Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God’s Word, it tells you what’s important. If you could develop or increase a skill in your life, that would be most valuable to you, that would make you most effective... What would it be? By far, the skill of obedience. Jesus said, “If you love me you will obey what I command.” The first test the disciples ever faced was that skill of obedience. “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Their moment of truth. Do you have the skill of obedience? They either obeyed and followed him, or they could decide not to. His plan for their day, meant they had to forsake their own plans for today. God’s Word says – they left their nets, and followed Him. They left their plans and followed His plan. They went with Him. That is exactly what God has for you! If you learn to obey – God can lead you in the plans He has for your good, He can then fulfill His purpose for you. Which He promised to do. But if there was another skill most valuable to your effectiveness as a person? It would probably be listening. If you don’t hear His voice, how can you obey what He told you? Listening is a demonstration of humility. It’s humbling yourself in practice. First hear, then obey. Humble yourself before God. He knows, you don’t. He’s right, you’re not. What He says goes. If not now, surely then. You choose now. So how do you hear God’s voice? There are two things God tells you, what to do, and what to know. If you hear Him, you can know, and you can do what He has for you. PiVAT before dinner is hearing practice. You need it every day. He’ll give you the plans He has for you for tomorrow. They are so good! PRISM is hearing practice. Throughout the day – come back to His Word. He will confirm what He told you to do and tell you what you need to know for today! His timing is perfect, it will amaze you! If you’ve fallen off these two habits, just download the 3-Day PiVAT Journal from hearwelldone.org (From the Home Page, click on Step 1 – PIVAT) Ask someone to a Daily Call with you for 3 days or a week, so you can overcome together! If you submit to His Word and His Way – obedience will take you on a journey of blessing, peace, hope, and joy in your life. But if you don’t obey God’s Word you’ll miss out on His presence, and all the good He longs to give you. Plus you’ll get the results of disobedience – that leads to death. Why don’t people obey? They don’t fear God, they want to do their own thing, they’d rather enjoy sin for a season. But you are not guaranteed tomorrow. This very night your life may be required of you. It’s appointed unto man once to die, not everyone gets 77.4 years on average. The longer you wait to obey, the more you miss out on God’s goodness, blessing, and purpose for you. God wants you on the path of obedience, so you are on the path of blessing. His blessing becomes your companion and destination. Hear, Obey, Love God, Serve Others. Get that skill of Listening, so you can hear His voice. And then get that most important skill of Obeying. Be instant in obedience. There is great joy in obedience. Celebrate every little step – whether you see the benefit and reward instantaneously or not. If you obey – you can know this. Good is coming. God is blessing you – already! Love you all, dad
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Love you all, praying for you.
I just love God’s Word – It is the most powerful thing on earth. It is life changing. It tells you truth for the ages. One of the greatest acts of God is the replacing of the Old Covenant with the New and better one. There’s a difference between trying to follow God’s law, and living by it. When He said the New Covenant is the law now written on your heart, the standards of Godliness don’t go away, they are just written on your heart instead of on stone tablets. God’s laws never change, He’s the same yesterday today and forever. His holiness hasn’t diminished. What is done away with is not the Ten Commandments, it’s the obligations of the blood sacrifice of animals required under the Old Covenant to cover sins, not the characteristics of His nature – that’s unchanging! The Old Testament remains, what is done away with is the requirement of Old Covenant sacrifices for sins… You are now under grace - because a once and for all sacrifice has been made – Jesus was the sacrifice! God himself! The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Now - living by God’s laws, and Jesus’ commands… You aren’t trying to get accepted, you are already accepted! You don’t obey to get loved, you are loved so you willingly and joyfully obey. You are justified by faith. But faith without the works that demonstrate it, that reflect it, God said – is dead. And you now have grace to live the law written on your heart, not because you are earning love, but because you have it! And His grace - the power of God - helps you love him by obeying. The old covenant was not just rules, it was blood. The law only wasn’t the covenant it was only half of it, the other half was the remedy. The new covenant has more rules, rules of love, it’s just different blood. The old covenant was never met until Jesus. It couldn’t be, because the law just revealed what sin was. And man’s inability to live by God’s laws – because of our sinful nature. The old covenant… allowed blood to cover our sins. The new covenant, Jesus’ blood removed our old nature, and covered sins forever. No other blood needed. God is holy, we’re fallen by Adam’s sin and our own. The law given to Moses revealed sin and our need for a Savior. The book of Romans tells us this. God’s laws and rules weren’t done away with, Jesus completed them, so we could live them by the Spirit that can, not by the flesh which can’t. That’s why God said, walk in the Spirit and you won’t fulfill the desires of the flesh. Habits don’t lead to godliness, (only Christ can make you Godly), but they certainly reflect it. Sometimes God gives us new habits, so we reflect the Godliness we are now justified to live in. The Ten Commandments weren’t done away with, they were completed. Do you not have to follow the Ten Commandments anymore? They still remain, you just now have power to live by them. But they are still there because God doesn’t change. There are even more rules now. Jesus commands set the bar at higher level! Jesus’ commands aren’t suggestions, they’re new rules, the characteristics of Kingdom life. Jesus said, “You have heard it said thou shalt not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment, but I tell you if you’re angry with your brother you will be subject to judgment, (Matt 5:21) if you hate your