You Can't Do That!

John 15:5

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Have you ever had someone tell you that you couldn't do something!  Or someone say, "That can't be done"?  Well I was the one that always hated those phrases. I joke about this now, but I was raised by my dad's philosophy. - If man built it, I can fix it - This at times has caused me much pain and heartache. I have lost much sleep thinking of how I could fix things. When I get them on my mind, I can't seem to let them go until I figure out a way to fix it. (I am still this way about earthly things)

But I have learned a lesson. It took much time and pain, but I have learned that there are things I can't fix or even handle without Him. Jesus said, "For without me, ye can do nothing". From our relationships, jobs, family, medical or financial problems, we can't do it without Him. We can do nothing without Him!  

Right now! Realize that you can't do it without Him. Take the time to tell Jesus that you can't do it without Him. Do it now. Tell Him, "Lord Jesus, I've been trying to handle this on my own. I've been trying to come up with an answer or solution. But I have realized this morning that I CANNOT do this without You!  Will You please help me? Please be my source of strength. Please be my upholder. I love you Jesus and thank you". 

The words don't have to be those same ones, but could be along those lines. I want you to know something. I can pray with you this morning, and I have. But I can never pray for you. You must talk to Him. Tell Him, He will listen. 

I can't believe I would have ever made this statement but here it goes...

You can't do it, I can't do it... I don't know how to fix it... But I know one who can! 

My Wife and the Cereal Bowl

Matthew 12:33

Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

I want you to stop and think about something for a moment. It won't take you long to do this. But I want you to think of some things that I will list and picture the first thing that comes to mind. (No, I'm not giving a psyche exam cause we would probably fail, haha)

Lucky Charms, HoneyCombs, Count Chocula, CocoPuffs, Raisin Bran, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Fruit Loops.  

When you read Lucky Charms you probably sang, "They're magically delicious". But think deeper... Blue diamonds, purple horseshoes, pink hearts, green clovers, etc... What about HoneyCombs?  You thought of their particular shape. And FruitLoops? They are like disco colored Cheerios.  The only reason I know these things is because of my wife, Patti Abney. She has been a practicing cereal killer her whole life. She brings home different ones every week, but she always has her favorite. I love to watch her around bedtime. She begins to get this glazed look into her eyes. Her mind begins to think of which one it will be tonight. What sugar-coated bowl of cereal will be taken down? 

Well what would happen if she wanted that big bowl of FruitLoops and I poured her a bowl of Frosted Flakes?  Do you think she would know the difference?  ABSOLUTLEY!  Because she has been putting cereal away for years. I could sit her in a chair blindfolded, place bowl after bowl in front of her to sample, and I promise you she would get everyone of them correct. How? Because she knows how they smell, feel and taste. 

What would happen if Jesus was to line us up today, blindfold himself, and taste our fruit? Or better yet, what if the world were to do this to us?  He would know wouldn't He?  He would know exactly what or who you are. In the same manner, everyone in this world would know as well. Because people smell us out. They feel us out. And taste of who and what we say we are. People are looking for something good to eat. 

If we were to pour you in a bowl today... What would come out? Myself? I would be like a bowl of Fruity Pebbles. Fruity because of my crazy mind and illustrations, and Pebbles because I want to be a rock for Jesus, like Peter. (Notice only a pebble because He is the Rock). Search your bowl today. Ask if God is pleased with your fruit. Remember, He said a tree is known by his fruit. So a Christian is known by their fruit also and not by the prettied-up outside of the box.

I want to thank my wife Patti for her love for Jesus. She is poured out in front of me often and there has never been anything less than the sweet love she has for sinners, saints and our Savior. I want you to know that I see Christ in all that you do...(even in your cereal addiction) I love you with all my heart. And I love you all as well. 

Three Back At You

Luke 6:41-43

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye. For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

First of all, brotherly correction is accounted for in the Word of God. We are told to help our brother when he is in a fault. To bring his attention to the sin and problem. We are called to correct and keep each other accountable. But something was going wrong with these where Jesus was preaching.  They were very quick to point sins and faults out, but failed in a huge area. 

God says, "How can you help you brother, which has some dust in his eye, and you've got a cross-tie hanging out of yours?"  Does that sound about right in many circumstances?  A "mote" is a tiny speck or dust. A "beam" is a long sturdy piece of squared timber. 

Too many times we want to help our brother and haven't gotten prepared in order to do so. A lot of pointing and never realizing something... When we point one finger, there are three pointed back at you. Which tells me that we need to make sure we have the beam out of ours before we attempt in helping our brother with some dust in his. 

Now listen, if we confess them to Christ and straighten them out with men, there is no reason we shouldn't be able to help our brother. Don't let the devil, OR WORLDLY PEOPLE, deter you from helping and correcting a friend. They both will be very quick to say, "Don't point at me... Don't judge me". But if you will remember to keep in mind and heart the three fingers pointing back at you before you point the one, then you will be fine. Remember don't judge the person, judge the sin. And don't judge with your judgement, let the Word of God judge us all. Because ultimately, God is the only one that can remove dust, splinters or even a beam!

Lord, please help us today to share your truth. Help us to look at our brothers and sisters. Help us Lord to bring them back if we see them struggle in sin. Help us mostly to remember ourselves first, then offer a hand. Thank you, and I love you Jesus. 

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?