Feast or Famine?

Finding peace in troubled times can be like looking for water in the blazing dessert sun. Thank God that we have a perpetual supply a well of living water springing up to eternal life. No matter where we go or what we deal with God is there like an oasis within. Things on the outside can get pretty rough but in the midst of drought and famine we can always call upon and draw upon the source of life. There is a secret place within a perfect garden where we may walk and talk with our heavenly father. The garden is no longer external but God Himself has come to live on the inside of us with all His majesty and Glory. He dwells eternally and when we yield to His working He manifests the fruit of the Spirit inside of us. The truth is that we are always full of life, love, joy, peace and all the fruit of the Spirit. If we are vital or famished depends on if we are aware of and partake of God’s ever present goodness or if we look for peace in our external circumstances. We can wander around in the worldly wilderness looking for water and wanting or we can dwell in the secret place of the Most High under the shadow of the Almighty and in His perpetual oasis of perfect peace.

John 4:13-14
13 Jesus answered and said to her, "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life."
NKJV

John 14:27-28
eace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
NKJV

Ps 91:1
91 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
NKJV

Ps 121:5-6
The Lord is your keeper;
The Lord is your shade at your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
NKJV

Isa 25:4
4 For You have been a strength to the poor,
A strength to the needy in his distress,
A refuge from the storm,
A shade from the heat;
For the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.
NKJV

Gal 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

NKJV
Isa 26:3
3 You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.
NKJV

Psalm 23

1 The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.
NKJV

What Do People Need to Hear Today?

It’s not so important what you want to say as what people need to hear. What is the motive of your communication? Are you talking for your own sake or to be a blessing to the other? Could you speak a word of love, kindness, compassion or encouragement to someone today? If they need to hear, “I love you” or “Good Job” or “I will pray for you” or “I’m sorry” or “I’m here for you” or whatever, could you not easily meet their need by speaking a few simple words? Finding the right words is like serving the right food at the right time. If you can give people something they are hungry for that will nourish their soul then they will feel better and appreciate your cooking. You can encourage yourself when you need to but it always tastes better when it’s prepared by someone else. It’s scary to open your mouth and offer affection because of the fear of rejection so people are starving for attention. Everybody wants to eat but where’s the food? If you will take the time to prepare good words then they will be received most of the time. It’s easier to write it then it is to say out loud so as you can always send a card or email with ease. To speak a word requires boldness so you might have to start small. But if you will begin today you will grow stronger and more confident. It really has a dynamic effect, the more you do it the more powerful it gets. The challenge is often to be sincere and simple. To find the right words for people you will need to seek the Father. He is the only One who knows exactly what anyone needs to hear at any given moment. I believe that if you will seek to be a blessing that God will help you and provide you with all the ingredients you need to become a gourmet chef. I challenge you to say at least one good thing to one person everyday for the rest of your life; because the world is starving for truth and affection. So who wants to cook?

Col 4:6
6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
NKJV

Col 4:6
Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out.
MES

Eph 4:29-30
29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
NKJV

Eph 4:29
29 Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.
MES

Eph 4:29
29 Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God's favor) to those who hear it.
AMP

I Love You!

Jer 31:3 I have loved you, O my people, with an everlasting love; with loving-kindness I have drawn you to me. (TLB)
I have always loved you, so I continue to show you my constant love. (GNB)
I've never quit loving you and never will. Expect love, love, and more love! (MSG)

1 John 3:1
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!
NIV

Who’s Your Animator?

I went to my 20 Yr. high school reunion last night. I think it’s interesting that people don’t really change their personalities much. We have changed on the outside but on the inside we are still like little kids we running around on the playground. Now we have more responsibilities, weights and wrinkles but the “inner man” which is the eternal part of us is in essence the same. God created us a certain way from which we can’t seem to escape. So what is it that makes some happier than others in the various stages of life? It’s not really what we have on the outside but what we have on the inside that makes the difference. The Bible says, “Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.” (2 Cor 4:16) If there is something or should I say ‘Someone’ within renewing us; then our lives are being animated by God. He is very creative and interesting and when we let Him be our cartoonist then our lives can be very happy and funny. He is an advanced Author of peace and joy and a Master at writing the stories of our lives. If we try to animate ourselves then we get confused because how will we know where to start. Bugs Bunny is always Bugs Bunnyish but it is not by his own design but by the hand of his creator. He always avoids trouble and stays a step ahead of Elmer Fudd because his creator knows the future and makes it so. Now Bugs Bunny may be funny but what would happen if one day he decided he was going to animate himself and write his own story? Not much, possibly rabbit stew but he’s not really equipped to be the creator of himself but the expression of the animator. So it is with us, God has a desire to infuse us with His life and energy and a path for us to run on. As long as we are on His road we will never get caught by Wiley Coyote. But when are trying to be the author and animator of our own lives we fall into all kinds of traps and wonder why life is so hard and we are not happy. So if we want to experience the good and exciting life you will have to be as smart as a cartoon and let your life be ruled by the Hand of the Creator.

A Word in Season

The right word at the right time is like fresh fruit; it’s delicious and delightful. But encouragement or advice given at the wrong time can be sour and tasteless. Before we say things and offer our opinions we should consider if they have manifested mature fruit in our own lives. Are we serving fresh pineapple on the beach or throwing green tomatoes at someone in a storm? Our words are very powerful to create or destroy. We can curse and be condescending and cruel or we can cheer and comfort and be courteous, conscientious and kind. So be aware of your words or beware. Just because you have some thing to say does not mean that it’s the time to say it. You should seek the Lord and ask Him to give you the words that people need to hear not just say what you want to all the time. If you are going to share fresh fruit then you will need to gather it daily. When you pray and read God’s Word everyday you get your delicious and delightful breakfast. Then you are sweeter having experienced His goodness and equipped to go be a fresh fruit vendor. If you will be just as discerning in giving your words as you are at picking your fruit then you will be a blessing. There is a great difference between almost ready and just right. Pick the perfect time and say the right thing then you will be one who always has a word in season for the weary.

