😭Selfish and Self-Centered😇

  Be yourself; Everyone else, well, they are already taken.

It is simple, all one has to do is watch their children or other children. A brother or sister has a toy that they haven’t played with in a week, haven’t even touched it. Their brother or sister comes into the room and goes and picks it up. All of a sudden instead of sharing they are all upset and begin saying it’s mine, that my friend is being selfish. Self-centered is thinking about yourself more than others. We may say we are happy for what others have but inside in our unpoliced area that is not how we really feel at all. Why is that? Remember back in the book of Genesis God created Male and female.

Genesis 1:27 (KJV) So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. This gave them a body. That is great but we need way more than a body so God gave Adam and Eve a Soul.

Genesis 2:7 (KJV) And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Now that body can move and function. Now what else is needed? A way to communicate with God our Heavenly Father, and this is how they did it. 

Genesis 1:2 (KJV) And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

This is very important and here is how we will know our Heavenly Father.

When we go to the New Testament the very first time we read the word spirit it is here in  

Matthew 3:16 (KJV) And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

Remember what God told Adam?

Genesis 2:16 (KJV) And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: Eat as much as you want any time you want; BUT!!

Genesis 2:17 (KJV) But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Don’t eat of the tree of “good and evil” what will happen if we do?

“in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” What is DIE? What dying is, is not important, what is important is what God said not to do, obey God. Then it happened, Adam and Eve took and did eat. What happened? Did they die? No they didn’t drop dead physically. Then what died? What changed?  

Genesis 3:7 (KJV) And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. They hadn’t made anything up to this point and their eyes were already opened? Just what God said was going to happen; they both died but it wasn’t physically. Then what died? Their spirit within that which communicates with God. They that Worship God must!

John 4:24 (KJV) God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Adam and Eve ate, their spirit died. When God came looking for them they hid from God. Why? Because what God had given them to communicate with Him was now dead! That is why  today we are still hiding. Somehow we think going to Church will be enough. Giving money to God’s work will be enough. Helping others will be enough. Being a good person will be enough, and whatever else one can think up will be enough. No! We must have that spirit to communicate with God. We are born with a body and a soul but not a spirit. That is why Jesus told Nicodemus this. 

John 3:5 (KJV) Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Just as Adam and Eve were removed from the garden of Eden we can’t enter into heaven without the Spirit. That is why it doesn’t bother some of us when we do things we know are wrong. Taking something small that doesn't belong to us is not like taking something big. We must have the spirit and then the truth of what God has said will mean a lot more to us. That is what Paul said.

Romans 7:7 (KJV) What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

No one had to teach us to do wrong, be selfish, self-centered and we will never know it’s wrong if we are not taught that it is. That’s why we see the real us in children and that’s why we teach them. Don’t you want your child to know how to share? God wants us to know too, that’s why we need that spirit to be born again within us. What Adam and Eve lost God has made away for to have. Isn’t God good? 

👮‍♂️ Unpoliced 🚔

 👀Look I’m in the driver's seat😱Oh my.

Would you go to a place that had a sign that read “This area is unpolice enter at your own risk.” Then right beside that sign another sign that read “What happens here stays here although it may hinder you for years to come or the rest of your life.”

I think if I read a sign like that I would not enter that area at all. Staying clear sounds like a good idea but that is not the case at all. For all of us have entered there day in and day out. You might say not me! Oh yes me and you have entered that unpoliced area and no one but God knows we were even there. Where is this place? In our mind is everyone’s secret hiding place. The question is do we want that secret, unpoliced area policed? Have you ever said without saying it in words “I’ll be glad when you are dead.” Nobody knows but you, it’s an unpoliced thought. Our mind is and can be a dumping ground of some awful thoughts. Jeremiah 17:9 says this “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Some may answer only me, it's my little hiding place. You think? Not so, for in the next verse we are told it’s not. 

