PUT YOUR FAITH TO WORK

PUT YOUR FAITH TO WORK

“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (James 2:26).

I preach “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him”(Hebrews 11:6 ).  And I believe: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast”(Ephesians 2:8-9). And I live by faith: “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith" (Romans 1:17).  Faith is very important to God.  But there is something we should do with our faith and that is put it to work.

I want to encourage you today to look at your faith. “God has dealt to each one a measure of faith” (Romans 12:3).  Each of you today who have accepted the Lord Jesus as personal Savior, has been given the gift of faith.  What you do with that faith will count for eternity.  Your future rewards in heaven are based on how you put your faith to work in your lifetime on earth.  Today, I would like to look at three different  ways to put your faith to work.

The first way to put your faith to work is to have the right attitude and actions toward other people.  Jesus tells us that our faith produces a product He calls fruit: "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you” (John 15:16).  The fruit that your faith needs to produce is:

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).  If you say you have faith and your life is not producing the fruit of the Spirit, then you are deceiving yourself: “If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless” (James 1:26). "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13: 34-35). “"If you love Me, keep My commandments”(John 14:15).

The second way to put your faith to work is in the area of giving and service.  Our Lord and Savior emphasized these actions: “And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:27-28).  When it comes time for you to give of yourselves you can be assured that your gift of money, time, or talents will not only be a blessing to others, but it will be a blessing for you: "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you" (Luke 6:38).  We are reminded that we are to do good to others: “But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”(Hebrews 13:16)

The third way to put your faith to work is in praise. “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name” (Hebrews 13:15).  The Lord not only wants us to improve our lives by having the fruit of the Spirit, and helping others, but He wants us to worship Him.  Worship is something you have to do on purpose.  It is a action and a work, not just a feeling.  It is something we need to do more than just on Sunday.  God wants us to worship Him “continually”.   We are instructed to: “..be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”(Ephesians 5:18-20).

The work we do will be rewarded and is appreciated by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ: “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:57-58).  The Lord is coming back to reward your faith:"And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.  Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city”(Revelation 22:12-14).

Put your faith to work today in living right, serving and giving, and worshiping and praising the Lord.

POWERFUL HABITS FOR POWERFUL CHRISTIANS

Powerful Habits For Powerful Christians

The Habit of “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”.  Jesus gave us this advice: "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:33-34).  You can only live today.  You cannot change what has happen in the past, and you cannot know what is going to happen tomorrow.

The Habit of “Redeeming the Time”.  The Bible tells us:“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil”(Ephesians 5:15-16).  We have more modern “time saving” inventions like the computer, but we still seem to have less time to accomplish the things we want to do.  Much of our time is wasted watching TV, DVDs, and playing computer games.  We still have as much time as other people.  We have 24 hours a day and seven days a week.

The Habit of “Doing Your Best”.   No matter how big or small the task is, we should seek to do it with our best ability: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10).  If we are going to be a successful Christian, we need to learn how to go the extra mile.  This includes doing our best at our place of employment, in our relationships with others, and using our gifts in service to the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Habit of “Rest”.  Jesus said: “Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”(Matthew 11:28).  Jesus values both spiritual and physical rest.  “And He said to them, Come aside into a deserted place and rest a little. For there were many coming and going, and they had no opportunity even to eat” (Mark 6:31).  Even God rested: “And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made. And He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He had rested from all His work which God created to make” (Genesis 2:2-3).  We are made in God’s image and you need times of rest.  You cannot be successful if you are physically and mentally tired.

The Habit of “Learning”.  Jesus said: “Take My yoke on you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest to your souls” (Matthew 11:29).  Our minds are very important to God.  He wants you and I to develop them to be used for His service. “Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).  God wants you to be wise and to make good decisions.  One of the first things in studying is to make sure you can use the knowledge that God gives you to make right decisions.  That is called wisdom.  You can get that wisdom from God as you study.  “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him”(James 1:5).  Your knowledge and wisdom are given to you to help others. “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy” (James 3:17). When you make decisions ask God to give you the mind of Christ in your decision. “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus”(Philippians 2:5).  If you think like the Lord, you will be successful.

