God is our supplier

 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).

 Giving is a valid part of the Christian walk to reflect Christ to all we come into contact with. So what kind of giving are you doing and who are you giving to? Those in needs or just those from your clique?,God's plan is not going to fail if you don't give.  God does not need money, he wants your heart and your talent and your time to give to those in need, those who do not know who Jesus and those who God wants to bless via you, are you willing to be the hands and feet of Christ??? Well are you? Cause it may require you giving not only your money but your time and your talent till it hurts.  I believe in giving for it a practice that Jesus himself openly with joy in His heart. Why? Because I need God's help and blessing, plus I have the chance to be a blessing to someone else and I know that will bring honor and glory to the name of God.. Jesus said that if you did something to even the least of His, it was as if you did it to Him. 
 I am not against spending money to spread the Gospel. I am just against the idea that this is the only way God could do it, and that God is somehow dependent on my giving. As an example, when the communists took over in China, they forced all the missionaries to leave the country, leaving around one million believers with no obvious help or support. They had no Christian TV or radio, no Bible schools, no
Christian publishing houses, no help from anyone but God. Yet it has been acknowledged that the number of believers grew to about one hundred million during the years they were cut off from all outside help. God will not be stopped! Even if all preachers in the world were killed today, and all Christian media was banned, God would still be at work, and would still bring to pass His will. We should use every available means to bless others and spread the gospel of Christ crucified and Christ risen. But we must never make the error of thinking God's plan will fail because of a lack of money or even a lack of volunteers for many are called and few answer, not sure if it out of fear that God will want you to give up your nice and comfortable life for him. But new flash, Job said everything he had was God's anyway, like Job naked did I come into the world and with nothing shall I leave this world with.  My goal is to do the will of my Father, for I know he is my provider and I have never seen the children of God begging for bread, this is word from the OT. Believe accept it or not, its God's word meant to edify your life and mine.
 

The sacrifice

My Savior didn't leave glory to come to earth to  make life on earth more like life in heaven, but
to help ungodly sinners like me. Jesus revealed the truth to us which was that our heavenly Father was not sitting in heaven ready to thrust lightening bolting down from heaven or hold the leaver to the gates of hell to send us there. on the contrary God loves us so much that he sent his only begotten son down from heaven to suffer in our place. However the deceiver of mankind tries to make us believe that God does not love us and wants to damn because of their sins. But nothing could be further from the truth. God loves sinners! Jesus died to save sinners like you and I. God does hate sin but not the sinner and the reason for that is God is against sin because it hinders our relationship with him and destroys us, but He is not against sinners.
If God could not or would not help a sinner, then He would never help any human. The Bible tells the opposite story. We have all missed the mark of perfection so we all need a Savior. And we all have a Savior if we will but receive Him. The sacrifice of Jesus was sufficient to deal with all sin. You have been forgiven. Accept that forgiveness. Turn away from going your own way and walk with God.


Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 
 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,
 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him (Hebrews 9:26-28).

Sin Separates us from God

Many people let sin separate them from God. But the devil is the one who tells us God does not love us when we sin. Jesus paid a great price so you can be forgiven and freed from sin and its penalty God is against sin because it harms people, but God loves sinners! When we sin, it does not make God hate us. We should not run away from God, but run to Him for help and cleansing, so that our fellowship with Him will not be hindered in any way. We confess our sins to shut the door on the devil so he has no place in our affairs. We don't confess our sins to convince God to forgive us. God has already forgiven! We confess our sins to get rid of them, and keep the devil out.  God loves people, including you. His ultimate plan is to have a family of people who do not sin, but voluntarily choose the way of love, which is God's perfect way. But just as a good parent does not throw their baby into the street because they are not perfect yet, but still mess their pants, so God does not discard His children when they sin. God loves you more than any good parent ever loved their child. So look to Him for help in overcoming sin, instead of expecting condemnation from Him. When you sin, confess it to get rid of its influence in your life and to keep the devil from having any place. I don't mean begging God to forgive you and promising to never do it again. Instead say, "That is wrong. I should not have done that. Lord, I need your help to overcome it. Please continue working your
will in me."  Sin has already been paid for with the precious blood of Jesus. God has already decreed that sin is forgiven, so that it should not keep people from fellowship with Him.




If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ( 1 John 1:9).

"To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly" (1 Peter 2:21-23).

When people do us wrong, not taking revenge is difficult, especially for us men, the nature of the flesh seems to be an eye for an eye, however this is not what Christ desires we do. It seems natural to fight back when someone attacks us. But the Bible tells us to let God judge them, "do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. This is not saying you should never defend yourself, or what belongs to you. But do not seek revenge after you have been wronged. Instead, let God handle it.  People who try to take revenge, usually end up committing more injustice. Often a deadly cycle develops. Instead of taking revenge, God's Word tells us to bless our enemies.  God is aware of every injustice. And God promises to right every wrong, eventually. God is a righteous judge, but all judgment is not instant, or even in this life.  "If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink."  Jesus reminded Peter in the garden, that those that pick up the sword shall die by that sword, for he did not Peter to take vengeance on his behalf for Jesus told Peter that God had given Jesus twelve legions of angels at Jesus disposal, which means had Jesus wanted mankind wiped he had 11 legions to many to get that job done, but he in fact love mankind and was willing to pay a great price that mankind could not pay. Let

Two ways to get to heaven

If you are a true believer washed in the blood of Christ  and repented, then you will go to heaven and will get there in one of two methods: death or the Rapture. Whenever the subject of the Rapture comes up, there are a lot of questions. Some critics like to point out that  the word "rapture" can not be found in the Bible. However that depends on what kind of Bible you have. If you have a Latin translation, then you have the word rapturous, from which our word "rapture" is derived. And the word rapturous comes from the Greek word harpazō, which is mentioned 13 times in the New Testament.  That term, "caught up" is translated from that Greek word harpazō, which means to take forcibly, to snatch, or to catch up. And that is what the Rapture will be.  Imagine this: you will be going about your business one day when suddenly, in a moment that is so rapid it can't even be measured in human time, you will be caught up into God's presence, and you will be reunited with your loved ones.

