Sonsofthesea.org

"Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men." Matthew 4:19

Category: Choice (Page 8 of 8)

Are You Going Gray? Revelation 3: 15-16

December 3, 2017 /

 “I know your deeds, that you are[neither cold (invigorating, refreshing) nor hot (healing, therapeutic); I wish that you were  cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm (spiritually useless), and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth [rejecting you with disgust].”

He’s not speaking to the world in general. In Chapter 3 of the book of Revelation, God is talking specifically to His own—to the Body of Christ, the Church.

If you are a Blood bought believer in Jesus Christ, then God is talking to you! And, if you don’t yet know Him, now is the time. He loves you fiercely, and wants you to be with Him always…

Before we get into this Word, lets pray: Spirit of the Living God, illuminate your Word, breath your Ruach breath on it, that it may come alive in us, and through us feed may. In Jesus matchless name we pray. Amen

Gray days, we all have them—perhaps even a season of gray-ness…

Everything just feels neutral—status quo. No great highs, neither any major dips, or lows. We are not one way nor the other—we’re neutral—comfortable, blithely moving along. Our ministries are fine, our lives, fine. So are our families, friends, finances, and oh yeah, so are those sins that so easily entangle, those little foxes we’ve allowed to slip into our house—they’re fine too…

Wait, what! Sin is fine? No! No, it’s not! It’s not fine!

Now that I have your undivided attention you’re ready to hear that in the same way you were just reading along and then wham, something slipped in that wasn’t right, didn’t belong, so it is with satan. One of the enemy’s greatest tricks—his greatest deceptions, is to lull us—unsuspectingly, into a state of gray—of complacency.

Neutral-ness, grayness, lukewarm-ness, will kill your fervor for God—and for His people! If the enemy of your soul, that roaring, roaming, vicious, lying enemy—set on taking you out, can’t rip you from God’s Mighty Hands, then he will settle for robbing you of your passion. The power of your light…

I feel the Lord impressing upon me that now is not a time for grayness, neutrality. Not a time to be lukewarm! He will tolerate that no longer. It’s as though God is calling His children to perform an, ‘internal temperature check’ of sorts. Not to shame us, and certainly not to harm us. But rather to refine us, to bring us that one step closer to Him. Like myself, any believer who has had their sleep disturbed when the Holy Spirit roused them at 1, 2, 3 o’clock in the morning with that ‘call’ that goes off in the pit of your belly, that tightening that will not be ignored—that Holy disruption that wakes you up, or sits you down, or stops you in your tracks at random times of your day. Knows what I’m talking about. God is calling you to pray and pray and pray, pleading prayers of mercy. There’s a sense of urgency—a quickening, in your Spirit…

I know that you understand what I’m sharing.

And, as it is in the Spiritual realm, so too, will it manifest in the natural—the division, separation, polarization. The result of the great shaking, the sifting—the separation of the Sheep and the goats that has begun in the spirit realm. And, as with a woman’s labor pains, shall only increase. We, as a people, are experiencing a pronounced polarization in the natural world…

Allow me to explain.

If you are a parent, boss, leader—one in authority, then you should know that to lead and guide people righteously, then justice, mercy, patients, and a great deal of love, among other attributes, must accompany this great privilege. Even in doing all that your able however, there may yet come a time, when contrary to all you’ve poured into them, they will simply refuse to accept your kindness. And, so, with a heavy heart, you must allow them to go their own way. As I said, as it is in the Spirit, so it is about to manifest in the earth…

This is what I sense is happening in the Spirit, now.

God has left man with no excuse not to acknowledge Him. The world in which we live, all of creation, testifies as to His existence. And, in the technological age in which we live—now, in many places on earth, most have heard that there is only One True God—and of His Son, Jesus Christ. Most have heard that God sent Jesus into the world—a sinless sacrifice, so that all men might have the opportunity to be reconciled back to Him after sin had separated us from Him, after the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden. Yet contrary to this knowledge, many refuse to acknowledge God and turn to Him and repent of their sins. Allowing Him to restore them back into right relationship with Himself. A time is quickly coming upon us—a tipping point, when God will say enough, and contend with man no longer. When He will allow those, who continue to slander Him, refuse to acknowledge Him, those who mock and ridicule Him—to have their own way…

Since you are now reading this, you too now know.

