"Give THANKS Unto the LORD!"

"Give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good, because His MERCY endures forever."
                                                                                             (Psalm 118:1)

The true spirit of Thanksgiving is rooted and grounded in the GOODNESS of the Lord GOD because He has been and continues to be merciful to us.

His GRACE and LOVE are immeasurable and His PEACE is our FAITH!

For many of us are thankful for THINGS. We love our STUFF! We are thankful for our homes, families, cars, jobs, health and friends. We are thankful for our wealth, savings, summer homes, 401K's, IRA's, mutual funds, CD's, gold and silver.

We are thankful that we didn't get caught, that we didn't overdose, that we didn't get beaten up last night or that we didn't get exposed cheating on our expense reports!

But how many of us are thankful for HIM? How many of us, including myself, are truly thankful for the Lord God that we might PRAISE HIM continually for His MERCY and GOODNESS ENDURES FOREVER! Are you thankful for His grace? What attributes of God are you thankful for today?

In this season of sharing, be mindful of those who are in lack and extend the LOVE of CHRIST to them so that they might feel His love through you by SERVING and LOVING them unconditionally.

Give thanks unto the Lord, He is good because His MERCY endures FOREVER....

His MERCY is CHRIST JESUS!

"Waiting on SUNDAY: The Veil of CHRISTIAN IGNORANCE!"

For most Christians, the major problem they have with walking out the Word of God in their lives is that they don't read, study and perhaps most importantly, MEDITATE on His Word.

According to the Barna Group, a California-based Evangelical Research Group that studies trends in the lives of Christians, states that 88% of American households own a Bible, the average household owns 4.7 Bibles and only 37% of Christians read the Bible more than once per week!

These statistics are astonishing and saddening at the same time. It is obvious that the lack of Christian scholarship has led to the deterioration of the influence, integrity and witness of the Institutional Church (IC). As many of you may know, I am an author of several books on the dilution of the power and authority of Christians in the marketplace. Not because I hate church, but because I hate what the church has become. In this sense I am NOT referring to the "building" but to the "individual person."

If Christians are not reading the Word of God (WOG) at home or at work, one can only conclude they are "Waiting on Sunday!" Too many Christian are totally relying on their pastors to interpret the WOG for them. A pastor can only teach you what he knows. If he is ignorant, guess what? Ignorance is transferable. Herein lies the calamity of ignorance. Now I must state emphatically that ignorance is NOT stupidity. However, they are inextricably connected. For to remain ignorant is stupid!

Christians are a nation of non-readers. How is it conceivable that an individual could expect to pass a test without studying the content of the text books they are given? The keys to a productive and successful Christian life and how to live that life abundantly, in the fullness of joy and in the Presence of the Almighty God is at hand! It is on your desk, fireplace mantle, nightstand or on the floor in the back seat of your car!

The Prophet Hosea says it best:

       "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children." (Hosea 4:6)

This is a popular scripture in the IC, however, most often it is not taught in its entirety. Two key points need to be addressed; 1) Hosea clearly states that the result of the destruction of the people is because they REJECT KNOWLEDGE (don't study and obey the WOG) and, 2) God said He would reject us as "priests" (spiritual visionaries having the ability to commune with and receive direction from the WOG through His Holy Spirit) and thus, "FORGET OUR CHILDREN!"

The Barna Group reports that young Christians (ages 16-29) study the Bible less than 3 TIMES PER YEAR!  Based upon these stats, it is apparent that our children have truly been forgotten! Selah...

"JUDAS & The Nature of SHEEP and GOATS!"

Are you a SHEEP or a GOAT?  Do you have the Spirit of Jesus or that of Judas? It's a simple question. But the answer has many layers contingent upon your relationship with the King and His Kingdom. They look very similar but can only be differentiated by the composition of their "character."

In the Gospel of Matthew Chapter 25:31-46, the Apostle clearly delineates what ALL BELIEVERS must do in order to be considered a Kingdom Citizen according to the Word of God. These are not my words, this what God said.

He outlines the judgement associated with our active participation or lack of involvement in marketplace ministry, that is, "serving God's people in the marketplace" versus "leading the people to slaughter."

These are the characteristics of goats. They are capricious (subject to sudden, unpredictable changes). They are impulsive and unpredictable, devious and contrary. If they are not poking their heads through fences, they may be standing on their hind legs, stretching for those tender leaves just out of reach. Goats are never content with what they have. These are the people that reject Christ consistently without remorse.

Goats are experts in opening gates and squeezing through small gaps because they hate to be confined. Fences that will handle sheep, cattle, and horses will not hold goats. They will work tirelessly to spring themselves from any situation they deem inhibiting. As a result, goats are not very good followers. "Gregarious behavior" is a term that refers to the flocking or herding instinct which is found strongly in sheep, cattle, and horses. 

Again, this quality is rather weak in goats; they prefer leading or going off on their own. Meat packers use this instinct in sheep and goats to their advantage. They will train an old goat, appropriately called a "Judas," to lead sheep to the pens for slaughter. 