Jeremiah 17:10 (KJV) I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

God knows all the intents, purposes, designs, imaginations, all the secret motions of our heart. The wicked and the good. God says “I try the reins” that’s the most inward and remote part, the seat of our affections, are they hypocritical? Do we say one thing with a smile while we are thinking about something else? There is not a person that has ever lived that hasn’t done something like that. We say we love when we don’t. We say we like when we don’t. We say we haven’t when we have. Many years ago I was a witness on the witness stand in a court trial for one of my friends. I was asked many questions. I was not truthful after I took an oath saying I would. Now as the DA pressed me with many questions he knew I was not telling the truth. Now all the untruths I told him would be hard to know unless I told the court the truth. The DA asked me to come to his office. When I got there he tried his best to trick me into telling the truth to the point he got very angry. I never did and kept repeating the same story over and over. When I left his office his last words were did I know what purgeare was? I said yes and walked out of his office. Now let me say this when all this happened I was 20 years old and wild as a buck. This all happened 2 years before I gave my heart to the Lord. Nonetheless it still happened and it was wrong very wrong. When the trail was over my lying saved my friend from going to a military prison but didn’t save his strips he lost them all. You say well you did a good thing! Oh no for one can never do good by doing wrong. If I were to rob a bank; that’s doing bad? I gave to the poor, I fed the hungry and took none for myself helping 100’s.isn’t that good? No! It was wrong, although I did a good thing. I nor you can do good by first doing wrong. How does one have their mind policed? Or do you really want it to be policed? If you do, here is how. Romans 12:2 (KJV) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

The mind must be renewed. How?

Philippians 2:5 (KJV) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Having the mind of Christ Jesus is an ongoing work. Our Bible reveals the mind of Christ, the more we know what the Bible says the more we know the mind of Christ Jesus. 

Psalms 119:11 (KJV) Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. So how much of God’s Word the Bible have you got hidden in your heart? If you say not much. Then your mind is unpoliced and may cause you to get involved in something you will pay for the rest of your life. Remember this saying; Sin will take you further than you want to go, cost you more than you want to pay and keep you longer than you want to stay. You see many, many, many years later I still haven’t forgotten that court trail and what I did.  It has stayed longer than I wanted!

🤷🏻‍♂️I Didn’t Know You🙅🏻‍♂️

 Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

John 11:26

Years ago me and my friend Tim Stubbs were sitting in his car in a parking lot in Grasham Park. A small city where young people in those days would hang out. All of a sudden this young man opened the left rear door and got into the backseat. He started talking to us and we started talking with him. After a while he got out and left. I ask Tim, who was that? Tim said I don’t know I thought he was a friend of yours. I said, I didn’t know him.

In Matthew chapter 7 verses 21-23 we read of something heart breaking; not only is it heart breaking but it should make us all stop and think. Matthew 7:21 (KJV) Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Here in Matthew 7 we read of something similar to that afternoon when an unknown person got into the backseat of Tim’s car. Not everyone that says unto me Lord, Lord shall enter into Heaven. Let’s follow up and see why.

Matthew 7:22 (KJV) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

In that day! Could this be the day of judgement? Could it be the last day of our life the moment we all know is coming, but to today! I’ll let you decide that. I am interested in what is said and not so much when. Lord have we not prophesied. Have we not casted out devils  and done many, not a few but many wonderful works. Sounds good but if we look at what this many said we start to notice something. They start off saying Lord, Lord that sounds good but after that things start to go south. They say “have we not prophesied in thy name?” Looks like maybe the Lord has been left out and we the people have stepped in. This many have only had what they/we have done. It is always important to know what the Word of God says. 

Titus 3:5 (KJV) Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

It’s not by the work we have done but by “his mercy he saved us.”   Then we read “have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils?” Well bless your heart. That was great but that was not what was required. It’s not by what we have done but by what Jesus Christ has done.  

Romans 4:2 (KJV) For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

Romans 11:6 (KJV) And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

On that day it has to be Grace and not Works. In other words what Christ has done and not what we have done. For if we trust in what we have done then we will hear the same thing that these in Matthew 7 did.  Matthew 7:23 (KJV) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

🌪️The Storms of Life 🛟👽

 

Not all storms come to disrupt your life, some come to clear your path.

