Knowledge Nugget

2 Corinthians 5:20

Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us:we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

Ambassador - A person who acts as a representative of their country to a foreign country. 

When I was in high school we had this government and economics teacher that was great. He was a vibrant and energetic teacher. He would love to give us "knowledge nuggets". (Meaning he was going to impart some wisdom to his students. It was just his way of saying it). He was aggressive in his teaching as well as his discipline. You could hear him well out into the halls of the school as he would teach. He was just that man. 

Well at the end of my eleventh grade year I gave my life to Jesus. So when I started my senior year, he knew me as someone different. He came to our "before school bible study" one morning and heard me speak. He was so encouraging to me. 

One day, as I walked up to his desk and turned my test paper in, he looked at my name and then at me. He said, "Steve Abney? S.A?"  Then he said, "Do you know what S.A. means now? It means Salvation Ambassodor". He told me about our scripture we just read and proceeded to tell my about my mission in life now as a child of God. I am a representative of Heaven in this foreign land. He said since the day I gave Christ my life, that I am now a "Salvation Abassador". 

No matter what your initials are, you are a representative of Jesus and Heaven. How are you speaking on behalf of Him? How are you representing Him?  What a huge knowledge nugget he have me that day. Thank you Warren Wilson for your representation of Jesus in my life. 

The Oldest Trick in the Book

Matthew 13:25

But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

Although we could share today on his cowardice, anger or his persistence I want to look at WHAT he did instead of how he did it. But before we look at that, you must know that satan is the enemy. He's the coward! He's the destroyer! He's the persistent enemy!  

Look at WHAT he did. He sowed tares which are weeds that resemble wheat when they are young in the growing process. They can be harmful to the actual wheat because it drains the wheat from nutrients. Isn't it just like satan to plant a photocopy with no fruit, and it's only purpose is to drain from us, into our field of work for the Lord? 

One of the things I've learned today is that I allow satan at times to deceive me. He uses the very things that God has given me, against me!  When God plants humbleness in my life, satan plants an attitude of failure. When God is trying to teach me to lean upon Him and be a humble man of God, here comes satan with is bow full of failure arrows. As God is molding me and wanting me to realize that I can do nothing without Him, satan is trying to convince me that I am a failure. God's lesson for me is not that I'm a failure, but that I am victorious. I am a winner, but only through Him. While satan's deception for me is that I am a failure because I can't do anything right. We all have felt that before. Paul once said that the things he wants to do and know that they are right, he doesn't do. And the things that he knows he shouldn't do because they are wrong, he ends up doing those things. Elijah felt like a failure when God was trying to teach him humility also. Jonah was another one. We all have fallen into this trap before. 

Don't allow satan, the greatest deceiver, fool you today. Listen to the Holy Ghost of God. Find the wheat and don't be fooled by a cheap photocopy. Don't let the enemy use the very thing God is teaching you, against you. 

IT'S THE OLDEST TRICK IN THE BOOK (Genesis Chapter 3)

Having Good Form

2 Timothy 3:5

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

During this basketball season all I hear is... "What form!  He/she has proper form when shooting the ball."  Elbow in, form the "L", straight up, release and follow through. Although proper form is one of the most important things to have, it also takes skill and talent. Anyone can put a jersey on, lace up their shoes and put on a headband. It's easy to dress like a basketball player. It's easy to mimic great form as a shooter. But when the ball is released it will show if you're a player or not. 

It's easy to buy a suit, shine up some dress shoes and place your Bible under your arm in order to pretend to be a preacher. It's simple to buy a t-shirt, attend a Bible study or even memorize a few scriptures to heart. But when heartaches, suffering and times to share the Gospel arise (when the ball is shot) then will all see if you are a true Christian or not. 

While some players try and look good, we should try and live holy. While some try and have proper form, we should search the Word of God for His will for our lives.  Proper form is no good. We need Power from above!

