Words of Encouragement

This was not an accident.  Jesus was not standing there one day before Pilate and unaware of what was coming.  God did not look down at his Son on the cross and say "oops".  In fact the words that come from Jesus' own mouth was "it is finished".  That was a Greek word that was used to mean, "It is paid in full."  Jesus knew his death was paying the sin debt in FULL.

With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall.  "As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. For who is God besides the LORD ? And who is the Rock except our God? - 2 Samuel 22:30-32

Things God Will Not Say. Oops! I love how this scripture advances the understanding about God.  He says with your help I can advance against a troop, however with God I can scale a wall.  That wall being one that is fortified and no matter  how much you help me, we won't get over it.  He goes on to say, that God is perfect and his word is flawless.

If we really believe that we would understand just how detailed God was in preparing for you and I a way to him.  The cross of Christ was not an oops!  He didn't create Adam and Eve and then when they sinned he said, oops, I wasn't prepared for that one.  Instead, he knew before he created man that he would need a way to bring them back to him.  He had the cross of Christ on his mind even before he created mankind.

What a perfect God we serve.  So then way do we think God makes mistakes when he tells us to do things his way and then we find ourselves facing difficulties.  We think, God, oops!  This wasn't suppose to happen when I decided to follow you.  You must not have know this was going to happen.  But God's ways are perfect so he knew even before he sent you on this path what you would face.  And he has been preparing you to be able to face it.

So then there are no oops with God.  There are not any mistakes or mix ups.  He didn't accidently choose you for your life.  You were hand picked for your life.  That might be difficult to understand if you are going through.  But today I want you to look at it differently.  You were hand picked to live your life because God looked at you and said, "I count you worthy".  He said, "I count you able."

Today, I pray Lord you already know all the hurts, disappointments and upsets we will face.  You do not stand there saying, "oops".  Instead you say, my ways are perfect and flawless so trust me and I will get you to the otherside of this thing.  Lord we trust you for your ways and thoughts are far greater than ours.

Words of Encouragement

What would you do if you came across a fish this big?  (I can tell you, I wouldn't want to stand around to long, I might begin to look like fish food!) Yet, when I look at this picture, I think of the bounty that God has within his waters.  No I'm not talking about fish in the rivers, but I am talking about spiritual food in the life giving streams.  God has an abundance of provisions to give to us on this Christian walk, if we only ask him for it.

(for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment. This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise authority. - 2 Peter 2:8-10

Things God Will Not Say. What Do You Think I Should Do? What would happen if God had to ask you and I how to take care of his children?  What would happen if God heard about our torment and he came to you and I and ask, "Jewel, what do you think I should do?" While I might have my own idea of what should happen, I surely do not want this great task upon my shoulders.

If this is true, why do we continually try to tell God how to do things our way?  Why do we question his timing and his methods.  No, we would not openly say God you are incapable of handling my affairs, but do you know that is what our actions do when we refuse to let go of our cares to him.

This scripture today reminds us about those that were tormented because of the righteousness they did.  The scripture goes on to tell that this torment is not going unchecked by God. He already knows about it and he is able to protect those that belong to him.  We may ask, well if this is true, why does so much bad happen to those that love him?  God's ways are far greater than mine so I can only tell you God allows those things because he has a greater plan that he is working out through those situations and circumstances.  We must simply trust his ways.  We do not have to worry because God is not coming to us and saying, what do you think I should do as if he is clueless about what needs to be done in our lives.

Today, I pray for us to hold tight to his hand and know he will keep us and protect us.  God you are our God, if you had enough power to save us, surely you can keep us.

Words of Encouragement

(pictures submitted to me through e-mail). What would you do if you saw a picture like this?  Most of us now look at it and say, it is touched up by tricks of the camera.  And that may be true. But just for right now, let's just image you are walking along the beach and this is the greeting that God gave to you.  What would he want you to know?  He would want you to know he loves you.  Well if you have not already noticed it, he has done some wonderful things already to show you his love for you, his greatest, the gift of his Son.