brother you’ve committed murder (in your heart). I John 3:15. Yikes. Jesus now gave a new command love one another, He said turn the other cheek. He even said - love your enemies. The Old Testament Law never commanded this. This was beyond law, this was love! So God’s law remains, or He wouldn’t have written it on your heart… we just now have the Holy Spirit who leads us in all truth, in power, and in love. Your new habits in Christ – your obedience habits to His commands, aren’t to earn God’s acceptance by your own power. They are to live by God’s power because you have been accepted, justified (just as if it didn’t happen), and qualified, by the blood of Jesus. Old and New Covenant weren’t just about law, God is the same yesterday today and forever. He doesn’t change – His holiness doesn’t change. The Covenants were about blood! The blood of sheep and goats just covered sin, Jesus’ blood removes it. So you can now live out God’s commands by the Spirit who helps you, not try to obey his laws by the flesh, which can’t. And if you ever fall a bit short, His forgiveness is there, already paid for, no further blood sacrifice is needed to cover your sins, they have been removed by blood of the Lamb. New Covenant means Jesus’ blood cleanses it all. We just repent, (Metanoia – to think differently, “No sin is not ok! It leads to death, it separates you from God whether you’re a Christian or not). Then confess before God and the one you offended, and turn from it. And God forgives you, Jesus’ blood once shed, holds us in Him. Praying that you will know the joy of the blood of Jesus which cleanses all sin, and also know - the power of the Holy Spirit which enables you to walk in newness of life! The divine power of Grace to say no to sin. His law written on your heart, the kingdom life that lives His character and nature by a new power – the power available by the blood of Jesus, and the power of the Holy Spirit – to lead you in all truth, and remind you of everything Jesus commanded you. Praying that you will walk in His Way, His truth. There will be new habits, grace habits. His power working in you! He does the work, we just live in Christ – by the Holy Spirit – the power to know and do – what God is and tells us to do. That’s freedom! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
I just love God’s Word. It tells you what people don’t know. Most church people talk about worship. God said we should worship him. But what is worship? Do you know? Have you ever asked someone what worship is? You will probably get as many answers as people you ask. Many think worship is what we do in church. There’s a worship leader who sings songs – and coerces the rest of us to sing along with them, we call them the leader of the praise team. And there are other people with them up on the stage who are well dressed and sing with the leader person – hopefully in tune, sometimes with good harmony or at least great enthusiasm. It also has to have a band to really be worship. It must have a guitar and drums and keyboard. Many think that’s worship. But in years past those things weren’t worship, it would have had to include an organ, and be hymns. Some say you can’t have any instruments at all – in order for it to be worship. But is singing songs worship? If you’re singing are you worshipping? If you’re not, are you not? If you sing better are you worshipping better, or singing louder than the person next to you? Most people don’t know what worship is. We just label certain activities, like singing songs, as worship. So what really is worship? Exodus 33:10 – Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent of meeting, they all stood and worshipped, each at the entrance to his tent. Wait a minute – where was the worship team? and the praise band? Or the organ? At least there were no instruments… Is that what made it worship? God said we are to worship Him in spirit and in truth, not in song and in tune. God said make a joyful noise, not a pleasant melody. But He also said to play skillfully. So what is worship? How do you do it? I believe God’s word teaches that worship is a heart posture of reverence toward God. You could be kneeling, standing, praising, working, bowing down, lifting your hands, or being still in your heart, or obeying what He told you. Romans 12:2 – presenting your body a living sacrifice, God directs your day planner – this is your reasonable act of worship. It is the mental, spiritual, and physical recognition and honor of the God of the Universe, the One who loves you and gave His Son for you – to save you from your sin, and the death and hell that result from it. It’s to show reverence to the One who bought you with his own blood, to cover your sin and qualify you for eternity in Heaven with Him. That God who made the heavens and the earth, who will one day judge the quick and the dead, who will reward those who have done good, and bring justice for those who have done evil; who will separate the sheep from the goats. One will be with him forever, the other cast into outer darkness. He’s a fearful and awesome God. He has no competitor, no peer, He is The One to be feared. Jesus said, don’t fear men, who all they can do is kill you. Fear the one who after He has killed you – has the power to send your soul to eternal damnation… So do you worship God because He’s fearful? He’s even more loving than fearful. His love endures forever! God’s word says His anger lasts a moment, but His favor lasts a lifetime. He’s the loving Heavenly Father to all who put their faith in His Son Jesus, who rose from the dead after becoming the one sacrifice for sin – everyone’s sin – who believes in him. Those who don’t believe are condemned already – because they have not believed in God’s only Son – the free gift from God – to save you, and give you eternal life – free from sin, and the wages of it. So how do you worship this God? Several ways, not sure anyone knows them all. Here perhaps, is the question… Is Worship determined by the worshipper, or by the God whom you worship? Some say you’re welcome in our church to worship the way you feel most comfortable. What kind of crazy statement is that? As if we determine what worship is acceptable to God. How would we decide that? What makes worship acceptable to God, is not what is most comfortable to us. Worship: Shachah <shaw-khaw’> to depress, that is prostrate, reflexively in homage to God) bow down, crouch, fall down flat on your face, humbly beseech, do or make obeisance, do reverence, make to stoop, worship – a physical posture of making yourself lower. Of the times worship is mentioned in the Old Testament – often it was “worship and bow down, worship and bow down.” To prostrate oneself before God (flat on your face, body extended). “But we don’t do that in our church, that’s not how we worship, it might make some people uncomfortable.” Hmmm. Gen 22:5 – And Abraham said unto his servants. Wait here with the donkey and I and the boy will go a little further, and worship, and then we’ll come back to you. Isaac didn’t know what was coming, but Abraham did. What kind of worship is that? Not the comfortable kind, the kind God prescribed. “Abraham, take your son, Isaac, and offer him as a sacrifice on the mountain I will show you.” No thanks, God. That’s not how I worship, that’s not my worship style. Will you worship in the way you feel comfortable? Or in the way God prescribes? The way God asks of you… Will you prostrate yourself before Him? What kind of worship has God prescribed? Is that how you worship? Or do you worship the way you want to. Just a few things to consider – if your heart is truly to worship, the One who is worthy. Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
I just love God’s Word. It’s His love letter to you: the one He created, and loves enough to die for, to cleanse completely, and welcome into eternity. Have you ever wanted just to know for sure that God really loves you. When you know you’re not that loveable. God loves you! He said it. You can know it. Here is the proof from His Words, and your very life is also proof. Look what God has done for you. He saved you, preserved you, He blesses you. He’s always with you. He hears you, He forgives you, He leads you – if you’ll listen. Here’s what He said about His deep love for you. His Word is true. John 3:16– For God so loved the world (that’s you) that He gave his only son so that anyone who believes in him, will not perish but have everlasting life. I John 4:10 – This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Romans 5:8 – But God demonstrated his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:5 - For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Romans 8:35,37,38 – Who will separate us from the love of Christ… No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Jesus Christ our Lord. I John 3:1 – See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us His children, and that is what we are! Ephesians 5:1 – Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children… Colossians 3:12 – Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Jeremiah 31:3 – The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you, not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. John 13:34 – A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. John 15:12 – My command is this: love each other as I have loved you. Psalms 139:14 – I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious are your thoughts toward me O God. How vast is the sum of them. Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand – when I awake, I am still with you. John 15:9 – As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. John 16:27 For the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. Galatians 2:20 – I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer life, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Ephesians 2:3-5 – All of us also lived like them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of God’s anger. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our sins – it is by grace that you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 5:25 – Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for it. 2 Thessalonians 2:15 – So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. I John 4:18-19 - There is no fear in love. But complete love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears has not yet been made complete in love. We love Him because He first loved us. Revalation 1:5b-6 – To him who loved us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be kings and priests to serve His God and Father – to him be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen Psalms 36:5 – Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Psalms 36:7 – How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. Psalms 107:1 – Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Ephesians 3:16-20 – I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may live in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to comprehend how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! How deep is the love of God for you, unchanging, unchangeable! He loves you, you can know it. So now that you know. You can walk with joy in His plans for you – His good for you, the blessing He has waiting for you! You’ll go through some things, but He’s right there with you. You’ll make mistakes, but He forgives you every time you ask. Hi love for you endures forever. You are loved by God with an everlasting, never ending love. He choose you. He has plans for you! They’re so good! You can trust Him! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God’s Word. It tells you the truth about who God is. So you can know who you are - loved by God. Have you ever just wanted to know that God loves you? Everyone knows that God so loved the world, that he gave his only son, that whosoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life. Obviously, God loves you if He sent his Son to die for you… Intellectually you know that. But what do you have to do... to be loved by God? Is there a formula, or a list of things? So you can know and feel that God really loves you? Because you know what’s inside your heart, the good the bad and the ugly of you, and the ugly way outweighs the good… and you know that God knows all of your ugly as well. So, can you be sure that He really loves you? Sometimes what you know, you don’t feel, and that’s OK. So how do you know? Because He said so. But there is an interesting verse about when Jesus came to be baptized by John in the Jordan river, to fulfill what was prophesied about the Messiah. Mark 1:10 - As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. Mark 1:11 – And a voice came from heaven: “You are my son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” It is interesting to note that Jesus hadn’t done anything yet. He hadn’t turned water into wine, hadn’t healed the blind man or the lame man, hadn’t raised Lazarus from the dead. He didn’t even have his twelve disciples yet. But God said, you are my Son, whom I love, with you I am well pleased.” But, that’s because Jesus was God himself. True. But God’s love for Him, is like His love for you. Jesus died, so you could be called sons of God as well – it’s an inheritance thing, not