US Marine Corps – Semper Fi

I Read this story today, and felt myself tear up, so I am sharing it with you:

A nurse took the tired, anxious serviceman to the bedside.

“Your son is here,” she said to the old man.

She had to repeat the words several times before the patient’s eyes opened.
Heavily sedated because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly saw the young uniformed Marine standing outside the oxygen tent. He reached out his hand. The Marine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man’s limp ones, squeezing a message of love and encouragement.

The nurse brought a chair so that the Marine could sit beside the bed.All through the night the young Marine sat there in the poorly lit ward, holding the old man’s hand and offering him words of love and strength. Occasionally, the nurse suggested that the Marine move away and rest awhile.

He refused. Whenever the nurse came into the ward, the Marine was oblivious of her and of the night noises of the hospital – the clanking of the oxygen tank, the laughter of the night staff members exchanging greetings, the cries and moans of the other patients.

Now and then she heard him say a few gentle words. The dying man said nothing, only held tightly to his son all through the night.

Along towards dawn, the old man died. The Marine released the now lifeless hand he had been holding and went to tell the nurse. While she did what she had to do, he waited.

Finally, she returned. She started to offer words of sympathy, but the Marine interrupted her.

“Who was that man?” he asked.

The nurse was startled, “He was your father,” she answered.
“No, he wasn’t,” the Marine replied. “I never saw him before in my life.”

“Then why didn’t you say something when I took you to him?”
“I knew right away there had been a mistake, but I also knew he needed his son, and his
son just wasn’t here. When I realized that he was too sick to tell whether or not I was his son, knowing how much he needed me, I stayed.”

I came here tonight to find a Mr. William Grey. His Son was Killed in Iraq today, and I was sent to inform him. What was this Gentleman’s Name?
The Nurse with Tears in
Her Eyes Answered,
Mr. William Grey………….

Seven Harvests of a Fruitful Christian!

As Many of You Know Mac Gober, of CaananLand Minstries, went home to His eternal Reward, May 5th, 2014.

As I was going through some old sermons, I discovered one of pastor Mac’s sermons I had used to prepare one of my messages back in the ‘Preach six times/week’ season of my life where for many years, I pastored two small churches, with a very difficult schedule. Hey Mac, if you are looking over the balcony, here’s one that helped change my life, Thanks!

Chris

Seven Harvests of a Fruitful Christian

“You shall know them by their fruits…Wherefore, by their fruits ye shall know them.” (Matt. 7:16 & 20)

In the seventh chapter of Matthew, Jesus delivers a remarkable message about the Christian life. Like bookends, two similar statements sit on either end of this passage. In both verse 16 and verse 20, Jesus declares the importance of “fruit” as the measure of ministry and spiritual maturity.

In between these two bookends, the Lord elaborates on this important truth:

Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

In many different parts of the Word of God, a tree is used as an analogy for a human life. For example, in the very first Psalm, the man who delights in the law of the Lord is described as “a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season.” This is precisely what Jesus does here.

He is telling us that we can know some things through the evidence of fruit. In fact, there are some vitally important judgments you can only make by examining fruit. Judgments such as: What is authentic ministry? How do you identify valid ministry?

These are important questions because you don’t want to associate with or submit your life to ministry that is not born of the Spirit of God and that will not impart life. Thus, you must have a way of measuring valid ministry.

As you discover when you read the next few verses in this passage, this is not the way people usually measure ministry. Verse 22 says:

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

The kinds of things most Christians use to measure valid ministry are spectacular, supernatural things — things such as prophecy, miracles or casting out of devils. Yet Jesus makes it clear here that this is not the way to evaluate the validity of a person’s ministry.

No, according to our Lord, you measure ministry by the fruit.

“But Mac,” you may be thinking, “Doesn’t the Bible say ‘judge not lest ye be judged’?”

Yes it does. But that command is referring to the heart of man. The Word says only God knows the heart of a person. You can’t judge that. But there are judgments you must make about who you’re going to fellowship with and under what ministries you’re going to serve.

Yet there is another area in which it is vital to examine and evaluate fruit. I’m talking about the realm of your own life.

Self Evaluation

As valuable as “fruit” is as an indicator of valid ministry, it is even more important as a way to check out your own walk with God. How important is fruit bearing in the life of a believer? Jesus gives us a pretty good indication in the 15th chapter of John:

Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. (John 15:8)

Notice that it doesn’t say bear “little” fruit, some fruit or “occasional” fruit. It says the Father is glorified when we bear “much” fruit. Only then will you be a disciple of Jesus and live a life conformed to Jesus’ example. Only then will you begin to experience the highest will of God for your life.

Fruit bearing is one of those over-arching Bible truths that embraces everything and helps orient our life properly. Everything hinges on our understanding of this vital subject. So, the question becomes, “What does it mean to bear fruit? How do we cultivate and produce a good crop of fruit in our life?” And most basically, “What is fruit?”

Your Fruit Is for Others

If you’re going to meaningfully measure your life by the fruit you’re producing, then you need to know what it is.

Here is my definition of “fruit” in a believer’s life: Good fruit is the product of the seed of God’s Word, sown in your heart, producing a result that is a blessing to someone else. Fruit is always for somebody else. Trees don’t partake of their own fruit. Apple trees give apples for others, not for itself.

Note that it is the seed of God’s Word sown in the human heart that produces fruit. The Bible, the revealed will of God for all believers, will produce the same types of fruit in everybody. Anyone that has the seed of the Word sown in their heart and properly cultivated, will bear fruit.

This happens as naturally as apple trees produce apples. No striving. No straining. (Have you ever seen a pear tree straining to squeeze out some pears?) No extraordinary efforts are required. It’s a natural byproduct of the processes and principles God has put in place.

What types of fruit will the Word produce in your life? At the most basic level, you can expect it to produce the “fruit of the Spirit.”

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22,23)

Let’s examine each of the seven types of fruit.

The Fruit of Love

How’s your love walk?

