I want to speak to you this morning that is carrying something against God. Now, before you dismiss this, and say; “I don’t hate God with anything”, I am talking about much more than just someone carrying hatred and anger against God. And I know there are some people out there who are angry, because they feel God abandoned them in some way. Please, let me speak to you this morning, hear me out in what I have to say. What will it hurt to listen to what I want to tell you? You have nothing to lose, yet.
First, let me speak to the angry ones. To you, who feel God failed you on a promise, left you for dead, I have a word, and this is for you. The Bible says this; “Jesus said unto her, (Martha, Lazarus’s sister) I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:” (John 11:25). You know this story here, how Lazarus died and how Jesus purposefully waited 4 days too late to come to him. It was part of a plan. And that plan was to show people that you must have faith in God. We as humans have this problem called “Time limits”. We fall into this trap of thinking something has to be done at a certain time or all hope is lost. To Martha, all hope was lost because Lazarus died. But we serve a God who is not bound by the power of Death, or time limits. Even after rotting and stinking in a grave for 4 days, Jesus commands three little words; “Lazarus, come forth!” (John 11:43), and Lazarus rises from death and walks out! You must believe, you must not give in to giving up. God allows bad timing, to show you he doesn’t have to move before time is up, he controls it. Whatever way you think he has failed, or not kept his promise, don’t believe it! Time has not ran out, the promise you need and the thing you need God to do can still happen, but if you give up faith all is truly lost.
Last, let me speak to those who aren’t carrying anger, but grief. Those who feel they are to far gone for God to care or reach. You made a mistake, and you’ve suffered greatly for it. Something happened in your past, and if you just had seen it coming, everything would have been alright. But, it blind-sighted you and knocked you to the ground. I am talking to someone directly right now, and hear me; God is reaching to you thru this word today. Right about now you are feeling funny inside, and you are feeling a weight in the middle of your chest. This is the gentle tug of the Holy Ghost beginning to speak to you. God has been like that father of the Prodigal son, waiting and looking for your return, ready to forgive you when you called. But sorrow and depression over the “Thing” that happened in your life kept you apart, not allowing you to call on him. I have a word for you from the Lord; “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28). He is also telling me to tell you this; “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.” (Hosea 14:4). I know it maybe hard to believe, but he is calling you back, before it is too late.
It is time to let these things go. God is willing and able to clean the slate and start brand new with you again. But you must meet him there, and give him a second chance as well.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
ONE LAST WORD ON "NEGLECT"
FROM THE WATCHMEN: WE WANTED TO ADD ONE LAST WARNING ON THE "NEGLECT" ISSUE THAT WE MENTIONED A FEW DEVOTIONALS AGO. THIS WORD FROM PASTOR DAVID WILKERSON SAYS IT BEST. ENJOY AND TAKE WHAT HE SAYS TO HEART.
There is one thing I dread above all others and that is that I would drift away from Christ. I shudder at the notion that I would become slothful, spiritually neglectful, caught up in prayerlessness, and go for days without seeking God’s Word. In my travels around the world I have witnessed a “spiritual tsunami” of evil drifting. Entire denominations have been caught up in the waves of this tsunami, leaving in their wake the ruins of apathy. The Bible warns clearly that it’s possible for devoted believers to drift from Christ.
A Christian who goes after “peace and safety at any cost” and merely hangs onto salvation pays a high spiritual price. So, how can we guard against drifting from Christ and neglecting “so great a salvation”? Paul tells us how: “Give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip” (Hebrews 2:1).
God isn’t interested in our being able to “speed read” through His Word. Reading many chapters a day or trying to get through the Bible quickly may give us a good feeling of accomplishment. But what’s more important is that we “hear” what we read with spiritual ears, and meditate on it so that it’s “heard” in our hearts.
Staying steadfast in God’s Word was no small matter for Paul. He lovingly warns, “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip” (Hebrews 2:1). He also says, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith: prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates” (2 Corinthians 13:5).
Paul isn’t suggesting to these believers that they’re reprobates. Rather, he’s urging them, “As lovers of Christ, test yourself. Take a spiritual inventory. You know enough about your walk with Jesus to know you’re loved by him, that he hasn’t turned from you, that you are redeemed. But ask yourself: How is your communion with Christ? Are you guarding it with all diligence? Are you leaning on him in your hard times?”
Perhaps you realize, “I see a bit of drifting in my life, a tendency to slumber. I know I’m praying less and less. My walk with the Lord isn’t as it should be.”
“We are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end” (Hebrews 3:14).