a male-female thing. John 1:10-12 – He was in the world, and though the world was made by him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him (who believed in Jesus for their salvation), to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become the sons of God.” Some versions say children of God. But in the spiritual sense, the eternal sense, the heir sense, God doesn’t have sons and daughters, he has sons, heirs. He created man in His image male and female, and all who believe, Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female, believing in His Name, is how you become sons of God. And God said what He thinks. ”You are my son, whom I love, with you I am well pleased.” Becoming a child of God makes you loved. He loves you, He’s pleased with you. Yes, He has things for you to do, things for you to walk in that He has ordained since before the foundation of the world. Thankfully – you’re not Jesus, you won’t die for the sins of the world, He already did that. But if you believe in Him, and give your life to Him. You are a son of God, an heir with Christ (the first of many brothers). His blood cleanses your sin, and you are His son, He loves you, and He is pleased with you. Before you do anything, before you did anything, you just believed, and received His Salvation, a new Name, a new family, and a new destiny. And you are loved by your Father in Heaven, accepted by your Father in Heaven, He’s pleased with you! It’s the blood of Jesus that did it, not what you did. You’re now sons, and He loves you. So now that you know… you can walk in every good thing that He has called you to do, appointed for you. So that you may know the joy of the life He has saved you - for. The things He has planned for you! But it’s not the things that you do – that are why He loves you. You just do them because you love Him, because He first loved you. You are absolutely loved. He’ll never not love you. His love endures forever! No pressure, just His presence, and you will grow in His goodness, and the knowledge of Him, and His love for you, what He calls you to do, so you can do it with joy! Why wouldn’t you, all the fun is there, the significance, the victory, and the reward! Praying that you’ll do PiVAT today, if you missed it before dinner last night. He’ll give you His plan for you today – so you can walk in it. Praying that you’ll soak in PRISM – Those five things you can do in His Word today… So He can confirm what He told you, and how much He loves you. You are loved – completely, unchangeably, forever! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
I just love God’s Word. It tells you what to expect from your Father who loves you. Have you ever asked God for something and it didn’t happen the way you expected, or didn’t work out the way you wanted? Was He not listening? Did He not hear you? Is it just sometimes He says yes, and answers your prayer, and sometimes He says No, depending on His mood or availability? One of the beautiful things about God. He never says no. Only Yes or Better. Yes and Amen. 2 Corinthians 1:20 - For every one of God’s promises is “Yes” in Christ. Therefore through him we also say “Amen” to the glory of God. Anything regarding you for God’s glory is also for your good. Amen – means Sure, faithfulness, trustworthy, so be it. God doesn’t say yes and no, In Christ all His promises are already fulfilled. But what about what I asked for? We ask for things we think we want, that we think are good. But we see what we think they are, that person, or job, or opportunity. God knows what it really is. He sees around corners, He sees what we can’t see. What you think, is not always what is. If God says Yes – add your Amen to it. “So Be It! He’s faithful.” Your Amen – is your yes to God, so He can give His Yes to you. His Yes to you, is His Best for you. It might be different or it might be later, but it’s still Yes, and it’s God’s best for you! God said – He will lead you in the way you should go, the way best for you, the way chosen for you. So if it’s Yes, add your Amen to it. "So be it, I trust you!" And if it’s “Better” instead of yes... It means He’s saying yes to something different that’s better for you, or a different time which is also better for you. It’s easier to add your Amen to the Yes that you wanted and receive right now... then it is to say Amen to something different, something better, or something later. That Amen is even more powerful. Our Amen – is our yes to God - whether He says Yes to this, or Yes to better. Either Amen to the yes, or Amen to the better (a better thing, or better timing) - in Christ His promises are sure, fulfilled. There’s no such thing as no. God always answers. If you call, He will answer. Don’t get stuck on the answer you wanted. You don’t know the future, you don’t know what that thing really is - He sees what you don’t. Praying that you will always say Amen to His Yes or Amen to His Better. That your Amen will be your Yes to Him. So be it! I trust you! So He can bring the good that is best for you, so He can fulfill the purpose He has for you. God’s Yes or better, is His Yes to us. Our Amen is our yes to Him. Praying that you’ll give Him your Yes – even when He says – I’ve got better, or I’ve got it later. Seek Him, not what you want from Him. And always give Him your Yes, your Amen – to His decisions in your life – they’re faithful. “God if you’ve got better, I give you my Yes, my Amen – So be it. I trust you!” Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God’s Word – it is so practical, it is true wisdom in a false wisdom world. Praying that you will love His Word! Every time you open it, you get wiser, smarter, more effective, more productive. It never returns zero results, it never yields zero return. The guaranteed investment - every minute you spend in God’s Word – it produces a harvest. A benefit for you. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you and lead you in it – He takes from Jesus what He received from the Father for you. He will lead you in all truth! There is power and great effectiveness waiting for you. God wants you to have it, but you have to come get it. Have you ever considered all the things that you could do. Lots of choices – more than you could do in a lifetime… So in your life - what should you do? Other than career pursuits, spouse choices, passions and pursuits. What are some things you should do? Here are a few: Eleven Things To Do. #1 Do your homework. Always be the most prepared person in the room. Know your stuff. You don’t have to be a genius, just diligent. Do your research, do your homework. Know what’s at stake, know the information to be discussed, know each person’s interest and desired outcome. God said seek peace and pursue it. Part of seeking peace is skillful negotiation. Not to get what you want - to get everyone what they want. Get as many wins for as many people as possible. Not only will it bring peace, it will bring agreement, unity, and strong relationships, so many good things can be accomplished! #2 Do your job. There are some things that just depend on you. Do your job. Don’t do other people’s, you can help bear their burdens, but each one must carry their own load. And don’t let anyone do yours – they shouldn’t have to. Do your job, no excuses. It takes planning (to Get God’s plan) and executing, it takes diligence and perseverance. It sometimes takes growing a love for the simple, the seemingly unimportant or mundane – that may be the most important of all, what you become, what characterizes you. Be sure that you are accountable and dependable. Be trustworthy, your reputation should be excellence. Like Daniel. Start early, arrive early, stay late when needed… But always - be effective when its time to work, and all the extra hours are less needed. God has other plans for you in them - things that are as important or more important than just your vocation. Someone said, “The best second job, is doing a better job at your first job.” Whatever responsibility is yours – do your job! #3 Do Work. The precious possession of a man is diligence. If you lose your precious possession, you are unlike God, but you also lose what it could have produced. Success, benefit for others, encouragement and joy from the commendation of your Master whom you serve, the LORD Jesus Christ. You work for him, not money, not your boss, not even you. Be a worker – build a reputation of hard work – view it as the precious possession that God said it is. If someone would comment about you – let it always be said, He’s a worker, She’s a worker. He carries his own load, He helps others with theirs. You can depend on him, you can depend on her. Work for the LORD, not for men. It reflects the goodness, and the excellence of God. #4 Do Chores. There are some things that require daily attention to steward what God has entrusted to you: Body, Health, Money, Possessions. Don’t be like the sluggard whose walls are broken down, whose yard and fields are full of weeds, whose room is a mess, whose car is trashed. Simple daily chores – build habits of excellence that lead to God’s Order – and God’s peace. Lack of order comes with confusion, and every evil practice. Order – regular disposition – things in their assigned place, welcome the peace of God. Do chores faithfully, so you steward well the things entrusted to you, and you have more time to invest in others. So the peace of God remains on your house, and your life reflects God’s order. When people come to your home, they will sense the peace and the presence of God. The more regular your stewardship habits, the quicker and easier they become. You wouldn’t skip brushing your teeth, don’t skip the daily requirements of stewarding possessions that God has entrusted to you - in a way that reflects and honors God. It speaks of God, but it also speaks of you. #5 Do your time. We live in a microwave, drive-thru world – one click and five second attention spans. People expect to enjoy the fruits of labor before doing the labor. They want to live like someone who worked for years when they’ve only worked for a few weeks. Some things just take time. Don’t get stuck in old ways of doing things – if there’s a better way to do it, then do it. But in some things the old way is the best way. They’re old ways for a reason – they work! They take time, the best wine is old, it doesn’t come quickly. The wise have learned the value of diligence over time. God said wealth is built little by little and that doesn’t just apply to money. Don’t be impatient. Put in the time, pursue excellence more than you pursue a paycheck, promotion, or a raise. Be excellent where you are at, and trust God to promote you. Don’t always look for your next job. Be the best that ever was - on this job. With Christ – you can do anything. He will show you. Be a testimony, Be like Daniel, neither corrupt nor negligent. Be like Jesus – fully doing what His Father told him. Be patient, content, add value, give more than you get paid, and God will make sure your paycheck and promotion reflect the effort and attitude that you have put in. Don’t always live for tomorrow, enjoy the victory God has for you today! Do your time. #6 Do good. God has a plan for you – and it will always be good. Do good. Not what seems good, what is good. Get God’s plan, and your life will be occupied with His good. You cannot do good without it. Because He is good, there is no other good but Him, and every good thing comes from Him. So if you know His plans for you – you will walk in His good – and it will be a fountain of blessing for those around you. The number six thing to do, is do his plan for you – so you do good. #7 Do right. Life is full of opportunities to cheat – to give less rather than give more. To not honor, to speak ill, rather than speak life. Do what is right – no matter the cost. If you have to - do it over, if you didn’t do right the first time, make it right. Never treat anyone unfairly, God hates dishonest scales, ill-gotten gain won’t last. He hates injustice – don’t do it. And when required, stand up for justice, for those who can’t speak for themselves. Do right. Often what’s right is not the cultural norm. You may have to go against the grain to do what is right. There’s a cost. Don’t be deceived, those who do what is right are righteous. You won’t know what right is – because God’s right is not like man’s. Man makes excuses, changes definitions. To know what’s right – you must find out from God’s Word. PRISM every day – and the Holy Spirit will lead you in what is right – what is the right thing to do. He’ll show you how and when to do it, and you’ll know why. It’s easy to do wrong, everyone is doing it. But to do right – that is what God requires. Know His Word – and you’ll do what is right. #8 Do your wife, Do your husband. Sorry for the candor. There’s an important truth for a fulfilled life. Intimacy with your spouse is vitally important in marriage. It’s not the act itself, it’s how you treat them twenty-four seven that flows into the blessing that God created for a husband and wife in marriage. Without sex, you’re just roommates. That’s not what God ordained marriage to be. There is a spiritual union as well as a physical union that comes with the intimacy God designed for marriage alone. People