When I say “love,” I’m not talking about the sentimental, mushy kind of feeling most people think of when they hear the word “love.” The Greek word translated “love” in this passage is agape. I’m sure you know this word literally means “the God kind of love.” It is love that gives. In fact, it’s the same word used in John 3:16 when it says, “God so loved the world that He gave…”

That’s what the fruit of love does. It gives. It gives when it’s not justified. It gives whether it feels like it or not.

When you’re manifesting the fruit of love, you find yourself choosing to serve somebody’s interest rather than your own.

You need to check out your love quotient by deciding to serve somebody that does not have the capacity, intellectually, socially, financially to do one thing for you in return. Can you do that? Can you do it on a regular basis? Can you do it with a measure of the compassion that Jesus had when He served? If so, you’re bearing the fruit of the love of God.

The Fruit of Joy

Joy is a much-needed commodity in the body of Christ, today. Many believers spend half their days walking around on their lower lips, moaning about the circumstances they’re having to deal with.

When you are manifesting the fruit of joy, nothing bothers you. You can laugh at the Devil. It’s a supernatural force operating in the human life. And it’s simply a product of the seed of God’s Word being sown in your heart.

When I think about joy, I’m reminded of what James says about it:

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. (James 1:2-4)

Why should you produce the fruit of joy when you encounter a trial? Because if you don’t quit; if you keep standing in faith; if you keep on being consistent (which is what patience means); you can be assured that when you come out on the other side, you’re going to be “perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”

It’s no coincidence that James encourages you to cultivate joy when facing hard times. It’s the fruit of joy that enables you to stand until you get the victory. But this has to be real to you. This seed has to be firmly sown in your heart. You have to have grown and cultivated it to consistently manifest the fruit of joy. And it’s infectious. You can’t be around somebody that is joyful and remain sad.

The Fruit of Peace

There is no substitute for peace. I’m talking about the peace of God that passes all understanding, that garrisons about your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. The kind of peace that can bring stability and calm in the midst of a swirling conflict. If you’ve ever experienced this, you know how supernatural it is.

But the thing I want you to see is it’s a fruit that affects other people. This isn’t something that just touches your life. (Remember, the fruit is not primarily for us, it’s for others.) You see, like joy, peace is infectious.

The Fruit of Patience

The King James calls it “long-suffering,” but we know it better as a quality called patience. This fruit literally describes the ability to be constant in the face of changing circumstance. In other words, consistency.

No matter how much pressure is on you, you remain the same when you have the fruit of patience. You’re what the Bible calls “firmly rooted and grounded.” Not moved by circumstance.

This isn’t just a matter of sweating the situation out until the Lord resolves it for you. I’m not talking about hanging on by your toenails until there is a miracle of some sort. That’s not it. This is a fruit of the Spirit. It’s a calm assurance that God’s going to produce the answer in your life and you’re going to wait on Him until hell freezes over if necessary. Because only quitters lose in the kingdom of God.

There is a way to hang in there gracefully through the fruit of patience.

The Fruit of Gentleness

Other translations render this word as “kindness.” This is a fruit I personally must monitor on a consistent basis. Sometimes when I get in a hurry, I can become a little abrupt or sharp with people. This is simply something I have to work on.

It’s not that I don’t have love in my heart for them. It may not even be that I’m in a bad mood. I might actually be joyful, but when there are lots of things to do, kindness and tact can quickly fall by the wayside in one’s dealings with other people.

That’s why I am so thankful that kindness is one of the things God’s Word will produce in our lives if we will cultivate it. And it must be there if you’re going to move into the will of God for your life.

The Fruit of Goodness

What the King James translation calls “goodness” many other translations call “generosity.” The Greek word is agathosune and it literally means beneficence — which is a little-used word that means to give freely and liberally.

Generosity is a powerful fruit of the spirit. You could start out the stingiest old buzzard that ever lived, but once the seed of God’s Word is sown in your heart, it will change you. If you cultivate it, you will find yourself becoming a generous person.

Let me tell you, until you become generous you’re not going to move into God’s highest and best. You are simply not going to do it. That’s why it’s so vital to measure and monitor your level of generosity. It’s fruit that you must examine in your own life.

The Fruit of Faith

Most translations correctly render this word “faithfulness.” This isn’t referring to the kind of faith that comes from hearing the Word. This is faithfulness and it means: “committed to a task” or “loyalty.”

Can your wife or husband count on you? Can your kids count on you? Are you somebody that is committed to seeing the best, and you’re not going to give up no matter what? Are you loyal to a fault?

These are important questions because God honors loyalty. You see, it’s easy to be loyal to somebody when they’re a star. But when they fall on hard times, are you still going to be loyal? Will you still be available to minister to them?

Loyalty. Commitment. That’s what faithfulness is. Is that fruit evident in your life?

The Fruit of Meekness

Don’t get the wrong idea about meekness just because it rhymes with weakness. They are very different concepts. Meekness is simply a reference to humility — a recognition of your fallibility without God.

A lot of people have the wrong idea about humility. It doesn’t mean groveling in the dirt proclaiming how unworthy you are. It is an acknowledgement that without God you can’t do anything worth doing, but with God, you can do all things. In Christ, you’re more than a conqueror through Him who loved you. This is what meekness is. It is a determination to give God the glory and others the credit.

There’s nothing good any of us can do without the Lord in our lives. When you are manifesting the fruit of meekness, you put no confidence in your own flesh but have all the confidence in the world in the Jesus who lives in you.

Check your meekness level by asking yourself, “Where am I placing my confidence?”

The Fruit of Temperance

Temperance literally means “self control.” This is a powerful and important fruit of the Spirit. To fulfill everything God has called you to do, you’re going to have to be able to say “no” to your flesh. Without the fruit of self-control being consistently manifested in your life, this is next to impossible.

Your flesh wants to run the show. It likes to be in the driver’s seat. Frankly, the place this is most evident for many of us is at the dinner table. Most Christians don’t have terrible problems with drugs or alcohol. But when it comes to other physical appetites such as food, sleep, comfort or sex — they have a real battle on their hands.

How much control do you have over self? Without the fruit of temperance, you don’t. It handles you.

You’ll Know by the Fruit

Each of the fruits of the Spirit can be used as a measuring rod for evaluating where you are in God. As we’ve seen, Jesus said, “you’ll know them by the fruit.” And this is your only reliable measure of whether or not you’re living a life that “glorifies your Father in heaven.”

