Is your Pastor, the Pastor

Some churches see the leader's task as primarily evangelism or would winning, but that is not ture in the New Testament. Leaders, especially the apostles, taught every believer. The apostles insisted that they devote themselves "to prayer and to the preaching ministry" (Acts 6:4). Leaders, however, must understand that you can't teach the people what you don't know. You can't lead the people where you haven't been. You can't take the people beyond your own walk with God. --Your Church Experiencing God Together by Henry&Mel Blackaby

The Will of God

not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Matt 26:39 (KJV)

   There are no disappointments to those whose wills are buried in the will of God. –Faber

 

 

Do you have a Dream?

Do you have a Dream?

 

     A lot of emphasis today is given to having a dream and dreaming about the future. The Bible actually has something to say about this issue (a surprise too many). So let's take a look at one of the lessons God gives us on this topic. Enter King David. David was a man after God's own heart, and he had a personal dream to build a Temple for the Lord. God told David though that because he had shed so much blood that he could not do it. However, David was allowed to prepare the materials and sacrificially give from his own fortune for his successor to build the temple though and David did command Solomon (1 Chronicles 28) to build a house for the Lord.

     We must place our dreams on the altar before the Lord. May our hearts cry be "Lord, if it be your will..." Many in America need to repent of pursuing their own dream rather than God's specific purposes and plan for their life (Eph 2:10). ...and if it be that God would say, your heart is right but it is for the next generation then may we faithfully prepare like David so that "Solomon" can accomplish the mighty task.

 

Christ the Messiah—God Still has a Plan!

Christ the Messiah—God Still has a Plan!

 

 T he days were bleak and hopeless. People didn’t know where to turn for hope and salvation. Then Jesus came.

   In the midst of life’s most trying circumstances we don’t have to cower down, but can turn to our hope—the Messiah. As we enter this Christmas season let’s remember that the Lord sent Jesus to be the Messiah, the Savior, the King of this world. In the midst of one of the darkest moments of Israel’s history, the Lord sent a ray of hope; but it took thirty years before that hope was launched into ministry (and that only lasted for some extraordinary three and a half years).

  We are in a similar situation. The economy and country seem bleak and hopeless, yet God is offering a ray of hope: He still has a plan. Though times may get tougher, God will take care of His own (Matt. 6:33).

  Dark times seem to be upon on us, but technology and the times have opened up mission fields that never existed before. We have the capability to make a big impact if it is the Lord’s will. For this upcoming year get some goals together as you seek the Holy Spirit— your Counselor and Guide—asking Him to reveal what He wants you to do this year, what He has called and anointed you to do. When He responds, trust Him and let peace be the umpire.

God’s Overpowering Purpose

God’s Overpowering Purpose

I have appeared to you for this purpose . . .—Acts 26:16

    The vision Paul had on the road to Damascus was not a passing emotional experience, but a vision that had very clear and emphatic directions for him. And Paul stated, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision” (Acts 26:19). Our Lord said to Paul, in effect, “Your whole life is to be overpowered or subdued by Me; you are to have no end, no aim, and no purpose but Mine.” And the Lord also says to us, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go . . .” (John 15:16).

 

   When we are born again, if we are spiritual at all, we have visions of what Jesus wants us to be. It is important that I learn not to be “disobedient to the heavenly vision”—not to doubt that it can be attained. It is not enough to give mental assent to the fact that God has redeemed the world, nor even to know that the Holy Spirit can make all that Jesus did a reality in my life. I must have the foundation of a personal relationship with Him. Paul was not given a message or a doctrine to proclaim. He was brought into a vivid, personal, overpowering relationship with Jesus Christ.Acts 26:16 is tremendously compelling “. . . to make you a minister and a witness . . . .” There would be nothing there without a personal relationship. Paul was devoted to a Person, not to a cause. He was absolutely Jesus Christ’s. He saw nothing else and he lived for nothing else. “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).