God will always confirm His Word (Mark 16:20). How? Through His Spirit.

And, by signs. His Word tells us that He, in the last days, will sift the world. That there will come, in those days, a great sifting—a great separation, a stark division will occur. “…But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn” (Matthew 13:29-30).

One must only look at our sin-saturated society to see evidence of this division—this polarization that’s occurred—this line in the sand that becomes more divisive daily. And I’m not talking politics or its cabals here, they’re a symptom only—a byproduct of this polarization. I’m speaking specifically about a society that is now calling good evil and evil good. I’m talking about just how far, as a people, a society, most have drifted from God…

But the prickly part, the crux of this message, is not for those who have chosen not to follow Jesus, but rather, for those who have. Those He is speaking to in this verse. As believers in Christ Jesus, we His Body, must be held to a higher standard.

It must, according to Scripture, start with us…

Join me next week, God willing, on 12/10 when we’ll delve deeper into the more personal ‘prickly parts’ of this teaching. What specifically, is God calling His children to do, ‘in such a time as this?’ Until then saints, pray in the Spirit. Pray without ceasing. Repent, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal those ‘hidden’ areas in your life that need to be laid open before the Lord…

And, if you have not yet asked Jesus into your life as Lord and Savior, but what you’ve just read is resonating with you, then now, right now, without delay, is the time to ask Jesus to come into your life as Lord and Savior. Here’s what His Word assures you if you do: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved” (Romans 9-10).

 

“Action!” James 1:22

September 10, 2017 /

 “But prove yourselves doers of the word [actively and continually obeying God’s precepts], and not merely listeners [who hear the word but fail to internalize its meaning], deluding yourselves [by unsound reasoning contrary to the truth].”

In the devastating wake of hurricane Harvey, a life-changing storm that did its level best to annihilate Texas, there were rays of goodness that shined brightly—and they continue to, piercing the crushing darkness Harvey brought with it. Rays of light in the form of volunteers, financial and material relief, to say nothing of a day of prayer set aside that our nation may unite as one to lift up—come along side of, those who may be feeling utterly alone. Rays that came quickly in wading boots and on flat-bottom Louisiana boats. Through the open door of a furniture store, and in emergency aid, and in Convoys of Hope. Rays witnessed by neighbor helping neighbor—freely sharing what little this thief named Harvey had left them…

Before I continue in this teaching let me say that by no means are my words nor my examples used meant to diminish, from the smallest to the greatest loss, the horrific tragedy and personal pain experienced by any soul touched by Harvey. Though I have not experienced what they have endured, I can only image their deep sense of loss.

And for that, the nation and I grieve with you…

I had chosen a different picture for this post. But as I began to pray for the Holy Spirit’s leading, the above image flashed in my mind. And it made perfect sense—it fit, this image of a doer. Of one spent in service to others. One that gave and gave until he couldn’t take one more step. This iconic picture is a visual definition. It’s the embodiment of what James is instructing the Church in. He admonishes us, as believers, to leave it all on the field, to, like the  man in the photo, be doers. “But prove yourselves doers of the word [actively and continually obeying God’s precepts], and not merely listeners [who hear the word but fail to internalize its meaning], deluding yourselves [by unsound reasoning contrary to the truth]” (vs.22 amp).

He’s saying in part, that as Christians, we’re not to just fill ourselves with the Word of God—though we must, so that we have the Words of Life to share with others. As well as having our own sword at the ready so as to defeat our enemy. More, James is instructing us to be active with our faith—to sweat God’s Word—to labor in it, to pour it out, demonstrate it, live it, allow it to shine forth, in and through our exhaustive service to others.

