SERIES: ARE YOU LISTENING

APOLOGIZING  ONCE AGAIN FOR SUCH A LATE POST.  LONG DAY, LONG DAY AND THESE POSTS ARE UNLIKE ALL THE  OTHERS.  THESE POSTS DO NOT COME FROM ME, BUT FROM MY PASTOR RICK FROM 

LIVING WATER COMMUNITY CHURCH

AND SOMETIMES, IT JUST TAKES A LOT OUT OF ME TO POST AFTER CHURCH 

BUT I'M TRYING

WITHOUT FURTHER ADO:

Hearing God

"What now?"

• Week 1: You have to have faith and reverence to hear God.

HEBREWS 11:6

PROVERBS 9:10 fear doesn't mean 'tremble' fear.

PROVERBS 1:7 you can not talk to/reason with fools.

• Week 2: Often times when God speaks, he speaks in a still small, inner voice and through His WORD

2 TIMOTHY 3:16 All scripture is inspired by God.  Used to make us realize what is wrong in our lives.

*We've also learned that TWO big hindrances to hearing God's voice and discerning his will is pride and ignorance.  The Lord God cares for the humble and stays away from the proud.

PSALM 138:6

MATTHEW 4:4 man needs more than bread for their lives but every word of God!

• Week 3: We have to test the spirits

1 JOHN 4:1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world!!!!

ACTS 2: 1-18

ACTS 2: 37-39 be baptized, be saved as everyone who calls on the Lord WILL be saved

REVELATION 19:10 Worship God.  For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus.

GOD IS STILL IN THE BUSINESS OF TALKING TO HIS PEOPLE AND PROPHECY!!!!

• Week 4: Just because your experiencing problems or having difficulties, it doesn't mean you missed  God.
• Week 5: Do what you know!

God does NOT expect you to do what you don't know!

JAMES 4:17 it is sin to KNOW what you ought to do and then, NOT do it.

ROMANS 2:13 just hearing the law, yet not doing it; is a BIG waste of time

FOUR THINGS WE KNOW HE'S SAYING:

• To receive and give His love 

You can refer to John 3:16

2 JOHN 1:5-6 Live a life of love, walk in God's love.

• To forgive

COLOSSI ANS 3:12-13 forgive others, as the Lord forgave us

MATTHEW 18:21-35

• To pray

I TIMOTHY 2:1 pray for God's mercy and give thanks

I THESSALONIANS 5:15-18 be joyful ALWAYS and pray continually

JAMES 5:14-15 pray for the sick to be well

MATTHEW 10:8 heal the sick, raise the dead, etc.

• To witness and make disciples

*****Be a witness to Christ AND START IN YOUR OWN HOME*****

MATTHEW 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All power in heaven and on Earth is given to me. So go and make followers of all people in the world.  Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach them to obey everything that I have taught you and I will be with you always, even until the end of this age".

ACTS 1:8  "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit come on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the Earth"

***AS PASTOR RICK SAID IT, TELL YOUR STORY, ITS PART OF WITNESSING AND THERE IS NO WAY TO MESS IT UP BECAUSE ITS YOUR STORY***

THE WORD - SERIES "HEARING GOD"

Hearing God - Are you listening?

'Part I'

Rick Thompson, Lead Pastor

Mothers Day

On this Mothers Day you will hear through THIS MESSAGE
THE ULTIMATE maternal story!

Are you hearing God?

Is God speaking?

If you think he is, are you listening?

Question:  Pick out 5 women that have influenced the world the most to you.

Would you say

• Oprah Winfrey?
• Mother Teresa?
• Jochebed?
• Your own mother?
• Michelle Obama?

After the Israelites were enslaved and kept in captivity.  The more Pharaoh kept them oppressed is the more they multiplied, so it was the ORDER OF THE PHARAOH to have every boy child born of the Israelites to be thrown into the river Nile.