Most have read or heard of Peter the night he walked on water to go to where Jesus was. Peter asked Lord if that be you let me come out on the water with you?

Matthew 14:28 (KJV) And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. The Lord said to him come. And Peter stepped out and began to walk on the water to where Jesus was. All is well Peter’s faith was shining that night until his eyes saw something.  Matthew 14:30 (KJV) But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. Peter asked and Jesus said come and Peter stepped out on water. Wow, have you ever tried that? If you have then you know the results, sink! That just can’t be done, it is impossible. Here we have recorded the fact that it did happen, but not without Jesus. Now Peter knew that you can’t walk on water so when he saw how strong the wind was he became afraid. I have always asked myself were the winds not strong when Peter stepped out on the water? Yes they were; then why did he become so fearful? Peter the man who walked with Jesus and saw Jesus do miracle after miracle. Now Peter is standing on water. Was this not a miracle? Sure it was and all is well until when? Peter saw the strong wind then Peter became afraid. Then we read that Peter began to sink. Peter saw something that was already there before he stepped out on the water. Then he became afraid of what he knew was there. Here is the amazing thing that happened: the Bible said that Peter began to sink. Began to sink? You don’t just begin to sink on water you sink! 

Matthew 14:30 (KJV) But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. This is great news to you and I, to which you might say how? Great question! Just because we have trusted Jesus; our lives have changed doesn’t mean that we ourselves won’t have doubts. The harsh winds of this life will blow and our faith in Christ may be weakened to the point we begin to sink. We might ask ourselves why is this happening to me? Does the Lord not care? That night Peter walked on the water and got his eye off Jesus and his eyes on the problems of the wind he began to sink. What did Jesus do? Nothing until Peter asked. That is when Jesus did something. Jesus didn’t just do something to save Peter from his doubt. Oh no Jesus told him why he doubted.

Matthew 14:31 (KJV) And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

Peter doubted his faith; it wasn't the wind or the water it was his faith. That my friend is the same thing that happens to you and I. Did you notice that Jesus didn’t stop the problem, the wind. No! But Jesus was with Peter in the problem, the wind. Well you placed your faith in Jesus like Peter. You believed with all your heart that Jesus died in payment for your sins. Does that mean we will never have any problems? One day we all will receive some bad news. The doctor may tell you or someone you love that they only have 6 months or so to live. You were walking on the water but now you start to sink. What do you do? The same Peter did “he cried, saying, Lord, save me” It’s not wrong to ask the Lord to heal you. That’s what Peter did and on that night Jesus reached out His Hand. Peter reached out and took His hand. Jesus did say “O thou of little faith” Oh but keep reading and see what happened to the wind.  

Matthew 14:32 (KJV) And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Once Peter placed his hand into the Hand of Jesus things changed “the wind ceased.” It’s not the bad news that you may not be healed. Jesus made this promise and we so often forget it.  

John 14:18 (KJV) I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

John 14:27 (KJV) Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

There may come a time in our lives that there seems to be no hope and that may very well be the case. My Daughter n law’s dad was dying and he knew it. He told me that the doctors had given him 5 years. Oh but he would not get to live those 5 years. When his health got really bad my Daughter n law stepped up to the plate. She would bring him home to her house. They clean out a room for him. Hospice brought a hospital bed and placed it in a bedroom. Before they could get him there he passed away. You know what I think sometimes the Lord gives us the will to pull the cord so to speak. No hope in sight for this life but I think that maybe to show us the light of the home that He has promised us and we ourselves say “I ready Lord take me now.” That is when the Lord reaches out and takes us away and when my daughter n laws dad came unto heaven the wind ceased. Oh I’m sorry I got that wrong. Jesus is true to His promise about never leaving us comfortless. don’t miss what happened on that sea, read every word. “And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.”

When they were come. They, means more than one; and when Jesus and Peter were come, the wind ceased. 

