We just returned from a mission trip to Cuba. It has been 6 years since we were last there due to COVID – lockdowns – sickness. Since I first visited there 20 years ago, the church is still the same. Though the conditions are the worst I have ever seen it, the people of God have not lost their excitement and praise. The devil has not defeated them. They still praise with so much enthusiasm and worship with purity and hunger. They are a happy people with hope and expectation. They are the modern-day children of Israel held in captivity. The conditions are so bad – no food, no basic items, no gas, daily power blackouts. Health care may be free but if you need a surgery you must provide the supplies like gloves, needles, syringes, etc. Many items cannot be purchased no matter how much money you have because it is just not available on the island. Yet the people love you and will give you the shirt off there back when they barely have anything. They love you because of your sacrifice of coming. They are special – really special. Please pray for your brothers and sisters. They are in desperate need of a breakthrough.
A Place Called There
In I Kings 17, The prophet Elijah predicted a drought and is told to go to the brook Cherith (V4).
The Lord said ‘there’ he would provide for him. In every one’s life, there is a place where God has called you to. It is a place designed for the blessings of God to freely flow. It is a place not about only money but food, healing, life – anything you need to sustain life will freely flow! It is in that place called there. There is a place that you need to be. A place designed especially for you. I have heard many preachers preach this chapter and how God would provide for you just as the ravens provided for Elijah. Yet when you study it out, a raven is actually what we would call a buzzard. Yes, that’s right – A Buzzard. God had to change the creative order and structure of this bird so that Elijah would be provided for. I have never seen a buzzard share – not even with others of his kind. Yet every morning and night, the buzzard provided the necessary items to sustain Elijah. Too many people want to go everywhere else but there. If you are called to a certain place (There), your blessings are flowing like a waterfall. But if you are somewhere’s else, then you aren’t under the waterfall. You are a point A and There is at point B. I encourage you to find There – get there – and watch God move greatly in your life.
On the Race to Nowhere!
It is amazing to me when we travel to the big city like Greenville or Athens how people young and old are racing. Always in a hurry no matter if they are in a car or standing in line. I see it in Lavonia some but not a lot. Most people are laid back and relaxed whether it’s at the grocery store or driving down the road. But in the bigger city, it seems to me that people are in a race. I wonder and think… “Where are you going? If you are in a store or driving down the road, you just get to sit at the next light or sit on interstate at the next accident.” We race thru the day only to sit and wait at the next event in front of us. Could it be that people are in such a hurry to get everything done because they are scared of things happening? Could it be that people really hate others and this attitude is displayed in daily life? Could it be they are that busy every day? But why do we have this mean attitude?
Whatever it is, tomorrow will take care of itself. Life is but a vapor and true peace can only come thru Jesus Christ. So find peace – find Him – cast all your cares upon Him!
Stay Focused
Every Mother’s Day my children cook dinner for me. They make me sit on the couch (I’m not allowed in the kitchen) with my feet up and TV remote in hand. Of course, there is no football and usually it’s the Kentucky Derby I’m stuck watching. It’s fine but I am always amazed at the horses. These are very expensive, highly trained, machines running next to each other. Some of these horses cost between $500K and $2.5M just to purchase them. What keeps them in that race with the ability to move forward? It’s that blinder. If you look it up on Google, they can cost anywhere between $20 and $1K. When I began to research it, I realized the importance of blinders and thought we need ‘spiritual blinders’ on in our own lives. These blinders fit four main purposes. They are 1. Reduce of the horse’s field of vision 2. Allows the horse to focus on the track ahead 3. Helps the horse remain calm in stressful or over whelming situations. 4. Helps the horse to not be distracted. The bible instructs us in Hebrews 12:1-2 ‘to keep your eyes on Jesus.’ In this coming year, we need to place spiritual blinders on our eye so we can keep our focus on Jesus. Thus, we will not be easily distracted. We are easily distracted in everyday life therefore, we will easily be distracted in our walk with God. Don’t be distracted by things that don’t matter! We won’t wander and lose sight of the prize. If we keep our eyes on Jesus, we can stay calm during the calamity that is coming. When you keep your eyes on Jesus, He keeps us calm – He carries us when life is overwhelming – He removes stress and carries our burdens. When you keep these blinders on, it will keep you from looking at others – comparing yourself. My friends, I encourage you this year to stay focused – stay calm – stay running the race keeping our eyes on Jesus.