EXODUS 2:1-10  This was the story of Moses.  The parents of Moses were newly married and the Mother of Moses soon became pregnant with him.  When she birthed a son, she hid him for THREE MONTHS after she couldn't hide him anymore, she waterproofed a basket and set her unnamed son into the basket, into the river Nile.  She instructed her daughter to keep a close watch on her brother as the basket went down the river.  A princess, (the daughter of Pharaoh)  found the basket and felt sorry for the little boy found in the basket.  At this time, the sister, who was watching all along, asked if she would like the Princess to 'find' a Hebrew woman to nurse the baby.  The sister, then went to find Jochebed the birth mother of this special child.  The Princess asked her to not only nurse her newly found son but offered to PAY Jochebed to nurse her own son!!! Do you see how the Lord works? He is an amazing and ontime God!

Now that you know who Jochebed is, has your answer changed? This woman has done so much for us!

• She had faith in and reverence for the Lord.  She literally defied the King because she had so much faith and reverence. 

HEBREWS 11:23  They kept him alive because they saw that he was no ordinary child.

• She feared God more than she feared the Pharaoh of Egypt.

PROVERBS 1:7

PROVERBS 9:10

PROVERBS 14:26

PROVERBS 16:6

PROVERBS 31:30

All of these scriptures have the same thing in common, they all point out FEAR of the Lord.

ROMANS 1:19-22

PSALM 14:1  The fool says in his heart there is no God.

• She left an impartation and legacy.

Never underestimate your power to impart!

HEBREWS 11:23-29  Jochebed - carried on her faith into others for centuries after her.

NOW, there is NO river Nile for Christians of today but the Devil is tying to throw us into de-nial telling us things like we evolved from monkeys and the theory of science over creation.

PARENTS:

Do your children see you pray?

Do you encourage them to pray?

Do they see you live FOR God?

Are you building an arc of safety as Jochebed  did when she waterproofed the basket from the river Nile?  Or are you putting your children in place for the devil by keeping the Word of God away from them?

IF YOU ARE A MOTHER OF FATHER

AND WORRY ABOUT YOUR IMPARTATION OR LEGACY,

GIVE YOURSELF UNTO THE LORD!!!!!

AMEN!

CROSSWORDS

CROSSWORDS

"Father, into your hands I commit my Spirit"

Luke 23:46 and when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit".  Having said this, He breathed His last.

*Christ NEVER gave up on God.  Satan is never happy until you give up hope, feel hopeless, feel faithless or discouraged.

Ezekiel 37:1-2

Ezekiel 37:3

• Nothing is impossible with God... and with God there is no hopeless situation.

God has NEVER encountered a hopeless situation.

Ezekiel 37:4-14

• God's word gives us Hope.

These scriptures are on faith, hope and God's word.

Hebrews 4:12

Hebrews 11:1

Romans 10:17

Romans 15:4

• Quit looking at your circumstances and start looking at God and his word.
• God's spirit gives us Hope.

Romans 8:10

2 Corinthians 3:17

• If you have the Holy Spirit on the inside, you can stand any kind of battle on the outside.

God's spirit that is within you is greater than the Devil, who is in the world.

The devil thought he had Christ Jesus but, uh uh.

Colossians 2:13-15

John 14:16-18

1 John 4:4

• Apart from God....there is no hope

Ephesians 2:12 - is a scripture on what you have without God/without hope

• But No one is hopeless whose hope is in Christ

Ephesians 2:13

QUESTION:

1.  What are YOU facing?

2.  What is YOUR struggle?

Come unto the Lord thy God, put all your faith and trust in him because without him, you have absolutely nothing. Amen.

CROSS WORDS

HAPPY PALM SUNDAY


CROSSWORDS

"I Thirst"

FIRST LET ME BEGIN BY APOLOGIZING TO YOU FOR NOT HAVING A POST UP LAST WEEK SUNDAY OR THE WEEK BEFORE. I'VE BEEN INBOXED ON FACEBOOK BY A FEW OF YOU THAT DO WISH TO GET THESE MESSAGES EVERY SUNDAY AND LAST WEEK WAS JUST LAZINESS AND THE WEEK BEFORE I DIDN'T ATTEND CHURCH. SORRY.

JOHN 19:28-29 After this, Jesus knew that evrything had been done.  So that the Scripture would come true, he said "I am thirsty."  There was a jar full of vinegar there, so the soldiers soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a  branch of a hyssup plant and lifted it to Jesus' mouth.

