A2G: Who Programmed You?

As I listened to a message this morning, the Lord placed this question in my mind, "Who programmed you?".  It brought to mind the many challenges I've experienced in life and how many could be attributed to the negative behavior modeled for me by significant others.  Those negative behaviors impacted my self esteem, my moods, how I dealt with problems, how I responded to being challenged by others, and so forth.  Surrounded by this negativity for the most critical years of development, my early childhood, ensured many were integrated into who I became.  It did not matter how much I may have despised this behavior, I became much of what I despised.  Most difficult of all, was realizing I disliked who I became and believing it was impossible to change. 

When things in my life became unbearably painful, I began to think life was not worth living and entertaining thoughts of suicide.  In the midst of this depression, I came to find myself at church and on my knees asking Christ to come into my life.  That day, a depressed teenager began a change process that continues today.  Little by little, God began to change and teach me the truth of his word which states "if any man be in Christ Jesus, he is a new creation.  The things of the pass are gone away, behold ALL things are made new."  Today I continue to become a better me, a better father, a better husband, a better friend, a better worker, a better supervisor, a better teacher, a better student, a better unconditional lover of all, and most important of all a better servant of Christ.  Becoming this better person is possible because of His world, His love, and His Spirit.  They guide me and teach me daily how to stay confident, hopeful, forgiving, and loving.  How awesome is that!  God's word provides the foundation enabling me to continuously grow into the person he intends me to be.  Hold on to His word and become who He intended you to be!  Just a little advice to go!  

WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

1. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

2. If any man be in Christ Jesus….  2 Corinthians 5:17

3. Ask and you shall receive…  Luke 11:9

4. More than conquerors……Romans 8:37

5. Spiritually controlled….. Romans 8:6

6. Refuge and Strength….. Psalms 46:1

7. Fruits of the Spirit….. Galatians 5:22-26

8. Never leave you….. Deuteronomy 31:6

9. Peace and No fear…. John 14:27

10. No more pain…… Revelation 21:4

A Righteous Life Leads to Good!

The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.  Proverbs 11:23

How do we live a righteous life?  We can only do so by living God's word each and every day.  His word assures us we can rejoice in the midst of the storm as He never fails us.  Each day we strive to live a sinless life willing to repent and start fresh no matter how many tries it takes.  Our righteousness does not stem from perfection but from the commitment to work towards His perfection without growing weary or faint.

Victory is promised to believers who are willing to forsake their sinful desires to live righteously before the Lord.  His word tells us our righteous desires will end only in good!  Amen!  Just a little advice to go!

Escaping the Unescapable!

Acts 12:7, 8

 7And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter's side and woke him up, saying, "Get up quickly." And his chains fell off his hands. 8And the angel said to him, "Gird yourself and put on your sandals." And he did so. And he said to him, "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me."…

Have you ever found yourself in an unescapable situation; trapped by a problem or storm with no inkling of how to escape from it.  There is nothing worse than finding yourself trapped wondering how you came to be there in the first place.  You feel hopeless and without any sense of how you are going to get through the situation.  You need only go through a few of these as a believer to know there is a light at the end of the storm's darkness, a light the Lord provides to guide you back into his grace. His grace can loosen the chains that bind you, guiding you to a place of freedom where you are no longer enduring the suffering of that moment.  

When all seems impossible remember that your Lord and Savior can make the impossible happen. 

He sets you free and redirects you back to a place of victory turning your sorrows into joy!  All you have to do is believe!  Just a little advice to go! 

What Do You Treasure?

Matthew 19: 21-22

Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven:and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowfully... 

Most of us have read the story of the rich man who loved God but when challenged to sell his possessions, donate the proceeds to the poor and follow Jesus, he could not do it.  Perhaps you believe this teaching does not apply to you because you are not rich or you are broker than broke.  But it is not just about financial treasures,  but anything you treasure more than God.  

Have you pondered the question, what do you treasure?  Perhaps there are things you treasure more than the Lord, things hindering your ability to walk in alignment with his word.  Perhaps, like the rich man, you would rather walk away from God rather than surrender those treasures.  Christ calls us to surrender all and to value him above all.  Whatever your treasure, make sure you treasure your heavenly father more.   Be prepared to surrender all and follow him.  Your faith in Christ will garner you the treasures of heaven, treasures superseding all this world has to offer.  Just a little advice to go!  

Lord Help Me In My Unbelief!

Jesus Heals a Boy with an Unclean Spirit-Mark 9
Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.

It is so easy to claim we believe, but it takes a great deal of courage to admit our unbelief.  Yes, we publicly proclaim our faith in Christ and our belief in God's word as truth.  But for many of us if the truth be known, we are like this boy's father, we believe but we also doubt.  The doubt we feel becomes like a wall obstructing our ability to see God's miracle come to fruition in our lives.

From the most simplest of challenges to the most complicated, we believe but we don't believe with the certainty Christ calls us to have.  Like his most dedicated disciples we fail in our belief because of a lack of deep prayer, the kind of intense prayer that builds our belief to the point of certainty required for His miracles to take place.  God I believe, but help me overcome my unbelief so that your miracles become a permanent reality in my every day walk with you!  Amen!  Just a little advice to go!

Do You Love Me?

Do you love me?  Have you ever been asked this question?  Has your parent, child, spouse, girlfriend, boyfriend, or other person asked you this question?  Today's world makes it so easy for people to say I love you, but the sincerity and depth of those three words often lack the intensity and conviction they should carry.

In the scriptures, Jesus asks Peter, do you love me three times?  Yes the same Peter who denied him three times because fear overcame his love.  Christ teaches us that a genuine and sincere love overcomes fear not the opposite.  Peter is now emphatic in his responses to Christ, culminating with his last response, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”  Peter was certain of his love and commitment to Christ!

Where do you stand?  What would be your response if asked the same question?  Do you love Christ and if the answer is yes, is it obvious by the way you think, speak, and live.  Loving and caring for those around us despite their worthiness of love speaks to the sincerity and commitment of our love for Christ.  Every aspect of our day should center around following Christ and caring for others. Love him the way He loved you, fearlessly and unconditionally.  Just a little advice to go!

God I Need You Always!

After more than a week of feeling ill an experiencing pain throughout my body, I found myself on my knees asking for God’s healing.  Suddenly my mind went to the constant pain so many experience day after day.  I cried before God and had to pray for his mercy and compassion for the many that are hurting.  Many are hungry, trapped by addiction, disenfranchised from their families, suffering the loss of a loved one, battling a terminal illness, and so much more.  

My illness and the pain I have felt reminds me that God’s word assures us he is our comforter, our healer, our deliverer, our light in the middle of the darkness, our peace, and our everything.  It is in the midst of the pain and the hurt that we often awaken to the realization that we need His presence with us every single minute of the day.  

God I pray you wrap your arms around each of us, holding us tightly, squeezing the pain out of us and embracing us with your love and peace.  Help us to remind each other of the urgent need to have you embrace us each and every moment of the day.  Just a little advice to go!