Stay Focused
Every Mother’s Day my children cook dinner for me. They make me sit on the couch (I’m not allowed in the kitchen) with my feet up and TV remote in hand. Of course, there is no football and usually it’s the Kentucky Derby I’m stuck watching. It’s fine but I am always amazed at the horses. These are very expensive, highly trained, machines running next to each other. Some of these horses cost between $500K and $2.5M just to purchase them. What keeps them in that race with the ability to move forward? It’s that blinder. If you look it up on Google, they can cost anywhere between $20 and $1K. When I began to research it, I realized the importance of blinders and thought we need ‘spiritual blinders’ on in our own lives. These blinders fit four main purposes. They are 1. Reduce of the horse’s field of vision 2. Allows the horse to focus on the track ahead 3. Helps the horse remain calm in stressful or over whelming situations. 4. Helps the horse to not be distracted. The bible instructs us in Hebrews 12:1-2 ‘to keep your eyes on Jesus.’ In this coming year, we need to place spiritual blinders on our eye so we can keep our focus on Jesus. Thus, we will not be easily distracted. We are easily distracted in everyday life therefore, we will easily be distracted in our walk with God. Don’t be distracted by things that don’t matter! We won’t wander and lose sight of the prize. If we keep our eyes on Jesus, we can stay calm during the calamity that is coming. When you keep your eyes on Jesus, He keeps us calm – He carries us when life is overwhelming – He removes stress and carries our burdens. When you keep these blinders on, it will keep you from looking at others – comparing yourself. My friends, I encourage you this year to stay focused – stay calm – stay running the race keeping our eyes on Jesus.
Sitting in the Eagles Nest
Recently, I took a few days off from work to spend with family. When I returned from work, I was reminded how important it is to know and understand your seasons. I am reminded of the story of a mother eagle. When she prepares a nest, it is filled with cotton, cloth and anything soft and fluffy. She lays her eggs and her babies are born. She feeds them – she cares for them – she nurtures them. As time goes by and it’s time for them to learn to fly, she begins to pull some of the comfort layers out from underneath them. This is in hopes that they will be uncomfortable and want to get out of their sweet home. But many times, when the babies do not leave, she will continue to remove the cloth – the cotton – the comfortable nesting. She will do this until all the comfort of this sweet cozy nest is gone and the babies are so miserable that they want to fly. Fly Fly away! (You may be wondering how does my accounting job and a eagle’s nest compare. I’m glad you asked.) You see when you are in the right season – everything is good – everything works. But when God wants to move us into the next season He moves the comfort of the current season and then things that never bothered you before, begin to bother you. You begin to get irritated over the same things that once before you didn’t even think about. God’s grace for that season is moving. If you don’t understand your season, everything will begin to bother you. Every little thing upsets you – the voices bother you – an assignment will bother you. Read more…
Are you contending?
Life is a struggle. Life is tough. Life is difficult. As we get closer to the end of time, we must contend for this faith. Jude 3 says “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to saints.” Contend earnestly – what does that mean? In the dictionary, Contend For means to engage in a competition or campaign in order to win or achieve (something). It’s to compete, challenge, contest, strive, or basically fight. Why? Why should we do this?
Jude 4 tells us – “For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.” There were men in Jude’s time who had perverted God’s grace and denied the authority of the Lord. They were clever enough to infiltrate the Christian community but yet their hearts were ungodly. Jesus called them ‘wolves in sheep’s clothing.’ These false teachers of grace believed that they had been saved by grace but could live as they pleased. They lived immorally and rejected the authority of Christ. You would have thought Jude was talking about 2022!