  "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord." (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17).

Let us be humble like a lamb

I love the fact that the Bible presents Jesus as both a lion and a lamb. What a perfect picture. What is more impressive than a ferocious lion? And what is meeker than a little lamb?These metaphors and the attendant imagery give hope and confidence to the believer. As taken into union with Christ Believers may through the power of the Holy Spirit exhibit lion-like courage together with lamb-like following and dependence upon the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, I find it amazing that this Lion, with all His power, came to earth as a submissive lamb. The Bible says, "He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth" (Isaiah 53:7). Both my parent marched with Dr. Martin Luther King jr, they were told that no matter what happen to be humble like a lamb, this was hard for my father being a military man and the son of John Henry who had died fighting and proving that he was a man to be reckoned with. My mother a white female herself was hit in the head with a brick dog beat her a fire hose turn on her and kicked and beaten, yet she remain silent and never fought back. While at that moment it didn't seem like their efforts were effective but I'm living proof that it was.
When Jesus stood before Pontius Pilate,He submitted as a lamb and died for the sins of the world. And this Lamb still bears on His resurrected body the price for our sins the marks of the crucifixion. The only man made effects in heaven are the marks of the crucifixion that our savior maintain. Lord I can never repay the debt that is own to you for what you did, and I'm thankful that you my debt is paid in full by my savior Jesus Christ.

Count it all as joy

It's confusing to me to see those who claim to believe in Jesus Christ acting like they are afraid to die and go to Heaven. I am not afraid to die. I look forward to it. It will be wonderful to be with Jesus in Heaven, after my job here is finished and the race is won. How can we expect the world to believe, if we don't act like we
believe? Your death is part of your testimony. If you approach death like those who have no hope, it is a bad testimony.  Should we leave this life kicking, screaming and dragging our feet or shall we go gently into that  good night? If we believe we are going to Heaven to be with Jesus, what then should we worry about?
Although we pass through death to leave this sin-infested planet, there will be no more pain no more tears. Jesus defeated death for us an removed death's sting so it cannot hurt us. We need have no fear of death. Death has no authority over us, nor should we fear it! We don't have a choice whether we will die. I desire that Christ may be glorified, not only in my life, but also in my death. May the life I've lived speak of Christ may my life be a witness for Jesus even in death may it speak of Jesus. I am not advocating giving in easily to death before it is time. But we all must eventually face death, so when the time comes, let us face it without fear.There is a time to die, a time when it is best. A time when you have finished your course on earth, and you are ready to go be with Jesus. Until then, you should resist death. But you should near fear death.

 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 
 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:20-21)

 

for to you I pray.

My  seven year old son Yeshua, often times tells his older sibling when something does not go their way. Life is not fair.  There is often no rational reasoning to why an innocent child is gun down in a park, or an elderly couple are pistol whip to death things happen that don't make sense, and we wonder why God didn't stop it from happening, why when we are standing in the middle of  storm that he does not come along and stop the storm, perhaps this is a storm you or I need to go through. Don't stop praying for He is hears your prayers and he is standing right there by your side. I watched my son fall and my heart broke, but he didn't damage anything but his self pride, he cried for a moment and looked at me to come to his rescue. I told him to stand up and come to me so that I could examine him to see if he had sustained any injuries, just as I suspected nothing was broken or sprained  not even the flesh was broken or the jeans ripped.  I wanted him to get back up and I knew he was not hurt. Does God sometimes see and hear our prayers but know that we need to go through?  Something God says no to request simply because  it wasn't what needed to happen. Sometimes God says no to our request or prayers simply because he knows that the trial or tribulation will only make us stronger. What we don't realize today is this hardship or this tragedy or this inexplicable event ultimately will  prepare us to later aid another person that God will send our way.  It will be like a long chain reaction that will produce this, this, and this, all for God's glory. So that thing you wanted had to go away, or that circumstance had to arise to produce those other things, and ultimately you will give God the glory. In the meantime, you will have to trust Him, knowing that it all will be revealed in heaven when we stand before the Lord. Know  this all prayers are answered in God's time and His way, it's just that the answer is not always the one we want to hear or experience.   David the Psalmist , learned to wait upon the Lord, have you learned that waiting upon the Lord means that you trusting him provide for you and take care of you.

 Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray.

 In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.

 You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell. (Psalm 5:2-4)