with random hookups and growing body counts will never understand the beauty of God’s perfect design for intimacy in marriage – with someone committed to you and you to them - for life! Make it a priority in your marriage. Don’t wait for the perfect time, if you have kids you know, there never is one. And if you wait til the mood hits you, you won’t be hitting anything very often. Schedule regular times for intimacy. It doesn’t kill the romance, that should be happening already all day. Sex and money are the only two things you share completely with just one person – for the rest of your life. Otherwise, marriage is just roommates. God has way more for you than that! #9 Due Diligence – a different kind of do… Due diligence is doing the research required - so you are not easily deceived, not tossed like a wave in the wind, but rightly dividing the Word of truth. The best and only protection against deception is the Word of God, by the Holy Spirit. Don’t be easily swayed by winds and waves of doctrine, whether political, financial, philosophy, or religion. Know God’s Word – apply it fully, and you will see clearly through what deceives the masses. God will give you wisdom, the wisdom of heaven, and your discernment will expose things of the world. Remember your New Information Filter. 1) Is it True? 2) Where is the evidence? 3) What’s in it for them? and 4) What does God say? Ask Him when facing new information – but prepare beforehand with PRISM – those five things you can do in His Word every day. In just a few days, weeks and months – you will build a foundation of truth – that makes falsehood quickly visible. God will reveal and show you. His Word, and His wisdom are great protection. #10 Do what God told you to do. Most people don’t do anything, they lack the work ethic required to live honorable lives - to provide for their families, and have enough to share willingly with those in need. Most people think they work hard, but don’t really work hard at all. But that is not what we’re talking about here. A small percentage of people – do work hard doing all sorts of things that God never told them… chasing all sorts of goals and dreams, which can easily fall into greed. Some people keep jobs because of money, they are in debt, so they’re slaves - they have to. Others are in debt to a lifestyle the slavery of the mind – to a level of comfort they think they should have, whether their skill and work ethic merits it or not. But all of these miss the point. If you don’t know what God created you for, if you don’t know His plans for you today – then how can He fulfill in you the purpose He has for your life. PiVAT before dinner – the most important regular conversation with God you can have. He will lead you into all truth, and will lead you in the way you should go. What made David so special to God? He wasn’t perfect, he had some major screwups, so why did God honor Him, and even measure every subsequent king of Israel in comparison to him? Acts 13:22 – I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, he will do everything I want him to do. The tenth thing to do (and only do) - Do what God told you. You have to ask, and He will surely tell you. Do it! Don’t waste time on anything else - and victory will come in your life, joy will follow! #11 Do not fear. Fear will cripple you. You have not been given the spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. “Fear not” - means do not fear, decline the opportunity. Trust God instead. Do not be dismayed, I am your God, I will strengthen you and uphold you with my righteous right hand. If you have committed your life to Jesus Christ, and by the Holy Spirit – walk in His plan for you every day – you will not fear, your trust will be in the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth, who fulfills His purpose for you! Eleven Things To Do. Praying that you will do everything God told you to do – with joy! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
I just love God’s Word – it’s simple, straight forward, but it leaves some things for you to seek out. It shares truth in principles, and specific commands. Sometimes it speaks plainly - Ten Commandments. Yet Jesus spoke in parables. Have you ever noticed the human tendency to argue about what it more important between two things? Most people are more interested in winning the argument, than applying the things. Even in spiritual issues. I remember arguing when I was younger, Prayer or Worship – which is more important? Is this an argument? Both are needed. Sitting in His Presence? Or doing the work He told you? What changes you the most? Is this a competition? Are not both needed? The work of God is to believe in the One he sent. And yet. Jesus said, I have come to do the will of the one who sent me. God didn’t say, I’ve found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, He will believe everything I want him to believe… No, it says I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, he will do everything I want him to do. God said He is always working. God’s Word says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness. And then it says in James 2:20 – How foolish! Do you want evidence that faith without works is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. And he was called God’s friend.” So not everything is one or the other. Whether worship or prayer, sitting in his presence and being changed, or obeying what He told you and being changed. Whether without faith it is impossible to please God or faith without works is dead. The things we might think are one or the other, either-or, are perhaps more often both-and. Praying that you won’t debate in your mind, or with others, between things both needed. But that you would put on the whole armor of God, use all the tools that God has given you, to do everything He wants you to do – PiVAT before dinner will help you – it’s how you know what He wants you to do. PRISM throughout the day will help you, it’s how you know what He wants you to know. Praying that you will be in his presence, exercise the faith He has given you, and do every thing He tells you to do. So that you grow up together in him to become the image of God in Jesus Christ. What a journey! Every choice of His presence, every choice of obedience – will bring you closer to Him, a better reflection of Him, and full of the joy He brings. His love for you endures forever, and the command He gives? Love One Another. Praying that you will grow in wisdom, stature, and favor, unity and maturity in Him – so your testimony overcomes, and your joy abounds… Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you.