A sheep follows its Shepherd, peacefully moving forward with the flock. He is content to be led because he has faith in Him. A sheep responds to his Shepherd's voice and goes where He directs. On the other hand, a goat follows only its own lead, creating disunity when he comes in contact with others in the flock. Because of his independent nature, he often finds himself in contention with the Shepherd for leadership of the flock, leading some astray. A goat often eats things—a symbol of ingesting spiritual instruction—sheep would avoid because they have no real value and cause sickness.

A well-trained Judas will lead flocks of sheep to the slaughter all day long.

"SAMSON and the PHILISTINE WOMEN!"

The story of Samson (Judges 13:1- 16:31) is a prolific story of enticement, control and betrayal. Samson was a descendant of the tribe of Dan who experienced great pressure and discomfort from the Philistines. His birth was announced by an angel like that of Isaac and John the Baptist.

He was a Nazarite (one separated or consecrated by God) and they were identified by the length of their uncut hair (called "diadem") or "crown of God." Samson was violent, turbulent, vindictive and extremely aggressive. He was defiant, belligerent and fearless.

He had an insatiable appetite for foreign prostitutes. I would assume his extreme sexual urge was due to abnormal levels of testosterone because of his amazing strength. His tribe endured 40 years of Philistine domination. Samson had no integrity, moral or religious convictions and was hyper sensual. He was extremely irresponsible and had no relationship with God. It is an enigma as to why God even gave him the time of day. We can question God's use of a man like Samson (or anyone of us for that matter), but God is sovereign and He uses us as He sees fit. Yet Samson's name is included in the catalog of the heroes of faith (Heb. 11:31-39).

Every one of the Vows of a Nazarite (Numbers 6:1-21) were broken multiple times by Samson as his vows were to last his entire life! His dalliances with other Philistine women are a huge part of his disobedience and resistance to his calling. In the Old Testament, charismatic anointing or gifts did not necessarily produce purity of life.

We all know the story of how Samson lost his eyes and made a humble plea to God to give him once last opportunity to serve Him with his incredible strength. But that's not the story here. The story here is about our CHOICES. It's about why we choose to do certain things and the consequences of those choices. This story shows us that every crisis in Samson's life was the result of a conflict in a relationship a Philistine woman. A Philistine woman is a SPIRIT not a specific PERSON and these are some of her attributes:

• A woman that God has forbidden you to touch;
• A woman God did not ordain for you to be with;
• A woman that does not know (fear) God;
• A woman whose intentions are not pure towards you; and,
• A woman who roped you in through the lust of the flesh.

As I stated at the beginning, the world's dominance over Believers is accomplished by:

  ENTICEMENT--> CONTROL --> BETRAYAL

Selah...

"The DISCIPLESHIP of TRUE APOSTLES!"

Apostles are disciples on steroids! They have acquired many of the traits of the Father (holiness, godliness, truthfulness, goodness, peace, love and joy) and have demonstrated those same traits to the people that have been assigned to them to serve.

That being said, true discipleship honors the spirit of the Father and requires "timed served" in the marketplace attending to the needs of God's people. It is, in fact, a "spiritual apprenticeship" under the mentor-ship of the Holy Spirit and under girded by the Word of God.

The disciple is "called" by the Lord God to serve. Pure and simple. The disciple is a "student-servant" and receives his direction and assignments from the Spirit of God. In times past, very few people were trusted with the task of carrying the gospel of the Kingdom to the masses. In the Gospel of Mark 3:13, Jesus went to the mountaintop and called out the names of those He Himself wanted and they came to Him. I submit to you, that if you are a Believer today, that the Lord God called out your name that same day!

Don't let Jesus' geographic location throw you off. He said emphatically that, "My Kingdom is not of this world." (John 18:36) Since this is the case, who was He calling? Since the KOG is spiritually discerned and invincible to those outside of the kingdom, whom did He call and what did He call them to do?

Your presence in the KOG is no accident, it was predestined from the foundation of the world. There is a "spiritual progression" that the disciple must go through in order to do great exploits in the KOG. The disciple must endure hardships, adversity and suffer great tribulation in the name of God. The testimony that delivers is the testimony of faith in the fire that helps those to overcome their fear. It was never the intent of God that the disciples (those who are called) would remain disciples forever. It was His expectation that they "graduate" to apostleship (those who are chosen).

As an apostle, the Believer has now become a messenger of truth for the Lord God. The mantle
of apostolic service should not be taken lightly. It is Jesus who calls them apostles, not man. It is Jesus who ordains them, not man, It is Christ who chooses them, not man. Jesus is the One who "knows" them, not man. The selection of an apostle is divine, not of man. 

God's "chosen" have a capacity for godliness as God transfers His Spirit to the chosen one who meets His leadership qualifications as He provides exceptional opportunities for service to His chosen kings (Rom. 8:28-30).

"The MIND of DISOBEDIENCE!"