3 REVELATIONS ABOUT HIS SUFFERING

1.  His suffering reveals a sympathetic Savior.

HEBREWS 4:15 We don't have a priest who is out of touch with our reality.  He's been through weakness and testing, experienced it all--all but sin.  *Christ completely understands our struggles and our entire walk of life.

HEBREWS 4:16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.  There we will receive his mercy and we will find grace to help us when we need it.

2.  His suffering reveals a scriptural Savior.

MICAH 5:2  there was a promised ruler from Bethlehem 

DANIEL 9:25  

ISAIAH 7:14  the Messiah will be born of a virgin

PSALM 22:15-18 pierced hands and feet, cast bets for his clothing, none of his bones would be broken on the cross.

PSALM 69:21  gall put in his food and vinegar given in his thirst

THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF PROPHECIES THAT WERE ALL FULFILLED BY ONE MAN

(ABOUT 1,000 YEARS BEFORE HIS BIRTH)

3.  His suffering reveals a sufficient Savior

HEBREWS 5:8-9  But even though he was God's son, he learned through his sufferings to be obedient.  When he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for ALL those who obey him.

LUKE 16:24

REVELATION 7:16

REVELATION 22:17

JOHN 4:13-14

THE QUESTION IS HOW LONG ARE YOU GOING TO THIRST AND WILL THAT THIRST CARRY ON UNTIL THE NEXT LIFE?

THINK ABOUT IT!!!!

CROSS WORDS

"ASSURANCE"

LUKE 23:32-42

• The RELIGIOUS Train says- "If I follow the Rules."  They believe that if they just follow all the rules of the Bible then they'd be alright with God.  What they fail to realize is that the same rules they are trying to follow will be the same ones that will condemn them.

MATTHEW 12:36-37 You can be sure that on Judgment Day everyone will have to give account of every useless word he has ever spoken.  Your words will be used to judge you- to declare you either innocent or  guilty.

JAMES 2:10-11 says that whoever keeps the whole law yet breaks ONE is guilty of them ALL

• The Self-Righteous Train says- "I'll make the rules"  They believer they are right in their own eyes.

JUDGES 17:6 In those days Israel had no king, so the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.  They defined sin for themselves.  Pregnancy out of wedlock is now, things happen.  Shacking up is now cohabitating.  Abortion is now freedom of life.  Homosexuality is now your choice of sexuality and as Pastor Rick says, we will get into the church.  Gossip is now prayer requests LOL.

• The Rebellious Train says-  "I'll break the Rules"

1 JOHN 3:4 Whoever sins is guilty of breaking God's law, because sin is a breaking of the law.

ROMANS 3:9-28 No one is better than the other, not the Jew or the Gentile. We ALL have to come into the grace of God through his son Jesus Christ, accept him as our savior and that he died for our sins. That is the only way, whether you are a Jew or a Gentile, rich or poor, etc.

• The Relationship Train says-  "I'll trust in Jesus the one who fulfilled the Rules"  This is called the "grace" train.

MATTHEW 5:17 Don't misunderstand why Christ has come.  He did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets.  No, but he came to fulfill them.

CHRIST DIDN'T COME TO CHANGE THE LAW BUT TO FULFILL IT!!!!

GET RIGHT, THE TIME IS NEAR!

CROSS WORDS

This series, like all the others is brought to you by me but written and sermoned by the best pastor I have ever had the chance of hearing preach Pastor Rick Thompson of Living Water Community Church. This series is called Cross Words.  Today I will be bringing to you the first part of the series Cross Words, with the lesson in

"PARDONED"

Can you imagine, just for a moment that you were betrayed by EVERY single one of your followers?  Those who followed you not only ate with you, sat in homes with you, drank with you and given power to you to perform miracles?  Then to have all of those very said same people turn their backs on you? How would you feel? What would you do? How would you handle that? 

Luke 23:34 Jesus  said, "Father, forgive these  people, because they don't know what they are doing."  And he soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.

Crossword #1   PARDON

A pardon is-

• To release a person from punishment: to forgive
• Exemption from punishment granted by an official with the authority over a legal case.