Today, I would encourage all of us to be successful Christians.  We do not have to be discouraged and live in defeat.  We have the power of the Holy Spirit to lift us above the world and all its problems.  The Bible says: “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord”(Romans 8:37-39).

The greatest step toward success is to first of all know that you are a Christian.  Make sure you have more than just a “head knowledge” of the Lord Jesus Christ.  "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' (Matthew 7:21-23).  Make sure you faith is real. “Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him” (John 14:23).

CHANGE WHAT YOU ARE EXPECTING

Change What You Are Expecting

“And he said:  Fear not for they that are with us are more than they that are with them” 

II Kings 6:16

We have a spirit, soul, and body.  The body sees and senses things through our five senses, sight, touch, hearing, taste, and smell.  The soul contains our mind and emotions and will.  The spirit is the part of us that God uses to communicate His love and truth to us.

In this historical Biblical event, we are told of two men.  Elisha who was looking with his spiritual eyes, and his servant looking with his physical eyes.  Elisha could see his deliverance while his servant saw the danger.  The king of the Syrians sent his army to capture two unarmed men.  Possibly the king had heard that this man’s master, Elijah, had prayed and fire came down from heaven and consumed fifty men three different times, and four hundred and fifty false prophets another time.  He knew that he had power to know all the secret military secrets that he had attempted to use against the nation of Israel.  But what he did not know was that those who fight against God, His people, and His Church are fighting against the chariots of God with tens of thousands of Angels..  Our Lord Jesus said to Peter at His arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane: “Do you not think that I cannot now pray to my Father and He shall presently give me more than twelve legions (72,000) of angels?”  (Matthew 26:53).  God has an unlimited amount of Angels to be both messengers and soldiers.  “The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels the Lord is among them.” (Psalms 68:17)

This protection is also available to you and I.  “The angel of the Lord camps round about them that fear Him, and delivers them.  O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the person that trusts in Him.” (Psalms 34:7-8).  “If God be for us, who can be against us?  He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:31-32).

Elisha servant was looking with his physical eyes.  He was reacting with his emotions and senses rather that his spirit.  It is no doubt he believed in God, but this shows us that in times of stress we often do not use our spiritual eyes to trust in our deliverance. Even the disciples questioned the Lord Jesus when they were in a storm. “Master, do you not care that we perish?” (Mark 4:38).  The Lord’s response to them after He told the storm: “Peace be still”, was “Why are you so full of fear?  How is it that you have no Faith?” (Mark 4:39-40).  We need to pray for each other the prayer Elisha asked God for his servant: “Lord, I pray that you would open his eyes that he may see.” 

Elisha’s servant represents those today who concentrate so much on problems and obstacles, that they don’t see the power of God.  God expects us to live by faith.  “The just shall live by faith”. (Romans 1:17).

What are you expecting today?  If you are living totally by your five senses, you can expect disappointment and failure.  But if you are allowing God to feed your spirit with His faith, His words, and His Holy Spirit, you can expect a life of blessings from your Heavenly Father.

When you are down to your last dollar or your health is failing, or a relationship has gone bad, what are you expecting?  Have you taken your needs to someone who really cares about you and can do something about them?  If you are one of God’s children and you have given your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ, you can expect God to help you and deliver you.  “For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.  Then shall you call upon Me, and I will listen to you.  And you shall seek Me, and find Me, when you shall search for Me with all your heart”. (Jeremiah 29:11-13).