James is cautioning us not to be guilty of hearing the Word of God—taking it all in, yet, not allowing what we’ve heard—taken in, the room and soil necessary to take deep root and hence produce within us good fruit that might be shared. A bounty—a plethora, that others might see what God has done in us and through us, and give glory to The Father. And, if we missed what he was cautioning us against, James amps up his first instruction later in Chapter 4, listen: “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:17). Did you catch that? James goes from telling us not to delude ourselves into thinking that just by having—knowing, God’s Word, by being saved, we’re good…

No! James makes it abundantly clear in Chapter 4 that to know we’re supposed to be the hands and feet of Jesus—know that Jesus Himself charged us—commanded us, to take His Word, the wonderful, life-giving Word of the Gospel, to everyone, to all nations, and then to turn around and not act on what we’ve heard, not share we what we’ve been freely blessed with, is a sin. “Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority (all power of absolute rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20; emphasis my own).

And there it is, our charge. But how? How can those who are not Pastors, Preachers, Teachers of God’s Word, not missionaries, don’t encounter nations, or even crowds of people—how can they be doers of God’s Word? It’s simple really. Ready? We are—we become, doers of God’s Word by staying in our lane and by exercising the faith and gifts God has given us. We are all ministers of the Gospel. And we peach it by doing what God has called us to do. If you’re a mom—raise your children up in the ways of the Lord. If you’re a student—share Jesus with those you encounter on campus, in line at the cafe, in the gym. If you work a 9-5, take advantage—use the opportunities available to you to talk to co-workers about the Lord—simply invite them to lunch, to church, a home Bible study, or a small group meeting. Show Jesus to them…

You may very well be the only Jesus someone ever meets!

Whoever you are, whatever you do, regardless of your station or education—if you are a child of God, He has appointed and anointed you to be a doer of His Word! To reach as many as you can for as long as you can, with the time and talents you’ve been entrusted with. In fact, listen to what Jesus spoke to His friends—His disciples, as He was both comforting and encouraging them—before His return to the Father: “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, anyone who believes in Me [as Savior] will also do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these [in extent and outreach], because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in My name [as My representative], this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified and celebrated in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name [as My representative], I will do it” (John 12:12-14).

Beloved, I urge you today to be doers of all that God has called us to do. If you haven’t acted in the past—today is the acceptable day to start. Act—or as James instructed and Jesus commanded—be a doer!

Let your highest goal in this lifetime be that you will spend yourself being imitators of The One who gave it all—spent Himself, for you…

If you’ve not asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior—now is the time! That feeling inside is The Holy Spirit knocking on the door of your heart. He wants to come in and begin the good work in you that The Father has had planned for you from before creation! A simple yes, and Jesus will come to you and be the change you’ve never been able to create for yourself! You’re not too young nor too old. And you’re certainly not too far gone— if there’s breath in your lungs, contrary to ANYTHING you may have done—Jesus loves you! He’s been waiting—just for you…

Won’t you ask Him—welcome Him,invite Him, into your life today?

“Half-hearted” Numbers 32:11-12

August 27, 2017 /

 “None of the men who came up from Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I promised to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, because they have not followed Me completely, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have followed the Lord completely.”

The Word of God tells us: “Abraham believed God and righteousness was given him as a free gift” (Gen. 15:6).

More often than not, the only proofs that God gives us concerning His promises He’s made us will be found, are found, in His Word. God is not like man, He can’t lie. It is impossible for God to not fulfill a promise He’s made to us. So, knowing that—believing that Truth, I can guarantee you that if God has told you He will bring something about in your life—He will do it. His Word confirms this, listen: “For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay” (Habakkuk 2:3). And the very next verse says this: “Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; But the righteous will live by his faith.…

I want to talk with you today about the giants in the land and the faith, the belief,  necessary to overcome them…

Because there are giants—spiritual giants, in each of our backyards. Giants of fear, lying giants, giants of insecurity, of disbelief, of procrastination, apathy and depression, to name but a few. They’re there, in part, to draw us closer to God. So that we can, as we partner with God, relying on His strength, overcome those looming giants in our lives. Giants that, if not overcome, will most certainly rob us from—obtaining, operating in, the full potential and promise that God has planned for our lives. From walking in the full blessing of our divine purpose.