If you’ve been wondering why things aren’t working out for you as you’d like. If you’ve been puzzled by the fact that your prayers aren’t getting the results you used to experience. It’s time to measure your fruit.

Because if the fruit isn’t there, nothing else will be. Make sure you’re reaping the seven harvests of a fruitful Christian.

https://chrisaomministries.com/2016/08/06/the-purpose-of-this-blog/

Four Stages of MANHOOD – Man Up!

Manhood – Part Two

1 Corinthians 13:11

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things

 

As you recall, we are talking about the development of men of God, generally in four stages that were: boyhood, manhood, fatherhood, and the age of the patriarch.

 

No matter how great our earthly family may have been, we are now part of the royal family of God, training for reigning with Jesus!

 

As always, we begin and end with the Word of God!

 

Training and discipline can develop our soul, forge our will, but the Word of God has the power to change our very heart motives….

 

Ephesians 4:14

that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

 

1 Corinthians 14:20

Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

 

Hebrews 12:5

And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

 

Galatians 4:19

My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you

 

Fathers in the faith, pray, for us to grow up spiritually, to embrace our manhood, to rise up to honor and responsibility in this fight of faith in this generation.

 

 

2 Timothy 3:15

and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus

 

We teach our children the Scriptures, but it is our life of honor that they watch!

 

Back in the days when I used to pastor, we used to do a ‘passage of rites’ ceremony with young men and women between the ages of 13-18. I took the idea from a book I read by an author named Craig Hill, where he teaches on the development of boys into men: http://www.promisekeepers.org.nz/bar_mitzvah.html

 

I agree with Craig, as I have endeavoured to learn protocol, the traditions and cultures of the host peoples of North America, North American Indians. In many tribes, a boy becomes a brave or warrior, only after their initiation ceremony, where acts of bravery needed to be exhibited. In some tribes, a young man had to ‘count coup’ riding up to an enemy with his ‘coup stick’ and touching him without being killed, and riding away in victory, having ‘counted coup.’ In other tribes, there were ‘rites of passage’ ceremonies that included running through tunnels of pain, where seasoned warriors beat them with sticks, or culturally required acts of bravery, where they had to complete a vision quest, or spend a night blindfolded in the forest over night.

From what I understand in the Jewish Bar Mitzva ceremony, boys were expected to go to work with their fathers after school, to learn responsibility, earn money and learn how to manage it, and become men.

 

What we used to do, is plan ahead, and get either the fathers, uncles, grandparents or older men in a young man’s life to write a declaration of honor, love and respect to be read over the young man. We would tape a line on the carpet, and all the men in the church would come forward to the front side of the line. The young teens would stand on the outer side of the tape. I would read a proclamation declaring that this day, they were forever leaving boyhood, to become strong men of honor, embracing the risks and responsibilities of manhood in their community, standing strong for their families, against evil in society, as men. I would present them with some token of manhood (usually a pocket knife, although some dads gave firearms etc), and then had the prepared proclamations of blessing read over each one by their elders. I would then have them leave childhood forever, by stepping across the line. All of us men would then lay hands upon them and pray and proclaim blessing over each participant.

 

Saw dramatic change in young peoples lives! Young gangsters would suddenly leave criminal lifestyles, and often join cadets, or get job to help at home. Shoulders would square up, and chests would swell with pride, as they embraced the call to be men!

 

This is so needed today! With a 50-60% divorce rate in America, boys are not taught to be men, and we, the church must rise to the challenge, and become fathers to the fatherless, accepting, affirming, challenging, exhorting, and discipling and calling forth warriors of righteousness for this generation!

 

 

Whether it was the Jewish Bar Mitzvah ceremony, or getting ‘jumped into’ a street gang, it is clearly part of the process for boys to become men, warriors, through initiation ceremony by the men of the community or tribe.

 

Seems this has been forgotten in many sectors of North American society, but the hunger in the heart of every man will be fulfilled in battle, or the essential part of him dies…

So much can be said here, but I will say this, after years in Promise Keepers, my childhood growing up on military bases as the son of a military officer, or in the various men’s ministries in which I have participated over the years, that boys must become men! Sure warriors get wounded in battle, but the church is the army of God! We have an infirmary, and there should be no man left behind, but make no mistake about it, we are an army, the army of God, called and commissioned to fight!

Luke 19:13

And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.

Matthew 16:18

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

 

 

Recognizing the huge hole in this culture by fatherless families, I built and co-owned a construction company for many years simply, primarily, to take boys, and make men out of them.

Read a quote by another author I respect:

From a sermon entitled: ‘Fathered by God, by John Eldredge’

“In the lesson, John touched on some topics that he covered in his bestselling book Wild At Heart, such as answering the question that plagues all men: “Do I have what it takes?” But he also introduced six new stages of initiation that he has taken his boys through that have proved to be great steps for Christian discipleship.

 

According to Eldredge, all men have to go through these steps to become whole and holy men. It begins with “Boyhood,” where a boy learns that he is the “Beloved Son” and entirely delighted in by his father. Then, it moves into “Cowboy,” where the young man must experience adventure and danger (think: David’s teenage years of battling lions and bears as a shepherd). Following that, the boy becomes a “Warrior,” often leaving home to pursue a cause or a mission.

At roughly the same time (but hopefully not before) the man is learning that life is a battle, the Warrior must learn to fight for his beloved and become a “Lover,” but still remaining a warrior for the rest of his life. Many years later, with the right humility and direction, the Warrior-Lover becomes a “King.” That is, the man steps into true leadership and responsibility, guiding and directing the lives of others. And lastly, he finishes his latter years as a “Sage,” sharing his wisdom with other men and women, guiding them in their journey.”

If you haven’t read John’s book: Wild at Heart, I highly recommend it. http://www.amazon.com/Wild-Heart-Discovering-Secret-Mans-ebook/dp/B00527N04O/ref=dp_kinw_strp_exp_1_1

In short, John calls his stages of manhood by different names, but the principals are the same.

 

Let’s talk about the transition from boyhood to manhood for a minute.

