We must lift more than Detroit in prayer

As I drive around running my daily errands and performing my daily daddy duties, I see many vehicles with “I lift Detroit in prayer” bumper stickers. I though to myself, that is awesome, I lift Detroit up too! But God placed this on my heart: It is not only Detroit that we must lift up; the state, the country, the world, world leaders (including our own), and numerous others. The Bible states that we are to pray for those in authority over us, that includes city, state, federal, and world leaders. 1Timothy 2:1-2 says, “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— 2for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness”. As you can see, praying for our leaders not only benefits them, it benefits us as well. Praying for those in authority over you keeps you focused on God and aligns your heart with the heart of Jesus. Jesus has the heart of a servant. Not had, but has; He is our Chief Intercessor with the Father. Therefore, He is still has a servant’s heart. Jesus Christ has all authority in Heaven and earth, but still chooses to serve by interceding for us day and night. That is the example that we are to model ourselves after.

When you enter your prayer space, I urge you to remember to pray for others, even your enemies, because that is what our Father desires of us. Just like your parents always told you, you should be the bigger person. Praying for your enemies is a Biblical concept. Jesus told us in Matthew 5:44, “But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”. If Jesus was able to pray for those who were killing Him while He hung on the Cross, we certainly can pray for those who talk bad about us or try to make us look bad. Just keep your eyes focused on Him who you follow and He will light your paths. My prayer is that we all change the world through prayer, one heart at a time.

.Until next time may God bless and keep you, and may His face shine upon you. To our Lord be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever. Amen.
But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. – Luke 6:35

Detroit Pistons, Michigan Wolverines, and the Body of Christ in a year of transition

This particular article is going to be one of my favorites to write, to due the fact that it contains two of my favorite subjects, God and sports. This is a unique year, because two of my favorite sports teams and the Body of Christ have something in common. 2010 is a year of transition for all parties named in this article. A year of transition indicates two things, first, this is going to be a year of stretching and growth; and second, everybody involved will feel the growing pains. As a member of the Body of Christ, I am already starting to feel the growing pains. Growing means change; change means stretching out of your comfort zone, hence the growing pains. You are being transformed out of the likeness of the world and more into His likeness. The pieces of you that were old are becoming new and it will take time for everything to fall into place and operate at optimum efficiency. God will tweak you piece by piece, bit by bit, and thought by thought until you are where He wants you. Sure, He could change you all at once, but you likely would fall apart under the pressure. That is why God allows for a transition phase as He takes you from glory to glory. So it is in the world of sports.

The Detroit Pistons, my favorite basketball team, are in a year of transition. They are adjusting to a new head coach, John Kuester. A new coach in the sports world means a new coaching system and style to learn for the players. In addition to the new head coach, the Pistons have also had numerous alterations to their roster. Key players in their world championship victories, such as Chauncey Billups and Rasheed Wallace, are no longer with the team. Ben Wallace also moved on to the Chicago Bulls, but has returned to the Pistons. The Pistons were well known for their team mentality, that no one player is more valuable than another. But now there is a new team in place, with a new coach, and that group has to meld together. The melding process takes time to transition into a successful team. It will take the player learning the coaching system, the coach learning the players and their idiosyncrasies, and mixing that into a viable entity that will win basketball games.

The University of Michigan Wolverines is my favorite college football team. They, like the Pistons are also in the midst of transition. They acquired a new coach last season, along with numerous lineup changes. College football is an art to keep successful, because the lineup changes at least every four years. College players graduate, move on to professional football, or begin careers outside of football. The Wolverines these last few years have lost head coach Lloyd Carr to retirement, quarterback Chad Henne to the pros, and other key players, both offense and defense, to graduation. This new team is headed now by Rich Rodriguez, who has accepted the challenge to build a new team and work toward leading them to victory. This is a daunting task, building a successful enterprise almost from the ground up. Coach Rodriguez has to establish credibility with the rest of the coaching staff, the players, and then find and build leadership within the team. Assuming that he stays with Michigan for awhile, he faces this task again in four more years. Coach Rodriguez understands transition all too well.

The point of all of this is in Ephesians 4:15, which says, “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ”. Our entire mission as Christians is to grow up into Christ. How many know that is a ton of growth, which will not end until we go to be with Him. There will be pains as you grow, habits that you do not want to change, lifestyles you may not want to give up, people that you associate with that you should not, and words you speak that ought not to be spoken. These are but a few of the things that are in the midst of transition. For some it is a matter of not spending time in prayer or in God’s Word enough, drawing nigh to Him. Guilty as charged!! That is one of my growing pains at this current moment. A word of advice, do not let your schedules overwhelm you. Find your time with God. He will cause everything else to fall into place, as long as He is given first priority, for He alone is worthy. So as we venture into 2010 with our game faces on, ready to make the changes that will benefit us spiritually as well as other areas of our lives, remember that the growing pains will subside, and you will be a stronger, more beautiful creature in Christ in the end. Until next time may God bless and keep you, and may His face shine upon you. To our Lord be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever. Amen.

So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. – 1 Corinthians 3:7

Religion or relationship: Where do you stand?

When it comes to the subject of religion, situations can get downright ugly if not approached with a certain amount of tact and diplomacy. People will argue, fight, injure, or even kill for their religion. The Holy Wars of centuries past are proof of that. The question is, where do you stand? What exactly are you fighting for? Are you fighting for the religion itself, or for the God that is the Chief subject of your religion?

There are innumerable religions out there, and I am not here to bash or demean any of them. There are certain religions though, whose primary focus is on developing their own laws and ways of worship. The structure of some of these religions is inherently political. They have rules, regulations, and laws to be followed if one is to remain a devotee of that religion. To put it bluntly, religion is organized for man by man. There is a structure that is put in place by man according to his own rules for his own good pleasure. There is biblical strings tied in, but it does not devote itself to the true teachings of the bible. Most organized religions require a dutiful following but do not advocate spiritual growth. As long as you are in church every Sunday and you follow all the rules, all is well. Organized religion tends to pave to road to Heaven with good works, done by good people. That is great, but, that is not all that our Creator requires of us.

Our Creator is a loving, kind, merciful God, who created us in His image, to worship, adore, and glorify Him. He does not want us to be constantly solemn, moping and sorrowful, sulking in our sins. He wants us to repent, turn away from our sins, accept and believe the sacrifice of His Son on the Cross, and have a loving, deep, spiritual, intimate relationship with Him. God sent the Holy Spirit to dwell within us. That means God Himself, the Holy Spirit being His divine presence, lives within us. If God lives within us, that is a deep and intimate relationship. That is what He wishes with us. Jesus did not come only to save us from eternal damnation, but so that we may lead lives full of joy. God’s Word says so.