And yes, whether you accept Jesus or not—if you’re reading this, you have a purpose…

So, why does God allow these giants? Simply stated, that we may be—built up, strengthened, grow, our faith muscles. But, that can be accomplished only when we believe that God is who He says He is—and will do, accomplish, in, and through us, all that He’s said He will do. Though unchanging in His character, He’s still speaking and revealing Himself to us today. The question is, are we still listening?

Only Joshua and Caleb, two men out of the multitude of Israelite’s that were led out of Egypt—out of slavery, were granted access by God to enter the promised land of Canaan. These same two men had been sent by Moses to go on a fact-finding maneuver. They, along with other men, were sent to scope out this new promised land and report back if it were possible for the Israelite’s’ to overtake it. It was Joshua and Caleb alone who would report back that they—as a people, could in fact, overcome the giants in this new promised land (Numbers 13:1-31).

God always knows what’s coming down the road. It may surprise us, but it most certainly does not surprise God! And, if He’s sent us—sent you, if He’s allowed us, to be sent down any ‘giant possessed’ road He may, in part, have done—be doing so, as an opportunity, a chance given us, to overcome our giants and to build our faith muscles in preparation for what is yet to come…

Friends, we are surely living in the last days. Any moment Jesus may return for His children, His Word tells us that none of us knows the day or the hour. We know—trust, have faith, in the fact that He is coming back for us because He said He would. But In the meantime—while we wait in hope, we must be diligent in walking out the mission—the commission, He gave us before He left this world. To bring the Good News of who He is to the whole world. “He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15).

I am doing my best to do that today through sharing with you what the Holy Spirit has put on my heart…

And that is that God has so much for you—for His people. He intended you to walk in the fullness of all that He has for you, now—in this world. That by so doing, and through faith in Him—in His Word, you might bless others with what He has entrusted to you. Yet, to walk in the fullness of your destiny, you must overcome your giants. You must, like Joshua and Caleb, believe that you can—because God has said that you can defeat any enemy, any giant, that rises up against you. Not because of any strength or talent you possess in and of yourself; but because you believe in –have unwavering faith in, the all-sufficient power of The Blood of Jesus…

His last words on the Cross were, “It is finished” (Mark 16:15).

That means, in part, that He has given you all that you need to overcome—if you know Him, have a relationship with Him—are His child. His Spirit within you will give you the strength, courage, and, the measure of faith you need, to conquer any and every giant that will fight you for the right to stay in your promised land. In your ministry, your marriage, your business, in your God-given dreams, and, visions, anywhere, and everywhere. That’s a promise God made to Joshua and it stands for you as well, listen: “I have given you every place on which the sole of your foot treads, just as I promised to Moses” (Joshua 1:3)

The choice is yours and the outcome is clearly before you. Today’s Scripture is a witness—either for, or against us.  It’s our warning not to be halfhearted in our faith—as the Israelite’s’ were. Wanting all that God had for them; but only half- believing that God would do what He said He would do to ensure they’d have it. Rather, we must believe fully—wholeheartedly, as Joshua and Caleb did. So that we too may enter in to all that God has for us, and be a blessing to all those He’s attached to us—for such a time as this. Pray—be wise in your choosing. Your future—and all those tied to it, are depending on your choices. I know the giants can be daunting, especially if they’ve been allowed to remain in your land for a while. Yet allow me, please—to encourage you by sharing the very Words the Lord spoke to Joshua: “No man will [be able to] stand before you [to oppose you] as long as you live. Just as I was [present] with Moses, so will I be with you; I will not fail you or abandon you. Be strong and confident and courageous, for you will give this people as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers (ancestors) to give them” (Joshua 1:5-6).

But you must make a choice. Will you stand with God, will you allow Him to defeat those enemies—those giants? Giants of addictions, those hurts and habits that have robbed you of His best for you? Will you  stand with God against that giant of sexual or physical abuse that’s been allowed to keep abusing you because it’s been allowed to live—for twenty, thirty, forty, or more years, unchallenged, in your land? That giant of abortion that’s left you so guilt ridden and filled with shame that you dread intimacy—connection. Jesus is asking you today—now, to believe that you can, in His strength, take the land He has for you.