By David Wilkerson
There is one thing I dread above all others and that is that I would drift away from Christ. I shudder at the notion that I would become slothful, spiritually neglectful, caught up in prayerlessness, and go for days without seeking God’s Word. In my travels around the world I have witnessed a “spiritual tsunami” of evil drifting. Entire denominations have been caught up in the waves of this tsunami, leaving in their wake the ruins of apathy. The Bible warns clearly that it’s possible for devoted believers to drift from Christ.
A Christian who goes after “peace and safety at any cost” and merely hangs onto salvation pays a high spiritual price. So, how can we guard against drifting from Christ and neglecting “so great a salvation”? Paul tells us how: “Give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip” (Hebrews 2:1).
God isn’t interested in our being able to “speed read” through His Word. Reading many chapters a day or trying to get through the Bible quickly may give us a good feeling of accomplishment. But what’s more important is that we “hear” what we read with spiritual ears, and meditate on it so that it’s “heard” in our hearts.
Staying steadfast in God’s Word was no small matter for Paul. He lovingly warns, “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip” (Hebrews 2:1). He also says, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith: prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates” (2 Corinthians 13:5).
Paul isn’t suggesting to these believers that they’re reprobates. Rather, he’s urging them, “As lovers of Christ, test yourself. Take a spiritual inventory. You know enough about your walk with Jesus to know you’re loved by him, that he hasn’t turned from you, that you are redeemed. But ask yourself: How is your communion with Christ? Are you guarding it with all diligence? Are you leaning on him in your hard times?”
Perhaps you realize, “I see a bit of drifting in my life, a tendency to slumber. I know I’m praying less and less. My walk with the Lord isn’t as it should be.”
“We are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end” (Hebrews 3:14).
By David Wilkerson
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
FIX YOUR EYES ON JESUS!
Every man has some contribution to make to your life if you know how to receive it; certain men will astonish you with their ability to answer your unexpressed question and tell you what is in your heart. But never attach yourself to any man as a parasite. Adopt no man as a guru. Apart from the inspired writers of Holy Scriptures no man is worthy of such confidence. The sweetest saint can be mistaken.
I repeat, never let any man become necessary to you. Christ alone is necessary. Apart from Him we are completely wretched; without Him we cannot live and dare not die. Our need of Him is real and vital and will outlast time and go on into eternity. That deep and desperate need is met by Christ so completely that when we have Him we need no one else. We may receive help from our fellow Christians as they from us, but our need for them is relative and fleeting. Let anyone become spiritually indispensable to us and we have deserted the Rock to build on shifting sand.
It requires deep consecration, I admit, and complete detachment from earthly interests to reach such a place of independence. And it is only after we become completely dependent upon God that we can walk without leaning on men. It takes much prayer and quiet contemplation to maintain the nice balance that will permit us to receive help from our fellow Christians and at the same time be sweetly independent of them. But we should not despair; it is not beyond the possibilities of grace. Not even for such weak Christians as we are.
By A. W. Tozer
I repeat, never let any man become necessary to you. Christ alone is necessary. Apart from Him we are completely wretched; without Him we cannot live and dare not die. Our need of Him is real and vital and will outlast time and go on into eternity. That deep and desperate need is met by Christ so completely that when we have Him we need no one else. We may receive help from our fellow Christians as they from us, but our need for them is relative and fleeting. Let anyone become spiritually indispensable to us and we have deserted the Rock to build on shifting sand.
It requires deep consecration, I admit, and complete detachment from earthly interests to reach such a place of independence. And it is only after we become completely dependent upon God that we can walk without leaning on men. It takes much prayer and quiet contemplation to maintain the nice balance that will permit us to receive help from our fellow Christians and at the same time be sweetly independent of them. But we should not despair; it is not beyond the possibilities of grace. Not even for such weak Christians as we are.
By A. W. Tozer
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
NEGLECT OF GOD - PART 2
First of all, I must apologize as I bring everybody down from the “High” we were riding on yesterdays devotional; “Feed my sheep”, part #1 in the series the neglect of God. But I must address the last point in this issue. In this part #2, we must examine our side of the neglect issue.
It is obvious from the previous devotional that neglect is not in God’s vocabulary. Indeed, we see in scripture that God has provided every means possible to NOT ever be guilty of the sin of neglect. All thru the Old Testament, God kept providing a lifeline to fallen mankind by means of the blood of bulls and sheep. One historian wrote that the Kidron valley ran red, as if painted, by so much killing of animals and shedding their blood as a temporary offering to momentarily appease the Holiness of God. And God accepted these weak and putrid sacrifices, just to keep in touch with us.