The question is clear, where do you stand? Are you worshipping the Lord in Spirit and in truth, or are you following rules and regulations made by man? God gives us each free will, so the choice is yours to make. The grace and mercies of our kind, benevolent loving God far outweigh solemn, miserable obedience out of a sense of duty. Intimate relationship with our Lord and Savior brings joy, peace, and blessings upon our lives. The joy of the Lord is our strength. Why not get your peace of the pie now?

Psalm 28:7 - The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.

Do you see what I see?

2 Timothy 3:1-7 speaks of godlessness in the last days. I can not speak for all, but I certainly see a trend building as we have moved into the 21st century. Actions that were considered intolerable only a decade ago have become the norm. A growing lack of respect for authority is causing a moral decay in our society. That lack of respect envelops law, parental authority, and spiritual authority. One needs only to look around them and they can observe 2 Timothy 3 unfolding before their very eyes. It is wondrous to watch the Scriptures come to life, yet disappointing to see what this world is coming to. Let us search the Scripture a bit deeper to see exactly how it is unfolding.


1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. 6They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.

After reading this and reflecting on it, does one not see the Truth in it? Terrible times are spoken of. God is bringing the world to its knees, by any means necessary. He could let us destroy ourselves, but His Word says He will not. The Scripture says lovers of themselves, have you listened to the radio lately? Most music artists spend a majority of their songs tooting their own horn. That’s just one example. Lovers of money, we most certainly are. Most of America follows the CREAM principle (Cash Rules Everything Around Me). I am not exempt; I spent years chasing the almighty dollar. Boastful, we are a very boastful people, whose three favorite words are I, me, and my. We are proud, it is a rarity to hear glory given to God for the things He has done. People are always concerned with getting the “credit”. Disobedient to their parents, (have you seen Maury Povich or Jerry Springer lately). One only needs to go to the grocery store to see the lack of respect for parents these days. I see it there all the time. Ungrateful is extremely easy to see, simply take a trip to the nearest store or fast food restaurant. Most of the time, you are blessed to get a please or a thank you.

I am not going to cover the entire Scripture in this article, lest it turn into a novel. You can see by just a few examples, the Words of the Bible are indeed coming to pass right before our very eyes. Keep reading that passage of Scripture and making comparisons, you will see that every bit of it is Truth.

Saints, I did not point this out to show what a rotten world we live in, rather to show an open door to fulfill the Great Commission given to us by Jesus Christ. Matthew 28:16-20. Where you see these things take the opportunity to preach the Gospel or to show the love of Christ to another. Until next time, God bless to all.

Pastors: Full time with Benefits, or part-time and payless?

With October being Pastor Appreciation Month, it only makes sense to write an article on pastors. This subject tends to bring a ton of comments, through several avenues of media. Recently, I was listening to the Bob Dutko Show on 103.5, WMUZ, Detroit’s Christian station. He started a topic on whether or not pastors should be full time in ministry and receive a paycheck for it, or should they work outside of the church full time, and pastor the church part time. This particular article is my opinion on this subject, and Scriptures to support my opinion. I welcome comments and differences of opinion, and also any Scriptures present to back up your opinion. As we examine this issue, I urge my readers to carefully consider both sides of the topic.

My personal opinion on whether or not pastors should receive their living from preaching the Gospel is yes, they deserve to be paid for delivering the Word to the masses. Do not your cook and your waitstaff at your local diner get paid for feeding you? Your pastor feeds you as well; he or she feeds your spirit. The pastor of your church has made a full time commitment to your spiritual well being. They also deserve to be paid for the work they invest into bringing your spiritual banquet to you each week. 1 Timothy 5:17-18 says, “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, ‘Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain and, ‘the worker deserves his wages.” If even the ox deserves pay of some sort while it is treading out the grain, how much more do pastors, who work the spiritual harvest fields, deserve to be paid? The Scripture also says that the worker deserves his wages.

Some would argue that pastors should work full time outside of the church to support their family, then after that, invest their time and energies into the church. The problem with that theory is family. If the pastor has a family and works 40 to 60 hours per week to support them, then invests another 20 to 30 hours into the church, when do they spend time with the family? Pastors work more than just an hour or two on Sunday morning. Hours of prayer, study of the Word, and prep time go into each sermon before it enters your ears. Then there is prayer for and with members of the congregation, various missions, fundraisers, and the infamous but necessary administrative duties that are part of running a church. The truth is, if these people were called by God into full-time ministry, then that is where their pay and provision should come from. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:11-12, “If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more?” The answer is: Yes, our pastors have sown spiritual seed among us, and they have the right to a material harvest from us. Jesus Himself even said in Luke 10:7, that the worker deserves his wages.(Emphasis mine). How can we argue with that?

I hope that this article shed some light on unknown areas for you. I do invite comments for or against this subject. Perhaps we can do a future article with others viewpoints. Since this is Pastor Appreciation Month, I do want to appreciate my pastors, Drs. Jerry and Sherill Piscopo, of Evangel Christian Churches in Roseville, MI. They are called by God to be apostles and prophets to the masses. They plant, build up, grow, and revitalize churches, here and around the world. I give glory to God for planting them in mine and my family’s lives. You are appreciated and loved. Until next time, God bless to one and all.

Homeostasis in the Body of Christ

There are comparisons in the Bible of parts of the Church to parts of the human body. Just as the human body needs all of its parts to function in harmony to maintain homeostasis, so does the church need all of its parts to function in harmony to maintain balance, the church’s homeostasis. Allow me to explain what homeostasis is. Homeostasis, in laymen’s terms, is a perfect state of balance within the body. The point where body temperature is at an ideal 98.6º F, pH levels are within tolerances, blood oxygen is high, and blood pressure is at an acceptable rate. God designed the body to work within specific guidelines. When the body goes outside of those guidelines, sickness or death can result. So it is within the Body of Christ.

God designed each and every one of us in a specific position within the Body of Christ. When we wander away from our position in the Body, we disrupt the balance, or homeostasis, of the Body of Christ. This is all outlined in 1 Corinthians 12:12-31. The Bible clearly states, in verse 13, “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one Body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.” If we are all one Body, then indeed all parts should function as the Body. All too often though, we wander off trying to be the lone hand or the lone foot. We take offense in our church, we pull up our roots and leave; or we refuse to cooperate and submit to the authority of our church leaders. This causes strife and division within the Body of Christ. Verse 18 says, “But in fact God has arranged the parts in the Body, every one of them, just as He wanted them to be.” If He has arranged us in the Body as He wants us, who are we to choose and affect our own will into the situation. If there is strife or division or argument within the Body, it is up to us to bring peaceful resolution in a Christ-like manner. “The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” (1Corinthians 12:21-26) God is saying to the church, do not be divided, you all need each other. You are set in place by Me to glorify Me. You as a Body cannot bring glory and honor to the Lord if you are scattered and torn apart.