Last thing, the ones who "have a form of godliness"... We are told to stay away from. It's dangerous to hang around with those who just want to look like a player. Dangerous because of its teaching and ease of temptation. I watch some young kids today playing sports and they copy every move and strut that the big time players make. From their mannerisms to their mouths. Well if we hang around those who are just playing Christian we are in danger of playing the same kind of ball they do. Ask God today for proper form by asking for power from above. 

He Acts Just Like His Daddy!

1 John 3:10

In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

A teaching from the world, and sadly from pulpits, is that we are all God's children. But this is a false teaching. The scriptures tell us that we are all God's creation, but not all God's children. Even Jesus told the Pharisees, which were religious leaders during His day, that they were not God's children...

     

     John 8:44

          Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He 

          was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because 

          there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his 

          own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

In order for us to be a child of God we must be born into His family. In John 3:3, He tells us that we must be born of water and the spirit. Water speaking of our natural birth in the womb and spirit speaking of our salvation birth through the working of God's Grace. 

So if you have established today that you are a child of God because of your new birth, then I ask you this... Are you acting just like your daddy?  Do you treat others with love, Grace and mercy?  Would your dad be proud of you for being his child?  

If you have established that you are not His child, but his creation. What keeps you today from knowing Him as Savior?  What is it that stops you from receiving that new birth into the family of God today, right now?

Who are you today? Child or Creation? Of your Father God, or your father the devil?  Who do you act like?

Sing Maggie, Sing!

Matthew 15:6b-8

...Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

With our computers and video effects today, it is possible to make everything seem real. From blowing up cars or cities falling into a hole, we can make all things seem as if they are real. What's even funnier than that is people are the same way. 

I remember a story my dad told me of a man who feel in love with a woman named Maggie. One the first night he heard her sing he was so in love with her that he asked her to marry him, and she did. While on their honeymoon, she went to prepare for bed.  When she came out of the bathroom he was shocked. He said where is your long blonde hair?  "I put it away, it was just a wig" she said. He asked where her long eyelashes were. "I took them off, they were fake" she said. He asked about her teeth and makeup. "I only wear them during the day, they aren't real" she said. Now saddened, the man looked at her one more time and said, "Well please sing Maggie, sing". Hahaha

In this scripture we see the very same thing. People were saying they were serving God but really they were fake. Their beautiful songs of praise were only sung so others could praise them. Their beautiful messages preached were only preached to win the glory of men and not their souls. Their wonderful keeping of tradition was making their witness to be of no effect. You know, it sure is hard to win people to Jesus while living out of His will and way. Who wants that kind of fake Christianity?  Do you honor God with your lips and your heart is far from Him?  You may think fake is a harsh word so let's look at the word Jesus chose... Hypocrites. 

Don't be fake. We have enough of that in our movies and appearances. Be real!  Real Christian, Real!

You Never Know a What A Day Can Bring

Proverbs 27:1

Boast not thyself of to morrow;

for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

Wow!  Isn't Alabama the greatest place to live?  We have mountains to the north and oceans to the south. Fun at the beach in the summer time. Cool snowboarding and skiing in Mentone during the winter months. We have the best of everything. There is a saying in Alabama... If you don't like the weather, just hang around a day or two and it will change. 

On February 12, 2014, it was predicted that a big snow event would happen for us.  All day I looked at the temperature and kept thinking that it wasn't going to snow. (This could be because our local weather stations missed it big time two weeks earlier.  They called for a dusting and we got hammered by a couple of inches of ice)  So we waited and waited for the snow, and just when I had given up on it... The snow started falling and boy did it fall. We were now in winter wonderland. 

The funny thing is that in two days the temperatures are forecasted to be in the upper 50's to lower 60's. Don't you think that is crazy?  

This scripture tells us that we have no idea what a day may bring forth. It could bring great blessings or great sorrow. It could bring peace or turmoil. There is no forecasting what could actually happen. We could hope and try to plan our days but in all honesty the only thing we could do is... Prepare!  Prepare our hearts for blessing as well as sorrow. Prepare our family for good times as well as bad times. We must remember that God is there in either case. No matter if we have snow, we have our God. If we have sunshine, we have our God. If we have storms, we have our God. 