 

--Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

http://utmost.org/god%e2%80%99s-overpowering-purpose/

 

Thought 326: Establishing God's Guidelines for Romance from Ryan's devotional book series Thoughts

Thought 326

Establishing God’s Guidelines for Romance

     Romance is a commonly misunderstood subject in our culture today. Do you know any of God’s guidelines for marriage? What about dating, I mean, is there anything like that in the Bible? Or what about courtship? This is only a couple of questions, but there is a lot of Biblical principle and wisdom on this subject of “relationships.”

      First, following the direction of the Holy Spirit in alignment with the Word is everything. Many follow and seek God’s direction and is will in their career, problems, and hardships, so why not in “romance” to? After all, this area is very confusing, painful and routine for just about everyone that attempts to build their own ”Hollywood love” story. Even Christians many times passionately want the lights, the  fireworks, and the THE HEAT of a head over heels relationship with the opposite sex.

     God does have rules though, and those rules are for our protection. For instance, nearly every New Testament book warns us of sexual immorality: it is a big “no no” for God’s people. The Bible says there is not even to be a hint of sexual immorality among you (Ephesians 5:3). Not even a hint! Unfortunately, that is not what is thought of when people look at the American Church.

      Older readers, think back to the times of your youth with the young men or young women; likewise you young’uns think back to your recent past or just examine your present “relationship.” Are dating relationships today void of sexual immorality? Among Christians circles? Is there truly not even a hint of sexual immorality, which is as simple as a wanting desire (lust, which is a form of pride)?

        Hands interlocking around his neck she passionately kissed him . . . he grabbed her and kissed her (that was the first time he had ever expressed his “feelings” for her), but just a few hours later everything he ever knew as right was thrown out the window as they stared at each other longingly in the back of his car. . . . .and now they are both feeling guilty for the crime they have just committed before God and what they had stolen from each other’s future spouses . . .

        This story and many others out there relate the timeless truths of Proverbs. Just take a look and see how many of these stories are described in other terms in that book—you will be amazed what you find.

⁹  In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:

¹⁰ And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.

¹¹ (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:

¹² Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)

¹³ So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,

¹⁴ I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.

¹⁵ Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.

¹⁶ I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.

¹⁷ I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

¹⁸ Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.

¹⁹ For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey

--Proverbs 7:9-19 KJV

  Solomon’s life, like his father David’s, was filled with compromise when women were “part of the package”. Solomon gave into beauty, charm, and sex – the very things that God wrote through him not to do when the book of Proverbs was penned. The man had A THOUSAND WIVES! For being so wise, he turned out to be “pretty lame.” Only one wife is permitted to a man (Genesis 2). It has been that way since the beginning.  God created one Eve for Adam, not a Hiram. How could Solomon ere so greatly; after all, the guy had it made? Because he gave up his relationship with God for a season just to have the ladies. Young men, young ladies are important. I mean, I am excited that one day I will spend my days with the amazing woman that I can call my wife for the rest of my years and every young woman should be treated with respect. But . . . . we need to surrender our desires to God. The book of Psalms declares that if you delight yourself in the Lord he will give you the desires of your heart (Psalms 37:4). But understand this: those desires are not lustful.

     The warnings of Solomon in the book of Proverbs are amazingly applicable to our lives. Solomon was the wisest that ever lived (other than Christ), yet he didn’t even follow the commands that he gave to his own son to whom he appears to have written the Proverbs. Solomon wrote the Proverbs under the direction of the Holy Spirit and did not truly ‘think them up’ on his own; therefore, these aren’t just guys’ opinions, they are the very Words of God.

Thought 304: I will take hold of your hand from Ryan's devotional book series Thoughts

Thought 304

I will take hold of your hand

“I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.”

