The Originator [in my best Arnold voice]

I know it goes without saying that God is both beginning and end, top and bottom, left and right, first and last, Alpha and Omega, the one that was, is and always will be. Colossians 1:15-17 describe Jesus as the image of the invisible God, that all things that are created in heaven and earth, both visible and invisible, throne and dominions, principalities and powers were created through Him and for Him. He is the all and all, the great I AM. If you ask, “is He” His answer is, “I am”. He is the I am healer, the I am strength, I am provider, I am grace, love, life, peace… Basically any problem, any situation or storm, He is the “I am” answer. There is not anything that you’ve been through, are going through or will ever go through that Jesus is not the answer to. He has already accounted for all possible outcomes and has planned every contingency. He has taken into account every sin and mistake you have, are, or will ever commit and has paid the price… IN FULL!!!

That being said, may I encourage each of us to examine our hearts and thoughts? There are many in the body that feel as though their life of service to God is a favor. As though they go to church so now the Almighty owes them. They worship and praise… I mean they even tithe and because they do all of these “favors” for God then God better do what they want, when they want and how they want. Some may even feel that because they said a prayer that this entitles them to salvation.

Listen bud, that’s just not the way it is. Salvation is not a favor given to God. It is a body that was broken and blood that’s been shed. All is all and can’t be any more then all.

Romans 11:33-36 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! ³⁴ “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?” ³⁵ “Or who has first given to Him
And it shall be repaid to him?” ³⁶ For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

 

There are no favors done for God, not praise, not worship, not tithing, not attendance, not service, not love, not nothing! (double negative, I know) My point is this: even the things we do for God, the love we give to God, began with Him and it is Christ’s sacrifice at Calvary that enables us to access the grace it takes to love the Lord and to do His will.

Preparations Have Been Made (or have they)?

One of my favorite chapters in all of Scripture is Matthew Chapter Twenty-Five. Jesus is winding down His earthly ministry taking place just two days before the Passover at which He will celebrate a final meal with those closest to Him. Following dinner they will escape to a solitary garden to pray before He is arrested.

In this passage Jesus tells us three stories and over the next few days we will cover each of the three.

The first story is one of preparation. In verses one through thirteen, Jesus tells of ten virgins. Five of these virgins were wise and the others were foolish. All ten were virgins, all ten filled their lamps, all ten went out to meet the bridegroom. But the Bridegroom delayed, and did not show at the time they thought that He would. As a matter a fact, by the time the announcement came that the bridegroom was about to enter, all of the virgins had fallen fast asleep. Being roused from their sleep, they trimmed their lamps and prepared to go out and greet Him.

Here is where the story turns, for the five foolish virgins had not brought extra oil and began to ask the wise if they might borrow some. The five wise respond wisely. “There is not enough for all of us. Quickly go to the market and purchase some”. While away the bridegroom enters, the wise virgins are there to greet Him and they are escorted into the feast. Later the foolish come and beg entrance, the bridegroom says to them “I don’t know you”.  The word “know” here means to have intimate knowledge of. It speaks of closeness, intimacy it even goes on to indicate the closeness between a husband and a wife.

Ten virgins we have in all, five are wise and five are foolish. All are virgins, all are pure, all have oil, all have lamps, all go out and all fall asleep. But then Jesus, the bride groom, doesn’t do what those that are pure thought He would. (Stop and consider how often that happens, only all the time) When Jesus doesn’t arrive when He was “supposed to”. Whatever that is, as if we are the ones that can say what He is “supposed to” do or when He is “supposed to” arrive. Then when He doesn’t show in man’s time, but He is God and shows right when He has meant for all eternity to show.

We have the foolish virgins who have done everything right except one thing: they thought the bride groom would come according to their time line… BUT He doesn’t, and because He doesn’t they haven’t enough oil. As so many that are foolish often do they try to get some oil, some anointing, some intimacy, from those that seem to have extra. But understand this is not extra oil, this is just enough oil to stand when the standing is needed. Some may ask why do we pray so much, why do we worship so much, why do we remain in the word so much? My friends it’s not extra it is only enough. When the bridegroom arrives I want to be among those that are “known”.