Stop and take time to thank the Lord for this day He has given you. Ask Him for guidance as you prepare to face this day. 

WWJHD

Philippians 2:5

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

A good friend of mine, Mat Burkett, was preaching and sharing his heart one night about Joseph of the Bible. He was comparing Joseph to Jesus. He said although Joseph was thrown into a pit and sold into slavery, he never retaliated. He never sought out revenge or thought of any malicious plan to get his brothers. Then he proceeded to share with us how we all act sometimes. Our desire to get even or hurt the ones that hurt us. He took us all back to the 90's when Christians used to wear the WWJD bracelets. Meaning what would Jesus do. Then in humor he said, "I spend most of my time saying WWJHD, What Would Jesus Have Done because I already messed it up". 

Just like my friend, we all are guilty of this. We spend more time on asking for forgiveness and patching things that we've broken instead of preparing for these moments. (And God graciously forgives us). But the Word says that we should prepare for moments of temptation. Moments of anger, strife, hurts, etc...  How do we do that?  By seeking the mind of Jesus. By constantly thinking of What Would Jesus Do!  And the only ways we can find the mind of Christ is through prayer and scripture. 

Think for a moment... 

   - How much time do you spend on WWJHD?

   - How much time in the Word and Prayer finding out WWJD?

Thank you Brother Mat for preaching the Word and sharing this wisdom

Take My Blanket From Me

Psalms 51:8

Make me to hear joy and gladness;

that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

Have you ever had to try and break away from a habit?  I don't believe I've ever heard of many habits that were "good habits". Mostly the habits we speak of are bad ones. (But I know there are many good and great habits we need to keep, but today let's focus on the ones that need to be broken)

When I was a child, I was a thumb sucker. This habit was one that was cute when I was small (well young, I was never small). I would carry a silk blanket around my fist and suck my thumb. Dreamland was not a problem for a thumb sucker. This is the reason it was declared an ok, or good habit. But when I started approaching the seventh grade (high school grade back then) my parents begin to deem this as a bad habit. Oh the things that would come from this bad habit... "Buck teeth, overbite, crooked teeth, not to mention the shame if anyone spent the night and saw me suck my thumb when I was 11-12 years old. That was so hard. My dad wanted to put hot sauce on my thumb to break me of it (among other things... Haha). Mom would wrap it up so I wouldn't do it. Take my blanket from me to break me of it. 

What I'm trying to say is that while you think those habits you choose to do or carry around with you are harmless, most habits are sinful (not sucking your thumb). Our gossip, backbiting, sex-drug-alcohol-addiction, smoking it, snorting it, chewing it, over medicating, lying, over-eating, stealing, etc...  Anything that you MUST have, and there is no control over it could be a bad and sinful habit. 

God wants so strongly to remove our habits. He knows the outcome of them all. Over-eating can cause huge health problems. Many will say right now that you can have health problems without over eating, and they would be right in that truth. But not right in justifying over-eating. See you can have health problems without over-eating, but you can't have over-eating without health problems. Believe me I understand this better than anyone. 

I chose the food route because that's what I knew for so long. I would say things as, "I don't over-eat" "I don't eat much". So many times I would pray to God that He would heal me of diabetes, blood pressure and pants pressure (hahaha you know what I'm talking about), all while sitting in my recliner with a fork in hand. See God desires to break you first. Break you of these things. Break you of the fork. Break you of the recliner. The whole time you think it's hurtful of him. Maybe you get so hungry. Maybe you want to suck your thumb. Well just maybe He is breaking you of those things. 

Before you get irate and go into a spiral, I talked only of me. I can't break you of your chains/habits/sin. That can only be done by our Holy God. 

What do you need broken from today? 

Stop what you are doing and ask Him to help. 

Ask Him to remove it. 

Ask Him to break you from it, so that you may rejoice. 

Ask Him to break it from you.