Isaiah 42:6,7 KJV

 

   Isn’t it great to know that the Lord has called us in righteousness! And that He will take hold of your hand! He will make us into a covenant for the people and a light to the world. Isn’t it wonderful when the Lord uses us as an instrument to open eyes that were blind to Christ, to free captives from the prison of a stronghold that has held them and to share the victorious freedom of Christ to those who sit far back in prison of darkness? I thank the Lord for using me to be a light to others in the past and for the future when He will use me—do you? May we cling to this Scripture.

 

Thought 301: Scars and Scabs from Ryan's devotional book series Thoughts

Thought 301

Scars and Scabs

  Christ heals our wounds, but when we rip the scab off and when we pick at the sore, we just make it worse. Recovery is longer; it hurts more, maybe bleeds more, and makes us miserable. In our agony we cry out to God and some blame Him for the pain that we have caused ourselves. The continued picking at a sore results in a final healing in the form of a scar. That scar is a constant reminder of how I, not the Lord, picked and picked and caused that healing sore to fester and take longer to heal.

  What are your scabs? What are your scars?

  The Lord wants to bind up our brokenness and hurt, but we can willingly resist His healing choice. Forgiveness may not be simple, discipline may not be enjoyable, and spiritual spankings (reproofs by the Lord) may hurt, but they are ultimately for out best interest—the Lord’s future plan for us.

 

Thought 255: A Royal Priesthood, a holy People from Ryan's devotional book series Thoughts

Thought 255

A Royal Priesthood, a holy People

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Colossians 3:12-15 KJV

Thought 252: Submissiveness from Ryan's devotional book series Thoughts

Thought 252

Submissiveness

Read Ephesians 5:21-6:9

    Submission is commanded by God. But God does not only tell women to be submissive to their husbands: children are to be submissive to their parents, slaves to their masters, masters to the Master (Jesus) and husbands to Christ. One further note on husbands, if a husband is truly living out this passage of Scripture, he is to live in such a manner that he follows the sacrificial example of Jesus which includes be willing to lay down his life for his wife, to cherish her, and to wash her in the water of the Word.

“Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”  1 Peter 5:5 KJV (emphasis added)

Thought 233: God Orchastrates in the Affairs of Men from Ryan's devotional book series Thoughts

Thought 233

God Orchestrates in the Affairs of Men

      I don’t want to steal any phrases when I say this, because many have said similar things, but how does a man or woman know that their spouse is the “One”? Is it some subconscious evolutionary drive? Is it some animal like instinct and desire that is simply there for the furtherance of the human race? Is just because that person is ‘pleasing to our eye’? NO! God is the one who told them that who was the one. How do some men grow up always having a “crush” on their future bride and no one else? The answer is, God. God, brought Eve to Adam—God “set it up.”  Waiting on the Lord is the best option, and Isaiah 30:19-26 promises that HE will direct us.

Just because God is sovereign does not mean that we don’t have a free will. Our choices can be against God’s will.

        Now, people take different approaches to pre-marriage relationships. Some will foolishly flaunt themselves around and just date anyone that there heart desires. Others, which I believe choose the better way, decide to save even their first kiss and moments alone together till their wedding day. Only God can give a couple the power to do such things; on the other hand, anybody can ask someone out and follow-their-heart. I purpose that you choose the Biblical way. God has been teaching me what His Word says about romance and He has a lot to say! As God has been lining up conversations for me to share some of His Word on this topic, few appear to have a change of heart. Only two of the many young men I’ve shared with on this issue have appeared to change their view.

      Take heart! You were born at the exact moment that God had ordained and predestined you to enter into this world of wonder! God loves you; and if you haven’t ever received your letter of admittance into heaven because of Jesus Sacrifice (and no work of your own), I pray that you fall on your knees right now, tossing aside this wretched book and cry out to God to save your soul from the encompassing flames of Hell.

⁹That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. ¹⁰For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ¹¹For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. ¹²For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. ¹³For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.    Romans 10:9-13 KJV

 

GOD IS SOVEREIGN AND ORCHASTRATES THE

LIVES OF MEN AND WOMEN.