I just love God’s Word. It tells you what God thinks, the only opinion that counts – in the end. Can you trust it? Some atheists and sceptics believe because of the different English translations, that the Bible couldn’t be accurate over centuries of time. What do you think? That’s all that matters. Not what other people think, not even what God thinks. Ok, that does matter, but not to you, if you think differently. What you think is most important, because it controls what you hear, what you say, what you believe, and what you do. Here is an often unobserved fact. It takes faith to believe either one. It takes faith to believe God, and it also takes faith to believe something else, someone else (the atheists and sceptics). It takes faith to believe the Word of God is no longer accurate, just as it takes faith that the One True God who spoke it, is able to preserve it and perform it until the day of His coming. Either one takes faith. Faith in what God said, or faith in what someone else said. If God said it, and you don’t believe it, you put your faith in what someone else said, not what God said. Jeremiah 1:12 – You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it. Personally, I believe His Word is inerrant – because that’s what He said it is. “As for God, His way is perfect, The Word of the LORD is flawless, He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him.” (2 Sam 22:31, Ps 18:30, Ps 12:6) His Word is flawless, without flaw, without error. He is the One True God, and His Word was given for our instruction and encouragement. God said He keeps watch over His word to perform it. If you believe there is a God, so do the demons (they don’t just believe, they know) and they tremble. If you are looking for an excuse not to believe – either in God, or anything He said… the devil will insure no shortage of other beliefs from which to choose. So what do you believe? Reading in my PRISM time, Psalms 139 one of my favorite chapters in Psalms, verse 17. How precious are your thoughts toward me, O God, how vast is the sum of them. Were I to count them they would outnumber the grains of sand, when I awake I am still with you. Some versions say How precious to me are your thoughts. Other versions say how precious are your thoughts toward me, about me). Both should be precious, but which one is this verse talking about? Is what God thinks precious to me, or is what He thinks about me – precious to me. Does it bother you that Jesus didn’t speak English when He was on earth? So translations are required for us in our language? Some people believe the King James version is the only Bible, the newer versions are heresy. One lady even said, “I don’t correct the King James, the King James corrects me.” Hilariously, they don’t know history, and this poor lady in her ignorance is elevating some earthly king to the position of Jesus – the One who truly corrects us – the Word of God in human form. Their statements denegrading translations that reflect current language, is exactly what the people of that day said against them in 1611. They berated the King James version – “You can’t put God’s Word into commoners English!” Just because cultural English has evolved over time, and some translations may use newer words or cultural understanding of them to try to convey what the Hebrew or Aramaic meant - doesn’t mean they are not accurate. God’s big enough to handle it - and preserve it. But where there could be differing understanding. That’s where the Holy Spirit comes in. You can trust Him. God said He will lead you into all truth. This is not an accuracy dilemma, it’s just a listening to the Holy Spirit opportunity. This verse is about God’s thoughts towards you. First if it was just about His thoughts, you don’t really know His thoughts. You know His Word, so you know what He thinks about certain things: certain actions, behavior, sin and righteousness. And you even know His thoughts were about a few people. David for example a man after His own heart – because He was an obeyer. Acts 13:11 – and Moses, whom God considered a friend, with Moses He spoke face to face. But other than His nature, and character, and his law written in God’s word, and the Gospels, the good news about the Savior of the world, and the new requirements of a new kingdom. We don’t really know what God is thinking, it’s beyond our understanding, the things He has on His plate; from the heavenlies, the earth, kingdoms and powers, both natural and spiritual. He has a lot of thoughts, I’m sure. Not even a fraction that are recorded in Scripture, relatively few probably, compared to the whole. His knowledge is infinite, his thoughts are beyond searching out. This verse spoke of His thoughts. And how precious they were to the Psalmist. What thoughts? His thoughts toward you. If you love someone, you think about them all the time. God loves you, He is thinking of you. He has thoughts about you, they are vast in number. So how do you know that’s what it is talking about. The Word “thoughts” (rea)<Ray’ah> means a thought, an “association of ideas” but that word ‘rea’ comes from H7462 – (ra-ah’)<raw-aw’> which means to tend a flock, associate with, as a friend, companion, make friends with. This verse is talking about how precious are God’s thoughts as a shepherd – shepherds think about their sheep, they know every one intimately, who’s lame, who is stubborn, who will follow with just His voice. He loves you, He’s always thinking about you, your good, to lead you to green pastures, beside still waters, even through the desert and through the fire – He’ll be there with you. He’s the