Forgiveness the first step in healing

Forgiveness is hard for  many of us, I'm guilty of having a hard time forgiving. Example when I was a child my favorite cousin molested me and when I was twenty one I begin to realize what he had done when I was like 3 or 4 years of age and I hated him for. He died and I was glade because he would not harm another child. My ex-wife committed adultery with my number one deacon, while I was accepting my calling into the ministry. I hated her and him and blamed God for letting this happen to me. Each case I blamed myself for the sins that were committed against me the hardest person to forgive often is ourselves, we think if I would have just done this or that perhaps I could have prevented this tragedy from befalling me.. So here is the reaility boys and girls, if our heavenly Father can forgive us, then we can, and must, forgive ourselves and those that harmed us. For you see the molested and the ex-wife have gone on with their lives I'm the one dragging around the dirty garbage bag , when Christ tells me to bring me heavy burden to him. If God can decree that we are forgive-able, but we say we are too bad to be forgiven, we are saying we know more than God. Should your standards be higher than God's standards? He forgives. Why won't you forgive yourself as well as those that hurt you?  The enemy wants us to stay focused on our past and our failures and the open wounds that we never let heal, yet Jesus wants to heal those wounds, stop thinking you can't give it to him what is greater than God???? There is no pain no sin that you may have committed or suffering that you have endured that He is not able to take away the pain and heal the wounds. Give to him what do you got to loose nothing but you got a world of joy and peace to gain by giving him your burden our pain.   Its time for forgive and let go and in return receive God's blessing. God wants you to believe His Word and focus on Him, so he give you a better future without all the pain and unforgiveness that only kills your spirit & can cause physical and mental illness. Jesus is after all the great physician, He knows your pain and what you need to finally begin the healing process..

 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (Colossians 3:13).

Does Love make the world go round

Last month I shared this word of encouragement with some of you, but love is a thing from God and only through God can we truly learn how to love with a perfect love, which is His love, learn how to love your spouse, your children, your friends, your neighbors, your enemies, that right love those who hate you.  Do you truly know what love is? Based on the below verse how well do you know love????

.

1. If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and  

2.If I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 

3.If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 

5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 

10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 

11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.

 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:1-13).

Be content in the state you are in. If you are a single you need to be content as a single person and if you are married you need to be content as a married person. Understand this: no person is

going to ill those needs deep in you. It is all about God. That is who we need irst and foremost.  Wait on the Lord. Don’t be obsessed with finding a person. Focus your energy on seeking God. I

believe in His timing He will bring that right person to you. We want to be seeking irst the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all of these things will be added to us. Better to be

 happily single than unhappily married.  Living together is wrong. Not only do statistics show that living together hurts your chances of ever having a good marriage, quite simply and more importantly, it violates God’s law. It is a sin and God will not bless it.  There are advantages to being married and there are advantages to being single. Far too often,people feel the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, no matter which side they are standing on.  Look for someone who is more godly than you. The tendency in a relationship is that the stronger one gets pulled down to the level of the weaker. So ind someone you can look up to,someone you can admire  If a marriage is miserable, the fault is with the participants, not the institution. We make a big mistake when we think that marriage is going to solve all of our problem. Life is exactly what we make of it. True joy can only be found in the Lord. DO not look for a mate to feel that empty void inside of you, simple because that place belong to the Lord God. I was watching the movie Courageous for the 50th time in the scene where the father takes the daughter out to dinner and tells her how one day a young man will come and he wants that young man to love God more than anything cause if he loves God with all his heart and soul then he will truly be able to love her as God intended for her to be loved.  Have you put God first??? "Seek you first the kingdom of heaven  and all things will granted unto you" Myself I told God what I wanted, I didn't ask or wait to see what his desire for me was, perhaps many of you also didn't wait doesn't mean God can't take your present plight and turn into something beautiful married or single trust in the Lord and seek first his heart  and his desire for your life, not your desire for they can change more times than the waves of the sea toss back and forth.

Maturing in Christ

Ultimately, God plans for us to grow up in every way into being  Christ like.  Not  one of us is born  mature and fully developed either physically or spiritually. When we receive  Christ,   a new life develops which means we are born again and baby in the spirit, Christenters our inner being, causing us to be born again as a child of God. We enter God's family by pure grace, not because of any effort or virtue of our own. The moment we are born again, we have all the rights and privileges purchased for us by the death of our wonderful Lord, Jesus Christ. But we have to learn who we are, what is ours, and how to walk in it. We must learn to use the authority God has given us. The only reliable source of this information is the New Testament. When we are born again spiritually, we are born equipped with everything we will ever need, just as a human child is born
with a brain and all the muscles it will ever have. Yet, no baby can write textbooks or win athletic events. But we understand that they have that potential, needing only time and nutrition to grow and mature. We are born again spiritually with everything in place. We don't need to beg God to give us something else to put us over. We just need to grow and develop what God has already put
within us.Christianity is not just about being born again and going to Heaven. Being born again is just the first step. God intends for us to grow and mature.


 Until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.  Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ (Ephesians 4:13-15).

Build on God's foundation

Move your priorities around and watch chaos begin, guaranteed! If you desire a solid marriage, build it on God's foundation; constantly study God's wisdom on Christian marriage, the roles of husband and wife,
and strengthening your walk with the Lord. This results in a firm foundation for your marriage and life.
Keep God first in your life always!! This means remaining faithful to God and His Word.
This means diligently seeking to understand and obey the scriptures in ones life. Do you wonder how this works? By walking in constant obedience to God you will have less opportunity to make the "wrong decisions" and "reap" unpleasant side effects in your life. Following Christ does not mean that you never face trials, but rather when trials come into your life you will be equipped to understand and handle them.
Following Christ is not easy though! It is much more than saying your Christian. Your life must be an example of the Christian life. If you ever wonder if what you "want" to do is the "Christian" way, ask yourself this question! Could I see Jesus doing this or acting in this manner?



 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.  Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth (Colossians 3:1-2).