Isa 50:4
4 "The Lord God has given Me
The tongue of the learned,
That I should know how to speak
A word in season to him who is weary.
He awakens Me morning by morning,
He awakens My ear
To hear as the learned.
NKJV

Isa 50:4
4 The Master, God, has given me
a well-taught tongue,
So I know how to encourage tired people.
MES

Isa 50:4
4 The Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom,
so that I know how to comfort the weary.
Morning by morning he wakens me
and opens my understanding to his will.
NLT

Isa 50:4
The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are experienced, so that I may be able to give the word a special sense for the feeble: every morning my ear is open to his teaching, like those who are experienced:
BBE

Isa 50:4
4 The Almighty Lord will teach me what to say,
so I will know how to encourage weary people.
Morning after morning he will wake me
to listen like a student.
GOD'S WORD

Isa 50:4
4 The Lord God gave me the ability to teach
so that I know what to say to make the weak strong.
NCV

Isa 50:4
4 The Lord Jehovah hath given to me The tongue of taught ones, To know to aid the weary [by] a word,
YLT

My morning blog is really the fruit of this scripture. I have been meditating on this scripture for many years and truly believe that the Lord Himself who gives me “A Word in Season” for the weary. This blog for me is really a supernatural thing. Some people can write and are inclined to, but not me. English is really not a strong subject for me as you have probably already discerned. But I have a heart for encouragement. So at the beginning of this year I just started to write and have continued nearly everyday since then. When God puts something on your heart there is just a grace to do it and it’s easy. It’s really out of character for me to stop and take the time to do this everyday but now I can’t seem to help it and it’s because when you believe the Bible the Word grows up and bears fruit. It’s not something you struggle to do in your own strength, you just plant the seed and keep it, and it comes forth in its own time and by its own power. I’m not counting myself as some super-spiritual or extremely wise person but I am asking and relying on God top give me “A Word in Season” to bless and refresh all who are weary. So I have decided to change the name of the blog, if you read this I ask you to pray and believe with me that we will always have fresh fruit. And I am praying for you, that you too will always know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary.

Prov 15:23
23 A man has joy by the answer of his mouth,
And a word spoken in due season, how good it is!
NKJV

Prov 15:23
3 Congenial conversation — what a pleasure!
The right word at the right time — beautiful!
MES

Prov 15:23
23 A man finds joy in giving an apt reply —
and how good is a timely word!
NIV

Prov 15:23
23 Everyone enjoys giving good advice, and how wonderful it is to be able to say the right thing at the right time!
TLB

Prov 15:23
23 A man has joy in making an apt answer, and a word spoken at the right moment — how good it is!
AMP

Prov 15:23
23 What a joy it is to find just the right word for the right occasion!
TEV

Prov 15:23
3 To make an apt answer is a joy to a man,
and a word in season, how good it is!
RSV

So get up, pray and read your Bible everyday and pick your own fresh Word from heaven, because it really is delicious and delightful!

Rafting or Trudging?

God’s will is like a river. The Holy Spirit is the Raft guide. If you get in the boat and put yourself in his care He will take you where you need to go. Or you can walk your own walk and be hot and tired and get stickers in your socks.

It Came to Pass

There are seasons in life and “they came to pass.” Whatever you are going through is temporary. Knowing that it won’t last will help you enjoy it or endure it. When you are younger you life seems to change like the weather in Colorado but when you get older a little more like Florida. Whatever stage you are in there are still seasons of growth, of change, of joy and pain. I like the four seasons and enjoy them but I’m always glad when they come to a close. Don’t take whatever season you are in for granted because it will soon change. I encourage you to consciously enjoy the good and do your best to keep your head up in the challenging seasons because they “came to pass.”

To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:
Eccl 3:1NKJV

Weak Will’s Mutiny of Mind

This was actually my exercise blog yesterday but I think it also applies mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

I’m feeling much better this week after my attitude adjustment. It was a weak week last week but I have changed my mind. I’m plenty strong to do P90X+ but somewhere I let weak Will in which made me weak. Weak Will’s poor attitude was like poison sapping the strength from my ship. But I will not kowtow to weak Will or let him rise up in my mind. I will not yield to him lest he begin to manipulate my mind. Mutiny is on the horizon if I allow weak Will to steer the ship. I will stay the course and cast all scoffing thoughts and cowardly cravings for quitting off my ship. I have made a decision and I will follow through. I will do it with joy and zeal because I absolutely refuse to be overcome and ruled by weak Will. So I made weak Will walk the plank! Will you?

“Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'" (Joel 3:10b)

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
Eph 6:10 NKJV

Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave;
Yes, strife and reproach will cease.
Prov 22:10 NKJV

Have a great day and be blessed in every way! And since were talking about walkin the plank I need to go find procrastination Pete.

Fix It Too!

Hey, what a great day to be alive! You were born for such a time as this. I believe that God knows everything you will go through and has equipped you to overcome. He has a plan for every difficulty you will face. Set your mind and affection on Him and not on the problem.

Ps 91:14-16
14 "Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation."
NKJV

What an awesome promise! When we call He will answer, He will be with us in trouble and deliver and honor us, and with long life satisfy us and show us His salvation! That’s what He will do when we do what we should do. That’s His part, but we won’t experience it unless we do our part. That’s right! We have to do something to do in order to position ourselves to receive Gods promise. I know plenty of people who have felt unanswered, undelivered, unsatisfied and unsaved when trouble hit. I’ve been there myself and if we’re not careful we will get mad at God and cut ourselves off. God always keeps His Word but we are to keep our hearts and affection set on Him. When we feel like He’s not coming through for us we need to examine ourselves not get offended at Him. A quarterback will not throw the ball to a player who’s going the wrong way. When we get “out of love” and fixated on our problems we are going the wrong way. The more attention we give to our dilemma the less we give to God. Then it becomes really hard to follow God when we are hardly paying attention to Him. We are to Love the Lord with all our heart soul, strength and mind. This is the first thing we are to do and is to be the main priority in your lives. When we start putting first things third and fifth things first it’s no wonder we get frustrated and confused and wonder what seems to be wrong with God. There’s nothing wrong with Him. He’s perfect! The main thing He’s asking you to do is to set your mind and affection on Him and He will do the rest. Wow! It sounds like an awesome deal to me. Fix your heart on God and keep it fixed, then everything else will begin to will be fixed. Otherwise it’s like Band Aid Brand and you’re stuck on your problem because your problem’s stuck on you.

Fix It!

If you fix your mind on God you will be stable and secure and have perfect peace. But if you fix your mind on something fickle you will feel forlorn and fearful. God does not change, His Word is Truth and the only solid foundation to live your life on. Dwell on anything else and you will be tossed to and fro like the waves of the sea. When you worry you feel a bit nauseous and it’s probably because your mind is reeling. You can stagger around afflicted by uncertainty or you can fix it. Fix your mind on God and it will be fixed.

