ever thought about what trust in God does for your life?  I mean how it really protects you?  As a believer we sometimes cannot understand how we can be obedient to God, yet seem to be standing all alone.  How can I be obedient to God and still find myself alone?

The word does not promise us that everyone will understand us or why we do what we must.  But it does promise us that when we are willing to keep the truth of God, it will keep us from the danger of believing things that are not true.  The word becomes a guard for our hearts.  The light of truth will dispel the darkness of lies and help us to make right choices.

When we make those right choices in God, he promises us that we will not be ashamed.  We will never be ashamed of choosing God's way.  Yes, we may suffer sometimes for doing what is right simply because others do not always understand or sometimes simply because the enemy of our soul wants to destroy us for doing what is right.  But even in our suffering, if we are willing to suffer for what is right, we are able to stand.

God's way is not always the easiest way because it calls for us to yield what we want to do.  However, one thing I do promise it is always the most rewarding.  To know within yourself that you are obedient to God's will is the greatest thing you can every experience.  To have God's Spirit speak to you and say, "I have tested your heart and I have found you faithful", is a great reward.

I pray for us today, that we follow God's way so that his truth can keep us from shame.  God help us to allow your truth to guide us daily so that we can live this life your way.

Words of Encouragement

Are you ready to talk to others about God's goodness? Are you ready to give an account of what you believe and why? We do not judge others, yet we are required to share the Gospel of Christ with a dying world.





To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good. - Titus 1:15-16





Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. - Matthew 10:32-34 (King James Version)



God's Way. He Requires My Total Commitment. Yesterday my family and I were looking at some things on you tube. We came across a very popular preacher where he spoke about the Gospel on Larry King Live a few years ago.



Larry King asked this preacher if he believed that individuals that didn't believe in Christ were going to hell, he would not give him a straight answer. He said it wasn't his responsibility to decide who was going to hell or not and that only God could judge the heart. He also said when he went to India with his father how the people loved "god" and how could he judge if they were going to hell or not.



Larry King again asked him so if you are Muslim or some other religion then you are not going to hell if you do not believe in Jesus Christ. Again he would not answer the question. He said, I believe in Christ and in "my way" but I cannot judge.



While some individuals posted to this recording and said they did not see anything wrong we must be careful how we view such things. He never acknowledge Christ as the way. He spoke as if he was simply one of the ways and that all ways lead to God as long as you have a sincere heart.



God's word speaks clearly to how God views us when we deny his Son and his word. God says if your actions (that means you speech as well) are not pure by his standard you are disobedient and good for nothing.



Jesus speaks himself about how we should view him. He tells us if we refuse to confess him (acknowledge or admit he is true) before men so will he refuse to confess us before his Father (acknowledge us as his and admit we are true believers).



Many are uncomfortable about saying Jesus is the only way to the Father because they feel it will be viewed as judgmental and not received well. That may be true, but do not try to make the message of truth "softer" so that someone will accept it. Give the truth as it is. Allow God to convict the heart. If the refuse to accept the truth, that is between them and God. You do not have to beat someone up, you simply give the truth in love and let God do the rest.



While it is true that we do not go around pointing a finger at individuals saying you're going to hell or you are not. We are called to proclaim the truth of God's word and to be ready to give an account of what we believe and why. This preacher did not do that. That is the sad thing about it. He was in a position to show the message of truth as one of blessings but he refused to acknowledge that Jesus is the only way. So many that follow him may believe that all ways are good as long as you have a sincere heart.



A sincere heart can still lead you to hell if you are going in a direction contrary to God's. So today I pray for us that we be willing to make a total commitment to God, his way. Let us be ready with boldness and with love to tell the world about Jesus Christ. He is the way, the truth and the Light and no one (I didn't say it, the word of God did), no one comes to the Father accept through him.

Words of Encouragement

One year at Williams' Camp we made mask for the children. As I looked at this picture I thought about the "unmasking". We can think we know who is behind each of these mask but until we remove them, we will not know for sure. That is how it is with our understanding of the things of God. We think we might understand what something is saying, but until God unmask the truth of what is hidden from our natural understanding, we simply are guessing at what something means. Lord "unmask" for us the truth of your word.





"Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar. - Proverbs 30:5-6





God's Way. Can I Trust God's Word? I have heard it said before, the word of God is flawed. The reason many believe that is because it is hard in our own understanding to accept that the Bible was written by men and still flawless. Some will say, it is flawed, but it is still "just another good book".





The amazing thing is while the book was written by men over many, many years it was still the word of God as he instructed each to write. The writer of this Proverb states his assurance in that fact. He states that the word of God is flawless and he warns do not add to it or God will rebuke you for changing the meaning of his word. He also confirms that ones belief in the word of God as flawless receives God's protection and assurance.