Are ready to bear your cross

If you call yourself a Christ, what does that truly mean to you? Does it mean a life of care free existence? The word of God tells you and I that if we truly are followers of Christ then we must  be true followers of Christ. Jesus told his followers  to remember that If the world hated them,  to remember that they had hated Christ first. Christ reminds us that He has chosen each of us out of the world. That exact same world that  hates you now, so sorry there is no rose garden or clouds with little angles playing harps for you. Many believed in Him in a shallow, superficial sort of way, without any real commitment attached. They were interested in Him, curious about Him, drawn by Him, and perhaps even felt affection for Him. But the loyalty of these crowds was a mile wide and an inch deep. Jesus knew that when push came to shove, the multitudes would simply drift away.  There are many  among us today who say they want to follow Christ,however it takes more than simply words to make that true, when the rain comes and storm that will come that is how the true followers of Christ can be determined, for those that are truly the faithful and true followers of Christ will stand the rain and endure the storms because they are rooted in Christ Jesus and trust him as their deliver.  Each of us must realize to follow Christ must be a decision made for you and by you, not by your parents, your spouse or your friends for only you and you alone must stand before the father on judgement and give an account.   Many of us can get caught up in the moment by praise and worship music or the words that th pastor or the teacher that is speaking. When we read of Paul or Peter and say "I can do that", but let us not forget the price that  they paid being beaten, cast into prison separated from family and friends all because they choose to follow Christ. Are you ready to be an outcast for Jesus??? Are you ready to be hated by your father, your mother, siblings, your spouse, your friends and co-workers, all because you have decided to follow Jesus? Are you really ready to put the will of God before all else? Think about this question, God is asking you to perhaps forsake those you loved for one you have never seen . Wow, to forsake all others for his name sake, that is truly asking a lot of you, after all Jesus only shade his blood for you and I at the cross and paid the debt that we were unable to pay, nor could we understand the price or the pain he suffered for you and I.  I asked my 10 year old son Yordon recently to trust me, even though he didn't understand the why or the reason. Are you able to Trust Jesus without a reason or rhyme ?




And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it (Luke 14:27-28).

Standing on the Word of God

 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:4).

When tempted, Jesus did not use any supernatural powers to resist the devil. Jesus simply quoted the written Word of God to the devil. You must do the same thing. Jesus was our example, showing us
how to overcome the attacks of our enemy. Notice how the devil came to tempt Jesus  with a thought  a thought contrary to the  Word of God. However, Jesus quoted the Bible, the devil also quoted the
Bible but twisted the meaning. Jesus responded only with another verse from the Bible.  If you read the whole passage in Matthew 4:1-11, you will see that quoting the written Word was the only defense Jesus used against the devil. Nothing else. If you are going to overcome temptation and walk in victory, you must follow Jesus' example and quote the Bible to the devil. There is no other way. God's Word in your mouth is your spiritual weapon. If you neglect to use it, you will be overcome instead of walking in all the victory and blessing Jesus has provided for you.  Obviously you must know what the Bible says to quote it to the devil. So it is evident how important it is to read and study the Bible for yourself. Yet it is not enough to just read the Bible or study it, the word of God must be implanted into our hearts and it must be lived not just read.

He will supply your needs

 "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).

The word of God tells us that Behold the birds of the sky, that the birds of the sky  neither sow nor reap, however God provides for their needs.  Brothers and sisters you are much more valuable than any creature that has created, Martin Luther commented on this verse that God provides food, but does not drop it in their beaks. God can use any avenue or any means to provide for you, but He is the ultimate Source behind every blessing. Your job or occupation is one avenue God can use to bless you. But, your job is not your source. God's plan for mankind is that we labor. So God will usually provide for us by giving us a good job, good health, and the ability to do that job. However, God is not limited to providing for you through a job. Even if you lose the job -- God is still your Source, and He will still provide for you. Even if you lose your health, God can and will still provide for you. (And He will also heal you, if you let Him.)
God can bless you through friends and relatives, but they are not your source. Even if they fail you or forsake you, God will not.  God deserves credit and thanks for everything good that has
ever happened to you. He was behind it. God was the source of it. Was it a mother's love? God put that love in her for you. Was it the love of a spouse? God created that love. Every good thing in life owes its existence to God. We should thank God for every good thing, no matter how it seems to come to us. God moves on people and influences them to bless you. God causes situations to work out for your benefit. God is behind every blessing. So keep your eyes on God. Thank Him for every blessing, After all God says to us in Jeremiah 29 verse 11 that He has plans to prosper you and not to harm you, this should give the believe hope for today and tomorrow and for the future.

By Grace we are saved

Being saved, and in right standing with God, is a gift! It is something we don't deserve, but is freely given to us anyway. We cannot earn it no matter what we do. Deliverance from the
curse, and right standing with God, is available only as a free gift.  It is not what we have done that matters, but what Jesus did for us. He was our Substitute, suffering what we deserved, so we could receive what He deserved as a gift. God Himself did what no man could, He paid the price for our sin's our creator took our place and done what is necessary for us to be saved and be in right standing with Him. Now we must believe in what God has done, and thank Him for it.  People all over the world try to be right with God by what they do: rituals, sacrifices, and devotion. But the Bible reveals we
cannot be right with God by our own actions  it is a gift we must receive.  By keeping the law it is impossible to be right with God, because no human being can keep it by their own effort. We have
all sinned, according to the Bible.  God does not grade on a curve. All have sinned and come short. So we all need a Savior.  So salvation is a free gift. Anyone can receive it. It comes
wrapped up in a person -- the Lord Jesus Christ. Receive Jesus no matter who you are or what you have done and instantly you are saved and put in perfect right  standing with God, as if you had never sinned. What a gift, what a price our Savior paid for you and I to be reunited with him. Like any father who loved his child would do, which was to lay his life down for us.