Honestly

Let’s face it we all need some change. The first step in change is honesty and often the hardest person to be honest with is ourselves. It’s so easy to see the change needed in the world, our city, school, friends, and family but in ourselves… it’s much much harder. It’s like we can see every situation and problem in 20/20 except the ones in us. We can see so clearly what everybody else needs to do… But what we need to do? Jesus spoke in Matthew about the plank in our own eye. We all have planks and sometimes these planks prove to be great microscopes of other’s specks. Look I’m not saying that the speck is not there, oh it’s there and is ever irritating but as long as you have that big old ugly plank impairing your sight, don’t think you’re qualified to do eye surgery. Because you are not. Like I said, the first step to change is honesty. Can I be honest with you??? No, really can I? If I can’t then you should stop reading right now… Really I mean it, if you’re not ready for a healthy dose of honesty then just stop… So you’re still here, that means whether it hurts or not you want to hear the truth. The truth is, Jesus. He is the beginning, middle and end, the way, truth and life. HE KNOWS BEST!!! He sits at God’s right hand, and God is still all-powerful and all knowing. He is all knowing, which means He sees and knows every situation and problem that you are facing. He is all-powerful, which means He could easily remove and destroy every situation and problem. We make statements like, “I just can’t take anymore”, “I’m giving 100%”, and “I’m doing my best”. Here comes that honesty… You underestimate what you can take, overestimate what you give and have no clue what your best is. Just saying… You can take more than you’ve taking thus far, can give more than you’ve given and your best is seated in the heavenlies. So let’s stop basing what we are and can do on those around us and come to the realization that each of us needs change. So find that plank and start removing it. Please don’t make the mistake of thinking one prayer of repentance is going to do the trick. This is a thing that we walk out daily and the situations and problems you’re facing are the tweezers God is using. Honestly

Reaper #2

What you sow today is what you will reap tomorrow. If you sow your time, talent, resources, assets and all the good gifts God has placed on the inside of you into the bottomless pit of your flesh you will from the flesh reap death. Why? Because from the moment Adam sinned flesh was corrupted, corrupted with sin. The wages of that sin is death. BUT!!! If we make the choice today to sow into the Spirit we will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Not just eternal in quantity but eternal in quality.

Leftovers

God doesn't want your leftovers...
Jesus speaking to the Phoenician woman said, "Should the king give the children's food to the dogs?" The woman responds by saying even the dogs under the table get the crumbs. We pray for God's best, we believe, we cry out. We ask God to pour out His blessing, we try to take back what satan has stolen.
Ain't it funny that we ask God for His best but what do we give Him? We give Him our luke-warm, half-baked middle of the road christianity. All the while asking Him for His best. There is another story if we turn back to the Old Testiment of Elijah. There was a famine in the land and God sent Elijah to a widow's house. A widow's house, not a rich man's house, or a governor, not a mayor but a widow. A woman that had almost nothing. God required that this woman give her best. Did she want to give her all??? NO!!! Did she have extra to give??? NO!!! Did she give her best, her all??? YES!!!
Perhaps next time before we ask God for the best He has to offer, let us first give of our best. The best of our love, best of our time, money, devotion... The list goes on and on. Not that we can earn or purchase or do anything to deserve the best of heaven. This is not about us earning. We don't give our love to earn something from Jesus. That's prostitution... Someone who gets paid to give love to someone else is a prostitute. There are two women in the book of Revelation, The bride and the whore. One gives the best of their love expecting nothing in return. Only loving to love. Loving because they were loved first. I pray that we learn to give our best. Not cause we are looking for a return. The only return we want is love, intimacy, presence... You see my friend That is the best of our King!!!

Love ya,

PJ