When we want to ignore God's word or discount it the Bible speaks to what happens to mankind when they do this. (Therefore this is what the LORD God Almighty says: "Because the people have spoken these words, I will make my words in your mouth a fire and these people the wood it consumes. - Jeremiah 5:14). God's word is able to convict a heart by his word or he is able to judge an unrepentant heart because of his or her refusal of his word. ("Is not my word like fire," declares the LORD, "and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces? - Jeremiah 23:29).





If we accept the truth of God's word, it is what will lead us to God's plan of salvation. (I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. - Romans 1:16)





(For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart - Hebrews 4:12) God's word is different from just another good book, it is timeless and it never loses it power. The Bible is the written word of God as he has given to mankind. His word convicts, judges and changes the heart. His word is given to lead people to Jesus, which is the gift of salvation.





Can you trust God's word, yes is the answer. Do not allow the vain babbling of this world to confuse you and make you believe God's word is not true. Read it and ask him to help you gain understanding of it.





I pray for us today. Lord we cannot understand the word of God in our own understanding because it is understood by your Spirit. Help us this day to gain a clearer understanding of your word and your ways. Help us to stand strong against the tricks of the enemy that comes to change your word and confuse us and trick us up in vain ways. Help us to gain a firm grasp on the truth of your word and to live in it.

Words of Encouragement

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. - Proverbs 3:5-6



God's Way. How do I understand God? This scripture played in my head over and over again early Sunday morning. I would drift off to sleep and then wake up to this scripture again playing in my mind.



Lord what is it you want me to understand and see, was my thoughts? There were several people he placed on my heart to pray for. As I thought about this scripture again today, I thought about the fact that we must be careful if we are to understand God's ways.



This scripture gives us one of the important steps me must take to understand the things of God. We cannot depend on ourselves. This means I cannot depend on my intelligence, or my ideas or even my thoughts alone. Yes it is good to have a good mind and to think, because I know I am always thinking about things. Yet I am very careful not to allow my own thoughts to take me in directions that are contrary to God's word.



Every thought and idea I have, I ask God to show me if this is in line with what his way is. This is done in two parts, through prayer and the reading of God's word. When I do that, this scripture confirms for me that God will help me to understand his ways.



He will make my path straight. This means when I have an idea or thought if I acknowledge God through trusting his word and his Spirit he will make my path lead straight to him. He will keep me from going in areas that would confuse me and lead me to destruction or cause me to invent my own theology. When this has happened in men and women before, out of it came many of the cults we see today. People were not willing to discern God's word his way. Because their human understanding could not grasp God's way, they hardened their hearts and God allowed them to continue to believed things their own way. ( They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. - 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12)



So you and I cannot depend on our own understanding because our thoughts are not the same as God's. ("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 55:8-9).



So while you and I may want to believe we have the intelligence and the capacity to understand the things of God, we cannot do it alone in our own understand nor can we understand it without the Spirit of God's help. (The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. - 1 Corinthians 2:14).



Today I pray for us that we seek God's ways, by his standard. May our hearts be softened to hear the things of God and to accept his ways, even when we may not fully understand them yet. God give us the ability to discern your truth your way. Help us not to puff ourselves up and depend on our own way of thinking, but to come to you and ask you, what does your word require of me. This I ask in Jesus' name. AMEN.

The Week in Review

Can you image if the waters that surrounded the city of Chicago were filled with the enemy coming to attack us. Yet, the instruction you have been given is to stand still and you will not have to fight this battle. God tells us still today that he will fight our battle no matter how hard the battle looks.

II Chronicles 20
Taught at Langley Avenue Church of God
Wednesday, July 18, 2007

II Chronicles 20
Verse 15 though 17 – He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.' "

The answer was don’t be afraid of this multitude, for the battle is not yours but God. So he tells them to go down, and they won’t need to fight but they will only need to set themselves in place and be still and watch the salvation of the Lord.

What does this mean? Jehoshaphat tried to do things in his own way when he aligned himself with Ahab. Maybe in his mind he thought he might be able to bring back the broken kingdom through his son that had married Ahab’s daughter. Maybe he was willing to overlook Ahab’s sinful way, for he thought he might be able to have faith in what could become of this relationship. Whatever the reason, Jehoshaphat could not trust in his alliance with Israel. Yet, he could trust in his alliance with God. He was putting his faith in the wrong place when he was trusting in his relationship with Ahab. But by putting his faith in God, he was saying I will align myself up with what God is saying and when I do, I will see the salvation of the Lord.