Isa 26:3-4
3 You will keep in perfect peace
all who trust in you,
all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
4 Trust in the Lord always,
for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.
NLT

Figure it Out

It’s an amazing thing that we can control what we think. So what are you thinking? I just caught myself thinking about how much credit card debit I have. And I thought about my thinking; and the fact that focusing on the problem produces stress and agitation which tends to magnify the dilemma. The more I meditate on the problem the more I magnify the mayhem of my mind. And the more I maim my mental ability the harder it becomes to see the solution. Then I spiral a whirlpool of negative thoughts which progressively draw me down and closer to thing that I am thinking about.

So I think I will think about something else! I will think about the solution and God’s promises concerning my situation. Whenever the temptation comes up to worry about my problems, and it will, I will use that as a reminder and opportunity to think about the solution. I will consider what God has said about it in His Word and how I am applying that to my life for change. I will remember what caused the problem in the first place and become more resolute not to repeat it. This will work for any problem the key is to solve the problem not to revolve it.

Take math problems for example, you think about the problem in order to get to the solution. If you are not going to solve the problem what is the point in even thinking about it? But once you start thinking about and implementing the solution the problem is soon to be no longer a problem. Then you can move on to the next one, and such is life. There are plenty of problems for everyone! So I think I’ll try to solve as many as I can starting with my own personal problems. I don’t want to be stuck on one because that’s boring. If I can help my self, with the help of God I can help others also.

But what do you do when you don’t know what to do? Well one thing is for sure, contemplating your ignorance and the difficulty of the problem when you don’t know the answer is not the answer. Pray for wisdom, get help, educate yourself, discipline your thoughts and seek the solution. You become smart when you start thinking about solutions and surely with God’s help you can figure it out and overcome!

Can you remember, “Jeremiah was a Bullfrog 333”?

Surely you can and I believe that this scripture will help become a problem solver instead of a worry revolver.

Jer 33:3
'Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.'
NKJV

Jer 33:3
3 'Call to me and I will answer you. I'll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.'
MES

Jer 33:3
3 Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, fenced in and hidden, which you do not know (do not distinguish and recognize, have knowledge of and understand).
AMP

Sometimes the best thing to say is nothing at all.

Ex 14:13-14
13 And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace."
NKJV

Ex 14:14
4 God will fight the battle for you.
And you? You keep your mouths shut!"
MES

If you hold your tongue you will keep your peace. When you’re right you don’t have to defend and offend. Even if you were right you became wrong if you had to hurt someone to prove your point. And when you’re wrong it’s better to keep your mouth shut and conceal your ignorance. We’ve all said things that have cost us, many times much more than it was worth. It’s better to wish you had said something, than to say things that you wish you had never said. Your words can be like arrows and once you let them go you can’t “take em back” so you ought not just shoot our mouth off at random. Win arguments by wounding people and soon your friends will be in short supply. No one wants unsought advice and especially not unsolicited correction. If your words are good and valuable then eventually people will ask for them and if not then you should keep them to yourself. So I think I should shut up now.

Ps 34:12-14
12 Who is the man who desires life,
And loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil,
And your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Depart from evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it.
NKJV

Ps 64:3
3 Who sharpen their tongue like a sword,
And bend their bows to shoot their arrows — bitter words,
NKJV

Prov 10:11
11 The mouth of the righteous is a well of life,
But violence covers the mouth of the wicked.
NKJV

Prov 10:13-14
3 Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding,
But a rod is for the back of him who is devoid of understanding.

14 Wise people store up knowledge,
But the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.
NKJV

Prov 10:19
19 In the multitude of words sin is not lacking,
But he who restrains his lips is wise.
NKJV

Prov 10:31-32
31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
But the perverse tongue will be cut out.
32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,
But the mouth of the wicked what is perverse.
NKJV

Prov 11:11
11 By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted,
But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.
NKJV

Prov 13:3
3 He who guards his mouth preserves his life,
But he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction.
NKJV

Prov 14:3
3 In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride,
But the lips of the wise will preserve them.
NKJV

Prov 14:7
7 Go from the presence of a foolish man,
When you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge.
NKJV

Prov 15:1-2
5 A soft answer turns away wrath,
But a harsh word stirs up anger.
2 The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly,
But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.
NKJV

Prov 15:28
28 The heart of the righteous studies how to answer,
But the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil.
NKJV

Prov 16:21
21 The wise in heart will be called prudent,
And sweetness of the lips increases learning.
NKJV

Prov 16:27-28
27 An ungodly man digs up evil,
And it is on his lips like a burning fire.
28 A perverse man sows strife,
And a whisperer separates the best of friends.
NKJV

Prov 17:27-28
27 He who has knowledge spares his words,
And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit.
28 Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace;
When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive.
NKJV

Prov 18:6-7
6 A fool's lips enter into contention,
And his mouth calls for blows.
7 A fool's mouth is his destruction,
And his lips are the snare of his soul.
NKJV

Prov 18:21
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit.
NKJV

Prov 20:19
19 He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets;
Therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips.
NKJV

Prov 21:23
23 Whoever guards his mouth and tongue
Keeps his soul from troubles.
NKJV

Prov 26:7
7 Like the legs of the lame that hang limp
Is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
NKJV

Prov 26:9
Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard
Is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
NKJV

Eccl 5:2
2 Do not be rash with your mouth,
And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God.
For God is in heaven, and you on earth;
Therefore let your words be few.
NKJV

Matt 12:33-37
33 "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
NKJV

You’re Askin for It!

You don’t always need help but it’s good to know that it’s always there when you need it. God is our ever present help in trouble. He said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Heb 13:5) So if we perceive His presence or not God is always there ready, willing and able to help those who are humble enough to ask for it and follow Him. If you antagonize people who are bigger than you like the older boys on the playground then, “you’re askin for it and you’re gonna get it!” “it” will come from them, and “it” will be bad. But if you will humble yourself before Almighty God and pray according to His will then, “you’re askin for it and you’re gonna get it!” “it” will come from Him and “it” will be good. So I guess good help really isn’t hard to find, it just depends on who you’re asking.

Ps 46:1
God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
NKJV

Ps 46:1
1 GOD IS our Refuge and Strength [mighty and impenetrable to temptation], a very present and well-proved help in trouble.
AMP

Ps 121:2
2 My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
NKJV

Isa 41:10
10 Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'
NKJV

Isa 41:13
13 For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand,
Saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you.'
NKJV

Heb 4:16
16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
NKJV

Heb 13:5b
…for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not,[I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down ( relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]
AMP

Increase or Decrease?