In 2 Timothy4:1 Paul said that Christ judges the living and the dead.

In 1 Peter 4:5 Peter said that everyone will have to give account for the one judging.

In Acts 10:37-43 Luke said that Christ did nothing but good yet he was killed and left to hang on a tree

• Does "them" include the Roman soldiers?  The Roman soldiers gave Christ 39 lashes, of which they all pulled out FLESH! Those soldiers were trained executioners that knew how to kill with pain, they stabbed Christ in the side.
• Does "them" include the religious "Jews"?  The same ones that ridiculed him, that stripped him naked, put him to shame publicly, that preferred to let the notorious, well known prisoner Barabbas free and keep Jesus to be crucified.
• Does "them" include His disciples and Peter?  The disciples followed him for 3 YEARS! Thats a long time to pick up and leave your family to spread the gospel with someone to then abandon and deny him. They scattered away when he was being arrested, in the most difficult time (to date) of his life, Peter denied him 3 times before the cock crowed.

Mark 16:5-7 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.  :Don't be alarmed," he said.  "you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified.  He has risen!  He is not here.  See the place where they laid him.  But go, tell his disciples and Peter.  'He is going ahead of you into Falilee.  There you will see him, just as he told you.'"

Revelation 13:8  All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast---all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.  *In the end of days many shall be deceived.

• "Them" includes us all!  There is no mistake because we all sin.

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God

Romans 6:23 The wages for sin is --- death.

Romans 5:6-10 

Ephesians 2:8-9

2 Peter 3:9-11 God is not being slow on his promise to return.  He is giving enought time for his people to repent.  But it will come and when it does BE READY!!!!!

SURRENDERING TO GOD AND BEING HOLY

ROMANS 12:1-2 I urge you brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God---this is your spiritual act of worship.  Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is---his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Confession + meditation + action = success
Joshua 1:8


The condition of God's blessing is absolute surrender of all into His hands.

It is the will of God that you are holy.  His love separates you when you accept the free gift of Salvation, Jesus Christ as your Lord.

HOW DOES A PERSON SURRENDER?

First:  God expects your surrender.  You are to be separate from something as well as separated to something else.

Ephesians 1:4

I Peter 1:15-16

Colossians 1:22

It is the WILL OF GOD that you are separated.

2 Corinthians 6:17-18

Second:  You have to power down

I Peter 3:22

I Corinthians 15:31

Third:  You are to present yourself

Romans 12:1-2

When you go to the altar; the old you dies.

Surrender is the difference between empty religion and eternal life.

Surrender is the difference between head knowledge and knowing with the heart.

The New Testament equivalent of surrender and death is surrender, repentance and brokenness before the Lord.

Pastor Brian Doyle, Guest Speaker

NEW SERIES 'GAMER'

WARCRAFT

"We wrestle not against flesh and blood"

EPHESIANS 6:12 For out struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

*Contrary to what you may think you know or what you believe.  Everything we do comes from/originates from THAT place.

THERE ARE 6 THINGS EVERY BELIEVER SHOULD KNOW AND DO

1.  The spiritual world is real.

HEBREWS 11:3  It is by faith we understand that the whole world was made b God's command so what we see was made by something that can not be seen.

JOHN 4:24  God is a Spirit and we were made in his image, (we are spiritual beings).

HEBREWS 1:14  Angels are Spirits that serve God and are sent to help those that are going to receive salvation.

LUKE 10:17-19  Satan, his devils and his demons are all Spirits, fallen from heaven unto the Earth.

2.  We are all in a spiritual battle.

Our struggle is against devils, demons, high powers and principalities, not flesh and blood.

DANIEL 10:11-14

3.  The Enemy is organized.

A house divided can not stand!

EPHESIANS 6:12

LUKE 11:14-22 

JOHN 10:10

4.  Choose a side.

You can not profess to be in the spirit but to others looking in from the outside, you look as if you are just living your life.

JOSHUA 24:15

5.  ARMOR Up!

Put on a FULL armor of God so that you can take your stand (and stand firm).

