ALookintoT

Spirit

How do you measure success? Is it the amount of money in your various bank accounts? Is it the amount of land you have? Is it the amount of treasures you have accumulated here on this earth? I think none of these are good metrics for success. Instead, perhaps we should look at our life’s journey. Paul prayed for a Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation that we may know God in Ephesians 1:17. I like the next verse as well about the “eyes of our heart”. I am not a doctor. That’s my daughter, lol, but I think a heart does not have eyes. Yet, do you get it? I do. We have to look at things not from our materialistic dog eat dog kind of world to a world of peace and harmony. Who cares about the treasure here on this earth when we are six feet in the ground? As we celebrate our Mothers since the below message was delivered on Mother’s Day, may we remember the gift of the Spirit of the living God to fall afresh on us all. Let us stop to smell the coffee and roses while we are still able and be guided by His Spirit.

How Did?

How did we learn His Story? Let me preface with a love story. There is a small book in the Old Testament between “Judges” and “1 Samuel” called “Ruth”. It takes about 15 minutes to read so no excuses! It is about a loving bond between two women who were put together due to tragic life events but through their faith found a solution to their dilemma. The result changed our whole world. It is a good read of victory in the face of defeat. That is part of His story.

Also, Revelation 21 and 22 is about a man who fell into a spirit filled trance to tell the story of the Father and the Lamb in victory over evil. John 14 tells the story of a peace beyond this world and the guidance of the Holy Spirit to overcome fear to have faith. How did we learn His story? John tells about love, peace and encouragement. Revelation tells about a beautiful future without darkness. You answer this question in your own words to explain to others how you learned about Jesus. Tell his story in your own words to make a difference to anyone who will listen.

Listen to my below brief message.

10 or 11

Wait! Are there 10 or 11 commandments? It is interesting to note that the below recording was on April 24th, 2016 which was nearly a week before my world was rocked with turmoil. This proves to me that we all need to stay on our guard at all times. Now, back to my question above. In John 13, a commandment of love is given to the reader. When I was in my early stages of ministry, I had an older gentlemen ask me that very question. He was a new creation and was reading everything in the bible when he came across this passage. I must admit, I had to stop, pray and think long and hard for the answer. The reader of this may reject my answer but I finally replied to him by saying, no. Love is the glue that combines all of the 10 commandments into one. You can not keep these commandments without love. If a person has anger or hatred in their hearts, it takes very little to set them among the pigeons so to speak. People shoot each other for the simplest altercations when anger overcomes love. People attack others verbally over the simplest materialistic things when anger overcomes love. When Peter was trying to get Jesus to stay out of Jerusalem over fear of persecution, Jesus told him to get behind me Satin. Peter was living by fear not by faith. Fear, anger, hatred, false perceptions all become weapons that prevent us from being an instrument of love. If we remember to equip ourselves with love when the flaming arrows come at us, we will then be identified as one of His.

Listen to my brief message below and read more in-depth on how and why the 10 commandments were given to a people full of everything but love. Some of us are still in slavery today so I pray we all reach the promised land.

Just Mud

Plans are subject to change. After a long career where planning was a large portion of my day, I know that we all need to make contingency plans when things happen not to plan. Take this weekend for example. I had no plans to drive 6 hours to tear down a storm damaged cover before the next storm but did it anyway. I had no plans to get the tractor stuck in a mud hole but guess what happened? Now some call me stupid and in their eyes perhaps I am but its just mud that can wash off. Right? A popular song has lyrics saying “you got mud on your face you big disgrace”. Yes, I did get mud on my face. O well, its just mud that can be washed off. The best laid plans are subject to change. I could have been upset by this turn of events but why? Its just mud. Life is sometimes full of twists and turns that can make a person feel down but do not let the material things in life prevent you from achieving a greater purpose. I drove another 6 hours home feeling sad then this Sunday morning I had a great Communion Service where we recognized several graduating seniors. The mud was gone. Later, I drove through a terrible storm to take my wife to meet my youngest daughter for a mother-daughter cruise after her hard work to accomplish her dreams. There was mud on the road and some may call me stupid for going down this path but I did it anyway. As I drove home, it was still raining but all I could see was sun shine. Life is full of risks but do we stop or do we move forward through the mud holes of life? Look at the brighter side of every situation and when someone tries to lay down there problems or hang ups just say, no thank you. Keep on trucking through the mud holes and look to the brighter side of every situation.

your calling

Have you ever considered you path in life? Is it rocky or smooth sailing? I would be worried about you if you say all smooth sailing. Life can be good but it can be difficult also. What keeps you strong and on the right path? A person without a sense of direction is like a ship without a rudder. You just sail away into waters unknown subject to the natural forces of life. How were you called? Okay, I know I will loose many of my readers when I ask such questions. At that risk, I ask anyway. A person named Saul persecuted the early people who belonged to the Way until he was blinded on a road. He was a cruel servant of the State who became a server of the Way. How did that happen? There is a better way and that is the Way. Read Acts 9:1-20 to find out a little more about Saul who became Paul and found his calling. Perhaps you may do the same if not already working according to His will. Listen a little more to below also if you have time.