Increase - to become greater in size, amount, degree, etc.; grow

Decrease
SYN.—decrease and dwindle suggest a growing gradually smaller in bulk, size, volume, or number, but dwindle emphasizes a wasting away to the point of disappearance [his hopes decreased as his fortune dwindled away to nothing] Web.

You will either increase and grow or decrease and shrink.
Increase takes time and effort.
Increase comes from obeying God.
We are to honor God with the first fruits of all our increase.
The Lord will bless and increase those who fear Him.
To increase you will need to maintain the tools of your gain.
If you are seeking happiness in increase you will never find it.
When goods increase so do those who consume them.

I believe it is God’s will for us to increase. The entire creation, seedtime and harvest are outward evidence of this. Increase is the result of applying good farming principles. If we understand the way the system is set up and apply the laws of increase, we will prosper. It’s not to difficult to understand but the process takes time and so most people waste a lot of trying to cut corners and take short cuts. But there are not really many short cuts a farmer can take. It’s - Seed – Time – then Harvest. Then when you harvest you have to save some of the seed to replant and continue to maintain your gain. If you eat more seed than you plant every year it won’t take long until you are going hungry and looking for work in someone else’s field. And if you spend more than you make and save none one day you will find yourself wanting and wondering why when God promised increase. It’s not fault, it’s really just a lack of discipline and self control. God does not just give us the harvest He gives the seed and the ability to increase. If we apply the process and sow, and tend and keep then God causes increase according to the laws of the universe. If we violate the principles we can pray and give and believe until we are blue in the face but we will not increase. Imagine a farmer who eats all of his crops and more and keeps borrowing to try to satisfy his appetites. Then he gives his little token gift to the church or some ministry and says “God will increase me, I am a sower.” And it is true in the sense that he has increased in ignorance and will grow dumber still trying to increase by applying the principles of decrease. Lot’s of people like to hear about sowing and reaping and rejoice to just throw their seed away and expect God to take care of the rest. But it is not often emphasized that between sowing and reaping comes PLOWING, planting, watering, weeding, tending and keeping. If you are as just as smart as an old farmer and you WORK HARD then God will bless the work of your hands and you will increase but if you don’t He won’t have anything to bless and you won’t. There is no blessing and bail out plan for poor stewardship. As a matter of fact God’s system is set up to take the resources away from those who squander them and put them in the hands of people who will do something with them. So God seems to be saying to me, “if you really want to be blessed stop being an ignorant, whining and insatiable consumer, repent and change your ways and become a producer. Then I will bless the WORK of your hands and you will increase.”

Mark 4:26-29
26 And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, 27 and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. 28 For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. 29 But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."
NKJV

Deut 28:1-14
28 "Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. 2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God:

3 "Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country.

4 "Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks.

5 "Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.

6 "Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.

7 "The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.

8 "The Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

9 "The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways. 10 Then all peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you. 11 And the Lord will grant you plenty of goods, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your ground, in the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. 12 The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. 13 And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them. 14 So you shall not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right or the left, to go after other gods to serve them.
NKJV

Ps 115:13-14
13 He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great.
14 The Lord shall increase you more and more, you and your children.
KJV

Prov 3:9
9 Honor the Lord with your possessions,
And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
NKJV

Prov 13:11
11 Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished,
But he who gathers by labor will increase.
NKJV

Prov 14:4
4 Where no oxen are, the trough is clean;
But much increase comes by the strength of an ox.
NKJV

Eccl 5:10-11
10 He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver;
Nor he who loves abundance, with increase.
This also is vanity.

11 When goods increase,
They increase who eat them;
So what profit have the owners
Except to see them with their eyes?
NKJV

Eccl 5:10
10 Whoever loves money never has money enough;
whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.
This too is meaningless.

11 As goods increase,
so do those who consume them.
And what benefit are they to the owner
except to feast his eyes on them?
NIV

Bridge Over Troubled Waters

How can you stand the pressure and keep you head up when things are shaking. You need to be reinforced. If you think of the concrete in a bridge for example it is reinforced with large amounts of steel rebar. It holds everything together so it can endure the constant pounding and weight that it has to bear. Without this inner network to the bridge would be much weaker and likely to crumble and fall apart over time. It has to have something on the inside that’s stronger than the outside to hold it together. You are likened to this bridge, at times the pressure seems unbearable and you feel like you are going to crumble and fall apart. But God has sent reinforcements so that you can overcome and hold it together. If you will read the Bible and meditate on the scriptures daily it will provide positive and supernatural reinforcement in every area of life. God also sent His Spirit to live on the inside of you to help, love, lead, guide and provide inner strength and reinforcement. You don’t have enough strength in the ‘outside material’ alone but the Word and Spirit of God in you is Almighty.

Eph 3:16
16 May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality].
AMP

Drunk People are Funny

Try to impress people with your drinking skills and you will end up being the laugh of the party. It doesn’t take much ability to get drunk since apparently any fool can do it so it’s curious why some seem to find it so impressive. Getting wasted never solved anyone’s problems except the owner of the liquor store. Just a few random observations after watching some people get lit to celebrate things in life that make them happy when they are not soused. Don’t get me wrong I’m not trying to condescending but humorous. It is funny when you think about it. People get drunk to celebrate what makes them feel good and pretty soon they don’t feel good. They drink on memorable occasions and then they can’t remember the occasion. Technically the Bible does not say not to drink otherwise we would all get dehydrated and delirious. Hey, we could accomplish the same thing by not drinking that we do by drinking. But the Bible does say not to get drunk. It’s one thing to have a drink to celebrate but it becomes a problem when you celebrate the drinking. So what do you think? Is drinking a sin? In and of its self, I don’t think so. But if you get drunk you will surely act stupid and end up sinning sooner or probably later when you are more out of it and that’s what really destroys your life. If you do things you wouldn’t do in your right mind you probably won’t like the results. And you might temporarily feel right about it until you return to the rational realm and then you’ll just have regrets. So anyway I’m just rambling and laughing at and making fun of the insanity of people getting polluted. After all it’s only fair they are always joking about the sensible sane and sober. Ha,ha

Prov 23:29-35

29 Who are the people who are always crying the blues?
Who do you know who reeks of self-pity?
Who keeps getting beat up for no reason at all?
Whose eyes are bleary and bloodshot?
30 It's those who spend the night with a bottle,
for whom drinking is serious business.
31 Don't judge wine by its label,
or its bouquet, or its full-bodied flavor.
32 Judge it rather by the hangover it leaves you with —
the splitting headache, the queasy stomach.
33 Do you really prefer seeing double,
with your speech all slurred,
34 Reeling and seasick,
drunk as a sailor?
35 "They hit me," you'll say, "but it didn't hurt;
they beat on me, but I didn't feel a thing.
When I'm sober enough to manage it,
bring me another drink!"
MES