EPHESIANS 6:10-19

6.  Rejoice in the Lord.

LUKE 10:17-20

Lie before.  Rejoice because your name is written in the Book Of Life NOT that the devils submitted to them.  Point people to Jesus Christ and confess to Christ publicly so in the end, he will love and accept you openly.

AMEN

NEW SERIES 'GAMER'

"GUITAR HERO"

How do you know what's REAL?

When you are playing the video/virtual reality game GUITAR HERO, you are given something that looks exactly like a guitar, given all the necessary pieces to mimic playing a guitar and when you're listening to the audio, it sounds like you are actually playing a guitar.  But at the end of the day, are you really playing a guitar? NO.  You're doing a good imitation of playing a guitar much like how Satan imitates.  He mimics and deceives mankind to get them to follow him.

MATTHEW 7:21-23 many will call to the Lord and he will not know them

GALATIANS1:6-9    do not be led away by any false doctrines

2 TIMOTHY 3:1-9    there will be Godlessness in the last days, hold firm

EXODUS 7:8-13        the staff turns to a snake.

EXODUS 7:20-22      the plagues consume the nation

EXODUS 8:1-4          the hordes of frogs

EXODUS 8:7-8          begged for the frogs to go

EXODUS 8:16-19      the plague of gnats

Pharoh's heart was STILL hardened.

REALIZE THE BIG PICTURE

REVELATION 12:10-11 Satan WILL be defeated, GOD will always win!

REVELATION 22:12-15 Stay away from sinners, Christ is coming soon!

EXAMINE THE FRUIT 

MATTHEW 7:15-20 Beware of false prophets

ALLOW FOR MISTAKES

GALATIANS 6:1 As a person of faith, restore the person CAREFULLY as you                           may fall victim of temptation.

LOVE   (LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY)

JOHN 13:35 Your love for one another will prove to the world, you are his disciples.

Lord Heal Me! "I'm Depressed"

Psalm 42:11  Why are you downcast, O my soul?  Why so disturbed within me? Put yor hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

4 CAUSES OF DEPRESSION

1. Situational
2. Physical
3. Chemical Imbalance
4. Spiritual Oppression

• Emotional sadness       Psalm 42:1-3
• Spiritual doubt             Psalm 42:9
• Internal confusion         Psalms 42:5
• Physical oppression     Psalm 42:10

5 THINGS HE DID TO GUARANTEE A HEALING
FROM GOD  AND FROM DEPRESSION:

1. Look to God for help
2. Be honest about how we feel
3. Remember your blessings   Psalms 42:4
4. Stand on what you know for sure  Psalms 42:8
5. Be hopeful  Psalms 42:11

Im sorry, for personal reasons I could not add any more than what I have to this message.  

Lord Heal Me! "I'm Empty"

The dictionary has many definitions for the word EMPTY.  I will only list 3, they are

1. Containing nothing
2. Vacant
3. Unoccupied

There are many things that can make a person feel empty.  There is the:

• Emotional exhaustion
• Poor planning
• Misguided priorities
• Bad judgement

THREE REASONS FOR AN EMPTY EXISTENCE:

1. Unmet expectations.  When you plan perfectly but plans aren't met
2. Shallow relationships.  Many people are in these kinds of relationships.
3. Focus on temporary things.  It will ultimately lead to disappointment.

• Expectations that are unrealistic 
• Expectations that are unrealized
• With God  God ALWAYS does his part, what about you?
• With people 

John 10:10  The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the fullest.

EIGHT KEYS TO HAVING A FULL LIFE:

KEY 1:  Other people don't control your joy!

 Think about it, outside influences tend to affect you.  

• How many times have you changed or thrown away an outfit because of what people have said?
• How many times have you compromised your beliefs to fit in?
• How many times have you compromised Christian morals to fit in?

John 16:22 So you think you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice and no one can rob you of that joy.

Nehemiah 8:10 Don't be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.  AMEN TO THAT!!!

KEY 2:  The doer of the word is blessed in all he does.

James 1:22-25 But don't just listen to God's word.  You must do what it says.  Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.  For if you listen to the word and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror.  You see yourself, walk away and forget what you look like.  But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, THEN God will bless you for doing it.

