Actions Speak Louder Than Words!

 Action: the process of doing

I don’t know about you, but I've seen people who spoke "holiness," and who taught "holiness" but their actions said something totally different. Well, I've always tried to live by that old saying - if you're going to talk the talk; you have to walk the walk. Anybody can praise God with their lips, however, God is looking for there to be some actions behind the words we speak! Did you know that things can get very serious if our actions don't line up with the word of God? The Bible tells of some cases that have been deadly.

Acts 4:32-35 tells us how there was voluntary sharing among believers, nothing was their own, they had all things common, "...for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold... and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need." Ananias and his wife Sapphira were in full agreement with their lips, but their heart and actions were much different. In Acts 5:1-2 we find that they sold their land and kept back part of the money. The story continues in Act 5:3-10, "But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. And Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost." Just in case you were wondering, that means that he died! As we keep reading, we find that Ananias' wife comes in three hour later, she lied and she died as well. Their actions caused them both to lose their life.

My friends, the Lord is looking for men and women of faith, with integrity. He is looking for a people who are sincere and are living the life they talk about. While I have only given you a biblical example, I'm guessing that if you look around and think about it, you'll think of some evidence of this principle in our "modern-day" world. We can easily look around and see where God is exposing people who say one thing with their lips and do something completely different with their actions. In this world today, many have such a warped perception of reality that they think they can fool God with their words. People may be able to fool man for a season, but we can’t fool God anytime. He’s omnipresent - there is no place we can hide. That means that there is no where we can go and say one thing and have our actions display another thing and He not know about it!

Praise God that we serve a loving and forgiving God - if we're not walking the holy walk that we say we are to - repent!  He's always willing and ready to forgive!

With all that said, let the church say Amen… and AMEN!                        

Let’s Walk in Integrity!

 Integrity: uprightness of character, honesty, state of being complete or undivided.

The Lord desires that we always act the same - it doesn't matter whether we are sitting in Church or if we're standing in the grocery store - He desires integrity. Too often I've seen too many people in the Amen section at Church, but once they're out of that environment, they let their hair down (so to speak) and you began to see the real them. That's not walking upright or honest before the Lord. God is a God of integrity, so it should be a high priority for us to follow in His footsteps.

In today's world, integrity is almost a thing of the past. In these perilous time, there are Pastors lying in the pulpit; Teachers crooking the truth; and Politicians saying anything they have to just to get your vote. It's like the word integrity is almost unheard of, but it's just as important today as it ever was. Back in the day, a hand shake was as good as a done deal or an agreement - not so much these days. These days, some people's signature doesn't even count for much because they are not upright in character. Friends, when we walk with an undivided heart our words are our bond - when we say yes, it means yes, and when we say no, it means no.

Some people lose their integrity because of fear; others because of gain. For instance, the Prophet Balaam loved rewards; he tried to curse God’s people for a reward (Numbers 22:6). We could say he had a divided heart even though he was a Priest and a Prophet, he still tried to cursed God's people (definitely not an upright heart). On the other hand, Daniel had an excellent spirit of integrity. He walked upright before God, he took a stand and did not bow down to the King (I'm sure you're familiar with the story). In turn, God took a stand for him (Daniel 6:22). People of integrity have no problem seeking God and allowing Him to be their strength; they will go the extra mile with a smile knowing that God is in control.

Psalms 25:21 says, "Let integrity and uprightness preserve (keep) me, for I wait on thee." We are consistently going to be in the company of people who talk right, but walk left - just remember that walking in integrity is rock solid. Deuteronomy 32:4 informs us, "He is the rock, His work is perfect: for all His ways are judgment: a God of truth and without  iniquity, just and right is He." What an awesome example of integrity! If by chance we have allowed our integrity to slip away, just know that it's not too late to repent and ask for forgiveness. God is a God of forgiveness and of love; He will welcome us in with open arms.

With all that said, let the Church say Amen… and AMEN!

Deceit is the Same as Being Dishonest

Deceit is a lie or a dishonest action. Let me give you an example we can all relate to. Let’s say your spouse comes home and you’re SO angry that if someone stuck you with a pin you would just burst. He or she asks you “What’s wrong” and what do you say? “Nothing.” You’re so angry that’s all you can answer. But that “nothing” is dishonest and misleading. My friends, it’s deceitful.

Proverbs 20:17 tells us, “Food gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel” [just as sin may be sweet at first, but later its consequences bring despair]. Another way to say that is that while the words of deceit might seem sweet at first, afterwards its true nature is surely to be exposed. Let’s look at another example. In Genesis 3:12-13, Adam and Eve both passed the buck. Adam claimed it was the woman, and the woman said it was the serpent that beguiled here. To beguile means to deceive. Look at how the serpent made the deceit sound sweet at first. But then later, the truth was exposed and Adam male and female were cursed and put out the garden.

Deceit causes people to get angry with God and therefore they slide back from God’s will. But the truth makes us go forward in God, the truth enlightens us, and the truth makes us bend our will in subjection to the will of God. “Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the Lord” Jeremiah 9:6.

Be enlightened, beloved, and go forward in truth!!

With all that said, let the church say Amen… and AMEN!

Because We Have Hope!

Hope: to cherish a desire with anticipation; to want something to happen.

Hope reduces feelings of helplessness, increases happiness, reduces stress and generally helps our quality of life. There are three points I would like to share with you today about being hopeful. Before I do, I want to remind you that for hope to work, we must believe in what we are hoping for.

1. Because we have a Hope, we can rejoice in the Lord and we can pray without ceasing. In every situation and in every circumstance we can give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Because we have Hope, Psalms 5:11 tell us, "But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee." It’s easier to rejoice and be joyful when we have Hope.
2. Because we have Hope, we can overcome temptation. Psalms 121:1-2 tells us, "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord; which made heaven and earth." We can increase in happiness and reduce stress by simply putting our Hope in God. The word also says in 1 Corinthians 10:13, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."
3. Because we have Hope, all fear is gone. Psalms 27:1-2 reminds us, "The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" "When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. The word also says, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed: for I am thy God: I will strength thee: yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10).

So my friends, be Hopeful and know that God is with you!

With all that said, let the Church say Amen and… AMEN!