God Has It All In Control!

Control: To have the authority or ability to regulate, direct, or dominate a situation.

We are not just drifting along through this life - no my friends, God has a purpose for each one of us!
That purpose is for us to recognize in each and every situation we are placed in that He is right there, right in the midst of it all with us. God is everything, He is in everything, and He has everything in control. In I Thessalonians 5:18, the word says; "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." If God is not in everything, how can we really give thanks for everything?

We have to remember that God arranges every situation and every circumstance for our lives according to His will. He did not promise that every situation we would face would be pleasant, but what He did promise, we can read in Philippians 4:7, "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." The way you truly have this peace is by realizing that God is in the midst of this situation (whatever that situation may be) and that He has it all under control. You and I can’t fix it and it's essential that we recognize our inability to do so. Instead, we must give Him thanks for His ability to fix it. We must also remember that He started it and He’s more than able to finish it.

When hardship and pain come - and my friends, it will come - we must remember not to run from God, but to run to Him. We also can't try to change the truth, instead let's let the truth change us, and the truth is that God allowed it, He’s the head over it, and He has it all in control. Have no worries or fears, our God is omnipresent which means that He is always right there with us - even in the midst of the storm!

We all like to think that we can fix our own situations and that we can fix other people and their problems, but the truth of the matter is, God is the only one that has the authority and ability to regulate, direct, and dominate every situation.

With all that said, let the Church say amen... and AMEN!                 

Kindness Will Bring Blessing!

Kindness: Quality or state of being kind

Kindness is a choice - it costs nothing, yet it is so wonderfully fulfilling. There are days in my life when things aren't going the way I expected them to go, but when I take my mind off myself and show some kindness to someone else, I usually feel better about myself and those things that weren't going my way that seemed SO important, often become less important. There is just something so powerful about unexpected acts of kindness that even the least emotional people can't stay untouched by such acts.

When Paul was sent to Rome, there was a storm at sea and they became shipwrecked. In Acts 27:44, we find that all aboard escaped safely to land. Acts 28:2 goes on to tell us that the natives of the land showed the people unusual and remarkable kindness; they kindled a fire and welcomed and received them all, since it had begun to rain and was cold. Paul and the rest of the voyagers landed on THEIR LAND, yet the natives weren't hostile, instead, they acted kindly to help keep the travelers warm. Now, that’s the kind of act the Lord calls kindness.

More often than not, when we met a person he or she is carrying a burden inside. A simple, heartfelt smile from us may bring them hope. Opening a door, saying hello, or offering a helping hand may make a major difference in someone’s day. And while we are not doing it for a reward, it's an added bonus that our God rewards kindness. 1 Samuel 15:6 provides us with a great example, "And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye shewed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites." The Kenites showed kindness to the children of Israel and the Lord rewarded them by sparing their lives.

Our words and thoughts can sometimes be perceived as being mean and thoughtless even when we don't intend them to be. For this reason my friends, we must strive to always have a smile on the inside so that it reflects on the outside. We also must remember to be kind to ourselves, as being kind to ourselves is the first step toward being kind, patient, and loving to others. Every act of kindness, whether large or small, can produce joy, peace, and happiness in yourself and in someone else. Kindness is a choice and it’s free - so let's strive to make good choices!

With all that said, let the Church say amen... and Amen!                 

Just About Preaching Time!

My aunt shared this with me; now I would like to share it with you:

Now there are some people, at least I am told,

who go to the church through heat or the cold.

They act very lively, you'd think they were fine;

but they drop off to sleep just about preaching time.

When they enter the Church they talk loud and long,

and when service has started they join in the song.

Their singing is lusty, they remember the rhyme;

but they drop off to sleep just about preaching time.

They learn all the gossip, catch up on their talk;

to read the responsive they never would balk.

They hear the announcement and put in a dime;

then they drop off to sleep just about preaching time.

I wonder if Jesus should visit the place,

and stand in their pulpit while they look on His face;

if He should share with them some great truths sublime.