Listen to the words of our Lord and Savior about expecting good things when you pray.  “Have faith in God.  For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be removed, and be cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he says shall come to pass, he shall have whatsoever he says.  Therefore I say unto you: What things soever you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them.” (Mark 11: 22-24).  There are conditions to getting answered prayer.  He continues his talk on getting answered prayer by saying that you must forgive others when they hurt and disappoint you.  In I John 4:7-8 we are reminded that we must love one another if we are going to get our prayers answers.  “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and every one that loves is born of God and knows God.  He that loves not, does not know God; for God is love.”  We are reminded that God expects us to keep His commandments of loving Him and others.

If you have been living a life of just getting by and not expecting much from God, change what you are expecting.  He wants to give you a life of joy and abundance.  The blessings that He wants to give you go beyond just the temporal things of life.  He wants to give you a greater gift.   “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance”.  He wants to deliver you from an enemy that is battling for your mind , will, and emotions, in other words your soul. - and that is evil force is Satan.  He uses fear to immobilize us and paralyze us from receiving things.  He makes them seem impossible for us to accomplish.  But remember, we have to see things with our spiritual eyes and we can have so much more and accomplish so much more with the help of the Lord.

I  am expecting great things from our God.”Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of any person, the things which God has prepared for them that love Him”. (I Corinthians 2:9).  He is saying to you and me “Open your spiritual eyes”.  He is saying love Him and trust HIm.  He is saying to pray: “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers”.  (I Peter 3:12).

TOGETHER WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE

“Together We Make A Difference”

Mark 2: 1-12

This event that God has given us in His Holy Scriptures, is an exceptional and interesting account of how God uses teamwork to solve big problems.  It is not just about four men who worked together to meet the need of healing in the life of a friend, but it is about Jesus.  God wants to deal with some big problems in your life and He wants to use others to help you.  There are problems in the lives of others that need you to help them.

Today, God has given us the miracles of modern medicine, therapy, counseling, rehabilitation centers, books, and information to give us treatment, advice, and opportunities for healing.  But we need to remember where the source of healing and problem solving comes from and that is from above.  “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” (James 1:16-17).  “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5).

Picture yourself or someone you love on the stretcher being carried to Jesus.  The first step is to find out where Jesus is working His miracles of healing and restoration.  If you are reading this message in God’s House today, you are closer to Jesus than those on the outside.  There is an invitation for you to come.  “And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.” (Revelation 22:17)  When you do come, He will be waiting for you. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20).

The man could not walk to Jesus in his own power.  His problem was too big for him to solve unless someone who loved him came to help him.  Many people were bringing their loved ones to Jesus.  The four friends new that their friend would be healed if they could only get him to Jesus.  “When the people recognized Jesus, the news of his arrival spread quickly throughout the whole area, and soon people were bringing all their sick to be healed” ( Matthew 14:25). 

We all need to be a part of spiritual teams so that others can do for us what we cannot do for ourselves, and so that we can do for others what they cannot do for themselves.  There are some big problems in our lives that we aren’t able to overcome because we are too proud, busy, self-absorbed, or too uncompromising to work with others.  Sometimes big problems can be solved when you and others come together to think about different creative solutions.

The church is the “body of Christ” meaning that we are a team.  We need to work together.  Four men worked together to get this man to Jesus to get healed.  Think of how hard, or maybe impossible, it would have been for two or one man to do what the four did.  “Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up.”(Ecclesiastes 4:9-10).

Jesus saw the faith of the four friends who lowered the paralyzed man through the roof and heal the man because of their faith.  “When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you… "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house." (Mark 2:5,11).  There are times when the faith of others will keep your hope alive.  Your faith may grow weak and that happens, but when it does, look for someone else that has strong faith.  We need to encourage one another’s faith.

There were some obstacles for the four men to overcome.  The closer they got to their miracle, the more difficult the obstacles became. There was a distance they had to travel to get to Jesus. They were late to the meeting and Jesus had already started teaching.  There was a crowd that prevented them from getting to Jesus.  They had to decide if they were going to turn back or come up with a team meeting and a creative solution to their problem. “Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him." But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.”(Hebrews 10:38-39).