I’ve noticed that boys all go through what John calls the ‘cowboy’ stage,  warriorhood.

I watch young men race cars, ride bulls, become soldiers, martial arts experts, hunters, adventurers, because I believe God created all men with this natural ‘wild side’.

Becoming a man is becoming a warrior, developing courage under control.  I watch young men all making their mark in the world, joining the military, oil industry, rodeo, construction, or any other rough and ready world. Testosterone going somewhere to happen, working long brutal hours in the face of real danger to life and limb, to make their mark on this generation.

Like David before confronting Goliath: 1 Samuel 17:29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?

 

Yes, there is a cause! Freedom has never been free, just pick your battlefield, enlist in God’s army, and fight!

Whether in prayer, preaching, missions, business, education, military, cival services, finance, or media, truth is a sword, and there are battles to be fought.

No matter what stage you are at in your life, there are injustices to be confronted, but like the wise mentor of Willam Wallace in the movie ‘Braveheart’,  ‘First the mind, then the sword!’

Get educated, skilled, and choose your battles wisely, so that as you fight, you fight to win!

Seemed when I had my construction company, I would have to throw a rope on those often unbroken wild men, and teach them respect, responsibility, faithfulness, dependability, keeping your word, craftsmanship, and directed work ethic, without breaking their spirit, and still keeping the fire in them!

I am raising up men of honor, respectful, full of honesty, integrity, excellence, but when they look you in the eye, they look right through you, because there is still fire and steel there!

I’ve noticed this about myself: if I go too long simply keeping the schedule, making the deadlines, and punching the clock, I get to feeling like a hamster on a treadmill: running hard, but going no where.

There must be some mountain to climb, race to run, adrenaline pumping fast machine to drive, water-skiing, or some other impossible task or death defying deed in my schedule, or I quietly die inside. Gone through months of numbness, physically showing up, but not really alive!

Do something radical! Go on a mission trip to a different country, language, culture – confront the oppression, the poverty, the ignorance and fight for the oppressed!

Maybe you are called as a soldier or law enforcement agent, to literally take on crime and the ‘bad guys’ on the front lines. Everyone hates a bully – don’t be one, but be strong enough to dethrone any merchandizing the weak – the drug lords, the child sex traffickers, the pimps and religious bullies who beat women and children. Dad served 32 years in the navy and his counsel is still valid:

Real Men don’t hit women, they stand strong in defense of women and children.

Ok, enough sharing for a bit, if I go longer, you won’t take time to read it.

I’m pretty big on action so here’s some things you can do:

1. If you have never been affirmed as a man, take this article to your pastor men’s group, and have them first of all affirm you, and pray that God complete you as a man, a warrior, and eventually as a husband, father, and responsible member of society.
2. If you had a dad (what a concept!), and you have been through a ‘passage of rites’ type of ceremony, create one in your community. Deliberately reach out to teens and young men, and call them to excellence, warriorhood, responsibility, and honor. If your pastor is not interested, organize some sort of men’s advance (the army of God never retreats), and get in touch with me, and I will come preach and lead it.
3. Not sure what the next men’s movement in America is going to look like. Promise Keepers in its day was a powerful force for good, full gospel businessman had a day in the sun too. Whatever it’s called, get involved, and get your business, family, and church on board too. Manhood means excellence, honor, holiness – Man up!Father, I come before you today with my brother. I ask You Father to do for me, what no man can do: put into me all the things a perfect father would have if he could have. Pour into me the courage, boldness, affirmation, strength, passion and fire I need to radically impact my world, and restore to me all the things I never got growing up. Cause me to walk in honor, free from profanity, bullying, cowardice, perversion, pornography, lying, and develop in me an excellent spirit, strong in You and the power of Your might. I ask Father, knowing I am heard and answered, for I ask in Your name Lord Jesus, Amen!”

Let’s Pray:

Father, I come before you today with my brother. I ask You Father to do for me, what no man can do: put into me all the things a perfect father would have if he could have. Pour into me the courage, boldness, affirmation, strength, passion and fire I need to radically impact my world, and restore to me all the things I never got growing up. Cause me to walk in honor, free from profanity, bullying, cowardice, perversion, pornography, lying, and develop in me an excellent spirit, strong in You and the power of Your might. I ask Father, knowing I am heard and answered, for I ask in Your name Lord Jesus, Amen!”

If forever reason, you have not come to God on His terms yet, here’s what He expects:https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/11/10/the-gospel-the-power-of-god/

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Give in faith!

1 Corinthians 9:11 If we have sown [the seed of] spiritual good among you, [is it too] much if we reap from your material benefits?

1 Corinthians 9:14 [On the same principle] the Lord directed that those who publish the good news (the Gospel) should live (get their maintenance) by the Gospel.

Paul goes on to say, that he did not use his position as a minister of the gospel to take up offerings, rather he worked, making tents, to support himself. You might notice here, that Paul was not married, nor did he have children. Family responsibilities take time, and just as you bust a move on your job to provide for your family, I work every bit as hard, doing this, faithful to the Lord in prayer and the ministry of His Word, to you.

I will never charge for this: it my responsibility to God, my calling. Freely I have been given, now, I freely give…

As you give, hear Holy Spirit what to give, and honestly expect God to reward you for your giving.

Matt 10: 41 He who receives and welcomes and accepts a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward, and he who receives and welcomes and accepts a righteous man because he is a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And whoever gives to one of these little ones [in rank or influence] even a cup of cold water because he is My disciple, surely I declare to you, he shall not lose his reward.

I have ‘see through’ faith for you, in this: Gal 3: 9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

I believe I have a responsibility before God to be like Jesus, in every offering I receive. I receive it with thanksgiving, just like Jesus did the little boys lunch.

Then, because I walk and live by faith according to the blessing of Abraham, I believe that God will take your seed sown, and multiply it, according to what the blessing of Abraham promises:

Genesis 22:17 In blessing I will bless you and in multiplying I will multiply your descendants like the stars of the heavens and like the sand on the seashore. And your Seed (Heir) will possess the gate of His enemies

It has been a joy to me, to see the hand of the living God act in the lives of those of you who have supported us this year!