Saints, we need to pull together in these end times. Jesus died on the Cross that we might be forgiven our sins. And He rose from the grave to prove that death was overcome. We possess the power to overcome, to overcome division, strife, disloyalty, unforgiveness, and mistrust. We must take hold of this power, given to us by the Holy Spirit, and break the cycle of division. We must pull together as one Body, in homeostasis, with perfect balance, to glorify our Creator and win souls to His Kingdom. Until next time, God bless to all.

Are We Fulfilling the Great Commission?

Just over 2000 years ago, between the time that He died on the cross as our Passover Lamb, and when He ascended to the right hand of the Father, Jesus Christ commissioned us. That commission was given to the apostles, but applies just as much to all of us today as it did to them. Jesus died to save the lost, and it is our job to lead them to Him. That is the essence of the Great Commission. The Commission is found in Matthew 28:16-20. “Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw Him, they worshipped Him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in Heaven and Earth has bee given to Me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

To make disciples of all nations, we need to know what a disciple is. According to the NIV bible dictionary, a disciple is a follower or student, especially one who believes what the leader teaches. Anyone who believes in Jesus is His disciple. Any born again believer, by that definition, is a disciple. Those disciples are commissioned to go forth and make more disciples through all the earth. The Great Commission is the heartbeat of the evangelistic movement. It commissions us to win souls for the Kingdom of God. That is the essence of every non-denominational church that I have been to. In Mark 1:17, Jesus calls His disciples, saying, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men”. The Lord called them to fish souls for the Kingdom out of the great sea of humanity. Those apostles fulfilled their part of the commission, and great numbers were added every day.

What about us? Are we doing our part to fulfill the Great Commission? Not from what I have seen. If we were, there would be less empty seats in the churches. The world would not be going to hell in a hand basket. There seems to be an evil tone throughout a large portion of the world. The kind of tone one would imagine permeated during the days of Sodom and Gomorrah. People are less centered on Jesus and more centered on self. We need to get an evangelistic spirit, going forth, finding those lost, hurting, broken souls in need of a Savior. Then introducing them to that Savior who has already suffered all that afflicts them, who died for them, and now offers them healing, salvation, and a more abundant life. Jesus commissioned all who believe in Him to bring the lost to Him, are you doing your part?

Pray for a prisoner today!

This past Sunday, we had a special guest speaker at our church. Reverend Nick Pirovolos, aka “Nick the Greek”, brought an awesome Word and timeless wisdom for our congregation. Nick the Greek was a hit man, con man, thief, and full of hate. He hurt people for fun and used numerous people simply for entertainment. An out of control act of revenge perpetrated upon him sent him spiraling toward one of two places death or prison. Sometime shortly after that a botched robbery attempt landed him in prison. That prison sentence saved his life, and God breathed new life into him. Almost 40 years later, Nick the Greek is still spunky and still passionate about helping prisoners. You can read more about Nick the Greek in his book, Too Mean To Die, available through his website: http://www.insideoutministries.net/. Nick’s passion is to spread to Good News to the lost, however, the lost that are his greatest passion are those in prison.

God loves prisoners as He loves those in the free world. Many of those prisoners found their cell by searching for something they could never find. They were likely searching for love, acceptance, kindness, patience, grace, or mercy. These are all things that we humans crave in our lives, even the tough guys. I know because I was one of them for years, scrappy and nasty, with a bad attitude. The Lord Jesus Christ offers all of us these feelings and emotions, if we only ask. Those who are in prison are not free, spending sometimes the rest of their existence behind bars. However, they can be free! They may still be behind those same bars, but they will be free from the burden of their past sins, cleansed and washed by the Blood of the Lamb. They will be loved, accepted, given kindness, grace, mercy, and treated patiently by our Lord. They will be given a new purpose in life, because God has a purpose for us all. Often those prisoners who receive Christ are zealous to speak to others about their new found freedom. Many prison ministries are birthed in this manner.

I write this article asking you to contribute in some way to a prison ministry. First and foremost, I ask you to pray for prisoners around the globe, as well as prison ministries on the inside and outside of prisons. Pray for the Lord to call on these prisoners lives, to seek God’s face. Pray for the ministries to receive God’s blessings, His abundance, so that they may go forth and share the Good News. Brothers and sisters in Christ, I ask you to contribute monetarily to a prison ministry, if you can. These ministries are not free to run, and expenses in today’s economic crunch can be difficult to cover. Another massive contribution to any prison ministry is bibles. Every speaker I hear and every story that I read involving prisoners and Christ speak of a shortage of bibles. These inmates that receive Christ need His Word to stand on, to grow with, and to feed them. I implore you to do your part to spread the Gospel to those in chains. If you are not sure which ministry to give to, pray, ask the Holy Spirit for guidance, and if so led, give to Nick the Greek’s ministry. Or you can Google prison ministries. I am positive that any ministry would appreciate anything that you can contribute, especially prayer. Money is great, and bibles are necessary, but prayer changes things set the hand of God in motion, the windows of Heaven open and blessings pour out. I pray for you all and until next time, God bless you and keep you, and may His face shine upon you.

Five Keys to Godly Wisdom

Wisdom, something that we can all possess, though not all of us do, is a God-given gift, and something that He wishes us to possess. The definition of wisdom is: the understanding that comes from God. I would like to give you all of the numerous ways that you can get wisdom; unfortunately, I’m not that wise yet. However, I would like to give you five ways that you can receive wisdom from God.

1.) Fear the Lord – “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts have good understanding. To Him belongs eternal praise”, Psalm 111:10. The fear of the Lord is not the terrorizing fear, but a reverential awe of the Lord. It is seeing Him as the One who creates all things, and He who makes all things possible. This, according to His Word, is an awesome starting point.

2.) Listen to God, through those who preach His Word. – This key is backed by a few Scriptures, actually, quite a few, but we will cover only a few in the interest of not writing a book. In Proverbs 1:5, it says, “Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance.” Your pastors impart their Spirit guided wisdom to you at church at least every Sunday morning, depending on how often you attend church. Adding to your learning and getting guidance is wise, and will grow you spiritually. Another tip, though easier said than done, is found in Proverbs 19:20, “Listen to advice and accept instruction and in the end you will be wise.” Many times we do not want to hear others advice or accept their instruction. Often it is because they are right, and we do not want to admit it. That is called pride, but that is a whole separate article.

3.) Be humble before the Lord and with people. – Pride was Satan’s downfall; you do not want it to be yours. Wisdom will be the portion of the humble, those who seek to be the least, not the most. Shame will befall those who boast and are full of pride. God will exalt the humble, the proud will be brought low (paraphrased). This is shown in Proverbs 3:34-35, “He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble. The wise inherit honor, but fools He holds up to shame”.

4.) Realize the value of wisdom. – Proverbs 3:13-15 give insight to the value of wisdom. “Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her”. This Scripture places a higher value on wisdom than precious metals, one of which is the financial backing for U.S. currency. It also states that wisdom is more precious than one of the most beautiful gems in the world. Wisdom is such a commodity that its value is exalted over money. It is priceless; yet it is an absolutely free gift from God.