Don’t let doubt rob you of what the Lord has prepared for you. For it will if you let it. Is it the words of Jesus or the storms of this life?

🧐I Believes 😲

 To believe is something and not live it, is being dishonest…

The Story is told of a man who walked across a high wire. He asked those who watched if they believed he could walk across the high wire. They yelled back and said we believe you can do that. He said do you believe I can roll this wheelbarrow across. To which they said we believe. Then he asked if they believed he could roll a load of bricks across, to which they said that they believed. It was a sight to see all those that said they believed witnessing all those amazing stunts. My question is did they really believe?  Then the man turned once again and asked all those who had said previously that they believed if they believed that he could roll one of then in this wheelbarrow across. No one believed he could do that. It’s easy to say one believes but it’s another thing to vest yourself in what you say you believe. That is when what you say is tested. Many say they believe in Jesus Christ but their actions say differently. These types of people can be dangerous to those who have just accepted or believed that Jesus Christ came to save sinners. When I was growing up my dad said to me more than once “Wayne I would be careful hanging around those kinds of young men.” Why did he tell me that? Did he not like those young men? Oh no not at all. He didn’t like how they acted. He knew if I spent much time with them it would affect what he had taught me and wanted to teach me. 

Same is true in our Christian life for rotten apple in the barrel will always spoil good apple. It is never the other way around. Judas one of the Lord disciples had big plans to harm Jesus. What?? After all Judas had witness and been apart of now decides that for money he would betray Jesus. In Matthew chapter 26 verse 48-50 we read of the way he said it would be done.  

Matthew 26:48 (KJV) Now he (Judas) that betrayed him(Jesus) gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.

A kiss! Oh my; A salute given with the lips; a common token of affection. This want to be  disciple was not at all who he wanted other to think he was. These were the kind my dad warned me about. There was a TV program when I was a kid called the “Leave it to Beaver.” Bever had a brother named Walley who had a friend named Eddie. When Eddie was around Beavers Mom and dad June and Ward he was diffent. He was so kind with his words which that made you believe what a great kid. Oh but this wasn’t who he really was at all. Who and what he was came out when he got around Walley and Bever. Although Eddie wanted others to believe that he was a good kid his actions said something entirely different. This was like Judas and I’m sure you have known some Judas’s and Eddie’s in your life time. Be careful what you believe and who you believe for actions speak louder than words. John warns of that 

1 John 4:1 (KJV) Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Don’t be fooled for our actions speak loud. 

🤔Believe The Lie👽

🌃The picture looked great, but the finished portrait was awful. 🫣

Have you ever been lied to? I’m sure you don’t have to think real hard to remember a time, a day, month and year. Maybe not that detailed but you remember. Sometimes when someone lies to you it makes you a better person. 

It was a Friday night and my wife and I went just to look and see what was out there as we needed a car. Just look mind you. That’s not what happened at all. The salesman told me one lie after another. I was young and had seen my dad make deals with a handshake. I didn’t realize that those days were gone and now a handshake meant nothing, it's what the contract said. Money had taken the place of being honest and character. That evening I learned, things had changed and not for the best. That night I learned, read the paper work after hearing promising words for they may not be the same as a handshake once was.

God spoke Words, life giving words. The serpent spoke promising words but it was all lies. On that day as he talked with Eve he the devil our enemy became the father of lies. 

John 8:44 (KJV) 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.

It was a good try but not a successful one. Forty days have went by and the Bible tell us that Jesus had, had nothing to eat and that He was hungry; I guess He was. Great time for the lair to appear. Oh this should be good. How will Jesus handle the lair? Will He fail the test as Eve did? Let’s see.

Luke 4:2 (KJV) Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.

The devil struck low and tempted Jesus at the weakest point, He was hungry. The devil our enemy does the same to you and I. Oh you say you don’t have any weak points. Oh yes you do and the enemy knows them and will attack you there, rest assured.  