I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God!  He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. - Deuteronomy 32:3-4

Things God Will Not Say. "I Can Do Better Than This". Can you image God making mistakes?  To say that out loud is almost blasphemy.  Yet, sometimes we think it in our minds.  We wonder, God why do we have to do something this way, isn't there a better way?  Why do I have to be afflicted, hurt, discouraged through this life?  You couldn't give me a better life?

Today, let me tell you a truth about God.  He will never say, I can do better than this about himself.  Yes he will say it about us.  He will tell us that he can do better than what we are doing with our lives, but not about himself and his handiwork.

The writer of the scripture today gives us a reminder of this wonderful truth.  God is perfect.  In all his ways he is upright and just.  He is not wrong and he does not have to repent for his actions.

God is perfect, wonderful, marvelous and worthy of all our praise.  If he is this wonderful God that does no wrong, why do we still sometimes doubt that he will take care of the situations we face?  Why do we still waver about trusting in his way instead of our own?

Today, Lord I pray that you would help us to trust you completely.  You never make a mistake.  You see the way clearly and you know that which we have not even faced yet.  Help us this day know you will never say, you can do better.  You will never fumble over how to handle our lives and our situations.  You will always do everything in your perfect like way.

Words of Encouragement

Where is this road leading?  For many of us, we do not know where every road will lead.  Yet, we can rest in God, because he will never say, "I don't know".  He is the one that knows it all.

If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god, would not God have discovered it, since he knows the secrets of the heart?  - Psalm 44:20-21

Things God Will Not Say. I Don't Know What to Do. We often times, think things about God that are not true.  No, we will not say it with our mouths, but the thoughts are often there.  The enemy of our soul tries to make us doubt God and his awesome power.

In today's scripture, we are reminded by the Psalmist that God is never caught unaware of anything.  God will never look upon us and say, "I don't know what to do."  God knows if we go astray or he knows when we are faithful.  He knows the very secrets of our hearts.

If God knows our hearts, doesn't that mean he also knows what we will face?  He will not look upon the situations of our lives and sit in wonderment, as if this has caught him off guard.

Today, we can be encouraged to know that God will never say he doesn't have knowledge about our lives and our life situations.  We can be encouraged that even though this may be true for us, it is not true about God.

Today, I pray for us, Lord help us to be reminded that you know all about us because you formed us.  You know our coming in and our going out. Lord help us, this day to trust you more.

Week in Review

“Why are you feeding the dead?” (Part 3)
March 25, 2007
Preached in Wisconsin by Jewel D. Williams

2. What does the things of the flesh look like? What does the things of the Spirit look like? In other words, what does it look like when you are functioning from the flesh or from the Spirit? Lets look at few practical applications that the Lord took me to.

Giving. Fleshly giving states:
I’ll give to you as long as I get something back.
I’ll give as long as others see what I am doing, so I can get praise.
I’ll give something, but not my best.

Spiritual giving states:
I will give my best.
I will give without expecting to receive in return.
I will give from the desires of my heart for God and not to please me.

What about control?
Well there is no fleshly control. The flesh says, I can do everything I want no matter who it hurts or how it makes others feels, as long as it makes me feel good, it’s all good.

Spiritual control states:
I will take control over fleshly desires.
I will release control of myself into God’s hand.
I will not pursue anything that will hinder my walk with God or others. One more practical application is Love.

Fleshly loves states:
I love you as long as I get something in return.
I love you as long as you give to me
If I don’t get something, I’ll stop loving you.
Love is only useful when it is beneficial to me.
I love you as long as you appeal to me, but if something else comes along better, I won’t love you anymore.
That is fleshly love!!

Love through the Spirit states:
Because I love you I will be patient, longsuffering, I will love you unconditionally, I will love you with a godly love, because God loved us when we were his enemies, so I will love you even when you refuse to be at peace with me. I will love you and place your needs even above my own comfort. What I desire for myself will not be above what is best for you, because my actions are motivated by love.

Now let me make a footnote here. Spiritual love is not sappy love. It is a thought out choice and action. It is also a firm love. Meaning that there are times when godly love says, I love you enough to try to warn you of your sins, but if you refuse to turn I will love you enough to allow you to deal with the full consequences of those actions. See God loves us and continually calls us back to a right relationship with him, but if we refuse and sin, he is just to forgive us, but he does not remove the consequences of those actions. I believe it is because he is allowing us to understand more fully why we should not be disobedient. When for instant our children do something wrong, we can love them and try to correct them, and we should forgive them, but we should not remove the consequences because they teach them a lesson that you are responsible for what you do. You reap what you sow.