5.) Ask the Lord for wisdom. – This is by far, the simplest of all five keys. Simply ask the Lord for wisdom. James 1:5 tells us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him”. That is simplicity at its best. Just ask and ye shall receive.
As you can see, our Lord and Savior places esteems wisdom, and exalts those who will ask for it and use it. Make asking for wisdom a daily practice. Apply that Godly wisdom in your everyday life. And as you receive the blessing of wisdom, as with all blessings, make sure to give some of it away. Practice these keys in your life, read the book of Proverbs for countless other keys to wisdom, and your spiritual walk will grow exponentially. Until next time, God bless.

Exploring the New Testament tabernacle: part 3 of 3

Author’s Note: This is the final article in this series. We will explore the Old Testament tabernacle and how it relates to New Testament living today.

In the last two articles, we have gone through the Outer Court, into the Holy Place, and today we enter the Holy of Holies. The Holy of Holies is the innermost part of the tabernacle. This is where the actual meeting with God takes place. It is the most sacred portion of the tabernacle, and only the high priest may enter. Anyone else who tried to enter the Holy of Holies would be struck dead by the Lord Almighty. That is one major difference between Old and New Testaments, in this age anyone may enter the Holy of Holies, thanks to the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies was a several inch thick veil made of yarn chosen by God. Part of the sacrifices involved sprinkling blood from the sacrifice in front of this veil before entering the Holy of Holies. Remember, without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness. Once the high priest went through the veil, he saw two items in the Holy of Holies. There was the Ark of the Covenant and the Atonement Cover, which sat on top of the Ark. The Ark of the Covenant contained three items, a jar of manna, Aaron’s budded staff, and the two stone tablets which contained the Ten Commandments. These three items were indicative of embarrassing moments in Israel’s history, times when God had to rescue them or prove a point to them. Those times and those items showed that they were sinners and demonstrated Israel’s need for a Savior. Covering those sins and closing the gap between God and man was the Atonement Cover. A one piece golden cover for the Ark of the Covenant, the Atonement Cover had two cherubim facing each other with their wings covering the whole top. It was between these two angels that God met His people. The high priest would sprinkle blood on the Atonement Cover (Mercy Seat) for the sins of him and his family, as well as the sins of the people. With his face covered by the smoke of incense, God would shine His glory in the Holy of Holies. Jesus Christ sprinkled His own blood on the Mercy Seat in Heaven once and for all for the sins of the people. When He did so the veil was torn from top to bottom by the Hand of God, forever removing the separation between God and man. From then on anyone could approach God and enter the Holy of Holies. God chose to once again dwell with His people, defeating Satan and defeating death by resurrecting Jesus on the third day. Praise be to God for sacrificing His one and only Son and tearing the veil, so we can approach the throne of the Lord God Almighty ourselves. That concludes the three part series on the Tabernacle. I pray that you enjoyed it and learned much. Until next time, may God bless and keep you, and may His face shine upon you.

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God.” Revelation 21:3

Exploring the New Testament tabernacle: part 2 of 3

Author’s Note: This is the second in a three article series. We will explore the Old Testament tabernacle and how it relates to New Testament living today.

In part one, we examined the outer court, the Brazen Altar, which is Christ on the Cross, and also our praise and our worship of Him. We also explored the Laver, where we cleansed ourselves before entering His Presence. Now we will move into the Holy Place, inside the Tent of Meeting. This is where we move into the glorious Presence of God Himself. Let us enter the Holy Place.

Upon entering the Holy Place, there are three pieces of furniture, the Menorah, the Table of Showbread, and the Golden Altar of Incense. The high priest was in charge of the Menorah, or the golden lampstand. It was a single piece of pure gold with one tall central branch and six shorter branches, three on each side of the central branch. The high priest was to keep these branches which were filled with olive oil and contained wicks, lit continually. The Menorah was the source of light inside the Holy Place, also, God commanded that it be tended to at all times. See Leviticus 24:1-3. The Menorah in modern Christianity, our day and age, relates us to Jesus. We are the six shorter branches and He is the tall central Branch we focus on. In John 15:5, Jesus said, “I am the Vine, you are the branches. If a man remains in Me, and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing”. Jesus is light, He is a lamp unto our feet. If we ask Him, He will direct our paths. Darkness has no dominion over Him. This is best exemplified in John 8:12, “When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life”.

Next, we move on to the Table of Showbread, which was on the right side of the Holy Place, across from the Lampstand. The table held twelve loaves of bread, symbolizing the twelve tribes of Israel. The high priest would eat the bread on the Sabbath and replaced that which he consumed with fresh loaves. The Table of Showbread was a symbol of God’s willingness to commune and fellowship with man. Today, we can still sit at the table with God. Every time you take communion, you are breaking bread with our Creator. Jesus is the Bread of Life, as He declares in John 6:35 and John 6:51.

The last item in the Holy Place is the Golden Altar of Incense. Upon the altar incense must burn day and night as a pleasing aroma to the Lord. Jesus Christ is now our Golden Altar of Incense, as He is seated and the right hand of God, making intercession for us day and night. Romans 8:34. Our incense today is our prayers, which rise up into the throne room of God, and are a pleasing aroma to Him.

Tomorrow, we will enter into the Holy of Holies, the very Presence of God. We will examine the final items in the Tabernacle, and give them meaning for us today. Until next time, may God bless and keep you, and may His face shine upon you.

Exploring the New Testament tabernacle: part 1 of 3

Author’s Note: This is the first in a three article series. We will explore the Old Testament tabernacle and how it relates to New Testament living today.

In Old Testament times, God wanted a place where He could dwell with His people. He commanded the Israelites to construct a tabernacle, which means tent, or dwelling. God gave the Israelites specific dimensions, materials, and a specific layout for the tabernacle. Moses was the overseer of the construction and was in charge of inspecting the tabernacle after it was completed. After the completion of the tabernacle, Moses inspected it, and then it was suited for use for sacrifices and communion with the Lord.

The tabernacle of the Old Testament was a tent with two rooms, (the Tent of Meeting), surrounded by a curtained off courtyard. The courtyard contained items for purification after sacrifices to God were made. The laver, or washbasin, was in the courtyard, called the outer court. The Brazen Altar was also outside; this altar was used for animal sacrifices unto the Lord. From there the high priest would enter the tent, the first room in the Tent of Meeting. This room was called the Holy Place. Inside the Holy Place were three items, the Menorah, the Table of Showbread, and the Golden Altar of Incense. These items were used to please the Lord. After finishing in the Holy Place, the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies, the place in the tabernacle where God met His people. The only items in the Holy of Holies were the Ark of the Covenant and the Atonement Cover. God met His people between two angels on the Atonement Cover. God’s Presence was known to His people as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of smoke by night. Exodus 25:8. Now that you have a small grasp of the layout of the tabernacle, we will examine in a bit more depth.