"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Be quick to think & slow to speak

There are many occasions when a Christian may be rightly angered by some ugly word or incident and thus be strongly tempted to respond in kind. Our text, however, reminds us that such a reaction for a Christian is sin, and it urges us to get control of our anger before sundown. We are not to let the sun set on our angry, mainly because tomorrow is not promised to no man, image if you will that someone you loved dearly  past away before you got to say I'm sorry. How would you feel ?   When angry, it is far better to wait and communicate with God about it in bed than to bring recriminations in the street or, perhaps, in the home against the ones who have angered us.  Anger is often one of the most difficult areas to overcome in the Christian life. As James says, "The tongue can no man tame." From our tongue we can give lift or bring death. As Christians our job is to reflect he love of Christ to the world. We must always be aware that what we say and do is being observed by the world, let us daily pray that God grant us the word to speak regardless of the situation, Father Lord God grant us your wisdom to behavior in a manner that brings honor and glory to you and you alone. We are ambassadorial let us act as such


 "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:  For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God "(James 1:19-20)

Is Money evil

Many think the Bible says money is evil but it does not. What it actually says is the love of money causes evil. The meaning is that when people love money they will do evil things to obtain it.
While not all evil is caused by the love of money (rape is an example), there are many different kinds of evil that have the love of money as their true motivation.

Money has deceived many. They think it will bring them happiness, but it disappoints. Money cannot buy happiness or real love. Money will never love you back, money will not wrap you in its loving arms and tell you this storm will pass and I be with you always, however God can for his promises are forever.  Our Father God is our true Source who will never fail us. He alone deserves our love and our faith. But money has a history of disappointment and failure.  As children of God we do not have to place our hope in money to take care of us, for we have the promise of God that He will always be with us and provide for us.  We should not allow doubt to rob us of this blessing.  Please notice it is not riches that choke the Word, but the deceitfulness of riches. Believing lies about riches is what chokes the Word and keeps it from producing good fruit in people's lives.  Here is a truth too few have learned: happiness is not achieved by getting, but rather by giving. No matter how much you accumulate, it will never satisfy you. You will always want more. But when you recognize that God is your Source and you can give without worrying about your own needs, you can enter into great freedom and joy. Can you be a lover of money and also be a continual giver? No! Those who love money are not willing to part with it. Although they may part with some for the purpose of gaining more money, they will never focus on giving, for they are interested in getting, not giving to others.


 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows (1 Timothy 6:10).

What profits a man

This week Greg Laurie shared a story that made  ponder it for a while myself. He tells this the following story "An older man was speaking to a young law student about his future plans and asked what he wanted to do once he graduated. The young man said, "Well, I would like to get a job with a good firm, and I would like to start making some money." The older man said, "All right. Sounds good. Then what?" "Well, then I would like to get married," he said. "I would like to have some children, put my kids in good schools, and have enough money to eventually get a second home." "Okay. Then what?" "Well, then after I have worked for a while, maybe I could come to a point where I could retire. Hopefully my health will be good, and my wife and I could travel around the world."  "All right. Then what?" "Well, I guess just pass my money on to my children, hoping they will have as comfortable of a life as I had." "Then what?"  "Well," the young man said, "I guess I will die." And the older man said, "Yes. Then what?" Then what? Then is eternity. What came to my mind after reading the story was the scripture from the gospel of Mark where we are reminded that all the wealth, honour, and pleasure, in this,  world that many are willing to loose their soul for what ????  The gain of all the world in sin, is not sufficient to countervail the ruin of the soul by sin.

 "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul "  (Mark 8:36)?

May your walk speak of Christ

You may have told others or even yourself that you are walking in faith, but what your mouth says locates and your actions may not support each other. If you speak words of doubt, you are not strong in faith. If you speak words of hate and criticism, you are not strong in love. You cannot see what is in another person's heart. But if you listen to their conversation you will know what is in their heart. Obviously, this only works when they let their guard down and speak freely. If someone is putting on an act, they could say anything and not really mean it. But in times of pressure and crisis, people usually don't take time to think before speaking, so what they truly believe comes out. This message is not meant to condemn you but to wake you up to reality. If you are speaking anything contrary to what God says in the Bible, you need to realize you are not in faith in that area. So you should take steps to remedy the situation by feeding on God's Word to build up your faith. Bottom line let your words support your action let your faith speak for itself and glory God.

 "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh" (Luke 6:45).

The Appointment

When ever my doctor schedules an appointment for me to come and see him, I always hate them.But not all appointments Enoch had an appointment with God and so did Elijah. Certainly appointments none of us would ever want to miss right? Not all of God's appointments are heaven bound, example is with  Philip wasn't caught up to heaven, but he was suddenly relocated. After he took the time to explain the truth to the Ethiopia gentleman about the word of God and the offer that God has given to all mankind if they will simply believe and receive and they can be saved and a holly appointment is then scheduled for them. After the Ethiopia heard and believed the truth he asked Philip to baptized him. Then we read, "When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away".  God had another  appointment for Philip which was farther north at a town called Azotus. One day you will have your own appointment with God, are you ready to meet the creator of heaven and earth, the potter, the Alpha and the Omega, the great I'm?  The word of God tells  me this" it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment".Let each of be read for our appointment to stand before the Lord our God and give an account of all we have done, for no man knows the hour in which the Lord God will call upon you. I think of the story of the rich farmer who decided that his harvest was going to be more than his present storehouse could support so he put all his effort and energy into building a bigger storehouse, and that night the Lord demand of him his life. What do you suppose this rich farm had to show when the Lord said can you tell what did you do with the life I gave you? What did you for my name sake?  How did you life speak of me?  At what point in your life did you make me your first priority?

 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God  (Hebrews 11:5).