Many have seen tremendous blessing come into your households, and for this we give thanks, and give Jesus all the glory!

 

Worship – Rev 5

Rev 5 – Worship!
v 9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

Red and yellow, black and white, we are precious in His sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world!

Redemption! Adoption! Royalty! Victory! Authority! Mercy! All through the blood of the Lamb!

Every tongue, every tribe, every nation shall be represented there before the throne, peoples washed in the precious blood of Jesus, holy and spotless, gratefully, humbly, boldly, joyfully worshipping before His throne!

The culture of heaven overruling and superceding every other culture of the earth!

This is heaven! This is our future! This is why we preach, pray, pay, suffer, sacrifice, endure!

That all may be there for eternity, singing joyfully praises to our king!

There is no prayer deep enough, no praise loud or exuberant enough, no worship expressive enough, no heart thankful enough to declare the worthiness of Jesus, for what He has done for us! Thank you Father, Thank you Lord, Thank you Holy Spirit! I worship, I praise, I adore and forever thank you for your mercy and greatness, in allowing me to be part of your family, your kingdom, you government, your greatness! Amen and Amen!

There is Honor for You!

Joash and Jehoiada

No Matter how messed up your family is or was, the instruction of the Word of God, can cause you to rise up, do right, and lead for Jesus in this generation!

2 Kings 12:2 2 And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him.

In this potpourri mix of Baal worship, compromise, treachery, treason, and madness, one godly priest, found one godly child, called to be king, and he instructed the boy in the Word of God.

So, the boy served God, and turned a nation back to Him….

Perhaps you didn’t come from the right pedigree, the right family, the right side of the tracks….

There are Jehoiada’s out there, folks who would instruct you in the Word of God, and teach you morality, moral responsibility, and the fear of the Lord.

I have learned this: Education does not make a man great, in fact knowledge at the expense of moral instruction, simply produces intelligent criminals.

The foundation upon which any life, family, community, business, or nation must be built, is integrity, righteousness, honesty, honor, and the fear of the Lord.


When we submit ourselves to the Lordship of Jesus, and fully endeavor to do His will, then we will learn wisdom, and build upon the Rock that cannot be shaken.

Be a Joash today, for God has surely called you to be a king…

Let’s Pray:
‘Father, teach me to do right. Send instructors into my life to teach me to fear and obey You, for I am determined to use my life, my influence, my leadership, to lead for You in this generation. In your name I pray Lord Jesus, Amen!’

Some Scriptures for meditation:

Gal 4: 4 Now what I mean [when I talk about children and their guardians] is this: as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave even though he is the [future owner and] master of all [the estate];² but he is under [the authority of] guardians and household administrators or managers until the date set by his father [when he is of legal age]. ³ So also we [whether Jews or Gentiles], when we were children (spiritually immature), were kept like slaves under the elementary [man-made religious or philosophical] teachings of the world. ⁴ But when [in God’s plan] the proper time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the [regulations of the] Law,⁵ so that He might redeem and liberate those who were under the Law, that we [who believe] might be adopted as sons [as God’s children with all rights as fully grown members of a family]. ⁶ And because you [really] are [His] sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, ^[a]“Abba! Father!” ⁷ Therefore you are no longer a slave (bond-servant), but a son; and if a son, then also an heir through [the gracious act of] God [through Christ].

Revelation 1:⁵ And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

⁶ And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

There are Things Kings Should Not Say…

There are things kings should not say…

As I read this verse, this simple passage stands out to me…
Kings 22:8
New International Version (NIV)
8 The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.”
“The king should not say such a thing,” Jehoshaphat replied.

Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
Rev 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

We are people of excellence, honor, kings and priest unto our God, subject to the King of all Kings, and Lord of all Lords, Jesus!

In today’s reading, we hear wicked king Ahab, speak evil of one of God’s prophets. Yet, Jehoshaphat will have none of it. He does not speak evil of Ahab, but honors his office and authority, even though Ahab was again speaking wrong things.

We too, must honor the position and office of leadership, whether it be in the political arena, church, military, or wherever we find authority in the earth. We may not agree with what they are saying or doing, and we need to exercise, as we say in America, our first amendment rights (freedom of speech) to correct them, but we can correct the action, while still respecting the office and authority of the person.

Presently, the President of the United States, Barack Obama, has public ally stood for abortion, same sex marriage, and has endorsed US military aid of the Muslim brotherhood, and stood often for Islam. As a Christian, I must call these things what they are, in light of the Word of God, wrong.

Yet, I can still pray for, honor, and bless the Presidential office, even when I am in vehement disagreement with these decisions of the President himself. We can disagree, without being disagreeable.

May this spirit of honor continue to rest upon the church, the government, the military as we confront the evils of our day, as we rise above it, and set an example of excellence, wisdom, love, and strength in this day we are called to live.

It is better to deserve honors and not have them than to have them and not deserve them.
Mark Twain.

‘Father, make us strong to speak truth, in love, honor, and strength, without compromise, while refusing to dishonor the positions of authority where people are saying and doing wrong things. May you change either the hearts of the leaders in those positions to do right, or the people in those positions that righteousness and truth might again exalt our nations, in Your name I pray Lord Jesus, Amen’

The Honor of God, will bring Honor with Men – Men of Honor!

The Honor of God, will bring Honor with Men – Men of Honor!

John 12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

There is the honor of man, and the honor of God. I have seen both. I have chosen to discover and walk in the honor of God. He is well able to give favor with man.

Let’s pray:
‘Father, I see to obey you today, to be founding walking with Jesus, in the places He would lead and guide me. Thank you for your mercy, grace, and honor today, as I determined to honor Your Son, my Lord Jesus, Amen!’

 

Relationships

Relationships!

Who you hanging out with?

Was speaking with a minister one day, about a particular business deal I was considering, that involved a lot of money. I asked him about a certain leader, and he said to me something profound: ‘Chris, I am not too sure about the character of that man, but always remember you will be labelled by the people you associate with”

Today I am going to show you that who you hang around will determine your success in this life, that you need to come out from sin and things of this world in order to receive all that God has for you, and that you need to develop godly friendships.