As the high priest entered the outer court, he would remove his footwear, as a sign of reverence, for he was standing on holy ground. He would bring his sacrifices to the Brazen Altar, which is where he would slaughter his sacrifice. He would sprinkle the blood of the animal around the altar and also on the horns of the altar. “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life”, Leviticus 17:11. The Brazen Altar was the Old Testament altar of sacrifice. The New Testament sacrifice was Jesus Christ on the Cross. The blood of goats and bulls had to be sacrificed annually to atone for the sins of the people. “In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness”, Hebrews 9:22. The single sacrifice of Jesus made atonement for our sins now and forever. The one time shedding of blood on the Cross eliminated the need for the annual sacrifices to atone for Israel’s sins. In addition, the death and resurrection of Jesus covered more than just the sins of Israel, but atoned for all who would believe and confess Him as Lord and Savior. Hebrews 9:11-12 says, “When Christ came as the High Priest of the good things that are already here, He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but He entered the Most Holy Place once and for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption”. Jesus Christ eliminated the need for many future generations to have to sacrifice animals for atonement with this one act of selfless love. Now our sacrifices do not have to involve the shedding of blood, but believing in the redemptive power of His.

Following the Brazen Altar, the high priest would proceed to the Laver, a bronze basin full of water, which he would use to wash himself following the sacrifices. The Laver was located halfway between the Brazen Altar and the Holy Place. The Laver was a reminder to the Israelites that we must cleanse ourselves before approaching God. There is no change in regard to being cleansed before we approach God from Old to New Testaments. The difference is the method in which we cleanse ourselves. Instead of washing in a basin, we today are washed by the water of the Word. “Husbands love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the Word, and to present her to Himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless”, Ephesians 5:25-27. The truth is that Christ made the path to God easier for us than for the Israelites. Our sacrifices and paths to Him are made in prayer and in study, not through slaughter and procedure. This is another demonstration of God’s love for us.

Tomorrow, we will enter the Holy Place and compare how they worshipped then, and how we worship today. Until next time, may God bless and keep you, and may His face shine upon you.

Pride: Don’t let the devil’s fall be yours

Pride is the sin that cost Lucifer eternity in Heaven. He puffed himself up, believing that he was mightier than God and would ascend to His throne. HE WAS WRONG!!! Lucifer and the angels that chose to follow him were cast out of Heaven. His pride bought him eternal damnation, suffering in the lake of fire for all of eternity. Some have this notion that the devil is in hell and is the king there. That is not true; Satan is the prince of the power and the air, right here on Earth, wreaking havoc on as many as will let him. Satan will be cast into the lake of fire (hell) as his punishment for attempting to overthrow the Living God. He will suffer eternal torment along with all sinners who choose not to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

What causes most to shun Jesus and not accept His free gift of salvation? There is a simple one word answer: pride. They refuse to see that their lives are out of control and that they need a Savior. They have an “I got this!” attitude. I can sympathize with them; I harbored that same prideful attitude for many years, believing that I was in control of my own destiny. I now understand that I can attempt to control the circumstances of my life, but that God is in complete control and His will is going to be done.

The Bible has much to say about pride, and we will examine Scriptures to highlight God’s disdain toward pride, and His reward for those who follow the example of His only Son. Jesus Christ was the consummate example of humility. He humbled Himself to the point of death. His existence was and is one of servitude. He still serves even at the right hand of the Father, interceding for us day and night. God’s will is that we follow the example of Jesus, serving Him, serving others, and to do so with a humble spirit. Psalm 25:9 says, “He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way”. If you follow God’s plan of humility for your life, He will teach you His way. That is life changing news! Psalm 147:6 delivers a stern warning for those who choose to deviate from His plan. It says, “The Lord sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground”. For those that would choose to dismiss this, there are numerous examples to cite. Consider the Enron scandal of years past, Saddam Hussein, or in Christian circles even Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker. The wicked will be cast to the ground, sooner or later; their wicked deeds will catch up with them. God will not forget, even if they do. But our God is gracious and merciful and quick to forgive if only we ask and turn away from sin.

God is a God of equal scales; unbalanced scales are an abomination to Him. If He casts down evil then He lifts up good. If He brings low the rich, he will exalt the poor. Our God will not do for one but not the other. Proverbs 11:2 illuminates this point, saying, “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom”. God is a God of order, He is a God of balance, and He leads us by His examples. By following His biblical examples of order and balance, you will find order and balance if your life. For another reference to God’s balance, see Proverbs 29:23.

So remember to keep yourself humble before God and before men. Satan’s proud example will lead to a great fall, as illustrated in Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall”. I urge you to follow these biblical principles to bring joy, peace, and wisdom to your life. I say this as much for myself as for you. Until next time, may God bless and keep you and may His face shine upon you.
“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” – Micah 6:8

Are you robbing God?

Let me begin by saying that everything belongs to God. Everything! The hairs on your head, the freckles on your face, your money, your house, your cars, and your very soul are His. The earth and everything in it belong to God Almighty. That being said, God requires us to be givers, to give back a small portion of what He has blessed us with. So many Christians today make this concept sound like it is optional. God did not ask us to give Him our firstfruits, (tithe), He commanded it. The word tithe means tenth. The Lord commanded us to tithe in not just one place in the Bible; rather several Scriptures support this commandment. Let us examine just a few of them.

Malachi 3:8-9 asks, “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, ‘How do we rob You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—the whole nation because of you—because you are robbing me”. According to the Word of God, tithing is not optional, for if you withhold your tithes and offerings, you are guilty of robbing God. This is more applicable to those who are part of the Body of Christ. Those who are not in the Body are ignorant of the concept of tithing. God requires your tithe, not just money, but also time and talents, because He wants to grow and stretch you. By giving a tenth of all that you own, you are making a sacrifice to God. Most people that I know are not so financially well off that they would not notice ten percent of their income missing. The people who are financially secure and will not feel a ten percent pinch will feel the sting in their schedule. Most who are financially secure work long, hard hours to support that income. Ten percent of their time may be inconvenient to them. Either way, you are making a sacrifice unto the Lord.

We are to give our tithes and offerings joyfully. They are not to be made reluctantly, with a scowl on your face. God joyfully gave to you and He expects the same treatment in return. “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver”, 2 Corinthians 9:6-7. When we give with a cheerful heart, God is faithful to bless us cheerfully as well. We all know that you can’t give bigger than God. The lessons learned and the joy experienced from tithing with a joyful heart, far outweigh the small amount of time or money that you part with. For when God gives unto you, He does not hold back. Sometimes He blesses you to the point where it becomes overwhelming. The Lord foretells this is His word, in Malachi 3:10, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test Me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of Heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it”. That promise can be life altering; for when God opens the floodgates of Heaven, the blessings are overwhelming. I could write an entire series of articles on what happened when God opened the floodgates of Heaven on my family and me.