The Framer

Sadly many among us who are apart of  the modern-day evangelical  movement have attempted to harmonize the plain sense of the Scriptures with big bang cosmogony, concepts of stellar evolution, and a uniformitarian framework for earth history. This exercise seldom results in a tempering of secular thought, but rather in a compromising reinterpretation of Scripture, making it say something it clearly does not say. The Word of God says that "the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear., that all things which now exist were simply called into existence at God's spoken command.
 Creation itself can only have happen from who is greater than all is proof of his power. It was not (as some insist) merely a godly oversight of cosmic processes acting on eternal matter, nor was it the gradual appearance and disappearance of matter in a steady-state transformation. Only a poor regard for Scripture, coupled with an overly high regard for current stronomical theory, could interpret Hebrews 11:3 as the explosion of a tiny, super dense "cosmic egg" (that did not "appear," i.e., too small to see), itself the result of a "quantum fluctuation in a vacuum" in a big bang which produced the entire universe. The response of the believer should not be to disbelieve and twist, but to believe and praise. "Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him"
 "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear" (Hebrews 11:3).

Hope

3 Not only so, but we[a] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
4 perseverance, character; and character, hope.
5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us (Romans 5:3-5).

Sometimes God is glorified through the removal of an affliction. When we have a problem, and people pray with us about it, and it is resolved, we praise God for that. If a physician performs surgery, and that loved one is cancer-free, we thank God. But then there are times when the surgery doesn't go as well as we had hoped. There are times when the illness is not removed. The problem is not taken away. It is then that God can be glorified through the enduring of the affliction. And it is through hardship that we will develop hope.

You would think the best way to find hope is to have a trouble-free life. No, the best way to find hope is through the crises of life. Until you have been through a storm you can't truly appreciate the sun shine. I found that when I'm talking with certain people that they tend to listen better when they find out that I also know what the struggle of pains is to  go through a divorce or be molested, abused, or homeless. They always ask me the same question which is how did you get through it to the place you are now. I always smile and say I'm glade you ask that question. I tell them about the Love of Christ and how He got me through that it is Jesus Christ that keeps me and sustains me and my family.  That regardless of my trial or tribulation, I must hold fast to God's unchanging hand and the hope that is promised to me and you in his word Without rainy days we have not to look forward to with the sunny days..

Talking to Jesus

 Having a conversation with Jesus, it will usually seem like you are having an inward conversation with yourself. Don't expect it to be coming from "outside of you."
So talking with Jesus can sometimes seem like just talking with yourself, because Jesus lives inside you.

A thought from Jesus may also come through another person. Jesus lives in other believers, not just in you. Or it may have been recorded previously, either in written, spoken, or pictorial
form. It is not unusual for God to communicate with someone through another person God is able to use other people to speak into our lives and get his word to us..  God can communicate through a sermon, if he can speak through a  burning bush a donkey he can get his word to you or I.  Some thoughts are just your flesh trying to control you. Some thoughts are the ideas of other people you have picked up. So you have to learn to discern which thoughts are from God and which ones are not. There are two criteria by which we can determine whether a thought is from God. The first is a knowledge of the written Word of God, the Bible. God never changes. What He has said in the past is still what He would say today. Truth must be consistent. So when God communicates, those thoughts will line up with the written Word of God. They will never contradict the Bible. The more familiar we are with the Bible, not just the letter of it, but the spirit of it also, the easier it will be for us to
"know God's voice" and determine when a thought is from God.

Every verse of the Bible is inspired by God and can therefore be trusted. That does not mean it is a direct statement from God, but that even if it is telling history or a genealogy, God
meant for it to be recorded. Thus, in that way, every verse is a thought of God, and therefore carries a message. This does
not mean everything said in the Bible is the truth, for the Bible even records some lies of men. But everything in the Bible is truly recorded, and in that sense is the truth, and
therefore a message from God. The second criteria is the inner witness. We will say more about the inner witness on another day. Sometimes it is said that God communicates through nature. In the sense that God's creation gives the message of His great power, wisdom, and brilliance it is true. We can look at all God has created and know He is a genius.

However, God actually communicates directly with us through thoughts. Those thoughts can be about nature, but they are still thoughts. God desires for you to communicate with Him, also. You should
"talk" to Him about everything. Ask Him all the questions you want. (You won't always get an instant answer. But God doesn't mind you being curious. And when you are ready and capable of
understanding the answer, God will get it to you.) You can "talk" to God by actually talking out loud, or by an inward conversation, just in your thinking. God will hear you
either way. And He will respond. Again, it may not always be an instant response. There could be many reasons for this. But if you will stay alert, you will realize when God responds and you
will know He did. The more you cultivate a relationship with God, the more you will understand this and enjoy it. Remember that all relationships are nurtured and deepened by communication.

 "But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him" (1 CORINTHIANS 6:17).

Love

Why did Jesus say there was no greater love than to give your life? Because you can't give any more. That's total commitment! So, whenever you see "love" in a sentence, you may substitute
"giving" and express essentially the same meaning.  By understanding that love results in giving, we see that Jesus indicated His disciples would be known for their giving. We are to be famous for our giving! This is the way Jesus indicated people would know His true followers: by their giving. Not our fighting, our preaching, or even our correct doctrine. We see in the early days of the church, this is exactly what happened.  Love is only expressed through giving. If there is no giving, there is no evidence that love exists. The only proof of love is giving. Giving is the action that demonstrates love.
So, the measure of your giving is the measure of your love. The more you give -- of yourself, your time, your attention, your affection, your patience, your treasure -- the more you love.

 "For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her"(EPHESIANS 5:25).

So, based on God's promises, we can give to others in faith, with confidence that God will continue to supply all we need.  If you desire to follow Jesus, love (giving) is not optional.