Would they still go to sleep just about preaching time?

Now, friends, He is coming; His Glory we'll see,

and go up to Heaven forever to be.

It may be this service His Glory will shine.

So, please, stay awake all through preaching time.

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

Count it all Joy!

Count: To command with official authority, to consider

James 1:2 says: "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations." However, we sometimes lose our joy. I'm not talking about the joy that you might have by getting things on the outside; I'm talking about that joy you have on the inside that you allow to work through you on the outside.

Nearly everyone wants joy, but we often look for it on the outside. Getting a new car won't give you the type of joy I'm talking about; buying a new house can make you happy for a minute, but it still won't get you the kind of joy I'm talking about.

This joy comes from within and we must get the right thing on the inside of us - that thing that will in turn make us radiate with joy. When we have that type of joy, things that might be going wrong on the outside don't affect our joy - because it's on the inside working through to the outside.

Not everyone has joy... some people are happy - usually because something good has happened. But when you get the joy of the Lord on the inside, it doesn't matter if something does or does not happen - you are happy anyway! James 1:2 doesn't say to count it all joy... when you get a new house or a new car... no, it tells us to count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations, such as being lied on, laugh at, and despitefully used.

We put this joy to work by commanding with official authority the Word of God. The world doesn't give us this joy - no, it comes from the Lord. And when we understand that, we can speak to our trials and tribulations and STILL have joy! We won't have to consider them as problems, instead, we can command them to be joy. But first, we must put the Word of God in us. We can conquer any situation by staying in prayer and by speaking the Word -- things like, "the joy of the Lord is my strength," and "this joy that I have the World didn't give it to me and the world can't take it away!"

Stay in the presence of the Lord, my friends because, as Psalms 16:11 tell us - "in thy presence is fullness of joy."

With all that said, let the Church say amen... and AMEN!          

Choices have Consequence!

Choices: Power to chose
Consequence: The natural result from a preceding condition

The Lord is a perfect gentleman - He doesn’t force Himself on us. He doesn’t twist our arm to make us choose right (Him).  He allows us to make choices wanting us to willing choose Him.  He demonstrates His love and mercy toward us by being a shelter from the rain, a very present help in the time of trouble, our El Shaddai (The Almighty God) - the strengthener and satisfier of His people.

1 Chronicles 21:1 and 21:3 gives us an example of a bad choices: "And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel... And Joab answered, the Lord make His people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servant? Why then doth my lord require this thing? Why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?" David had a choice, he could have stop the count right then, but he chose to go ahead with it.  David was trusting in the numbers, rather than trusting in God. That choice had devastating consequence, as noted in 1 Chronicles 21:14  - "So the Lord sent pestilence upon Israel: and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men."

Choices have significant impact on our lives - both positive or negative. David's choice had a negative impact. Of course, when we make good choices the consequences are awesome, let’s take Joseph for an example.

Joseph was hated and rejected by his brethren; cast into a pit; sold into Egypt; AND cast into prison... but despite all of that, Joseph still managed to make good choices.  And as a result, "the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man" (Genesis 39:2). Pharaoh made him an overseer over his house, and all that he had. When he refused his master's wife, Joseph was cast into prison and yet he continued to make good choices. Genesis 39:21 says that the Lord shewed him mercy and gave him favor by way of the keeper of the prison committing to Joseph’s hand all of the prisoners that were in the prison. When there was famine in the land, those same brothers who hated and rejected Joseph had to go to him to buy their food. Joseph could have chosen to be angry, but instead he gave God the glory, for he knew who was behind the master plan. And because of the positive impact of making a right choice, Joseph became the governor over all the land of Egypt and over all Pharaoh house.

Time does not allow me to tell you of Ruth, Daniel, Joshua, Samuel, and many others that were truly blessed - all because they were willing choosing the Lord... won't you please choose Him too?

With all that said, let the Church say amen... and AMEN!