There are times when God will lead you to give more than your tenth; likewise, there are times when God will lead you to give less than your tenth. Just trust Him, for He knows all of your needs, and He is faithful to be sure they are met. Sometimes, God will ask you to sacrifice so much that it hurts. Abraham was asked to sacrifice his only son Isaac, as seen in Genesis 22:2-14. For his faith and willingness to sacrifice his one and only son, God allowed Isaac to live, because God understood that there was nothing Abraham would not do for Him. The Lord also blessed Abraham with descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, one of Abraham’s greatest desires.

As you can see it does not pay to rob God, and it does pay to give. The rewards are not always monetary, but they will always bless you. Not that our motive should be for the reward, but to be obedient to the Lord. It is my prayer that you will choose the path of obedience and that the floodgates of Heaven will open upon you and overflow you with blessings. Until next time, may God bless and keep you, and may His face shine upon you.

Get your clothes on!

I know what you are thinking; I already have my clothes on. I am not speaking of your natural clothes, but your spiritual clothes. I am referring to the armor of God, spoken of in Ephesians 6. The armor of God is your protection against the devil and his schemes and should be worn at all times. The easiest way to describe the armor of God is to have you envision a warrior from ancient times, clad head to toe in armor to protect him during battle from swords and arrows that are the tools of the enemy. Our enemy, Satan, throws fiery darts at us daily. These darts are the lies, negative emotions, impure thoughts, lusts, and thoughts of anger that he tries to penetrate us with constantly. This is known as war. It is a battle, and the sides volley back and forth. But this war is not fought in the natural realm; it is fought in the spiritual realm. As a Christian, the natural realm and the spiritual realm often collide. We live spiritually, and God blesses us spiritually; but He also blesses us in the natural realm. This war can spill into the natural realm to, as we live in the natural. But, it must be fought in the spiritual realm.

The Word of God says, starting in Ephesians 6:10, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes”. The Bible tells us to put on this armor to protect us from the devil. It also explains the war mentioned in the last paragraph. Starting in verse 12, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms”. We fight against evil forces that are not visible, but we are more than aware of their presence. Fortunately, God gives us the weapons that we need to overtake the enemy. “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything to stand”, Ephesians 6:13.

The armor of God will cover you, head to toe, with protection from the devil and his wiles. Let us start with the belt of Truth, which is buckled around the waist. Satan is the father of lies, and it is impossible for him to tell the truth. If you walk in God’s truth, the devil will not be able to stand up against it. Next, put on the breastplate of Righteousness. The breastplate covers your heart, keeping the devil out of and away from it, so that your heart remains tied to God, who bought your heart at a Great price. He bought your heart with the precious blood of His only Son. After the belt and the breastplate, fit your feet with the shoes of the Gospel of Peace. The devil wishes to steal your peace, to keep you frantic, confused, and stressed out. Keeping your peace by meditating on God’s Word will silence the enemy, at least temporarily. As I said earlier, the sides volley; always fire back. After these, you need to take up your shield of Faith, to extinguish the enemy’s fiery darts. Your faith will block the enemy from affecting your thoughts and emotions. Your faith is what will keep your eyes focused on God, and as long as your focus is upon the Lord, the enemy cannot gain an edge over you. Adorn your head with the helmet of Salvation, which is a reminder to the devil that he has already lost. Once you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, the enemy has no foothold on your soul. It has been bought and paid for by the Blood of Jesus; which is why we war with him. If he has no grip on your soul, he will attempt to make you as miserable as possible, so that you don’t bring any souls with you. Lastly, pick up your sword, which is the Sword of the Spirit. Your Sword is the Word of God. Swing your Sword anytime the enemy attacks, for the Word is truth, and the enemy has no defense against the truth. Also pray in the Spirit always, for the devil can hear and understand your prayers to God. When you pray in the Spirit, your prayers are unintelligible to him. For Scripture reference, read Ephesians 6:14-18.

As you can see, the armor of God will protect you from anything that the enemy can bring your way. You simply need to get your Clothes on. Bless and anoint your homes, don the armor of God, and fight the devil every step of the way. We are in a war, but with Christ we are the victors. The victory is yours if you claim it in the name of Jesus. Until next time, may God bless and keep you, and may His face shine upon you.

There is no fruit if you don’t stay planted

The Word of God contains innumerable references to agriculture. It mentions seeds, planting, soil, plowing, pruning, vines, fruit, and harvest. These are but a few of the terms referring to plant life mentioned in the Bible. The point of all of these terms and references is that the Holy Spirit in us should grow, bloom, and blossom like a plant. After the Spirit blossoms within us, it should begin putting forth fruit. The Holy Spirit is part of our Triune God. As with God, He is perfect, but we are not. If you are not putting forth fruit, it is time to begin searching inward and learning what is hindering us from being fruitful branches. Christ said, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the Kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one”. Matthew 13:37-38. The Son of Man always sows good seed, but if the seed does not take root, it will blow away and root itself in bad soil, and you will become a son of the evil one. You do not want to be a son of the evil one, for eventually you will burn in the lake of fire. Rather you should be the embodiment of Psalms 1:3, “He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields it fruit in season”. When the Gospel was spoken to you, the seed was planted, and likely watered again by somebody else. Then, when you accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, the seed bloomed. As it grows, the seed will blossom, and then you should begin to put forth fruit as you water with the Word of God, and let the Son shine upon you. Sounds simple, right? Unfortunately, we have a common enemy who will stop at nothing to dry you up and keep you from bearing fruit. He lost your soul when you accepted Jesus, but he will do his best to see to it that you don’t bring anybody with you.

One of the tools the devil uses to keep us from bearing fruit is offense. He will work to get you offended by another member of the Body of Christ, probably a member of your church. Especially if your spirit is being properly fed by your church. Your church is where you should plant your roots. If you are offended and leave the church, you pull up your roots and try to plant elsewhere. But this pattern will continue, because it works! Eventually, your plant withers and dies, and even though you are a Christian, you are spiritually dead, putting forth no fruit and bringing no souls to the Kingdom. In fact, you may even push them away. This is not to say that you should not be offended. It can and it will happen. What you do with the offense is what makes all of the difference. We are forgiven; therefore we should also forgive. We will endure suffering, we will shed tears, and our life will not be perfect after accepting Christ as Savior, but through Him we can enjoy a more abundant life than we would without Him. Jesus suffered and cried during His earthly ministry. He feared death, because He was human, and cried to the Father for comfort. Hebrews 5:7 says, “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverent submission”. Fortunately, we are joint heirs with Christ, and we can be heard because of our reverent submission. When you are offended, you should offer up prayers with loud cries and tears, cast your cares upon the Lord, and ask Him to help you to forgive the offender. You will find a peace that nothing can surpass, and you can keep your roots planted. If those who offend you are in authority over you, then you are biblically bound to submit to them, unless the go against the Word of God, according to Romans 13:1-2.