Good Shepard, who loves you and has good for you. His thoughts toward you are vast, and good! He’s always thinking about you, longing for your friendship and companionship, excited every time you choose Him over sin, His Word over other words, and His presence, over other things. He’s excited about leading you in the way chosen for you, for your good, to prosper you. He’s thinking about you, a lot. You can know that you are loved. You can’t know all His thoughts towards you, but God wanted you to know that He loves you and is thinking about you, a lot! Praying that you will know – His thoughts toward you are vast – and good. He has good things waiting for you. Just walk in His Spirit, walk in His Word, and walk in His plans, and He will direct your steps, and make His thoughts known to you. They are precious – and for your good. Just imagine that! He’s thinking about you. It’s because you’re valuable to Him, and He loves you! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God’s Word. It’s unnatural. That’s why by your old nature, you cannot understand it. Nicodemus was a perfect example. He couldn’t get past having to crawl back into his mother’s womb to be ‘born again.’ Obviously, that is not what Jesus was talking about. Jesus was speaking spiritually, not naturally – how ridiculous? How come Nicodemus couldn’t get it? He didn’t know Jesus, He didn’t have the Spirit of God within him, and He didn’t know God’s Word. Paul said in I Corinthians 2:12 – We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God (so) that we may understand what has been freely given us. (You cannot understand what God is saying through the spirit of the world which controls your natural mind, only by the Spirit of God.) Paul continues, “this is what we speak not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment: (only God’s) For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.” How do you get that? That spiritual discernment to see spiritual things? To understand things that don’t make natural sense? How are you able to do this? #1 Salvation, #2 The filling of Holy Spirit, and #3 A transformed mind through God’s Word. So you have a new nature, a divine power, and a transformed mind, to see what you couldn’t see before. 2 Corinthians 5:17 – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ (If they have received Him, put their faith in Him, and committed to following Him with their life, which means they now have a new heart, a new nature, then…), old things are passed away, look, all things have become new.” You see differently. When you receive Christ as your Savior, by believing that He died in your place, for your sins, that God raised Him from the dead, and then commit your life to Him as your Lord - with your mouth… You are now saved, you have a new heart and new eyes, and a new nature that opens you up to the things of God. To see things that you couldn’t see before. Salvation does that. Like a pair of 3D glasses – to understand a 3D movie. Nicodemus didn’t believe in Jesus, so his mind wasn’t changed to ‘see things new’, and He wasn’t filled with the Holy Spirit to lead Him into all truth- like we can be. And He didn’t know the Word of God that transformed His mind to think like God thinks. Instead, he was stuck in his old blindness, the old nature’s way of thinking – that cannot understand spiritual truths. God’s Word is only understood spiritually, not naturally, that’s why you need a new nature to understand it, and a new spirit. His Word and His ways are unknowable by mere natural thinking - what you would think. Because God doesn’t think like we think. It’s why Salvation is so important, and It’s why the Holy Spirit is so important. If you have put your faith in Jesus as your Savior, and have committed your life to Him, as your LORD - you’re under new management now – that’s PiVAT, Getting His plan for you today, not yours…, And - The Holy Spirit is now receivable by you - to lead you in all truth – so you can see things you couldn’t see before, and understand what used to not make sense. How do you get this Holy Spirit? Just ask. Luke 11:13 – “If you though you are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask.” The Holy Spirit is like the goose that lays the golden eggs, why ask for an egg? Get the goose!) This was Jesus’ first instruction to His followers – those who put their faith in Him… “Wait in Jerusalem, until you have been received power from on High.” In other words, you have believed in me, now, don’t go anywhere yet, wait for the power. So you don’t try to do these new kingdom things by your old nature, your natural thoughts, but by the Power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit that will lead you in all truth (so you understand) - and – lead you in the way you should go (so you know, instead of just thinking, guessing, and hoping.) The power of PiVAT and PRISM, His plan for you, and His Word for you - is the Holy Spirit. So now that you have been saved and filled, do PRISM Daily – Let the Holy Spirit reveal the truth of God’s Word, so He confirms his plans (Rom 12:1-2) so your mind is transformed - so you think like God thinks, so you’re not fooled or deceived, and so you respond to God and others with truth in love. So you live an unnatural life, a new life, powered by His Spirit, with your mind transformed by His Word of truth and life! Love you all, dad |
AuthorKelly Kamentz - Jesus follower, husband, father, and friend, helping others surrender time, thoughts, money, and testimony, to fulfill their purpose! Archives
April 2024
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