Speaking of love let me dwell here for a moment. Do you know we Christians are breaking God’s heart? First let me address the married people. In the beginning there were two things that God made that were perfect. Marriage was one, we know this because God made Eve and took her to Adam. He also made work. We know this because he told Adam to name the animals and put him over the care of the land. When sin entered, that which God made perfect was marred. Adam and Eve before the fall were able to be one. They were a physical example of the unity of the Trinity. God the father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are three distinct persons with distinct characteristics and purposes, yet they are one in the Godhead. They are one in spirit (there are not three God’s but one God) and they are one in purpose. Marriage was to be the same. Adam and Eve were able to be one with each other and one with God. They walked through the garden with God and were not ashamed to be naked in front of each other or God. In other words they were completely open and transparent with each other and with God. They were one in purpose, to please God and follow his commands. They were one in spirit, because they were connected to each other through their worship of God and they were one in personhood, they were walking together and not in two different directions. Sin changed that.

When sin entered, marriage became one of the areas where Satan hits the most. He knows the purpose God created marriage for, that it was for a good thing, and he tries to destroy it because if he can destroy the marriage, he can destroy the family and the purpose God has ordained for it. Sin makes marriage burdensome for some and for others it seems it is impossible to obtain the goal of a good marriage, so they quit (divorce). It is the same thing with work sin marred it. We now think of work not as something God created for us to bring him honor and provide for our physical needs, but for our own self-promotion and self-expression. We rarely think of work as something God gave us to honor him. And we have become obsessed with our own status that we allow work to become our god’s instead of the true God. We allow our pursuit of work to move God out of the way and to move our families out of their places of importance. This again is how Satan tries to destroy the family. In the garden, fellowship with God was first, then fellowship with each other, then work. Sin has changed all things around. Work is first, maybe family and sometimes, God not at all.

Week in Review

HELP ME BE GOOD!

Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates, - Deuteronomy 11:18-20

Someone asked me what are the things that I do to try and help my children with discipline. I have used this method starting with my oldest child that is now 18. I have adopted the method to fit with the age of the child. In a world where we are always looking to try and find things that can help us, I hope this helps you in setting up a standard (or reinforcing one).

You can purchase a large poster board and depending on the number of children you have, you can separate them into two sides and put a child on each side. At the top of each side I have place either the child’s picture or something that was important to them, and allowed them to know what side was theirs. I also allow them to color the boards, as they would like. You can either separate the board by adding lines to make places for the days of the week. The latest one I use, I simply place the stickers next to each other and when we come to the end of the month we place a marker mark behind the stickers for the last month and we start all over again. You can also, for the sake of separation, put the count of the total stickers behind the last sticker.

This is how the system works. At the beginning of the day each child starts off with a certain number of stickers (I did something slightly different with my oldest child. Instead of the stickers we simply used marker tallies). This is a guide I used for my children.

Things you gain/lose points for: You can get a total of 6 stickers a day.

You will be given only one warning before you lose a sticker. If you keep all your stickers, you may be able to win “extra” stickers for doing extra work when asked.

Chores – You must keep your room clean / you must pick up your school stuff / you must pick up all your toys and items around the house

Behavior – You must not scream /you must not fight with your sisters / you must not whine / no talking back to parents or each other / no name calling / no lying

Bed time rules – You must brush your teeth / take a bath or wash up / lotion up / and get in bed without being told

Morning rules – You must get up when told / you must eat what you are given / no whining about breakfast food / you must wash up and brush you teach on time / you must get all of your things ready without being told

Bible study rules – You must memorize you weekly scripture verse
Attitude – you must have a “right” attitude / you must not talk back to your parents or ignore them when they are giving instructions / you must remember God wants you to have a cheerful spirit

Rewards – at the end of each month, you will be able to receive rewards based on what your parents decide. Some of the coming rewards you can earn are: Sesame Street Live – Super Grover – May / Weekend getaway – Kids Fun-tastic weekend – April) also we will pick “Family weekend events” when you have kept at least 50% of your tickets.