Walk

The idea of walking as Christ walked can be intimidating to most Christian, after all most churches tells how great life will be after we accept Christ Jesus as our savior.  Especially when they forget to tell you that you will sin again, yes you heard me you will sin again, for we are saved by grace alone. IF we could have saved ourselves we would have had no need for  Christ to leave  glory to come down and suffer greatly and die for us.Walking with Christ is our only hope, since he knows where we need to go and what we need to do. Sometimes we forget  the part where Christ said to take up your cross and follow him, a cross that weighted over 300 pounds (136 kg) and your told to take yours up and follow after a sinless Son of God.Himself fully God, who gave up everything to serve and save rebellious mankind. Meaning Jesus has set an exceedingly high standard. Nothing short of perfection and total sacrifice will do. Nevertheless, while we recognize that we will never fully achieve Christ likeness, but daily we are to strive to be more of him and less of us. .

"He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked." (1 John 2:6)

Stop Struggling

 Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my lord.” So he answered and said to me: “This is the word of the Lord to tZerubbabel: t‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts (Zechariah 4:5-6).
This verse shows that Gods power alone is sufficient to preserve his Church, even though he does not use mans help to do it. God himself says he searched the heavens to see if there was someone greater than himself and found no one it tells us in Genesis 22:16-17.
 When you and I became followers of Christ we daily and sometimes hourly strive to not give sin a foothold in our lives, what I discovered was that It was not by my strength alone that I could resist sin or over come it. I must daily and sometimes minute by minute seek the face of God and be on my face praying and crying out to the Lord for his help.  The non believer has very little to no regard for the values of an unseen and unheard deity, so if you think your old friends, family and co-workers are going to be all you need to get through this world good luck with that. It is God and God alone, in that might night when my PTSD is in full effect and my wife and friends are all resting quietly, its God and God all by himself that is there and him alone that gets me through the.

I had a weed that had taken deep root right next to my front door and I had tried on a couple of occasions to pull it out of the ground with my bare hands with no success, then Larry my brother in Christ came along and pull the weed out of the ground with one hand and broke into many pieces with no effort. When you come that weed in your life, no you can't go to Larry. Go to Jesus for he is able to get you through it, whether it be a loss of a job or the loss of a love one etc... Remember this ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts. There is no need for you to struggle just give it to Jesus, he got you so relax and let him do what the lord of universe does best.


.

Our God is perfect

Every good thing we have or enjoy comes from our Heavenly Father.  Our lives and this world are not now perfect, because mankind has turned away from God and rejected Him and His loving ways.
We fell for a lie, and turned against God. Only as we all turn back to God will things turn back to perfection.

God is perfect and we are not yet perfect. (But because of His grace, we will be eventually.) That is why we need to trust Him and follow His instructions, instead of trusting in our own ability and knowledge. "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love" (1 JOHN 4:8 ).

The Father is not trying to get people to obey Him because He is insecure and needs to be worshipped. God is trying to get you to do what is best. God's way is perfect.
 "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres" (CORINTHIANS 13:4-7).

 If you have ever watched in of the  Harry Potter serious or heard of it you know that it was a fictional character, where he flew and had powers and always seemly was on the side or right at the end of the day Harry always ended up being the hero, however none of this was real simply entertainment  for the eyes.  Christ saw the church of Sardis that way, they seemly to anyone looking from the outside to be a church of heroes and on the right side, to be a church filled with the fire of the Lord but in fact their flame had gone out. Perhaps the church lost its focus and forgot that it must be God centered.  The church of Sardis was known far and wide.  Today it would be a mega church,   there was no shortage of money, talent, or manpower. Outwardly, it had every indication of a church on fire for the Lord. Christ revealed those things that were hidden were now brought to the light for the world to see. Pastors often determine how  successful their ministry and their church  is its membership and the building size and how much money is in the collection plate. The way we evaluate successful churches is different than the way our Heavenly Father test its for fruit of the spirit not fruit of the flesh..

But Jesus Christ looks at the hearts of men not at the building or the music, or its membership. And the problem with the church of Sardis was a failure to measure up to Christ's desires for the body, for they were not the light in a dark land but were infact themselves walking in darkness. He told them, "I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God" (Revelation 3:1–2).
Another translation of the word "perfect" would be "fulfilled." Jesus was telling them, "You have not fulfilled your purpose." Are we fulfilling our purpose? What is Jesus calling you to do for His name sake? Perhaps He is calling you to pray for your neighbor, your boss, your spouse, your children, the body etc... Perhaps he is  calling you to volunteer to help out in childcare at the church or Sunday School department, or help clean the church or host a weekly bible study at your home, not to lead but just host it.  Why are we not seeking to know the will of Christ for our lives, should we not seek that to ensure that whatever we are doing it is God's perfect will and that we bring him glory. What kind of Church are you helping create, what message does your body reflect to those outside? Are you a gateway for people to come to Christ? Or are you road block in the way of those wanting to come to Jesus? I know the Church we need to be is the one that Christ is returning for which is one on fire for the Lord, that is producing good fruit.

It Wasn't the Nails

It was the nails in his hands, or the nails in his feet.
That kept him on the cross, but the love of God for you and I.
manifesting itself in grace and mercy.

In the book of Acts chapter 4: verse 33 "And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all."

The apostle Peter observed that believers are to be ministering our
"gift" to one another as "good stewards of the manifold grace of God"
(1 Peter 4:10). The words for "gift" and "grace" are very closely
related. "Grace" is the most frequent translation for the Greek word
charis, and charisma is most often rendered "gift."