Matthew 7:24-27  

You can hear the word all day and all night but you have to live it!!!!!!

KEY 3:  Service to others will help cure the ills in your own life.

Matthew 23:11  "Do you want to stand out?  Then step down.  Be a servant."

Acts 20:35  You'll not likely go wrong here if you keep remembering that our Master said, "You're far happier giving that getting."

KEY 4:  Live to please God daily!

Jeremiah 2:5  This is what the LORD says:  "What fault did your ancestors find in me, that they strayed so far from me?  They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves."

Philippians 3:12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

KEY 5: You're never alone!

Hebrews 13:5-6  God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."  So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.  What can mere mortals do to me?"

*Sort of like a father to a scared child.  How protected does a child feel in the arms of their father.

*Psalms 23:1-4

KEY 6:  Forgiveness puts you in a position to receive grace.

Mark 11:25  And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in Heaven may forgive you your own sins."

KEY 7:  Focus on what's eternal, rather than on temporary things.

**Corinthians 4:18  So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our grace on things that can not be seen.  For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we can not see will last forever.

Matthew 26:19-20  do not store in Earth, store for heaven.

KEY 8:  Your GREATEST fears have already been removed!

When Christ Jesus came to die for us, he removed what should be your greatest fear.  The second death, the one that can remove you from God ETERNALLY!!!!

John 16:33  I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me.  Here on Earth, you will have many trials and sorrows.  But take heart, because I have overcome the world."

2 Timothy 1:7  For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST IS THE ONLY WAY INTO HEAVEN

• John 14:6
• Acts 4:12

HE WANTS YOU ON A CONTINUOUS SPIRITUAL HIGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

Lord Heal Me! "I'm Sick"

Psalm 103:2,3  Praise the Lord, I tell myself and never forget the good things he does for me.  He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.

I.  God is a healer

How do we know? 4 ways:

• We see it in His character

Jeremiah 17:14  Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.

Exodus 15:26b  for I am the Lord that healeth thee.

• The Ministry of Jesus
• The Ministry of Apostles
• Through promise of eternal life

Revelation 21:1a, 3-4

How does God heal?

1. Through natural creation (the body has the ability to heal itself)
2. Through spiritual renewal (being healed from faith alone)                     I Corinthians 11:28-30
3. Through gifted people (the Lord puts people in place to aid in the healing. Doctors and nurses)
4. Through supernatural means (God intervenes and heals, the power of prayer is DIVINE)!
5. Through ultimate victory (holding on to God's faith and knowing the best is yet to come).

II.  Sickness is real and very much of our reality until the END.

7 Things to do when you're sick

1. Take care of your body and spirit.  (Do what you CAN do. Eat right, don't smoke or do drugs because your body will begin to reject it).  I Corinthians 9:26-27a:  Discipline your body because it's a gift from God.  Take care of it, your body is your temple and where the Holy Spirit dwells.
2. Confess your sins (it's those 'secret sins' that make you sick)  James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
3. Ask God to heal you.  Psalm 6:2  Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am faint; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are in agony.
4. Ask people to pray for you  (people are afraid to ask for prayer because they 'dont want people in their business' or they are 'private'.  Are they private or prideful.  Humble yourself for God.  James 5:14-15  14 Is any one of you sick?  He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.  15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up.  If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.
5. Let other People help you
6. Trust God's character and power (remember, in the process, he will heal or deliver you in His time)
7. Be grateful for your healing  Ephesians 5:20 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ALWAYS give thanks for everything to God the Father.

PEOPLE, WE LIVE IN AN ATMOSPHERE WHERE WE ARE APPRECIATIVE OF NOTHING!  BE THANKFUL TO GOD, BE THANKFUL FOR EVERYTHING YOU OWN, RENT, HAVE, USE, BREATHE, EVERYTHING!  THANK HIM IN YOUR THOUGHTS, IN YOUR PRAYERS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IN YOUR FAITH

Lord Heal Me! "I'm Bitter"

I DID say that my Sunday blogs would be dedicated to the word and last Sunday, I fell short.  I actually fell short for the past couple days but that in itself, is a long story. My apologies to those who have emailed, BBM and text me.  I also apologize to those who have 'checked in' when there was no new post to read.