God has created you to be a part of a team so that you don’t have to remain hopeless and helpless.  When others express their faith in Jesus, our own faith begins to grow.  Faith that has been weakened by the tough trials of life finds new strength by witnessing the extraordinary faith of others.  After seen the team of four, lower their friend down through the roof on a stretcher, and after Jesus forgave the man’s sins and healed him, people were amazed and praised God. “Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the

I WILL GIVE YOU REST

I WILL GIVE YOU REST

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light  Matthew 11:28-30.

A yoke is an instrument used to connect two animals together to get a heavy and hard job done.  The Lord Jesus Christ wants to hook up with you to make your life easier and more enjoyable.

Why is rest so important? For several reasons. One of the most important functions of rest is to allow us to listen to God. We become so busy doing things for Christ that we forget to simply be with Christ. We get tunnel vision, becoming so fixated on completing our list of assigned tasks that we have no time for anything else but work. But somehow, the list of tasks never gets any shorter. For every one we finish, two more rise up to take their place. . We begin to run on autopilot. Instead of being guided by the Holy Spirit, we find ourselves being controlled by emotion; by habit and circumstance.

"The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest. So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place."  Mark 6:30-32

One of the striking things about these passages is the fact that Jesus withdrew from the crowds just when he was most in demand. There were thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, of people waiting for Jesus to heal them, to teach them, to bless them.  The need was great.  Jesus understood that the need was endless. But in order to accomplish the purpose for which God had sent Him, he had to remain spiritually strong. And that required regular times of prayer and meditation, regular times of rest and recuperation. 

"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: Everyone is looking for you!"  Mark 1:35-36

Not only did our Lord set an example of rest for us, but God the Father did as well.  So the creation of the heavens and earth and everything in them was completed.  On the seventh day, having finished His task, God rested from all His work. (Genesis 2: 1-3)

ime away from our labors helps us to regain our perspective and realign our priorities. It helps us to remember what's most important. It reminds us that the things of God are eternal, while the things of this life are temporary.

We are not merely the sum of what we accomplish. We are not merely a means of production, cogs in a machine.  Yes, our work has value, but it's not our work that gives us value. Our value is inherent within us; it comes from the fact that God made us and gave his Son for us.  We have great worth, regardless of how much or how little we accomplish. We have value because God is our Father, and because in Christ we are his children. Even the hairs of your head are all numbered.  Fear not because you are of more value that many sparrows who are  not forgotten before God?...Not one of them shall fall on the ground without your Heavenly Father being aware of it. (Luke 12:6-7, Matthew 10-29-31).

  Schedule or find a time by yourself and meditate on something relaxing to you. Listen to music.  Free your mind from thoughts of problems or projects.

 Just do nothing.  That is difficult for some people, but it is an important part of resting.Take a walk in a park or in your neighborhood. Turn off your cell phone, TV, and other distractions that will keep you from getting the most from your nothing time.  Take this time to pray, read a small portion of scripture or a short devotion out of a book like Daily Bread.

Remember the source of the healing you will receive from getting rest.  It is the Lord Jesus Christ.  He can speak to you during these times of rest.  He can restore strength to you and give you the desire to be better. They that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

Moses received some good advice from his father-in law when he saw Moses working from sun-up to sun-down.  ... The thing that you do is not good.  You will surely wear away both you and this people that is with you, for this thing is too heavy for you, and you are not able to perform it by yourself alone.  (Exodus 18: 13, 17-18).

The Lord Jesus is offering to help you get some quality rest if you will come to Him.

