He is risen...

I just read this from David Wilkerson's blog...so true.

"When we stand before God at the judgment, we won’t be judged by our ministries, achievements or number of converts. There will be but one measure of success on that day: Were our hearts fully surrendered to God? Did we lay aside our own will and agenda and take up his? Did we succumb to peer pressure and follow the crowd, or did we seek him alone for direction? Did we run from seminar to seminar looking for purpose in life, or did we find our fulfillment in him?"

Faith

"Our faith is not meant to get us out of a hard place or change our painful condition. Rather, it is meant to reveal God’s faithfulness to us in the midst of our dire situation. God does at times change our trying circumstances. But more often, he doesn’t - because he wants to change us!"

I love those sentences! They come from David Wilkerson...to read the rest go to:

HAVE FAITH IN GOD'S FAITHFULNESS

March 17, 2009

Since I have my life before me...

At 12 years old, Brooke Bronkowski knew her purpose in life. She committed herself in the way most of us want to commit...but are afraid to do so.

"Since I Have My Life Before Me" by Brooke Bronkowski

"I'll live my life to the fullest. I'll be happy. I'll brighten up. I will be more joyful than I have ever been. I will be kind to others. I will loosen up. I will tell others about Christ. I will go on adventures and change the world. I will be bold and not change who I really am. I will have no troubles but instead help others with their troubles.

You see, I'll be one of those people who live to be history makers at a young age. Oh, I'll have moments, good and bad, but I will wipe away the bad and only remember the good. In fact that's all I remember, just good moments, nothing in between, just living my life to the fullest. I'll be one of those people who go somewhere with a mission, an awesome plan, a world-changing plan, and nothing will hold me back. I'll set an example for others, I will pray for direction.

I have my life before me. I will give others the joy I have and God will give me more joy. I will do everything God tells me to do. I will follow the footsteps of God. I will do my best!!!"

Brooke's life was ended in a car crash when she turned fourteen years old...Brooke led more people to the Lord than most of us ever will. During her funeral, the pastor invited those who attended her funeral (her school and community) and 200 people came forward to accept Jesus into their hearts. Each person was given a Bible that Brooke had kept in her garage to hand out to those she would have the opportunity to minister to. Brooke was faithful to her words.

"It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart" Ecclesiastes 7:2

From the book "Crazy Love" Overwhelmed by a Relentless God * By Francis Chan
http://www.crazylovebook.com

Just a thought...

"Our God is in heaven; He does whatever pleases Him." Psalm 115:3

We may ask God...Why are so many people dying of starvation?

The fact that God gave man the task to subdue the earth and take care of what He provided, I think we really don't have the right to ask God the question, but to answer Him when he asks us...

Why are so many people dying of starvation?

A Question

"And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain apart. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him." Matthew 17:1-3

"For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel's call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first; 1 Thessalonians 4:16

Most people teach that when you die, if you are a believer in Christ, you come into the presence of God. But the scripture teaches many things like what we have read in the second scripture above. After Jesus finished his work, ascended to the Father and waits for a period of time, he is to return and then the "dead in Christ" will rise. But yet in the first scripture that comes from Matthew, Jesus hadn't died yet, he had not crushed the serpents head, destroyed death and was raised from the dead...yet, Moses and Elijah came to see him. How could they be raised from the dead if Jesus hadn't completed his work?

It would seem there is a contradiction here. Are people (believers) who die dead and waiting for the resurrection or when they die do they immediately step into the presence of God?

I have my understanding...which is really not yet quite clear and I'm not even sure if it's completely biblical. But, what do you think? Whether you comment or not is not the point. But this is something that I think if you struggle with, the Lord will reveal some things that we may have missed that will change a lot of our understanding.

Martin Luther King Jr * The Drum Major Instinct

"And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came unto him saying, ‘Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire.' And he said unto them, ‘What would ye that I should do for you?' And they said unto him, ‘Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.' But Jesus said unto them, ‘Ye know not what ye ask: Can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?' And they said unto him, ‘We can.' And Jesus said unto them, ‘Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of, and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: but to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.'" And then Jesus goes on toward the end of that passage to say, "But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your servant: and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all." Mark 10: 35

A couple of years ago our family spent a day in Atlanta. We decided to spend most of it at the Martin Luther King Jr museum. Within walking distance was also the church that Dr. King was the minister. It was a humbling day to see how much this man did to bring about change in America. We purchased books and other material such as his sermon "The Drum Major Instinct".

A friend sent me a link to Mike Huckabee's site which has the whole sermon laid out in an easier to read fashion that what most sites offer.

Please read this great sermon. If allowed, the message will change you.
http://www.mikehuckabee.com/?Page=The%20Drum%20Major%20Instinct

The measure you give...

"Take heed what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given to you. For to him who has will more be given; and from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away." Mark 4:24-25

Jesus tells a parable about a sower. One who sows seed along a path, on rocky ground, and in good soil. Of course, the seed that was sown in the good soil brought forth grain and yielded thirty to sixty to a hundredfold.