This was one of the old systems we used. How can we expect the children to know what is expected of them unless we write it down and make it plan. So each child is given a list of what they are expected to do. They can put it up on their doors so they can see it each day (when they wake in the morning and when they go to sleep at night). If the children were warned about the behavior and they did not correct it, they lost a sticker. At first each child did not want to comply. However, when they realized the things they could lose, they did not want to lose a sticker. I found that the one that was helped the most from this system was me. Why? It kept me focused on what the rules were and I stopped being a “yeller”. I hated being a yeller. You know always yelling for everything your children did wrong. This was mainly because I was frustrated and could not gain the control. When I began using this system I gained the control and I found peace again in my house.

I hope this gives you an idea what would work for your family and your children. When my oldest daughter became a teenager, we had a signed contract. Her dealt with her phone, homework, curfew and house work. If your child isn’t big on rewards, find what they like. Sports and outings, then make that the reward. Time with you, make that the reward. Whatever will help you set up a standard is worth the time and investment.

Words of Encouragement

Today, do we believe that there is not one stormy water that God can calm?  Do we believe he can answer our prayers? Or do we simply need to do as a man from scripture did and ask "Help me in my unbelief".  Help us today to grasp hold of your truth and that is there is nothing to wonderful, or hard or difficult that you cannot do.

Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. - 1 Peter 3:1-3

Reverence For God. To Submit Myself. Let me tell you why I choose this scripture to end the week with. I have heard from many over the last year or so that have wanted to walk away from their marriages because things were too hard, things seemed to difficult to be ever set right and they were losing hope of God doing anything in their marriages.

God ask of us those things that he desires because he already knows what we will face and he knows how he wants to fix them.  He calls for the wives in this scripture to submit themselves to an unbelieving husband.  See many of us accept this scripture of submission but we change it.  We say submit yourselves (but we teach it with the understanding that this is a "saved" husband). This says do so even if the husband is unsaved.  Why in the name of God would I want to do that?

I'm glad you asked!  You would want to do it because of the relationship that you have with God.  Your love, worship and reverence for God will show to that unsaved spouse something about the goodness of God.  And God says it is done that they may be won.  I want us to look at the word "may" differently than we do.

We normally look at this word "may" as if it is saying maybe it will or maybe it won't.  I want us to look at it from other versions to understand the importance of what is being said.  In one version it says do it so that your husband will be captivated (unable to turn away) from the beauty he sees in you that represents God. Another version says they will be won over with your upright and holy living.

Why do I share this?  It is a shame that as a community of believers we do not share with those going through difficult marriages the good news about God.  What is the good news?  The good news is this, God is bigger than divorce.  God is bigger than a bad marriage, unfaithful spouse or an unaffection husband or wife. 

God calls us (and this is not just a call to wives but to husband as well) to be that light in front of your unsaved spouse.  He calls you to live in such a way that your spouse will be captivated by what he or she sees in your relationship with God.  When they refuse to obey God's word, your godly living will draw them away from the sin in their lives and to a right relationship with God.  So then when we see people in distress about the conflicts in their marriages, what should we tell them?

We tell them God says in his word that it is by your godly and reverent life, that he can change the heart of your spouse.  If we are not willing to give this as the first advice, then why are we professing we believe God can do anything?  Isn't this anything!  So please let us as the body of Christ be the first to give the good news to those hurting on how their marriages can be saved. 

Is it easy, not so.  Is it going to happen over night, probably not.  But is it impossible to happen?  No Way. Stop supporting the thought that the only way out of a bad marriage is divorce.  Then as believers, where is our hope then?  Tell those in need that when they humble themselves like Joshua did, they can find themselves in the presence of God and there he will give them answers.  He will give them the way to be victorious in their own battle.  Let us tell them (and others) to come to God's house with an awe and reverence for God so that we can experience his presence and worship him his way.

Today Lord I pray that you would give to us the determination to trust more completely in you.  As we come into your presence we are in awe as we see your glory.  If we are allowed to experience your glory, then surely you will glorify yourself in any situation we find ourselves.  We reverence you today.  We honor you and we adore you.  For you are worthy of all our praise.