"FOR I AM NOT WORTHY"

"FOR I AM NOT WORTHY"

"THE CENTURION SENT FRIENDS TO JESUS, SAYING UNTO HIM, LORD TROUBLE NOT YOURSELF: FOR I AM NOT WORTHY THAT YOU SHOULD ENTER UNDER MY ROOF. AND WHEREFORE NEITHER THOUGHT MYSELF WORTHY TO COME TO YOU, BUTSAY IN A WORD AND MY SERVANT SHALL BE HEALED"  LUKE 7:6-7

In Luke 7, many different kinds of  people came to Jesus in different ways.  We see a military officer who needed the Lord Jesus help and asked for it.  When Jesus heard his request He immediately headed for the man's house.  But before Jesus started the journey, the man recognized the Godly power and person that Jesus was.   He sent a message that He was unworthy that this Man of God would travel to his home, which was not a godly man.   He told his servants to tell Jesus that He knew He had power and that a simple word from Him would heal his servant.  The military officer's faith was great and Jesus healed his servant without even having to show up at his home.  

This man had great authority over other people, but when He recognized that Jesus had power from Heaven, he became humble and submissive to the power of God.  The Lord was amazed that this man had more faith than His own disciples.When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at the man and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed Him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. (v. 9).

Others had told Jesus that this man was worthy and that he had helped them and the local place of worship.  He actually helped to build a synagogue which was a house of God.  But he did not feel that he was worthy to be a part of the family of God.  Because of his faith, he became worthy, because Jesus answered his prayer.  

Don't let your feelings of being unworthy keep you from asking the Lord Jesus to meet your needs.  He is willing and ready to come to you or simply speak a word to help you and others who you love.

Throughout Chapter 7 of Luke we read about Jesus going to the houses of sinners and Publicans  He went into the homes and establishments of the least worthy people in His community. If you feel that you are unworthy to come to church or pray at the altar you are the very person that Jesus is waiting for to meet your needs.   He gives more grace..God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble....Humble yourselves in the sight of the the Lord, and He shall lift you up.  (James 4: 6, 10).

Both we and our loved ones will live again when Jesus comes by and has compassion on us.  I am the resurrection, and the life; he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.  And whosoever lives and believe in me shall never die. (John 11:25-26).

Because of the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we are made worthy to receive forgiveness.    We are worthy to pray and ask for things that we desire.  We are worthy to pray for others and watch the Lord help them.  

To give you an idea of how great the Lord thinks you are he said this about you:  For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is none greater a prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.  (v. 28).

The Lord is not asking the good people to come to Him, but those who are broken and have needs.  When John the Baptist sent his disciples to ask Jesus if He was God's Son, the Lord said:  Go your way, and tell John what things you have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and to the poor the gospel is preached.  And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me (v. 22-23).

Our Lord is not asking you to get every thing right in your life and then come to Him.. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto His disciples, How is it that He eats and drinks with publicans and sinners?  When Jesus heard it, he said unto them.  They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick:  I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

If you are feeling unworthy, then you are a prime candidate to get healed.   He is asking you to come to Him in your need.  Come unto me, all you that labor, and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest  (Matthew11: 28).

Isn't it time for you to come to Jesus with your burdens?  He cares for you and wants to take those burdens away.  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.  Casting all your care upon Him; for He cares for you. (I Peter 5:6 -7).

THE SECRET OF EASY THINGS

THE SECRET OF EASY THINGS

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because they have rejected knowledge.”  (Hosea: 4:6).  

The knowledge we need to learn and apply is really easy to do or easy not to do.  It will take me several messages to relate to you what the Lord has shown me over the years to be that “blessed” person of  Psalms 1.  It gives us a formula for spiritual  and personal success. “Blessed is the person who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor walks in the path with sinners, nor sits around with the negative: But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law does he meditate both day and night.  He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that produces its fruit in its season.  His leaf shall not dry up; and whatever he does will prosper.  (Psalms 1:1-3).  

These messages are directed to those who love God and have a relationship with Him and who have the Holy Spirit to teach them.  Many of the principles will work for Christians and those who have not found out how much the Lord loves them.  But with the Lord’s help we know: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

Your philosophy is your view of life.  it is like the operating system that runs a computer.  It is something beyond your feelings and attitudes.  If it has a virus in it, nothing else will work like it is supposed to.  You can reprogram yourself and change your philosophy with the Lord’s help.