Grow in Christ according to Jeremiah 17:5-8, and you will begin to blossom and put forth fruit. The fruit that you put forth will attract others to the Body of Christ, and that is what we are here for. We are to grow the Kingdom of God, as well as growing in the Kingdom. Until next time, may God bless and keep you, and may His face shine upon you.

Enter His courts with thanksgiving and praise!

Happy Thanksgiving to all! I have much to be thankful for this year. I thank my Lord because I am still alive and breathing. I thank the Lord for Vicky, the love of my life, and thank Him that I will be marrying her on December 19, 2009. I thank God for Tyler and Evan, my two happy, healthy sons. I praise God and I thank God for the privilege of being almost 40 years old and I still celebrate the holidays with my grandparents. I thank God that they are still self sufficient and not in a nursing home. I thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for my salvation, for dying on the Cross, for saving my soul. I thank Him for the more abundant life that I have because of Him. I could go on and on, and fill the Internet with things that I am thankful for.

This Thanksgiving, remember to thank and praise your Creator, for He and He alone is worthy. If you are still alive and breathing, He deserves the honor and praise. If you have a job, a home, a spouse, children, family, and food on your table, or even if you have none of these things, remember to thank Him. Why, because you still have Him, because He will never leave you nor forsake you. There is always a reason to thank God. Exodus 15:2 says, “The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt Him”. Moses had to lead a bunch of grumbling Israelites out of Egypt, and he still found a reason to praise God. King David also had much to overcome, and he overcame his obstacles by thanking the Lord, and by praising Him. “The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior!”- Psalm 18:46. The Psalms are full of thanksgiving and praise to the Lord. For, as I said earlier, He alone is worthy. Psalm 147:7 instructs us to “Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make music to God on the harp”. Your harp can be a guitar, drums, a tambourine, or your voice, just thank God.

I will not keep you long today, for I know that there are big dinners planned with families. Just remember the reason for this holiday, which is to give thanks. We give our thanks to God, for the great and marvelous things that He has done. Go forth, give thanks, give praise to God, and enjoy your holiday. Until next time, may God bless and keep you, and may His face shine upon you.

Be still and know that I am God

That phrase, which God said in Psalms 46:10, is the mainstay of my Christian faith. He has spoken those seven words to me more times than I can count. When life gets too chaotic, God will frequently tell me to be still, and to know that He is God. It is His way of letting me know that I am not in control. He created the earth in six days, and He can create miracles in my life and keep me on course. The catch is that I have to slow down and shut up long enough for Him to work. There are countless stories of God’s deliverance in the Bible, and in each story God requires the recipients of that deliverance to be quiet and be still. Daniel was not throwing a fit and climbing the walls in the lions den. Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego were not screaming and crying in the fiery furnace. They knew how to be still and trust in the Lord to deliver them from their trials. These stories in the Bible are applicable to life today; they merely have to be applied to individual situations. In each situation, just be still and know that He is God. He knew you from the foundation of the world, and He knows and is in complete control of each and every roadblock in your life. When He delivers you, God and God alone will get the glory, honor, and praise.

In 2 Chronicles, chapter 20, Jehoshaphat came up against a vast army from Moab and Ammon, and the outcome was not promising for Jehoshaphat. But he was not focused on the armies against him, but was still and depended upon his Creator. “O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You”. 2 Chronicles 20:12. They should have been frantic, seeing only certain doom, but their eyes were upon God. They were still, receiving the peace that only comes from knowing that God knows and controls your outcome from the beginning. A few verses later, in verses 15 and 17, the Lord confirms their victory. “He said, ‘Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s (v.15). You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out and face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you (v.17).” There is true peace in knowing that God is fighting for you. But you have to come before Him, be still, and know that He is God. Listen for the still small voice that will tell you, “It is well”, and stand and watch in awe as God sweeps His mighty arm. Give Him praise before, during, and after the fight, as directed in Psalm 150:6.

Some have said or will say, God doesn’t speak to you, or you can not hear the voice of God. That is not what His Son says; rather you should not only hear, but know His voice. In John 10:3-4, Jesus says, “The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice”. The watchman is the shepherd, and in verse 11, Jesus says, “I am the good Shepherd.” Therefore, if He is the Shepherd and we the sheep, we will hear, know, and follow His voice. So I admonish you to listen for that still small voice that says, “Be still, and know that I am God”. When you hear it, I encourage you to obey and be still; because it is there that you will find a peace that will not be surpassed.

That peace and joy that comes from intimately knowing the Lord, along with the numerous blessings that He showers His sheep with, are but a few of the many reasons that we give thanks to our God on this eve of Thanksgiving. Until next time, may God bless and keep you, and may His face shine upon you.

Destiny School of Ministry: Training and equipping the body of Christ

Destiny School of Ministry is a fully accredited Bible college that trains, equips, and lifts up tomorrow’s leaders in ministry. The college is accredited by Accrediting Commission International (ACI), the world’s largest non-governmental accrediting agency. Destiny School of Ministry (DSM) is also licensed by the state of Michigan. DSM is a non-degree granting school, as they are a vocational Bible School. However, through an articulation agreement with Destiny Christian University in Florida, graduates can transfer credits and receive Associate, Bachelor, Master, or Doctorate degree.

Students within DSM have several choices of coursework to choose from, as the school offers Bible training, but offers much, much more. Within DSM are the Christian Counseling Institute (CCI), Christian Life and Financial Institute (CLFI), Worship Arts Institute (WAI), Apostles and Prophets Institute (API), and the newest addition, added this year, the Chaplain Training Institute (CTI). There is something for everyone to study at Destiny School of Ministry. Tuition is extremely affordable, less than most books at secular colleges. Classes meet on Monday nights from 6:00 to 9:30, including a chapel service, just a simple few hours a week.

The Deans and Directors of Destiny School of Ministry are Drs. Jerry and Sherill Piscopo. Both have a wealth of knowledge and wisdom to share with the Body of Christ. They each have secular degrees, Dr. Jerry in business, and Dr. Sherill in education, as well as earned and honorary Doctorate degrees. They are the Deans and Directors of DSM, senior pastors at Evangel Christian Churches, and founders and overseers of the Evangel Association of Churches and Ministries (EACM), a worldwide ministerial network. Drs. Jerry and Sherill bring knowledge to share with students from their travels to their network churches and schools. They are true gifts to the Body of Christ, and visionary leaders constantly moving forward in the fulfillment of the Great Commission.