And if you don’t know Jesus as your Lord and Savior—it’s not too late. He wants to help you defeat your giants too. Please, won’t you ask Him into your heart today? Remember friend, none of us are promised tomorrow. And alone—we’ll never conquer our giants. Don’t believe me, jut take a look at what’s still living in your land. Jesus is waiting for you to ask Him to help defeat your giants…

 

“A Way”… Proverbs 14:12

July 30, 2017 /

 “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.”

How do you react, what do you do, when your miracle, your Word from God—comes to you seemingly—too late? When it offers you—no tah-dah  moment? No sharp intake of astounded breath—rather it offers, brings along with it—a heavy, still, disappointing silence. It leaves you staring off, befuddled, clueless—that’s it? Really?

You know that look. Certainly, you’ve witnessed it.  it’s disappointment—unfulfilled expectation. Instead of going left, it went right—way right! How do you handle disappointment and its emotional fallout?

We all have expectations—all of us. Even the most spiritual. Try as we might to live minus our faulty human ideals—our faultier still ungrounded expectations, we have them—we do. We even expect things from Jesus. And, to a certain extent, we’re right to. We, as His children, should expect things. Things like a certain measure of faith, His protection and provision, His presence, and the fulfillment of every promise He has ever made—to name but a few.

But here’s the catch—they’ll come His way, and, in His timing. Not ours.

Adding to this—don’t allow, you mustn’t allow, foolish expectations—self-serving expectations, to lead you down the wrong path. Proverbs 14:12 makes that abundantly clear, listen: “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.”  Don’t allow presupposition to pervade your relationship with Jesus—a wrong move—bad! It will cause you, most assuredly, to fall—headlong, into sin. And, following quickly behind that sin—comes sins cronies—heartache and disaster.

By allowing for a—He’s my buddy, He’s got this for me—irreverent way of thinking to creep in, exist, between the two of you—you and Jesus that is  you open the door for a mighty hard fall! Think of the leaven of the Pharisees here—a little of it in your relationship with Jesus can—will eventually, kill it.

Judas Iscariot is just such an example of what happens to us when we go, head-long, our own way.  Judas had a definite, ‘my buddy’ mindset. From perhaps the outset of his relationship with Jesus he allowed seeds of irreverence and a lust for the things of this world to grow within. He had Jesus all figured out. He, Jesus, had come to do Judas’s will, Judas’s way. Jesus would raise up an army to demolish the tyrannical, brutal, socially unjust, Roman reign over Israel. Jesus, according to Judas, was going to restore home rule, order, and power. And then Judas would get a hefty slice of that pie. Finally, order restored, surely then he’d have  real power and a secure place all for himself. His expectations weren’t only wrong and unwise—they were sin-filled.

His greed, arrogance, and lust for the riches of this world robbed Him of the True prize that was ever before him. Ever with him. Jesus.

He traded the eternal for the temporal. Jesus in exchange for a few pieces of silver…

Watch out for your faulty expectations…

There’s a saying that goes, Things are not always as they appear. When we focus on what we see, the tangible—rather than using our eyes of faith, looking out for the potential, the possible— we will always—always, be left disappointed by what we see. Just ask Judas. Seldom does anything end-up lining up exactly the way we’ve expected it to. See that’s the thing about this faith we possess—we’re called to walk by it—not by what we see…

Walking by sight is the way of Judas—not Jesus.  Steady your focus on The Giver and not His gifts. All we need do is read Judas’ outcome to learn what happens when we allow ourselves to be overcome by the lusts of our flesh. By what seems right. It’s okay to want things but there’s a line that when crossed it will blind us from being able to distinguish The Way from any way; from our own way…

Our Scripture bears repeating here:  “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.”

Don’t follow Judas into a fate of certain death, spiritually certainly, perhaps physically also. Ask The Holy Spirit to search you out. To bring to mind anything in you that may be headed in the wrong direction. Fueled by the wrong desires, the wrong motives. And, when He does, repent, on the spot, and course correct. We serve a loving Father who patiently awaits our coming to Him to ask for His help to do it His way. To surrender our temporal for His eternal.

There is only one right way and it’s not the way of Judas…

 

Newer posts »

© 2025 Sonsofthesea.org

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