Prov 23:29-35
29 Who has woe?
Who has sorrow?
Who has contentions?
Who has complaints?
Who has wounds without cause?
Who has redness of eyes?
30 Those who linger long at the wine,
Those who go in search of mixed wine.
31 Do not look on the wine when it is red,
When it sparkles in the cup,
When it swirls around smoothly;
32 At the last it bites like a serpent,
And stings like a viper.
33 Your eyes will see strange things,
And your heart will utter perverse things.
34 Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,
Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying:
35 "They have struck me, but I was not hurt;
They have beaten me, but I did not feel it.
When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?"
NKJV

Prov 23:29-35

29 Who are the people who are always crying the blues?
Who do you know who reeks of self-pity?
Who keeps getting beat up for no reason at all?
Whose eyes are bleary and bloodshot?
30 It's those who spend the night with a bottle,
for whom drinking is serious business.
31 Don't judge wine by its label,
or its bouquet, or its full-bodied flavor.
32 Judge it rather by the hangover it leaves you with —
the splitting headache, the queasy stomach.
33 Do you really prefer seeing double,
with your speech all slurred,
34 Reeling and seasick,
drunk as a sailor?
35 "They hit me," you'll say, "but it didn't hurt;
they beat on me, but I didn't feel a thing.
When I'm sober enough to manage it,
bring me another drink!"
(from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)

Prov 23:29-35

29 Who has woe?
Who has sorrow?
Who has contentions?
Who has complaints?
Who has wounds without cause?
Who has redness of eyes?
30 Those who linger long at the wine,
Those who go in search of mixed wine.
31 Do not look on the wine when it is red,
When it sparkles in the cup,
When it swirls around smoothly;
32 At the last it bites like a serpent,
And stings like a viper.
33 Your eyes will see strange things,
And your heart will utter perverse things.
34 Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,
Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying:
35 "They have struck me, but I was not hurt;
They have beaten me, but I did not feel it.
When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?"
NKJV

Prov 20:1
20 Wine is a mocker,
Strong drink is a brawler,
And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
NKJV

Prov 31:4-7
4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
It is not for kings to drink wine,
Nor for princes intoxicating drink;
5 Lest they drink and forget the law,
And pervert the justice of all the afflicted.
6 Give strong drink to him who is perishing,
And wine to those who are bitter of heart.
7 Let him drink and forget his poverty,
And remember his misery no more.
NKJV

Eph 5:18-21
18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
NKJV

Eph 5:18-19
Don't drink too much wine. That cheapens your life. Drink the Spirit of God, huge draughts of him.
MES

King Me

Jesus is the Almighty King of kings. He’s not dead but alive and immortal and has invited us to rule and reign with Him for eternity. When we receive Him as Lord we become children of God and members of the true royal family. What an awesome privilege with boundless benefits. Just imagine the possibilities!

1 Tim 6:15-16
5 At the right time God will make this known. God is the blessed and only ruler. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. (from GOD'S WORD )

Rev 1:4-8
Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.

To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."
NKJV

Rev 1:17-18
17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, "Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. 18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.
NKJV

1 Peter 2:9-10
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
NKJV

Eph 2:19
19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
NKJV

Rom 5:17
7 For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
NKJV

So What’ll it Be?

Blind faith follows but knows not who or what to where. Are consciously following or following unconsciously. Why do you make the decisions you do? What is the guiding force in your life? Everybody is following something and if you don’t really know what it is then you’re a blind believer. You may be a disciple of one or more of the five; the flesh, feelings, fear, finances or the facts. When you get used to going a certain way then you no longer notice that you are doing it. It becomes a habit. Then you do it by impulse without even questioning if the right way or God’s will. So my question today is what or who is really leading you?

Take a survey and evaluate and examine…

What percent of your decisions do you honestly make based on each category? The total of the six should add up to 100%.

1. The Flesh (gratifying your appetites, cravings and desires) 0-100%
2. Your Feelings (this includes being influenced by friends and family) 0-100%
3. Fear (making decisions based of what you are afraid to do or not do) 0-100%
4. Finances ( making decisions based on money) 0-100%
5. The Facts (reasoning and taking the most logical course – Spock) 0-100%
6. The Word and the Spirit ( Making your decisions based on what the Bible says and what you believe the Spirit of God is leading you to do) 0-100%

Now put the categories in descending order.

Example:.
1. The Word – 20%
2. The Facts – 30%
3. Feelings – 20%
4. The Flesh – 15%
5. Finances – 10%
6. Fear – 5%

How does yours look? This will give you a picture of the true governing forces in your life. This is who and what you follow for better or worse. When you get to the point that the majority is following God then you will really begin to be His disciple. It wont ‘just happen’ you will have to go against the natural flow to do it. If you don’t consciously follow God you will unconsciously follow whatever you’re inclined to and not even realize you are doing it. Whatever or whomever you go after the most is actually the one’s disciple you are. Will you follow God and follow not the five? If this is your desire then you will need to change your habits and the first step is to learn how to abide in and think about God’s words day and night. You’re always thinking about something and what you think about the most will end up being the greatest influence in your life. So what’ll it be?

John 8:31-32
31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
NKJV

Josh 1:8-9
8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
NKJV

Ps 1:1-3
1 Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.
NKJV

Do Not Conform

The facts are the facts, and the facts are subject to change. If you focus on your present reality you won’t be able to change it. To have a successful journey you have to find out where you are (You are Here) and then be able to envision where you are going. If you just keep looking at your present circumstances and thinking, “I don’t know what to do” then you have immobilized and stupefied yourself and that’s the fact. It’s time to get moving and it’s more important see where you are going then where you are or where you’ve been. I’ve never seen a car with windows on the floor boards because looking down upon where you are will get you nowhere. Lift up your head and be encouraged about your future because it’s your life and you can go where you want to. Look out for yourself. Don’t accept the popular opinion and limitations of the present mindset. Pioneers see things that others can’t and often suffer ridicule for it. “They” used to say, “If God would have wanted men to fly He would have given him wings” but who looks stupid now? The Wright brothers were right even though most everyone said they were wrong. They could see something that the brainwashed majority could not. In the story of most great discoveries there is someone who was willing go beyond the boundaries and make a new map. If you think of Einstein, Columbus, Franklin, Lewis and Clark, Bannister, the Wright brothers and Chuck Yeager they all have one thing in common. They were not limited by the facts of the time. But by unconventional thinking bold deeds they changed the reality. You might not be the next great inventor, reformer, explorer or barrier breaker but you might. One thing’s for sure, you are the only one who can change your own mind and explore a new frontier. So you have a choice, you can follow and focus on facts and live according to their rule or you can meditate on the truth of God’s Word and find unlimited potential. If you see yourself the way the world says you are then you let them define you. But if you realize you are “a work in progress” being contrived by the Creator then all things are possible. You are not limited to what you know, you are only limited to what you will let God show you. If you will meditate on Gods Word and accept His way of thinking you will transform your mind and soon find yourself doing things that were formerly impossible.