He sent us prophet after prophet, to speak with us because we had no way to communicate with him. Then finally, after hundreds of years of putting up with temporary means, and animal sacrifices, that could never satisfy his curse pronounced in the garden of Eden, that the soul that sinneth shall surely die, he sent us his best, his PLAN A. He sent us Jesus. And be sure of one thing reader, everything Jesus did was not for his benefit, but for ours. Scripture records this; “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2). Neglect from God? Let me put it this way, that phrase “joy that was set before him” is translated poorly. Let’s read it the right way, it goes like this; “who for INSERT YOUR NAME HERE, endured the cross, despising the shame.” Neglect from God? The Bible states;” Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him;” (Isaiah 53:10). God so loved this world that it gave him Joy to destroy his own son, knowing he would get many sons in return. He was not satisfied with just one son; he wanted many, so he gave his only begotten son to the curse of sin, to get you and me. I ask you, could you ever say God has neglected you? Never my friend!
But we have him haven’t we? Be honest, you will spend more time watching football, reading a book, watching a movie, putting overtime in for that precious dollar of yours than one hour with a God who bankrupted his supplies in Heaven to get to us. We will stand and shout and wave as some man throws a stupid ball across a field to another, but the house of God is as dead as a mortuary in worship and praise. God’s word teaches that to those who have been forgiven much loves that much more. I ask you, what has he cleaned up in you? What kind of dirty, filthy, horrid things has he set you free from? Has he took the broken and busted and unfixable thing called your life, and repaired it back to normal? Even better than that, has he took the thing that you thought was lost forever in your life and gave it back to you like it never left? He certainly did when he gave you his son Jesus. Make a commitment today to rid yourself of the sin of neglect.
Spend time with God in prayer. Read his word and begin to commune with the Holy Spirit every day. God gave you his best, his PLAN A, and he gave some of you reading this your PLAN A back in your life when you thought all was lost. Let’s don’t be guilty of shaking our nose of neglect in God’s face any longer.
It is obvious from the previous devotional that neglect is not in God’s vocabulary. Indeed, we see in scripture that God has provided every means possible to NOT ever be guilty of the sin of neglect. All thru the Old Testament, God kept providing a lifeline to fallen mankind by means of the blood of bulls and sheep. One historian wrote that the Kidron valley ran red, as if painted, by so much killing of animals and shedding their blood as a temporary offering to momentarily appease the Holiness of God. And God accepted these weak and putrid sacrifices, just to keep in touch with us.
He sent us prophet after prophet, to speak with us because we had no way to communicate with him. Then finally, after hundreds of years of putting up with temporary means, and animal sacrifices, that could never satisfy his curse pronounced in the garden of Eden, that the soul that sinneth shall surely die, he sent us his best, his PLAN A. He sent us Jesus. And be sure of one thing reader, everything Jesus did was not for his benefit, but for ours. Scripture records this; “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2). Neglect from God? Let me put it this way, that phrase “joy that was set before him” is translated poorly. Let’s read it the right way, it goes like this; “who for INSERT YOUR NAME HERE, endured the cross, despising the shame.” Neglect from God? The Bible states;” Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him;” (Isaiah 53:10). God so loved this world that it gave him Joy to destroy his own son, knowing he would get many sons in return. He was not satisfied with just one son; he wanted many, so he gave his only begotten son to the curse of sin, to get you and me. I ask you, could you ever say God has neglected you? Never my friend!
But we have him haven’t we? Be honest, you will spend more time watching football, reading a book, watching a movie, putting overtime in for that precious dollar of yours than one hour with a God who bankrupted his supplies in Heaven to get to us. We will stand and shout and wave as some man throws a stupid ball across a field to another, but the house of God is as dead as a mortuary in worship and praise. God’s word teaches that to those who have been forgiven much loves that much more. I ask you, what has he cleaned up in you? What kind of dirty, filthy, horrid things has he set you free from? Has he took the broken and busted and unfixable thing called your life, and repaired it back to normal? Even better than that, has he took the thing that you thought was lost forever in your life and gave it back to you like it never left? He certainly did when he gave you his son Jesus. Make a commitment today to rid yourself of the sin of neglect.
Spend time with God in prayer. Read his word and begin to commune with the Holy Spirit every day. God gave you his best, his PLAN A, and he gave some of you reading this your PLAN A back in your life when you thought all was lost. Let’s don’t be guilty of shaking our nose of neglect in God’s face any longer.