We have the responsibility as believers to sow into the lives of those whom God places in our care. We can casually speak and teach and see where the seed falls, but if we refuse to plant it deep into their hearts and care for what we plant... how do we expect people to grow? If we teach and then walk away without toiling the soil, watering, and take time to allow the seed to grow...it will get choked out by the things that will grow around it or by animals eating the seed before it has time to grow roots. But how many times do we give up nurturing because of our lack of time, energy, or our thinking that if "they don't care...why should I?!"

I'm sure there were quite a few times when Jesus looked at the 12 disciples and thought "What was I thinking?! These guys will never get it!" But at the same time He knew, "As I keep watering and caring for the seeds I've planted, they will grow and the results will yield much fruit!? This I believe is why Jesus said..."the measure you give will be the measure you get and still more will be given to you."

Don't give up caring for those God places in your life. Love and nurture each one because you know...they are a child of God's.

Lead as a servant

"Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which was in Christ Jesus..." Phil 2:3-5a

Our society dictates who is in authority, businesses have created positions of authority, and of course, the church has done the same. Writing to the Phillipians, Paul reminds the leaders and the church what our actions should be like. How to serve and give as Jesus did.

Todays leaders are taught to use their authority to bring about the demands of the hierarchy. Being a believer in Christ Jesus our Lord makes the chain of command a bit out of place with society. Church leaders are called to be servants. To serve in a manner that reflects the Father. Love, mercy, and grace abound in the Father, yet, too many times as leaders we tend to use our authority to establish ourselves, our position in our church, in our schools, in our business, etc., instead of leading and teaching by example the ways of God and to establish His kingdom purposes for man.

Love, as always, is the key. The greatest thing that we all need and want...yet the hardest to give and the hardest to receive.

How many times have we heard it said, or we've said, "I love him/her...but I don't have to like him!" Such a sad state of mind! So much the more we need to sacrifice our time and attention for that soul. For his/her sake? No, for our own growth. Our own understanding of knowing how to lay die our lives as Jesus did for that one. Not just that one...but even for us.

Lead as a servant. No, we won't change the world, but, He will.

Come Lord Jesus.

Like many of you, I'm a little overwhelmed at what is going on in America. We truly have come to an age which Scripture describes as a time when people will accept lies over the truth. Certainly, mankind has always been screwed up and has accepted lies over the truth, but since we are living today, and we are living in such screwed up understanding of basic morals...accepting that this is "progressive evolution of man" even the church has decided that the Scriptures are really not from God. Lies and immorality are the norm. If the church really believed what Scripture teaches...things would be much different.

Though most of the time I have voted, I have voted Republican which was once considered the conservative party. This certainly has changed, as well as, the Democratic Party whom now seems to have moved way beyond their foundation.

We are at a time of crisis. And it's not about money, it's not about Wall Street or bank credit. It's about serving God or serving man. This nation has fallen and most don't even realize it yet. It will get worse and one day, by the grace of God, we will wake up to see just how far we've fallen. But the masses have spoken and they want a new saviour. We will get a new saviour(s), as scripture teaches us we will, and then in God's timing, our eyes will be open and we will repent and return to the True Saviour, who is Jesus the Messiah, the One who came and gave His life so that ALL of mankind will be saved.

Whomever wins the next presidency will win because of the heart of the nation, just as it has happened in the past. God will give us what we ask for...it really doesn't matter of the main two who are running because they both lack leadership in spiritual matters. They actually think that man's ways, laws, and leadership can save us.

I can't vote this year for a president. Really...I shouldn't have voted for anyone in the past elections but felt like there was a better evil than the other. Today, I repent of that.

I haven't been very vocal during this election period. I have tried to hold my thoughts in and just let things happen. But now that it seems that Obama will become the next president, I feel that this truly is the beginning of the end...not so much because of him, but because of what the masses have made him to be. Should McCain somehow pull this off, it will be the same in just a little different way. He too...has made the choice to follow a road that leads to nowhere.

We will get change....that's for sure. And it's not because the world is following men who don't believe, it's a reflection on the church for not following the Lord and repenting and giving our hearts and minds to Him. The world doesn't know better....but we should. It's time for the church, the true believers and followers of Jesus, to repent and turn to Him.

Fasting

"This is the kind of fasting I have chosen:

Loosen the chains of the wickedness,
untie the straps of the yoke,
let the oppressed go free,
and break every yoke.
Share your food with the hungry,
take the poor and homeless into your house,
and cover them with clothes when you see them naked.
Don't refuse to help your relatives.

Then your light will break through like the dawn,
and you will heal quickly.
Your righteousness will go ahead of you,
and the glory of the Lord will guard you from behind.
Then you will call, and the Lord will answer.
You will cry for help, and he will say, "Here I am!"

Get rid of that yoke.
Don't point your finger and say wicked things.

If you give some of your own food to feed those who are hungry
and to satisfy the needs of those who are humble,
then your light will rise in the dark,
and your darkness will become as bright as the noonday sun.
The Lord will continually guide you
and satisfy you even in sun-baked places.
He will strengthen your bones.
You will become like a watered garden
and like a spring whose water does not stop flowing."

Isaiah 58:6-12