…

FOR HIS GLORY

Thought 192: We live by faith, not by sight from Ryan's devotional book series Thoughts

Thought 192

We live by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7 NIV1984

       We don’t accept Christ because we understand everything God did through Jesus. There are many, many Scriptural prophecies that Jesus fulfilled, but we don’t have to know them all to accept Christ. We become Christians by faith in Christ. We are to live by faith, not by sight. You don’t need to be an “intellectual,” just a simple child—it’s by faith.

Thougt 190: Are you crazed by "love" from Ryan's devotional book series Thoughts

                                                                Thought 190

Are you crazed by “love”

What is “love"? It is that gushy, bubbly, suspenseful feeling that you get when you are around someone that you are attracted to…right? Wrong. You see, in our culture, and in past times, men and women have accepted this common lie. Even Solomon and David seem to have been ensnared,  just look at all those wives; many men have fallen prey to a pretty face or a “hot” body. But the book of Proverbs teaches us differently…

God’s Word applies to every area of our lives, but sometimes we have to do a lot of prayer, Bible reading, and study before we know what to do. God does not always just tell us what to do, but rest assured that His Word is TRUE and HE wants you to have a personal relationship with Him.

Examine your soul, motives, and your past…pray about, and do some Bible study, on how God wants you to approach romance, whether you are married or single. I believe the Lord’s Word has something fresh for all of us—it may be a reminder or something new.

Thought 182: "Here am I, send me!" Isaiah 6:8 from Ryan Marks devotional book series Thoughts

Thought 182

“Here am I, send me!” Isaiah 6:8

(NIV1984)

  If God asks for something to be done are you ready to say I’m here, Lord, let me go! I want to do it! If God needs you to witness, to a “Hard Thing,” to speak in front of real people, to teach a lesson, to scrub toilets, to write, or to accomplish a goal (i.e. a medal, a test, a website, a book, a movie, etc…) will you say “Send me, Lord!”

 May we stand! May we be willing and obedient so that God be able to use us to accomplish His plans!

  If God needs someone to polish those golden streets in Heaven one day will you accept?

  May we be given a desire, a hunger, and a ravishing drive to accomplish the will of the Lord! May He guide our steps in our relationships, careers, callings, purposes, beliefs, disciplines, confrontations, hard times, and mountaintop experiences.

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:37-39 (NIV1984)

Comparison

Thought 169

Comparison

     Another man took some time and gave me two words of advice to carry through my life. One was prayer (which was mentioned previously) and the other is comparison. He told me that because I had earned my GMA (Gold Medal of Achievement), that other boys where going to be compared to me and I need to correct that. I am not the answer, and an entire church ministry should not follow me as the ultimate example. He also told me to be careful, not to compare myself to others. When we do not compare ourselves to others we can be used more effectively for the furtherance of the Gospel, we are more sensitive to God when we are focusing on doing HIS will rather than trying to beat someone else’s records.
 

Daily Devotion from Ryan Marks book Thoughts

Thought 144

Marriage – an examination of the destination

    We are going to dive into an intense series where we will look at courtship, marriage and romance from God’s guidelines. Genesis is the best place to start, so your assignment before moving forward is to read Genesis 1:26-2:25.

      Adam and Eve’s “love story” is the first picture of marriage in the Bible. God created the Eve for Adam. God brought them together. It is important to note that they did not seek each other out or place an order. It was God’s working. The Lord knew that Adam (man) needed a helpmeet (woman), thus He brought them together in an extraordinary way.

       The name that Adam gave his helpmeet’s gender says a lot. Some scholars believe that Adam called Eve “woman” because she was the “womb man” in other words, that she was from the womb of a man (Adam’s body, his rib).  Another viewpoint, which isn’t scripturally grounded, is that Adam called Eve “woman” because when he saw her he was saying “WO!!! MAN!!!”

      For today, pause and contemplate the significance of God orchestrating the entire relationship between Adam and Eve and the fact that Eve came from God through Adam.