Monday, October 19, 2009
NEGLECT OF GOD - PART 1
NOTE FROM THE WATCHMEN: THIS WILL BE A TWO PART SERIES ON THE PRESENT CONDITION OF THE CHURCH. AS I BEGAN TO FORMULATE WHICH ISSUE I WANTED TO SPEAK ON FIRST, I HAPPENED UPON PASTOR DAVID WILKERSON'S MORNING ADDRESS. I DON'T THINK I COULD SAY IT ANY BETTER ON ISSUE #1. TOMORROW - ISSUE #2, BE READY.
FEED MY SHEEP. - By David Wilkerson
When I asked the Holy Spirit to show me how to guard against neglect, he led me to consider Peter’s drifting and his eventual renewal. This man denied Christ, even cursing, telling his accuser, “I don’t know him.”
What had happened? What had brought Peter to that point? It was pride, the result of self-righteous boasting. This disciple had said to himself and others, “I could never grow cold in my love for Jesus. I’ve reached a place in my faith where I don’t have to be warned. Others may drift, but I will die for my Lord.”
Yet Peter was the first among the disciples to give up the struggle. He forsook his calling and returned to his old career, telling the others, “I’m going fishing.” What he really was saying is, “I can’t handle this. I had thought I couldn’t fail, but nobody ever failed God worse than I did. I just can’t face the struggle anymore.”
By that point, Peter had repented of his denial of Jesus. And he had been restored in Jesus’ love. Yet he was still a frayed man inside.
Now, as Jesus waited for the disciples to return to shore, an issue remained unsettled in Peter’s life. It wasn’t enough that Peter was restored, secure in his salvation. It wasn’t enough that he would fast and pray as any devoted believer would do. No, the issue that Christ wanted to address in Peter’s life was neglect in another form. Let me explain.
As they sat around the fire on shore, eating and fellowshipping, Jesus asked Peter three times, “Do you love me more than these others?” Each time Peter answered, “Yes, Lord, you know I do,” and Christ responded in turn, “Feed my sheep.” Note that Jesus didn’t remind him to watch and pray, or to be diligent in reading God’s Word. Christ presumed those thing had already been well taught. No, the instruction he gave Peter now was, “Feed my sheep.”
I believe that in that simple phrase, Jesus was instructing Peter on how to guard against neglect. He was saying, in essence, “I want you to forget about your failure, forget that you drifted from me. You’ve come back to me now, and I’ve forgiven and restored you. So it’s time to get your focus off of your doubts, failures and problems. And the way to do that is by not neglecting my people and to minister to their needs. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
FEED MY SHEEP. - By David Wilkerson
When I asked the Holy Spirit to show me how to guard against neglect, he led me to consider Peter’s drifting and his eventual renewal. This man denied Christ, even cursing, telling his accuser, “I don’t know him.”
What had happened? What had brought Peter to that point? It was pride, the result of self-righteous boasting. This disciple had said to himself and others, “I could never grow cold in my love for Jesus. I’ve reached a place in my faith where I don’t have to be warned. Others may drift, but I will die for my Lord.”
Yet Peter was the first among the disciples to give up the struggle. He forsook his calling and returned to his old career, telling the others, “I’m going fishing.” What he really was saying is, “I can’t handle this. I had thought I couldn’t fail, but nobody ever failed God worse than I did. I just can’t face the struggle anymore.”
By that point, Peter had repented of his denial of Jesus. And he had been restored in Jesus’ love. Yet he was still a frayed man inside.
Now, as Jesus waited for the disciples to return to shore, an issue remained unsettled in Peter’s life. It wasn’t enough that Peter was restored, secure in his salvation. It wasn’t enough that he would fast and pray as any devoted believer would do. No, the issue that Christ wanted to address in Peter’s life was neglect in another form. Let me explain.
As they sat around the fire on shore, eating and fellowshipping, Jesus asked Peter three times, “Do you love me more than these others?” Each time Peter answered, “Yes, Lord, you know I do,” and Christ responded in turn, “Feed my sheep.” Note that Jesus didn’t remind him to watch and pray, or to be diligent in reading God’s Word. Christ presumed those thing had already been well taught. No, the instruction he gave Peter now was, “Feed my sheep.”
I believe that in that simple phrase, Jesus was instructing Peter on how to guard against neglect. He was saying, in essence, “I want you to forget about your failure, forget that you drifted from me. You’ve come back to me now, and I’ve forgiven and restored you. So it’s time to get your focus off of your doubts, failures and problems. And the way to do that is by not neglecting my people and to minister to their needs. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
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