Hebrews 12:1 (KJV) Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Did you read those word “so easily beset us” that means especially that sin that distracts us. Those wondering eyes that leads the mind in the wrong direction. That wondering walk, that wondering talk. I’m sure you get the picture. What we fail to see is the full portrait of the finished work of our sin. The grass that looked so green on the other side will soon be just as brown as the grass on this side. Had Eve known the day of her encounter with the devil what she knew the day after she would have never bought into his lying. Yes it was a lie she never forgot and neither have we. The drug that you thought had now finally gotten you over your shyness now has you entrapped and ruined your relationships. The drink that made you the life of the party has now entrapped you also. The woman or man you sold your marriage off for has turned out to be an awful decision that now has entrapped you. The money you thought had finally brought you real joy and has brought you way more sorrow than you ever thought. Oh you saw the picture but not the finished portrait. Jesus overcame the devil’s temptation. How by knowing what His Heavenly Father said. It’s all recorded in the book of Luke chapter 4 verses 1-13. The reason we lose is we know not what our Heavenly Father has said. So what does God say about alcohol? Lying? Fooling around? About marriage? About wanting what you can’t have? About how we should react toward Him? About how a husband is to treat his wife? Parents are to treat their children? How children are to treat their parents? Do you know? Being unlearned is a choice one makes. 

If only I had known how I would feel today  after deciding to follow what I knew was  wrong yesterday, I assure you I would have done differently. You think? 

Matthew 24:43 (KJV) But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

Oh my, my wife just asked me what time it was, I said 8:20 and all of sudden I just realized I had lied. She would have never known. She didn’t run to a clock to see if I was right. I knew it was 8:23 so quickly corrected myself and told her the truth. She didn’t jump up and say “why did you lie to me.” Oh that’s no big deal you might say. I know, but small lies lead to big lies. Just a small example of how quickly wrong takes over. 

🥳Is It or Not❓

 To know what we know and not what others tell us.

The book we call the Bible, is it really God’s Word? Or is it a book written by men of long ago with good teaching and advice? Many have no idea and have never look into it. Maybe they feel it just isn’t that important. Now buying that new jacket at a great price we must read the reviews. We must see if it’s true what the seller is saying before we spend our money. I wonder how much we have put into knowing if the Bible is true or false? I think much more is riding on that than a jacket or whatever else we are reading reviews on. Eve did the same thing she believed a lie.

Genesis 3:1 (KJV) Now the serpent was more subtil (Sly,Crafty) than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

Well Eve, what did God say? This is what Eve said. Genesis 3:2 (KJV) And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

Genesis 3:3 (KJV) But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

That is close. What did God say?

Genesis 2:16 (KJV) And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:

Genesis 2:17 (KJV) But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

God said nothing about touch. Although that would have been  an appropriate thing to do. Stay far away, don't look and don’t touch. The enemy, the devil didn’t question that but he did question the eternal life issue.

Genesis 3:4 (KJV) And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

That’s a good one, so good that the enemy, the devil, is still using it. The Bible it’s not God’s Word, God is Love. He is not going to send people He loves to hell. When life is done it’s done so live it up and enjoy life. Stop!! Where did you get that kind of thinking? What book did that come from? Who told you that? Why do you trust and believe that? Have you taken the time to know and see if that is true? Eve did the same thing she believed a lie and because she did she paid the price. Are you sure you don’t have time to see if your thinking is correct? Oh don’t believe what I’m saying for that’s no better than believing Joe or Betty at work. No go read and understand about the Bible. Look it up, how it came to be in printed form, how it has stood the test of time. Has God protected it? When others have tried their best to destroy its existence and failed time after time. Good books come and go but the Bible stays the course year after year. Oh don’t take my word for it, check it out for yourself. Or believe someone else. I did that in college and because I did I made the lowest grade I ever made. We were given an assignment to have finished before the semester was over and it was to be half our grade. Well many said they weren't going to do it and said “he won’t fail the whole class.” Sounded good at the time until just before the end of the semester the teacher said “if you don’t have the work done you will fail this class!” I wrote that to say that those I listen to didn’t know.