Rom 12:2
NKJV
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
MES
Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out.
NIV
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
TLB
2 Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think. Then you will learn from your own experience how his ways will really satisfy you.
Wuest
And stop assuming an outward expression that does not come from within you and is not representative of what you are in your inner being but is patterned after this age; but change your outward expression to one that comes from within and is representative of your inner being, by the renewing of your mind,
AMP
Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude]

Hand the Plow or Bear the Whip

All the provision should be there by paying day. People want their invoices paid on time as agreed. A person of integrity pays their bills on time. It’s a matter of honor. God promised to provide and He is completely honest. So how is it we find ourselves coming up short at times?

If you send your kids to get new tires and they come back with a new car are you going to pay for it?

After all ‘they ‘said, “filling out the paperwork is actually easier than changing the tires and “if the tires are worn out it’s probably time to get a new car” and that they could “take the old one off our hands” and give us a supremely great deal today only but not to wait to long because “there is already someone else looking at it.” So we bought it because we really ‘needed’ it! Which means; we thought it was cool and lusted after it so we decided to charge it. “So aren’t you happy? Now you don’t need new tires on your old car or anything else.”
“Oh, and by the way the I guess they are gonna send you a bill for $487.00 a month for the next seven years and your insurance might go up like 48% or something like that. But L–OO-K at this car! Let’s go for a ride” and everybody gets in delighting in the new smell and lush leather ignoring the fact it’s a really nice trap. And you are really ‘happy’ riding around in the lap of luxury until the fowler comes and you have to pay with the skin of your chin-e-chin-chin because it’s paying day and you owe more than can simply be sheared.

I was praying about and considering my bad debt the other day and the Lord seemed to say, “you’ve been outwitted by the enemy.” And referred me to Ps 89:22.

Ps 89:22
NKJV
The enemy shall not outwit him,
Nor the son of wickedness afflict him.
KJV
The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him.
NCV
No enemy will make him give forced payments,
and wicked people will not defeat him.

I began to think about how deceptive all the credit card companies are and all the ‘fine print’ and how it’s just a trap waiting to be sprung upon you. Get a low rate, get miles, ‘Free” rewards bla, bla, bla. And credit cards are good for perfect people, as long as you play the game right and never make a mistake you can live in the trap without being trapped. The only problem is that a majority of people will eventually make mistakes and they know it. They are in the business to make money not to help you with your little problems and desires. Do you really think they can afford to give you a long term low rate? The rate is the bait and the fowler knows the cost is less than what he will get out of his trap. Once you are trapped you become their slave and clip your wings to do it if they desire. And they do desire to make money and so they will take it from whoever is stupid enough to live in their trap. Master Card, “I will be your master” Visa, “your passport to bondage” Discover, “paying 18.99% interest…” oh what a great discovery.

Debt is deceptive and it even has its knife at the throat of our nation. If it can bring down the ‘big eagle’ what do you think it’s gonna do for you? The prophets have been saying for years, “GET OUT OF DEBT!” And the Bible says,

“Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper."
2 Chron 20:20 NKJV

And who has listened? Sorry to say not me. Hooray! And Kudos! To the ones who did, but what are the rest of us gonna do? It seemed like a good idea at the time and some money I ‘had to’ borrow to pay for the house and medical bills and the kid’s college but not the rest. The bills I believe God has led me to incur seem to get paid but it’s the rest of the car that’s the problem. I think I have to repent and take back the new car and just get the tires on the ‘old’ one. Here’s a scripture that refers to being a co-signer but would it not also apply to the signer?

Prov 6:1-5
6 My son, if you become surety for your friend,
If you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,
2 You are snared by the words of your mouth;
You are taken by the words of your mouth.
3 So do this, my son, and deliver yourself;
For you have come into the hand of your friend:
Go and humble yourself;
Plead with your friend.
4 Give no sleep to your eyes,
Nor slumber to your eyelids.
5 Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,
And like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
NKJV

Prov 6:1-5
6 Dear friend, if you've gone into hock with your neighbor
or locked yourself into a deal with a stranger,
2 If you've impulsively promised the shirt off your back
and now find yourself shivering out in the cold,
3 Friend, don't waste a minute, get yourself out of that mess.
You're in that man's clutches!
Go, put on a long face; act desperate.
4 Don't procrastinate —
there's no time to lose.
5 Run like a deer from the hunter,
fly like a bird from the trapper!
MES

So I wish I was writing this form the platform of the debt free but that’s not where I find myself. I’m not just trying to tell others how to get out of a mess, I’m in the mess myself and seeking God about how to get out. I’ve been fooled and ‘fowled’ by my credit card companies. Many years ago I had an alcohol addiction that was ruining my life and the Lord led me out of that. It’s been over 15 years and I’m still free! Is this any less of an affliction? Is not bad debt right now destroying many lives and relationships and tearing at the throat of our whole nation. But I’m fed up with it I’ve had enough and I believe its time for deliverance. But how will it happen? The answer is prayer, the Word and self control. Just like 15 years ago when I was an alcoholic. One day I was reading the Bible and I came upon Eph 5:18 “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” (NIV) I had no idea what the ‘debauchery’ meant from reading the word but I knew the results from living it. Apparently it is “the extreme indulgence of ones appetites” (Web.) I could reason, well I don’t drink wine (I know it’s too nasty coming up) I mostly just drink A LOT of beer so this scripture isn’t talking to me it’s talking to winos. But I knew that was stupid because the scripture was talking to me! You can always find a way to reason yourself right out of God’s way and right back into bondage. So I said simply said (prayed), “OK God, I won’t drink anymore if you fill me with Your Spirit.” And that was it right? Not exactly, that was the beginning of it. I really didn’t know how I was gonna live without it at the time; I thought it was my life. But when I found the real I no longer needed the counterfeit. Every time after that when the temptation would come to get drunk I would quote the scripture out loud or in my head. And believe me I was quoting it A LOT especially the first few months and year. And I’m happy to say that I’ve been free from that day to this but it didn’t “just happen” it was the result of prayer and meditating on and declaring the Word which enabled self control. Because Jesus said,