"The working of his mighty power" (Ephesians 1:19). It appears to be "the
manifestation of the Spirit" (1 Corinthians 12:7). displayed among
God's people by means of the gifts that the Holy Spirit has graced us
with. Paul's ability to minister was "according to the gift of the
grace of God given unto him, Paul by the effectual working of his
power" (Ephesians 3:7).

Thus, when we preach the gospel, we are using "the power of God unto
salvation" (Romans 1:16). When our lives radically change in response
to the "new man" created in us by God, we do so by "the grace of our
Lord" which is "exceeding abundant with faith and love" (1 Timothy
1:14). When we access the strength to rise above our infirmities or
difficult circumstances, we experience that the Lord's "grace is
sufficient for thee…. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my
infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me" (2 Corinthians
12:9).

"And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in
knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are
excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of
Christ. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by
Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God"

It was justice that demanded that we must die for our sins.
For the wages of sin is death,  but it was Grace and Mercy
that stepped in and said we shall pay the price for man kind.
Your sin debt is covered under the blood of Christ, let us each
day rise up oh men and women of God and praise the Lord our God
for we were bought with a price.  That none of us could ever have payed.

What is first

What one thing would you ask of God if you knew absolutely that it would not be refused?  Would it be to save your marriage? To grant you a job? for healing for yourself or a family or friend? Perhaps you would want to be rich, to the gift of prophesy or healing etc... One of my favorite stories in the bible is King Solomon and his desire to for fill the perfect will of God. "Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours" (I Kings 3:9)?
Solomon was asking for wisdom to be a good king. The Bible says; "The speech pleased the Lord was because Solomon was seeking to find the heart of God ?  Have you ever thought about what our heavenly Father wants from you?  Are you like the rich man who was focused on building up treasure here on earth and never had time  for God's will in his life, when he stands before the Lord and our Father as him to give an account of what he did for God, shall the rich man speak of his building and wealth?  If you were standing before the Lord what would you say, that you have done for him?  Would he tell you depart from me for I knew you not.  Let us seek his heart, let us, "seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33).

Which Jesus do you serve

Yes your right this one is a repeat and it I will continue to repeat this till i know that each of us has answered this question for ourselves. This for me is probably the most important question that  I could ever answer for myself.  Father help me to be a earthly representation of Christ my Lord and Savior, I want to be more like Jesus and less like me. I want to ready willing to lay my life down for my wife as Christ did for the Church, not for just for a bullet but daily that she would know that I love her like Christ loved the church. I want to love my children like Christ love the little one's. I want to be a true brother to my brothers, by putting them first and even be willing to be servant to them. As Christ washed the feet of his disciples. That is the Jesus I want to serve what about you!!!!

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5:1-2)

 The call to imitate God is a call to separate ourselves from the world though we may be in but not of it  (Ephesians 4:17-19) and how we have been made new (Ephesians 4:20-24) and then gave us specific ways to do that (Ephesians4:25-32).

Our call is to live with the same love that Christ has demonstrated.  Jesus laying down his life for us, was first of all an expression of his love for his Father. Jesus did it, not only because of his love for us, but because first of all he loved the Father and this was  the Father’s will. This ‘life of love’ is not to be something we do to make ourselves feel good or appear good, it is to come out of and be an expression of our love for God Himself.  When John says, “We love because he first loved us,” (1 John 4:19). The first thing we need to do in the Christian life is become utterly convinced of God’s love.

On Sunday they raise their hands to heaven and declare that it is Jesus that they serve.
Then why do we look so much like the world?
Did you know that the wheat and the tare, the world can't tell which is which and quite frankly neither can I. So I pose the question again, which Jesus do you serve?

My Savior bleed and suffered and died and rose again for a sinner like me. My Savior, was a friend to friendless, He remembers the forgotten ones among us, Which Jesus do you follow?
 Which Jesus do you serve?
Is it this picture of the American dream that you chase after? Is the prince of this world who you serve or did you miss that part when you decided you want fortune and power?
If Jesus was here would you walk right by him or cross over to the other side of the street?
Would you even recognize him or have time to speak to him?
Pretty blue eyes and curly brown hair and a white complexion Michael Angelo version of Jesus ,is that the Jesus you serve? My Savior was battered and bruised for my sins, did you miss that part? Sometimes I ponder do we really understand what the price he paid for us?
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for they understand and they know My Savior. So which Jesus do we serve. is it the one whom we pray to bless us with great wealth? Or the Jesus who said
blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness?
 So who do you serve? The one whose promises are like shifting sand?
Marine says it God , then country and the marine Corp, what comes first for you?
My Jesus would he be accepted in your churches today? All bloody and bruised with no shoes on his feet, would we want him sitting next to us?  He was not rich he didn't have a pillow to lay his head upon. Today my Jesus would look like a homeless man or perhaps we would see him  as mentally insane.
He spent His time with criminals and those that are considered the least among us. Did you know he had a heart for the poor, so which place would  He come to eat Sabbath meal at your house or among those that were forgotten by society?
Its time we decide which Jesus do we serve but I'm not sure we understand what that means to be like Christ,
Jesus said to live like HIM, love like HIM but then does that mean we must be willing to die for HIM as he died for you and I???
Can we be Imitators of Christ? Can we live like our Savior?  Which one do you want to be ? I turned on the TV set today and heard a man preaching Jesus wants to make you rich and that he never intended for us to be poor.  Is that the Jesus your seeking??? Heard a pastor say that his Jesus says that we should never be sad. Yet my Jesus wept when heard his good friend was dead. So which Jesus do you serve?  I know that I want to be more like my Savior and less like me.  I want to be an imitator of my Savior what about you????