There are times we put our faith and total expectations in people and God is telling us not to do it because we are setting ourselves up to be let down. I don’t mean we cannot have some expectations in others, but God is the only one that we are to look to for our completeness, for our total joy and happiness. God was telling Jehoshaphat I am greater than this multitude and you are not going into this battle alone. The ones you thought would stand with you or that would go into battles with you are not there, but have in fact become part of the cause of the battle, but I am still there. When your own brother will forsake you, I will never leave you or forsake you. And you don’t have to be afraid because you will not have to fight, but I will.

But you do have to do something; you have to show up for the battle. We don’t always want to show up for the situations and circumstances we are in, instead we want them gone and we want to hide our heads in the sand, but we have to show up. We have to come and take our place. And like a tree planted when the storms blow around us, we can stay rooted in our place in God and the storm will not blow us over. And then he tells them to be still.

Do you know what it means to be still? To be still means to be unmovable, motionless, at rest, tranquil, silent. So when God tells Jehoshaphat to be still what he is saying, do not move in your own thoughts anymore. Do not move to the left or the right, but stand instead. Be at rest and at peace and feel my joy, for the joy of the Lord is my strength. Be silent do not be restless for that is fear at work, but be tranquil or still because you know who’s battle this belongs to. And when you stand, unmoved, unchanged, you will see me show up and bring salvation. I will save you from everything that the enemy is trying to bring your way. And because God is so merciful he will tell us when we move, to get up and stand still. You know what happens, we decide it must be time for us to advance or move and we make a step in our own power, what happens? We slip and fall. So in his mercy he tells us get up, and keep standing. So if you have been moving when God has said be still and you slip, stop moving, get up and be still. God says, Get up, and stand still. Stand still so I can work.

The Week in Review

Families are made up of young, old, males and females. We come with things that are alike and things that are different. Yet somehow we blend together. That is the same way God wants His family to be. We come young, old, male, female, black, and white. We come with things that are the same but also with our differences. Yet in the midst of that, God blends us together.

Research Study By Jewel D. Williams
Titled: The Life of a Healthy Church
Written: 2006

Schwarz goes on to say, “People do not want to hear us talk about love, they want to experience how Christian love really works” (38). From Schwarz definition of a loving relationship it is individuals becoming involved in the lives of others. One-way to accomplish this is with new believers/new converts. I believe it is vital that new converts be linked with another individual (I believe a Membership Coordinator would be needed to facilitate new members in their walk) that will walk with them during the initial period after their conversion. Many come into the church, but drift away because no one has taken an active role in their lives. These individuals are seeking a relationship with God but also friendship or fellowship with others.



This is one of the requirements of the believers. “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love” (1 John 4:7,8). “Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrawise blessing: knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing” (1 Peter 3:8,9). One of the requirements of the believer is to love and encourage each other to good works. That is more than simply “saying” words but it is when we become “doers” of the word.



One of the first obstacles we must overcome in showing love to those that come within our doors by letting go of the attitude that the church is “ours”. I recently encounter this ideology in a class and questioned the reason why. The belief is the local congregation should do all things directed for the believer and not to change anything to be directed at non-believers because they cannot worship anyway. While there is some truth in that, for non-believers do not have a relationship with Christ yet so they do not understand the importance of worship. But God can use our time of worship to draw the non-believer to himself, to make him/her desire to have what it is we have. I also understand when we talk about the universal church, the bride of Christ that this statement can be applied fully. The universal church the bride of Christ is made up only of the believers, but the local congregation has the saved and the unsaved coming in and out of its doors.



In the book, Death of the Church, Mike Regele states, “This is the Christendom paradigm. If we insist that the church be for us, then it will only be for us. Local congregations must see themselves as being for their community. From the standpoint of local congregations, community development is a subset of congregational development, especially in our urban centers” (206). When we take on the attitude that the church is ours, we unknowingly take on the attitude that others are not welcomed. Those coming to visit within our doors realize they are not welcome. Our forced smiles do not impress them, because they feel our attitudes. “Most church members believe they are friendly when in reality they are friendly only to others whom they already know. ‘Manufactured friendliness’ is obvious…Friendliness of members to non-Christians tends to be correlated to a church’s evangelistic effectiveness. Members seem to be enthusiastic about new Christians, which engenders friendliness toward others who are not Christians. Friendly churches are likely to have friendly pastors. The pastor’s modeling of friendliness is critical. A relationship is also apparent between the friendliness of a church and the members’ willingness to accept change” (Rainer, 96-97). From Rainer’s finding, individuals are looking for churches were the members show genuine friendliness and love.