There is a story in the Holy Bible that talks about a man named Jonah (Jonah 1-4).  Jonah was called to do a mighty work for God but because of his disobedience, Jonah was subjected to God’s wrath. He was selected by God and ordered to prophesy to the City of Nineveh that if they did not change their evil ways, God would destroy the city.

Jonah was so distraught over this assignment, he ran the other way to another city in an attempt to avoid doing this thing for God. So Jonah tried to escape via the sea and paid some fishermen to ferry him to the other side. As soon as he got in the boat, God made the sea too turbulent to pass.

The men on the boat got scared, confronted Jonah and asked him what manner of evil did he do against God that He would cause the sea to be so violent. Jonah confessed what he did and they tossed his butt cheeks over the starboard side of the boat!

God then sent a great fish (often erroneously described as a whale) to swallow him up. Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights (a "type" of Christ in the belly of the earth before the Resurrection). He suffered great tribulation in the gut of the fish. Needless to say, Jonah did some serious prayin’ and reflecting in the belly of that great fish (a "type" of the symbol for Believers in Christ).

Three days later, God made the great fish to vomit Jonah out on dry land. It was a three day journey to Nineveh from where he was, but the Bible said Jonah made the trip in one day (he no doubt ran the entire way) and when he got there, he cried. Ultimately, the reluctant missionary Jonah did preach to the people of Nineveh (Jonah 3) and told them EXACTLY what God told him to say! Jonah experienced the grace of God even though he was angered at the assignment he was given.

So this leads us to the moral of the story. Disobedience has a mind of its own. Many men do not realize how much their disobedience can actually affect the lives of people around them including their family and friends.

The first reaction to an adverse situation that comes upon us is that it has to be someone else’s fault. We begin to point the finger at others instead of looking in the mirror. Just like Jonah, we are fearful of the assignment and we deflect and sneeze and cough and roll over and bark at the moon in an attempt to stall for time.

God is not stupid. He is not going to forget what He told you to do. He is going to get His way no matter what! Our disobedience only prolongs the inevitable. You can head to Tarshish through Joppa or Memphis or Vegas via boat, plane or train, but at the end of the day you will go to Nineveh and do what God told you to do!

You become concerned about the inconvenience of what God has asked you to do and the reaction of the people you are addressing to what you have declared to them. Often times we run from our destiny to the road traveled by the multitude because it is more comfortable than facing God alone. In the process, we lose relationship with God and expose innocent people to the wrath of God because of our blatant disobedience.

It is very important for us to obey God’s instructions. Our immediate response of reasoning or rationalizing or marginalizing what God has asked us to do automatically puts us behind the eight ball. "Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken (incline your ear to God) is better than the fat of rams (burnt offerings)."(1 Sam. 15:22)

...In the end, failure to complete the assignment could be a matter of life or death for us or someone else.

"Don't BOTHER Jesus!"

In the New Testament gospels of Matthew, Luke and Mark, there is a familiar story of a blind man who was sitting on the roadside and he heard a commotion and learned that Jesus was passing by nearing Jericho. This man is known to us a blind Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) who had been afflicted since birth. (Mark 10:46-52) The Gospel of Matthew actually records that there were two men given sight that day and perhaps it was only Bartimaeus who spoke (Matt. 20:29-34).

It is recorded that the Bartimaeus, upon hearing that Jesus was nearby, called out to Him, "Jesus, Son of David (prophesied by Nathan to David about his Seed (Jesus) in 2 Sam 7:12-16), have mercy on me!" The fact that the blind man was able to honor Christ with His Messianic title no doubt pricked the heart of Jesus (confirming the man's spiritual belief [FAITH] that Jesus was indeed the Christ).

                                                        Blind Bartimaeus...

Then those people who went before him tried to quiet Bartimaeus. "Don't bother Jesus! You have nothing to offer. Stay in your place!" But the spirit man inside of the blind man recognized his opportunity to be free and cried out to Jesus even louder above the crowd, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" This man's faith stopped Jesus. Jesus then compelled the man to come forward. The temperament of the crowd changed quickly from chastisement to encouragement because of Jesus' response to the man.

The religious folk thought that Jesus was too important to be "bothered" with an invisible blind man buried in the crowd. Jesus showed them otherwise!

Now the crowd called the blind man forward and said to him, "Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you! So Bartimaeus threw aside his garment and was led to Jesus. Jesus then asked him, "What do you want Me to do for you?" He answered, "Rabboni (Aramaic for master or teacher), that I may receive my sight." Then Jesus said, "Go your way, your faith has made you whole." And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.

It is extraordinary that the FAITH of this man made Jesus stand still. His FAITH literally stopped Him in his tracks. His FAITH was exercised in words (Son of David, Rabboni). His FAITH swayed the crowd in his favor. His FAITH is still being discussed after 2,000 years! His FAITH started a movement of BLIND people (lost people) being given SIGHT (light of Christ Jesus) and his FAITH led him to Jesus!

How does your FAITH compare to blind Bartimaeus? Can your FAITH stop Jesus?