I have often wondered why some people are positive and upbeat while others are miserably negative, constantly complaining and criticizing.  Why are some people successful, and some people experience failure after failure?  Some research has shown that only about one person in twenty is achieving a significant measure of his or her goals in life.  This includes financial, professional, personal, marital, spiritual, and health goals.  That means that ninety-five percent of people are either failing or falling short of being the person they want to be.

So the very first thing that a person needs to do is to evaluate their relationship to God.  Have they truly given their lives to Him?

Then what about those people who love God and have a great relationship with the Lord and are still struggling to achieve good relationships and personal goals. 

It is not the Lord’s fault.  It is a lack of knowledge.  His desire is for you to have a happy and blessed life.   The Lord Jesus said this was His goal for you: “I have come that you may have life, and that you may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).  Our Lord also said: “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full” (John 15:11).

If it not the Lord’s fault, then we must be dong something wrong.  If only 5 percent of people feel they are successful, then there are some things we need to learn to be in that 5 percent and not in that 95 percent.  We need to learn some new things.  Your personal philosophy of life is either working for you or against you.  The difference that will make all the difference between success and failure, between achieving the quality of life you want and settling for less than you desire. It is wrapped up in those little, “insignificant” actions you choose to do or not to do.

The first thing I have learned is that the Lord Jesus has made it easy to follow Him and receive His blessings.  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light”  Matthew 11:28-30.  But it is also easy not to learn from Him and follow Him.

The first principle I would like to give you is that you can become successful by simply repeating the same positive action over and over again.  It is easy to become healthier by doing simple little disciplines consistently.  Over time, they will add up to the very biggest accomplishments.  For instance,doctors and medical research has taught us that walking 20 minutes, three times a week will help us to feel better and increase our quality of life.  It sounds easy doesn’t it?  It is!! and it is also easy not to walk 20 minutes a day, three times a week.

Another easy application to this principle is to find a “how to book” on an area you wish to change or improve in

 your life.  If you read 10 pages in a good book today aimed at improving your life, you will not change in a day or two.  But if you keep reading, over the course of a year you would have read 3,650 pages of transforming material.  But it is easy to follow the Lord's example in prayer and going to God's house.  And when Jesus came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up: and, as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up to read  (Luke 4:16).  He liked to read and pray.  And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, Jesus went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.  (Mark 1:35).  The Lord said to come to Him and learn how He does things and we can be successful.

Success is a process, not a destination.  It is something you experience gradually, over time.

What you do matters.  It is easy to eat well, and it is easy not to.  Eating too much or the wrong thing won't kill you, today.  But compounded over time it could cause you many health problems.  It is easy to exercise a little every day and get your heart rate up a little over normal for twenty minutes, three times a week.  It is also easy not to do it.  It is the same with your financial habits, your knowledge, your relationships, your marriage, and with anything and everything in your life.

The difference between success and failure is not dramatic.  In fact, the difference between success and failure is so subtle, most people miss it.  They hold to the philosophy that what they do doesn't really matter.  It is not true.  The truth is what you do matters.  What you do today matters.  What you do every day matters.  Those little things that will make you successful in life, that will secure your health, your happiness, your fulfillment, your dreams, are simple tiny things that nobody will see or even notice.  They are those things that at the time you do them, often feel like they make absolutely no difference, but they do.

The Lord Jesus will say this to those who follow Him:  Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things: enter into the joy of your Lord  ( Matthew 25:23).

THE SECRET OF TIME

THE SECRET OF TIME

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:  A time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted

Ecclesiastes 3:1

Knowing the secret of time is not a question of your mood, your feelings, or your attitude.  It is first of all asking God to give you the wisdom on when to plant, what to plant, when to wait, and when to harvest.  Each of these is a period of time and a process.