Here is a picture of the Saturday morning men’s prayer group I have attended since 2009 at Victory Christian Center here in Tulsa, Ok. Incredible group of men of God, doing great things in business and ministry around the world.

Psalm 1:1 ¶ Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

2  But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

3  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Now, for those of you who have been around this for awhile, you know that the word ‘blessed’ means: empowered to prosper. That God is a good God, and if you want better for your children than you had, how much more God our heavenly father who loves you more than you love yourself.

v1 counsel : means advice. Who are you receiving your advice from?

The Bible says in Proverbs 13:20  He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

This verse tells us about three ways to be blessed by God.

The Bible says here that the person is blessed and given power from God to get ahead in life, if firstly you don’t listen to the counsel of the ungodly.

Jesus said “By their fruits you shall know them.” So when someone comes to speak into my life, the first question I ask myself is this: Are they saved?

What is their walk with the Lord like? Does what they are suggesting agree with the Word of God, does it bring peace to my heart? What is coming out of their mouth, for out of the heart, the mouth will speak!

Now Jesus is a friend to sinners and tax collectors right? He did not pray that we be taken out of this world, rather that we be in it, but not of it. Obviously, we need to live and work with those who are not yet born again, but that does not give us permission to talk like they talk, or do what they do. We are to be a witness, something they need to look up to.

This verse says not to stand in the way of sinners. Someone is going partying, or to the Casino, or for a smoke break. What do we do?. Get out of their way. Jesus is your way, and don’t get into some sloppy Agape kind of limp wrist-ed version of love. Gently say, “ I’m a Christian and I can’t go down that road with you. I love you, but I’ve got a family that needs me, a church that loves me, and my mind set on things above.”

So you are a good witness at work, and growing in your love walk, and the fruit of the spirit, and you are seeking to win souls for you have read, in your search for wisdom

Proverbs 11:30  The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise. But those around you begin to scoff and mock the things of God. Jesus said to seek and save the lost, not chase down the rebellious. No what does our verse teach us here, when those around you begin to mock the things of God, what are you to do?

Leave!

Ps 1:1 ¶  Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

2  But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

While I was studying for ministry, I drove a school bus and picked up extra hours working at a bus depot, washing buses. The Bus wash was part of the yard, and the mechanic shop. Used to eat lunch with the guys, and they would ask questions about Jesus and the Bible, that were friendly at first. After a while, they began to deliberately mock God, His Word, and would see how perverted the conversation could get to try and gross me out. I began Eating lunch in my car because the guys had become scoffers. Spent the lunch hour listening to some good praise and worship music, and talking to Jesus.

Let’s ask God to show us people in our life that we have become too familiar with, and ask Him for the grace to spend the time we would normally spend with them, with Him studying His Word.

Eph 5:16  Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Col 4:5  Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

Separate Yourself unto God!

Joshua 24:5  I sent Moses also and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did among them: and afterward I brought you out.

6  And I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and ye came unto the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and horsemen unto the Red sea.

7  And when they cried unto the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt: and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season.

8        And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, which dwelt on the other side Jordan; and they fought with you: and I gave them into your hand, that ye might possess their land; and I destroyed them from before you.

Now Egypt is a type of the worlds system that God hates, your old sinful lifestyle. Everyone say “He brought me out to bring me in.”

2 Corinthians 6:17  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,18  And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

873 aforizw aphorizo af-or-id’-zo

from 575 and 3724; TDNT-5:454,728; v

AV-separate 8, divide 1, sever 1; 10

1) to mark off from others by boundaries, to limit, to separate

1a) in a bad sense: to exclude as disreputable

1b) in a good sense: to appoint, set apart for some purpose

The word of God, preached as it is under the anointing of the Holy Spirit is designed to impregnate your very spirit with the life of God. It is food, but it is the way God has designed to make you a success. Jesus said His words are spirit and life, and Hebrews 12:9  Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

If Jesus is your Lord, the way he prefers to correct you is by His word, not in chastening after the flesh. Yet, if you continue to act in the flesh, He will correct you in the flesh. With children, we call this applying the board of instruction to the seat of higher learning!

I have been asked why I teach so much, why I spend hours pouring the Word of God down people’s throats. Well, I am instructed as a man of God to teach the word, and be instant in season and out of season, to feed the flock of God among us.

Yet, I’m no fool, I’ve spent the hours and hours counseling people and walking with people from tragedy to trial to tears and finally Holy Spirit showed me a better way.

The Bible says that by these promises we have everything we need for life and godliness. God sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from all their destruction.

The answer to your problem is in the word of God. So what does a shepherd do? He goes before God, in prayer on your behalf, then God answers. He speaks his Word, and know this: God always backs up His word with His power. He cannot lie.  Psalms 138:2  I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy loving kindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy  word above all thy name.

God is your rock, and He has sent ministry into your life to lead you deeper into His plan for your life. I am simply an act of God’s mercy and compassion into your life. He knows not all of you have five hours a day for ten years to study God’s word and show you how to apply it to your life, so enter Chris Walsh, God’s little delivery boy into your life.

The package I deliver is God’s word: unwrap it, and apply it to your life, and it will produce blessing every time. God way is His word, and His word spoken from here will manifest His power to meet your need. Your answer is the Word of God. I spend many, many hours each day, simply praying for YOU!

Certain people would wear me out! They would constantly call me, in crisis, asking me to come pray for them, to go to the hospital, to come over for dinner, and they were usually very polite when I came, yet I noticed that those that often took the biggest chunks of my time, rarely attended services. They loved to hear the Word of God, but they missed God’s order in attending church: Heb 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Finally, God set me free from chasing these people, 1Pe 5:2  Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;

I realized that if they were not among us, in regular attendance at church, my responsibility to feed, lead, and counsel them ended.

Yet, some Christians are that way? Let’s pray about God’s will for my life pastor. So we pray, and God speaks, through His word, and gives direction.

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

What’s the point? While we must love all people, some must be given reduced access to our lives if we are going to be people of impact. They will drain our critical energies, and finances if we let them, and it is our fault. Sometimes the best we can do for them is NOT return their calls, while fervently praying for them. We are not God, Jesus is Lord, and it is wrong to do for people that which they have the responsibility to do for themselves.