In Ephesians 4:26 and 31 the bible says in 26: "In your anger do not sin":  Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry and goes on to say in 31: Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, brawling and slander along with every form of malice.

HOW TO PREVENT A BITTER SPIRIT:

1. Deal with your anger CONSTRUCTIVELY
2. Deal with your anger QUICKLY

When you put a D in front of ANGER you have DANGER!  It can take a matter of minutes for a bad situation to become something that can end you up in jail or prison. Think before you act and speak.

Proverbs 17:27-28 27 A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered.  28 Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.

• TONGUE
• TEMPER

(These two things once 'untamed' make you look stupid)

Proverbs 16:32  Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.

TWO DESTRUCTIVE WAYS PEOPLE DEAL WITH ANGER:

• Uncontrollable
• Unresolved

HOW TO PUT BITTERNESS AWAY

The only true antidote to Bitterness is FORGIVENESS

Ephesians 4:32  Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as God forgave you.

*can you just sit back and imagine what position we would be in if only God treated us the way we deserve to be treated or how we treat one another?  There is NO room for mistakes, apologies or forgiveness in these modern times when we need it the most!  The things that we take part of, indulge in and even think about are all worthy of death but only through forgiveness and grace do we have a chance of walking through heaven and seeing the ever living God.

Matthew 18:21-35  is a very well told story by Jesus Christ on forgiveness.

If you want to be FREE FROM BITTERNESS you have to:

• Identify the hurt. (its not what you eat but what's eating you)
• Consider your own faults.
• Be willing to bear the price.
• You have to LET THINGS GO!

Lord Heal Me "I'm Lonely"

As I said last Sunday, I am dedicating my Sunday blogs to the word.  My word is all I have so this is what I am dedicating myself to do.  Sorry guys, you will have to wait until tomorrow to get your review of TRICK OR TREAT.

LONELINESS



The dictionary defines loneliness as a feeling in which people experience a strong sense of emptiness and solitude. Loneliness is often compared to feeling empty, unwanted, and unimportant. Someone who is lonely may find it hard to form strong interpersonal relationships.

Chronic loneliness has been studied and has proven to cause:

• social anxiety syndrome
• lower immune system which causes the body to become more susceptible to colds
• depression leading to suicide and suicide attempts (death)
• 4X more likely to suffer heart attacks (death)
• gene changing activity that causes cancer (death *depending on kind of cancer*)

HOW DID DAVID (KING DAVID) FEEL?

PSALM 142:4 Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life.

*This probably wasn't the case, loneliness has more to do with what on the inside not outside.

• He felt OVERWHELMED

PSALM 142:3a When my spirit was overwhelmed within me.

• He felt UNDER ATTACK

*By either relationships, finances or by the spirit.


PSALM 142:3c  In the path where I walk men have hidden a snare for me.
PSALM 142:6  Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.

• He felt UNLOVED

*You dont have to BE unloved to FEEL unloved.

2 THINGS WE SHOULD DO WHEN WE FEEL ALONE:

1. Build your relationship with God.  Go after Him with all your soul and might.  Strengthen your relationship with him.  When you are empty inside, you fill yourself with things that are not good for you. Just as if you go grocery shopping while you are hungry.
2. Build relationships with others.  When things are right with God, everything else will fall right into place.

4 THINGS DAVID FOUND IN GOD:

1. Friendship  with God. Psalm 142:3, John 15:15
2. Fortress     in God.    Psalm 142:5
3. Fulfillment in God.    Psalm 142:5
4. Freedom    in God.     Psalm 142:7

PSALM 142:7 Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name.  Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me.

• Anticipate future relationships
• Pursue righteous relationships

JAMES 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.  Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

This passage hit home because there are many of my friends, myself included that have felt like this one way or another at some point or time of their lives.  It is normal.  This is King David we are talking about here. SMH Loneliness is the devil and once you feel yourself getting overly lonely, seek God.  He is open 24/7 to hear your cries and listen to you.  He has enough shoulder to lean on.  He is the best secret keeper and the only problem solver.  When you feel like your confidant can fail you, He never will. Trust in him and don't become a victim of chronic loneliness.