"If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:31-32 NKJV
Now I find myself caught in another addiction of debauchery knowing the word and the results of a lack of self control. My credit card debt is up over my ears and I even find myself lately eating of plastic. I’m not talking about Margarine since they say it’s mostly plastic anyway but I’m talking about putting the groceries on the “MASTER” Card. You know you are in trouble when you find yourself thinking like the Popeye character WIMPY and saying, “I Will Gladly Pay You Tuesday for a Hamburger Today.” You become WIMPY when you charge more than you can pay for. Now “the borrower is servant to the lender.” (Prov 22:7 NKJV) and you just might end up with an extra job soon flippin burgers instead of eating them. “So what am I going to do?” Seems to be the desperate cry of the times and it’s time to make a decision. I need to get out of debt and it’s hard to get out of a hole when you keep on digging. This seemingly harmless plastic shovel that I’ve held onto “in case of an emergency” has caused an emergency! It was so fun digging this big hole in the sand but now the tide is coming in. Every paying day the bills flood in and I splash around spitting out sand and salt water and hoping I make it through another one without drowning. This leaves a bad taste in everyone’s mouth and we may even find ourselves stressed and fighting on our plastic family vacation. So enough rambling… what am I going to do about it? The answer is the same as always – Prayer, the Word and Self-control.
1. Pray and ask for forgiveness for disobedience, debauchery and looking to another to be my financial “savior’ and provider.

2. I will pray and meditate on God’s Word and seek His Wisdom concerning my financial decisions and trust Him to empower me for self control. Here is my scripture because it’s become a 911.

Psalm 91:1-3
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the presence of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”
Surely He shall deliver me from the snare of the fowler
And the perilous pestilence.

3. I will - Stop Digging! I must STOP just putting stuff on the card at random. In case of emergency the first thing I will do is pray and not just pull out the plastic.

4. I will make a budget and live within my means.

5. I will set up system for accountability.

At this point I really don’t know how I will live without it. But I believe as I find the True God to be my Provider and follow Him that I will no longer need the counterfeit. I’m trusting He will show me the way out as I follow Him and I know that there is no need for Him to start until I stop digging. I’m praying that my daughters wedding will be the last thing that I ever ‘have to’ put on my card and I will even do that another way if I can find one. I determine not to buy things I do not need or things that I want that I don’t have the money for. I will not make any major purchase (over $100 for me right now) unless my wife and I both agree that it’s the right thing to do according to God’s leading and the right way to do it. (If you are not married who will you accountability partner be?) Those $10s, $20s and $100s soon add up to so many thousands.

It’s time to make a decision; will you serve the Lord or follow your flesh and magnify mammon?

"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Matt 6:24 NKJV

“And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, (or Visa, Master Card and Discover) in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Josh 24:15 NKJV

"Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matt 6:31-34
NKJV

That’s what God said so I choose to believe Him! I’m starting a group for anyone who wants to COMMIT to get out of credit card debt. Because by God’s grace that’s where I am going, and I will stand with you if that’s where you want to go too.

But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." Luke 9:62 NKJV

I will PLOW forward and not look back. I will plant and tend and keep what I have and live within my means. I will not be lazy and borrow and therefore become a slave plowing the field of another. I will learn to sow and save and reap the rewards of following God and doing His way and trust Him to be my Provider.

So the group is called PLOW and it’s open to anyone who wants to join. You will either have calluses on your hands from the work of plowing or the marks of the whip on your back from borrowing. So which one will it be? I’m tired of being Wimpy and getting whipped so I choose to plow. Will you join me and be free?

Facebook Group:
PLOW - Committed to getting out of credit card debt!
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=92305395115

Get Out a Dodge!

Follow the Shepherd not the grass. It looks greener on the other side but to cross the fence you have to sell yourself out. You promise to repay in the future for the grass you are eating today. The only problem is what you turned it into is not suitable for repayment so you will have to pay with your life. You have by your own choice become a servant of the lender. You say, “The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want” but part of you belongs to another, after all you’ve been eating their grass. So who is your provider, the Lord or the lender? If you look to the world system to meet your needs they will be happy to oblige and if you live in their pasture you will go by their rules. Any good shepherd knows that if you have more sheep than your land can withstand that you are headed for destitution. The worlds system of debt has invited the multitudes, “come and eat freely” and “gorge yourself” until you are gratified, but they eat and they eat and never get satisfied. It’s no wonder that the resources have been consumed because the world is not a good shepherd. Many now are finding out they are in the wrong field, weary and scattered and wondering what to do. The answer is to repent and return to the Lord as Provider. Go back to the Lord and return to restraint because it’s the only real way to be financially free. We all have needs and we are expected to pray and obey and to follow the Shepherd day by day. Not just hop the fence and hope we aren’t held ‘accountable’ for our actions.

Since when do people just go make a major purchase without asking the Lord of their life? Probably since people stopped living by faith and started living by debt. Saving has been replaced by spending and we’ve found out how long that will last because the river’s run dry. Instant gratification has produced long term torment. Now we will have to deal with the results of our actions. We can plead and beg and pray for the Good Shepherd to come and fix the world’s field but that’s not His responsibility. Instead He says, “return to Me and walk in My ways and you will prosper.” The lines have been drawn and the fence has been set and it’s time to choose a side and stay on it. Stop going back and forth like a metronome and expecting God to meet your needs. The one you follow is whom you will serve. If you find yourself in financial famine it’s because the world is in trouble it’s time to “get out of Dodge.”

Palm 23

1 The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.
NKJV

Chasing Geese?

If you don’t want to flounder follow not the five. The external things that you discern with the five physical senses waver like the weather. The flesh, feelings, fear, finances and facts fluctuate frequently. If stay busy trying to follow things that are given to change you will be like a wild eyed whirlwind on a wild goose chase. The confounded farmer wondered why he couldn’t prosper; after all he stayed diligently active going after the gaggle of geese. But I say let the geese gather themselves and go do something that really matters.