Perhaps they have some unmet emotional need and need sympathy, so they go to another meeting, and ask another group of Christians to pray. And surprise surprise, God tells them to do the same thing. I’ve met Christians who have been involved with codependent relationships and sin issues, and they refuse to sever ties to those sins. Obviously, if you quit drinking, you pour whatever alcohol is in your house, down the sink. When you learn about the presence of God that comes in worship and Christian music, you probably need to go through your CD’s and cassettes and pitch the ones that do not bring the presence of God into your world. Video’s, magazines, and even TV shows that glorify sin, need to be removed from your life. He’s bringing you out, so that He can bring you in.

John Hagee calls television “that little god in your living room” for “do not many prostrate themselves before it, and spend more time with it than in the word and prayer?”

3 John 1:2  Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

I am a prosperity preacher. It’s in the word, yet as a shepherd, I need to bring you out so that I can bring you in. Notice in this verse we studied, that God wants you to prosper and be in health, as your soul prospers.

2 Corinthians 6:17  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,18  And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

God is a good God, and loves you more than you love yourself. He wants to prosper you more than your wildest dreams, but it must be done His way.

Your soul is your mind, will and emotions. Many of you have been through hell emotionally, your mind is full of a mixture of the world and the devils thoughts with a little bit of God, and so your will, your day to day decisions wobble due to your pain and mixed up reasoning. God has more than that for you. He wants you to come out of the things that are causing you pain, and that dishonor His name. Why? So that He can take you in His arms and pour into you love, acceptance, affirmation, healing, comfort, strength, and confidence. All the things you never got growing up, God wants to restore to you, for He is a father to the fatherless. But you must spend time with Him, you can’t say you love Him, and then serve His enemy. Draw near to Him, and He will do things for you causing you to avoid things that years later will amaze you. His presence is prosperity; it’s the drug we all need. He brought you out of sin, that you may fall into His arms.

Well, my last point is short and sweet; God has a place for you in His kingdom, specifically for you. A place where you can grow and develop godly relationships.

Acts 4:23  And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.

God has a company for you. A company of believers in your home, in your workplace, at your school, and in a local church, where you are celebrated, not merely tolerated.

2 Peter 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: I want to be around people that have a like-precious faith. People that are quick to pray, to testify, to believe God on purpose.

For several years, I ran a construction company here in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The church I attend, Victory Christian Center, is big on developing small group Bible studies, called connect groups, where we study the word of God together, and get to know folks. For several years, I attended three of these, some weekly, others bi-weekly, that each had a different focus. The three I attended have been: Business owners, men’s, and married with children.

In the business owners group, we deliberately have sought God for wisdom to run our respective companies, and have deliberately networked and prayed, in confidence for each others needs. The pressures, responsibilities, and crisis we often faced as business owners, grew us tremendously over the five years that we met, as faith and responsibility levels, met like precious faith and responsibility levels. God used that group to disciple and grow us strong, as men of God. We did this for 7 years, then stopped for a couple of years while I travelled as a missionary. As soon as I came back to Tulsa, I was asked by several men to restart the group, and I have: http://chrisaomministries.com/2016/01/19/contractors-bible-study/

Like precious faith!

Daniel 11:32 And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.

Pr 13:20  He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

Deliberately seek out and cultivate relationships with those who are strong in the Lord, and doing exploits for the kingdom.

The converse of this is also true, ungodly people will betray you, and will corrupt you. The mighty apostle Paul realized this truth, as ungodly people lied about him, conspired against him, had him falsely accused, beaten, and imprisoned. He realized relationships are critical to success in life and ministry. Hear his heart:

2Th 3:2  And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.

Just as there are relationships of honor, integrity, wisdom, strength, and like precious faith, there are treacherous people in this world, that will betray you, and siphon the very life and strength of God from you, if you let them. These people need to leave your life!

2 Thessalonians 3:2

and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.

Today I have tried to show you that who you hang around will determine your success in this life, that you need to come out from sin and things of this world in order to receive all that God has for you, and that you need to develop godly friendships, people of honor, integrity, and like precious faith!

I’ve asked you to consider leaving relationships with ungodly counselors that drain us of time and strength, and spend the time you would have spent there talking to God instead. In his word, in prayer, and in Worship.  I’ve asked you to leave the trappings of sin, the things of this world to let Him bring you out so that He can bring you in to His presence and prosperity.Thirdly, I’ve challenged you to develop godly friendships on purpose to cultivate relationships with those strong in the Lord and the power of His might, that are doing exploits for Him.

I read this little story,that I find appropriate here. Perhaps you have already read it, but bear with me, it might encourage you to hear it again!

Reason, Season, or a Lifetime?

By: Brian A. “Drew” Chalker

People always come into your life for a reason, a season and a lifetime. When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do.

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed outwardly or inwardly. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, or to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or even spiritually. They may seem like a godsend to you, and they are. They are there for a reason,you need them to be. Then, without any wrong doing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die, Sometimes they just walk away. Sometimes they act up or out and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and it is now time to move on.

When people come into your life for a SEASON, it is because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn. They may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season. And like Spring turns to Summer and Summer to Fall, the season eventually ends.

LIFETIME, relationships teach you a lifetime of lessons; those things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person/people (anyway);, and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas in your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant. Thank you for being part of my life…..

Now God needs to demonstrate this word, just so that you can know that God is alive and in the house. Maybe some of you don’t know Jesus yet today is your day. He is not I was, not I will be, His name is I AM. NOW Faith is! You need to give Him your life. He is Lord, and you need to sell out to Him totally, no compromise. He rose from the dead, and He wants to forgive you and save you and adopt into this great family of God, and show you the reason He created you, and the place He has called you to serve Him in.

If you have never understood the simple good news, here it is:https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/11/10/the-gospel-the-power-of-god/

Let’s Pray:

Father, I come before you, deciding to place Jesus as Lord of my life. I believe that because you love me, you will not fail me, that your plan for my life, is better than what I have planed. I receive you Lord Jesus, as my Savior, personal pastor, Shepherd, and counselor. Jesus, add to me, people of faith, honor, wisdom, strength, and integrity, and like Paul, I pray “that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men:” . Help me to carve time out of my day, to listen to, meditate upon, and hear your Word, and worship, in your name I pray Lord Jesus, Amen.