What you do with your time, with your friends, and with your attitudes will determine what will come at your harvest time.

Time is all about choices.  Every day, in every moment, you get to exercise choices that will determine whether or not you will have a good harvest, no harvest, or a bad harvest.

The Secret of Time is about the little things you do each day that don't look dramatic, or don't look like they matter, or make a difference.  But successful Christians do what others are not willing to do.

A simple positive action repeated over time can cause you to have a life full of God's blessings.

Many people get frustrated and quit planting when they don't see immediate results..  You have to stay in the process long enough to reap a harvest of blessings from the Lord for your good actions.  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not  (Galatians 6:9).

If you take a penny and double it each day you would be amazed at the results. On day one you would have a penny.  On day two you would have 2 cents, day 3 you would have 4 cents, on day four you would have 8 cents.  By the end of week two, you would have $163.84.  On day 28, you would have passed one million dollars. On day 30, you would have over 5 million dollars. If you take a penny and double it each day for thirty-one days you would have $10,737,418.  To accomplish anything worth accomplishing, to create success, to achieve your dreams, you don't have to do impossible extraordinary, superhuman things.  But you do have to do something.  You have to start with a penny.

It is the same way in your spiritual life.  You start with a prayer today, or a kind deed, or read 10 verses out of the Bible.  At the end of the year you will have prayed 365 prayers, done 365 kind deeds, and read 3,650 verses.  There are only 7,957 verses in the New Testament, so you could read it through twice in one year.

A positive philosophy of life based on Biblical principles will turn into a positive attitude, which turns into positive actions, which turns into positive results, which turns into receiving the blessings from  your Heavenly Father.

Getting a successful harvest requires for a person to stay in the process long enough to  get the job done.  When you plant good seed  you will not see the results immediately.  

Let us look at some good seed.  Therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering; being patient with one another, and forgiving one another.  If anyone has been hurt by another, even as Christ has forgiven you, so you must also do.  (Colossians 3:13-13).

Don't judge your harvest by the evidence of your eyes, you won't see the results over night.  This is where faith comes in. The just shall live by faith Romans 1:17.  You live right, you treat other people like Jesus would treat them, and wait for the harvest of good things.    

Some day doesn't exist.  There are no big breaks in your future.  Your ship is not coming in.  Your ship is already here, docked and waiting.  You already have everything you need to achieve everything you want.  You just can't see it with your human eyes.  I can do all things through Christ which gives me strength.  (Philippians 4:13).  You have to start looking through your eyes of faith and plant the right seeds.

Planting good seeds is an act of faith.  If you make the right choices and take the right actions, over time you will have success.  If you plant the wrong seeds, your harvest will be one of disappointment and hurt to you and to those you love and to those who love you.  You have to choose what kind of seed you want to plant.

No success is immediate, nor is any failure.  it is determined by the seeds you plant.  Some people today are reaping a harvest of difficulty and pain because of seeds planted a long time ago.  

Today is a good time to start planting seeds that will bring you blessings from the God who loves you very much.  

The sooner you plant your good seeds, the sooner you will start harvesting.   But He cannot 

help you without you helping Him.  There is a spiritual law that says: Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a person sows, that shall they also reap. (Galatians: 6:7).  

This law also involves how much you sow. But this I say, He 

who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.    (2 Corinthians 9:6).

Getting a successful harvest requires for a person to stay in the process long enough to  get the job done.  When you plant good seed  you will not see the results immediately.  Here are some good seeds to plant.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things that are of a good report, think on these things.  (Philippians 4:8).

There is a time to plant, and that time is today.  Today is the time to give your heart and mind to the God that loves you.  For He says: In an acceptable time I have heard you.  And in the day of salvation  I have helped you.  Behold, now is the accepted  time, behold, now is the day of salvation.  (2 Corinthians 6:2).