2 Cor 4:18
18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
NKJV

Rom 8:14
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
NKJV

Follow Not Fear of Failure

Fear of failure is not a valid reason not to do anything. If we don't even try because we are afraid we might fail then we already have. Most of the things God leads us to do are beyond your ability. But this is nothing new reading, writing and arithmetic were once incomprehensible but we were created with the ability to learn. And because we have this gift we are able to increase and obtain the aptitude tomorrow that we don’t have today. When God gives us a new task it’s like when we were handed that first times tables test and told to be done in sixty seconds or less. At first it seems impossible but then it becomes easy as go then we grow. If we are afraid to do and to follow through then we will just say the same way. But when God says, “go” or “do” and “I will be with you” then it should be understood that there’s no need to fear because the Teacher is here and He will give us our gear. And if we learn how to use it and walk in His ways then we’ll live beyond our ability all of our days. It’s not by our wisdom, ability or might, but by His indwelling presence that we will live right, shine bright and fight the good fight.

Follow fear and the demons will cheer.

The line is set and they are waiting for you,
they lure you with fear cause that's what they do.
If you take the bait then then they've got you hooked,
and your trip to torment has now been booked.
Get it out of your mouth or they'll reel you in,
to declare all your worries is really a sin.
If you waggle your tongue like an cowardly klutz,
the next thing you know, they've got your guts.
So don't declare what you fear and your words misapply,
or you may be the main dish at the next wicked fish fry.

1 John 4:18
18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.
NKJV

Matt 6:31
31 "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'
NKJV

Matt 6:31
31 Therefore TAKE NO THOUGHT(BIAT), SAYING, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
KJV

Prov 6:2
2 You are snared with the words of your lips, you are caught by the speech of your mouth.
AMP

Ps 46:1-3
46 God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3 Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling.
Selah
NKJV

Ps 56:3-4
3 Whenever I am afraid,
I will trust in You.
4 In God (I will praise His word),
In God I have put my trust;
I will not fear.
What can flesh do to me?
NKJV

Pick a Side

If you follow fear it will control where you go. Jesus said that we should know His voice and follow Him but there are also many strange voices out there. The voices you listen to the most you become familiar with and you will go with what you know. If you listen to the wrong things you will end up going the wrong way and putting yourself on a collision course with God. The Bible says the Lord is on our side and that's assuming we follow Him. If we follow the five (flesh, feelings, fear, finances or facts) we will find ourselves facing God on the field of life. I don't imagine I would like to go head to head with God but people contend with Him about His will for their lives everyday. Many have listened to and reasoned with the wrong and become convinced they are more right than God. Now they oppose God and follow the five and ask God to bless them and give them "the victory" unknowing that He will never yield because they are on the wrong team and are going the wrong way. That's why God says repent which means to choose His side and turn around and Go His way otherwise you will get run over sooner or later. It's really idiotic to think you can do things your way and have God bless it. The only way to walk in the blessing is to follow Him and walk in His ways. And then you can declare...

"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want." Ps 23:1

"The Lord is on my side: I will not fear. What can man do to me?" Ps 118:6

And chant, With God we will gain the victory, He will trample down our enemies! according to Ps 44:5

Are you on the Menu?

If you were walking through a jungle know to be inhabited by cannibalistic tribes and you saw a snare would you stick your head in it? Not if you don’t want to be the next thing on the menu. You can follow God or follow the crowd but not both. If you follow the Lord your Shepherd you will live in safety and not want. But if you follow the flock for fear of rejection they will accept you all right, and eat you for lunch.

Prov 29:25
The fear of man brings a snare,
But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.
NKJV

Prov 29:25
Being afraid of people can get you into trouble,
but if you trust the Lord, you will be safe.
NCV

Prov 29:25
25 It is dangerous to be concerned with what others think of you, but if you trust the Lord, you are safe.
GNT

Prov 29:25
5 A person's fear sets a trap for him,
but one who trusts the Lord is safe.
GOD'S WORD

Prov 29:25
25 The fear of human opinion disables;
trusting in God protects you from that.
MES

John 10:27
27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they FOLLOW ME.
NKJV

Psalm 23
1The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.
NKJV

So if you will FOLLOW the Lord surely goodness and mercy shall FOLLOW you all the days of your life.

Groping and Hoping?

Follow not the Five - Feelings

Stick your foot in a big bucket of pudding. Now tell me how that tastes. That doesn’t make sense you don’t taste with your toes. It makes about as much sense as trying to be led by your feelings. Feelings fluctuate frequently but the “just shall live by faith.” Feelings are always changing depending on the circumstances. Faith remains the same because it is based on Gods unchanging Word. Thomas said unless I see and feel I won’t believe but Jesus said, “If you believe you will see...” and, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." If it’s already manifest there is really no need to believe because it’s sitting right there in front of your face. Faith is believing in things not yet seen and “we walk by faith and not by sight.”

“While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Cor 4:18 NKJV

“By faith he (Moses) forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.” Heb 11:27-28 NKJV

WHAT? Looking at things that are not seen and seeing Him who is invisible? I think you are “seeing things” other people can’t see. When you see the reality of the promises by faith in God’s Word then you have supernatural sight. It’s like night vision goggles and it gives you the divine advantage. Through the Word you can see into the future while others are blind. If you follow your feelings it’s like groping around in a dark jungle and hoping you don’t get bit by a snake or fall in a pit. Don’t be tossed to and fro by whatever may come your way but get over you feelings and say. I walk by faith and not by sight and I know everything is going to turn out all right because I’ve trusted in God’s Word and believed what He had to say, and this is how I’ll govern my life each and every day. I will follow His Spirit and not what I feel because His Word is the Truth and it’s really more real.

1 Peter 1:6-9

6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith — the salvation of your souls.

NKJV

1 Peter 1:8-9

8 You never saw him, yet you love him. You still don't see him, yet you trust him — with laughter and singing. 9 Because you kept on believing, you'll get what you're looking forward to: total salvation.

MES

1 Peter 1:8-9

8 Without having seen Him, you love Him; though you do not [even] now see Him, you believe in Him and exult and thrill with inexpressible and glorious (triumphant, heavenly) joy.

9 [At the same time] you receive the result (outcome, consummation) of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

AMP

Luke 4:1-2

4 Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2

NKJV

Rom 8:14

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

NKJV

Gal 5:18

18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

NKJV

Matt 16:24-25

24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

NKJV

John 12:26

26 If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. I

NKJV

First Defog Blog

I'm figuring out how this blog stuff does go, because right now I really don't know. If you don't like rhyme you won't like to read, I do it all the time because it plants a seed. And because I like it, I've been "Seussed" I say, and now I can't seem to write any other way. I've named it defog for clearing your brain, and helping those see who are otherwise insane. So I trust it will be a blessing to you, and help you succeed in all that you do.