We must fight for what we believe. We must challenge those who teach ungodliness – Contest those living immorally and stay true to our Savior Jesus Christ. We have to fight the busy schedules and demands of life to stay in the Word and Worship. Strive to maintain our relationship with Jesus daily. Fight for the tenants of Faith! Let no man deceive you!! Fight for your faith!!! Contend earnestly for the faith today!!
He Is ABLE!
It seems life can be turned upside down in a matter of minutes. One minute you are going about your day and the next you feel you took a wrong left turn but you didn’t even know it. No matter if it’s a doctor visit, a test result, an unexpected bill in the mail or a phone call that you never saw coming -whatever the situation you face, know this – He is able! He is bigger than your situation. He is greater than your circumstance. He is badder than the enemy out to get you! He is able!!! He is able to do exceeding, abundantly above all you could ever think or image. There is no sickness to great for our God. There is no disease He has not conquered. There is no financial bill that He cannot provide for! There is no situation that He cannot handle! Our God is greater, bigger, stronger, wiser! IF He created you, then He can fix you! He has already taken your sickness and disease upon His back and defeated the death at the Cross of Calvary! He is able! If every hair on your head is numbered, then I’m positive He is concerned about your current situation. I love my children but I can’t tell you how many hairs are on their head! Think about it. He knows when number 47 has fallen out. He cares so much about you! Don’t forget HE IS ABLE and HE LOVES YOU SO MUCH!!!!!
Don’t Compare
Most all of my life, I have heard that you should never compare yourself to some else. Though I do not believe I do, one day this wise instruction hit me. You see, we live in a culture where everyone can show what, when, how and why they do things. Social media highlights those that are famous and most people copycat it.
One day I was reading an article about a family member of the Royal family and how they keep in shape. There was this picture of them running on the beach in their skimpy bathing suit with toned legs, no belly and exceptional shape. I read this and laughed saying, “Really, that’s all you have to do all day.” Saying to myself, I bet if you …. Then listed everything I have to do in the week – you wouldn’t look like that!! At that moment, I heard the sweet Holy Spirit say, “Run your race!” I know what this meant. In the Olympics, runners are supposed to stay in their assigned lanes. If they deviate from their lane, they are disqualified. I have never seen an Olympic runner run looking behind them and besides them. They look forward at the finish line and go! We are to run the race God has assigned to us. We are to do what He has called us to do. As Christians, we are to run our race with passion and diligence. If you stay in your lane -running hard while fighting hard – you will not have time to look side to side. That is what we are to do! Hebrews 12:1b-2a says “And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.
I encourage you today. Run your race. Run with passion for Christ. Run with determination.
Wrong Assignment
Recently I heard a story from a man of God whom Pastor and I have known thru the years. He has gone on to his Heavenly reward but was a true man of God. He told a story that still shakes me to my core just thinking of the possibility. You see, he was in College a few decades ago and had to take a Science class of which he chose Oceanography. The class had about 700 students and the professor he wasn’t taking attendance but there were three test and a project. So as along as you passed the test and did the project, this man of God thought he would be good to go. For the project, he picked his topic doing extensive research and designed a lecture. When he presented his lecture, it was preached rather than taught and the entire class gave him a standing ovation. He received his project back and the professor put = Great research – incredible presentation – Final Grade F – WRONG ASSIGNMENT. When you think about this in the spiritual realm, I don’t want to get to Heaven and stand before our Heavenly Father – only for Him to say, “You did many great things. You worked with all your heart. However, that isn’t what I called you to do.” Finding out what God has called us to do is so important for our success here on earth but more importantly for our rewards in Heaven. Think about it – you don’t get to Heaven and say “Can I get a redo?” You get one shot at this. Find out your calling – find your God given assignment – Find the reason and purpose for which you were placed on this earth.