There is much for us to do in order to become the healthy church we were intended to be. As a recap, we need to start first with our leadership. Are we being trained? Are we training others and passing the vision and the mission from the top, down? Are we presenting our best; best in worship, administrative responsibilities, etc? Are we asking ourselves the important questions, why are we here and what is our purpose? Are we taking a hard look at everything we do, under the examination of our vision and mission statements? The most important point is are we living out, what we have written down? When those two things are in line, we are setting ourselves up for success. We are releasing ourselves to reach the full potential of what we were created to be. Then and only then, will we become the healthy church we were meant to be.

Cited work / source documents

Boa, Kenneth, Th.M.; Ph.D. Leadership Development. 2005. 4 April 2006. http://www.bible.org/.



Church Growth and Health: Church Growth Principles. 2007. 25 January 2007. http://webct.macu.edu/



Gildea, Spike, Ph.D., et al. The American Heritage College Dictionary. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2002.



Keathley III, J. Hampton. Marks of Maturity: Biblical Characteristics of a Christian Leader. 2005. 28 March 2006. http://www.bible.org/.



Longman, Jr., Robert. Spiritual Disciplines and practices. 2005. 28 March 2006. http://www.spirithome.com/spirdisc.html.



MacArthur, John, et. al. Pastoral Ministry: How to Shepherd Biblically. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc. 2005.



MacArthur, John F., Dr. The Call to Church Leadership. 1986. 4 April 2006. http://www.biblebb.com/.



McGavran, Donald A. Understanding Church Growth. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1970.



Piper, John. The Marks of a Spiritual Leader. 2006. 28 March 2006. http://www.desiringgod.org/library/topics/leadership/marks_spiritual_leader.html.
Rainer, Thom S. Surprising Insights From The Unchurched. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2001.



Regele, Mike. Death of The Church. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1995.



Rheenen, Gailyn Van. Biblical Foundations & Contemporary Strategies: Missions. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996.



Schwarz, Christian A. Natural Church Development. St. Charles, IL: ChurchSmart Resources, 1996.



Simpson, Sandy. The Duties of Christian Leadership. January 11, 2005. 28 March 2006. http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/dutiesofchristianleadership.html.



Stowell, Joseph M. Shepherding the Church. Chicago, IL: Moody Press. 1997.



Toler, Stan And Nelson, Alan. The Five Star Church. Ventura, CA: Regal Books. 1999.



Thompson, Frank Charles, D.D., PH.D. The Thompson Chain-Reference Bible, 5th ed. Indianapolis, IN: B. B. Kirkbridge Bible Co., Inc., 1988.

Words of Encouragement

As the water rushes over the shoreline, the sands began to mold into the shape of the waters as they rush in. Have you ever looked at that and thought that is what God does to our lives? As the "cleansing water" of God rushes over us, it molds us slowing into the shape that the water wants us to be in. Lord continue to flow over us and shape us more into your image.







The LORD your God commands you this day to follow these decrees and laws; carefully observe them with all your heart and with all your soul. You have declared this day that the LORD is your God and that you will walk in his ways, that you will keep his decrees, commands and laws, and that you will obey him. - Deuteronomy 26:16-17



Take My Life. Take My Heart...Mold it (Holiness). The people of God made a commitment that they would follow after God and they would walk in his ways. In order for this to be possible, God commands that the heart observe all that has been given.



You and I are not capable of living holy in ourselves. We need God to come alongside of us and mold our hearts into ones that are able to receive and keep what he requires of us.



I have heard it said by people before, "Oh I can do that, that isn't any problem." I've heard it said I can forgive, that isn't a problem or I can love or something else. I often listen and say to myself, you have yet to be tested in that area. See just as soon as we think we have it under control, God will turn up the requirement. We may start out loving those that are lovable, but what happens when God says love those that are not? We may have been able to forgive those that did us wrong but it wasn't really a big deal. But what happens when we have to forgive those that have done the unthinkable to us?



That is why you and I have to say Lord take my heart and mold it so that I can keep your commandments. I acknowledge that I do not have the strength in myself to forgive or to love your way, without your power helping me to do it. It is the same with living a holy life. We cannot do it by our own power it requires the power of God and his Spirit directing us.



That is why again and again the people of God would fail to keep the commandments of God because they could not keep them in their own ability. Jesus came to help us. He came so that all would be able to live victoriously.

So this week we talked about God taking our lives. In order for our lives to be lived God's way we must first ask him to conform our wills to his ways, for his ways are higher than ours. Then we must ask him to take our minds and transform them so that we can think his thoughts. We must also seek him to take our hearts and mold them into his shape and for his purpose. The one we didn't touch on this week was brokenness. We must ask God to break in us anything that hinders us from coming to seek his ways.

So today I pray for us that we allow God full control of our lives so that we can live with extreme purpose for him. I don't know about you but I am not content simply existing from day to day, I want to live out every day of my life with an extreme purpose for the master.