Negotiations – Not Every Offering is acceptable

Negotiations

2 Kings 5:26 Is it a time to receive money?

I remember this verse well, but to begin, let’s look at the account of Abraham looking for a burial place for his beloved wife, Sarah.

Gen 23: 4 I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a burying place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.
5 And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him,
6 Hear us, my lord: thou art a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead.
7 And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth.
8 And he communed with them, saying, If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight; hear me, and intreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,
9 That he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his field; for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me for a possession of a buryingplace amongst you.
10 And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth: and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, even of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying,
11 Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead.
12 And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land.
13 And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me: I will give thee money for the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there.
14 And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him,
15 My lord, hearken unto me: the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver; what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.
16 ¶ And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant.

Notice the heart of Abraham here. He could have simply received this grave site cave as a gift, but his heart fully belonged to God, full of honor.

He knew that in the long run, not paying full price for this burial plot would have caused strife between him and Ephron, and there is no honor in strife. How? Think about it for a minute: the people in the community would say: Abraham is really wealthy, yet he took some of our land to bury his wife. He could have paid for it, but he took advantage of ‘uncle’ Ephron’s kindness…You know how all that can go…

Reminds me of the heart of Elisha after Naaman was healed of leprosy, yet he did not receive an offering from him.

Let’s look at the account here:

2 Kings 5:15 ¶ And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.
16 But he said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.

26 And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?

As we study church history, we have seen great abuses of spiritual authority in this area.

The great healing evangelists who would see the power of God open a number of deaf ears, or raise cripples miraculously from deathbeds or wheelchairs, only to announce:

‘Now let’s honor God by taking up an offering!’

As if one can buy the miraculous power of God!

Matthew 10:8

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Not every offering is acceptable before God, and though folks may offer us money, gifts, great deals, not every offering is acceptable before God.

I remember how the Lord dealt with me along these lines while I attended Bible school at Rhema back in the 90’s.
I had prayed for some new suits, and while at a revival meeting, a man approached me and told me that God told him to give me three new suits that he had just purchased. We went to his house after the meeting, and they were beautiful suits, and exactly my size! I went home praising God, thanking Him for this blessing, but had a gentle nudge down in my heart, that something wasn’t quite right. Wasn’t sure quite what yet.

Next morning, in devotions, the Lord showed me the motives of this man’s heart that had given me the suits, and they were not right before him.

Mt 9:4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?

The man was extremly bitter against Rhema, and was in gross rebellion towards God Himself. I prayed about what to do, and the Lord told me to return the suits that very minute to the man, so I jumped in my car, drove across town, and left them on the doorknob of his house with a note on them. Never saw the man again, but God ignited my heart with joy, and I knew that I had done the right thing.

The heart of any true minister of God, is to receive offerings, in faith, just like Jesus received the little boys lunch: When people give to us, we should have not merely gratefulness that OUR needs are being met, but more importantly, that they honored God in their giving, so that we could, with the faith of Abraham, believe God would multiply their gift exponentially so that THEIR needs are met.

This is the heart of the apostle Paul in the famous verses, often misquoted at offering time that he wrote in his letter to the Phillippians:

4:¹⁶ For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.

¹⁷ Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.

¹⁸ But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.

¹⁹ But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Paul saw, before the throne of God, how God Himself was honoring the offerings of the Phillipian church, and ‘fruit was being added to their account’ so that he could state clearly that God would become personally involved in their finances, and would supply all of their needs according TO HIS RICHES IN GLORY by Christ Jesus!

Hope this helps someone today, trying to walk in their calling, and to keep their heart right before the Lord.

Let’s pray:
“Father God, I come before you right now, trusting you, and You alone fully for my provision. Show me where to give, and where to receive, and give me strength of heart, to never be bought, nor compromise our vital, living relationship. In your name I pray Lord Jesus, Amen’

True Grace…

The only right living we will ever experience, is ONLY by the grace of God.

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

It is grace that teaches us to live right, and grace alone.

Here’s the way Jesus has worked this out in my life: Seems I do certain things, with good intentions, that in many cases fall short of excellence, due to my immaturity and lack of knowledge. As I go to the Lord to try and figure out why certain ventures did not turn out the way I had planned, often, He shows me a much higher way of doing the thing, that demands a far greater excellence of moral character.

I see it, yet know in and of myself, that to do what I clearly see, is not part of how I was raised, or known to ever behave.

So, I cry out to Him for GRACE to excel, to improve, to learn, to love, to walk in truth, that I can actually live a more righteous life.

Yes, I know, that position-ally, before the throne of God, I am loved, accepted, forgiven – that because of the blood of Jesus, I cannot ever become more holy than Jesus has already made me. Yet, the throne of God is called ‘the throne of grace’, the place where His power comes to teach me, in love, how to live the moral excellent life I long to live.

Some have forgotten this truth, that God is holy, and they preach a false grace, saying we can do as we please, because God loves us.

Jude 1:4
For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ

No!

When Jesus forgave the woman caught in adultery, hear His words:

John 8: (NLT)

⁰ Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”

¹¹ “No, Lord,” she said.

And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

John 8:11 BRG

She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

What a beautiful account revealing the love and power of God!

In love, Jesus forgave this woman about to be stoned. If this was all He did, it would be a beautiful story, yet, as Lord of the universe, whose eternal words carry the very power of God, He did something else. He said:

GO, AND SIN NO MORE!

In those words came not only His manifest forgiveness, but also His power to leave her life of sin!

Grace, the power of God, is the ONLY thing that can free us from a sinful lifestyle, the law will never accomplish this.

It is only those that hunger and thirst for righteousness that will be filled.

Let’s pray:

‘Father, I know you love me, and have only good for my life. Teach me to live pure, holy, with excellence before you. Show me the next level of honor You would have me to walk in, and then give me grace to actually do it. I ask this, knowing I am heard and answered, for I ask in Your name Lord Jesus, Amen.’