If you are interested in attending or simply checking out Destiny School of Ministry, call them at 586-773-6568, and ask for Dr. Rose Lafrenz or Rev. Tina Iannucci. The school is located at 28491 Utica Rd. in Roseville, MI. The campus is located on Utica near Gratiot Avenue. Are you a world changer? I pray so, and until next time, may God bless and keep you, and may His face shine upon you.

Back to basics: Digging into God’s Word in 2010

Authors Note: After a short sabbatical to prepare for my wedding, I married the love of my life, Vicky Marie Iannucci on December 19, 2009. I also enjoyed the holidays with my family. But it is now time to return to sharing the Word of God with you. It is my prayer that 2010 brings you blessings too numerous to count. Let us enjoy a fruitful 2010.

As we begin a new year and also a new decade, we need to re-center, refocus, and re-ground ourselves. I used to claim New Years Resolutions, but after deciding to follow Christ, I realized that I was making oaths that I could not keep. Instead, I decided that it is far better to center myself on He who can keep me centered, the Great I AM. In doing so, a path that is always lit will remain under my feet. Let us follow the example of James 4:8, which says, “Come near to God, and He will come near to you”. The main ways that we can come near to God are praise and worship, prayer, and studying His Word.

I urge you in this New Year to dig into the Word of God as you have never dug before. Our world is in a constant state of change, prophecies are being fulfilled at an alarming rate. Searching the Bible will keep you aware of the changes if you take the time to study and learn about them. I will be doing future articles on some of those prophecies, as well as some articles about how to keep your heart protected from the enemy. This will be a year of great blessing, but it will be a year of great warfare with the enemy. The old cliché: If you want something bad enough, you will have to fight for it, applies here. We can hold fast to the promises, because Jesus tells us in Mark 13:13, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away”. God’s promises and instruction saturate the Bible, including His greatest promise, His Son, Jesus Christ, are all available to you in His Holy Word. John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”. What that tells us is, in the beginning was the Word(God), and the Word was with God(Jesus), and the Word was God(They are all One). God, Jesus, and His Word are all One. That Scripture validates the entire Bible, making infallible, unerring, and wholly trustworthy.

By using this trustworthy Source to build your life and submitting to its instruction you will grow into a beautiful creature, one that will shine the love of Christ, and who will bring others to His love, grace, mercy, and most importantly, His Salvation. This year, I urge you to dig into your Word, but I also urge you to share the Gospel with others, that a harvest might be reaped.
Until next time may God bless and keep you, and may His face shine upon you. To our Lord be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever. Amen.

If My people prayed

The Bible has much to say about prayer. There is Scripture giving instruction on when to pray, why to pray, what to pray, and how to pray. Prayer is important part of our relationship with God. It is our communication link with Him. Just as with your husband or wife, the key to success in the relationship is communication. No prayer goes unheard or unanswered. The key to answered prayer is to remember that God will answer it in HIS timing, not yours. James 5:16 says, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective”. The operative word in the Scripture is “righteous”. If you are praying for your own selfish wants and desires, and praying outside of the will of God, your prayer will not be effective. God will hear it and answer it, but you likely will not be happy with His answer. Sincere heartfelt prayers with pure motives, driven by love, are likely to be answered with your desired outcome. In 1 Timothy 2:8, the Apostle Paul says, “I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing”. Keeping anger, dispute, strife, cursing, and selfishness out of your prayer life will yield greater joy and peace from the Lord. God’s will is that we all spread the Gospel, and He does not seek division and strife with those who spread it, who are His sons and daughters. What He seeks is a joyful, faithful heart, seeking His guidance as a child seeks the guidance of their parents. He is a patient, loving Father, just waiting for His children to ask for His help, which He will give freely.

When we seek God in prayer, we should seek with our spirit. Sometimes you approach God as Alpha and Omega, the Great I AM, or the Lord Almighty, then other times you approach Him like a child asking to go out with friends, “Daddy, please?!” No matter what your approach is, three things should be there when you approach God; they are love, reverence, and thankfulness. He created you to worship Him, keep that in mind as you enter your prayer closet. You would be well in following the example of Philippians 4:6, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God”. Everything belongs to God, so thankfulness is a necessity. Just as your earthly parents teach you manners, so does your Heavenly Father. Though He is merciful and forgiving, it is not wise to learn His lessons the hard way, by being an ungrateful brat. He will bring you low, teach you, and bring you back up. But lets be honest, the lows are no fun. So, when petitioning and praying to our Lord and Savior, remember your manners. Colossians 4:2 also reminds us of this by saying, “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful”.

God gave promises and commandments in His Word concerning prayer. He instructs us when to pray. “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints”, Ephesians 6:18. Praying in the Spirit is a highly effective form of prayer, because the enemy can understand when you pray in your native tongue, but he is 100% clueless to what you speak when you pray in the Spirit. That is a blessing of the power of the Holy Spirit. He always commands us to be faithful in prayer in Romans 12:12, which says, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer”. If we are faithful in prayer, He will remain faithful to us; if we are not faithful in prayer, He will remain faithful to us. I suggest remaining faithful to Him, as a small sacrifice for the Sacrifice that He made for you. Jesus tells us that if we believe, we will have what we ask for in prayer. He says this in Matthew 21:22. Your prayers must line up with the will of God for you to get what you ask for. He will give you things outside of His will that you ask for in prayer, only for you to learn that you really did not want that anyway. I have a family member who wanted to get back together with a woman after they divorced, he prayed and prayed and prayed. God told him she was not the right woman for him. Still he prayed, and God gave her back to him. They were separated permanently a few months later. I use that as an example to earnestly pray for and tune into God’s will. He will make His wants known to you. Fasting is an effective method of tuning into God’s voice. Fasting is not necessarily always food related. You can fast from anything, the important part is, it must be a sacrifice. Ezra 8:23 says this about fasting, “So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer”. It is my prayer that this article clarifies some issues and helps you in your prayer life. I pray that each prayer draws you closer to God and conforms you to His image.
Until next time may God bless and keep you, and may His face shine upon you. To our Lord be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever. Amen.
May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice. Psalm 141:2

I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh

As I listened to the radio a few weeks back, I heard a song by Rory Comtois, entitled The Very Same Power. The chorus, which goes, “The Very Same Power that raised Christ from the dead, is alive in me. The Very Same Power that overcame the grave, well He lives in me”. Those two lines permeated me right down to my core. I meditated on the lyrics for awhile, reflecting on the fact that the Very Same Power that caused Christ to rise on the third day, abides in me. THAT IS TRUE POWER!! The best part is, God decided to share with us, to give that same life-giving Spirit to all who believe in Him. With that Spirit is great gifts, blessings, and power. The original recipients of the Holy Spirit were the Apostles of the Bible. The numerous manifestations of the Holy Spirit are recorded in the Book of Acts, which I will cover a few Scriptures from. The lame walked, the blind regained sight, and demons were driven out, all in the name of the risen Lord Jesus. When God poured out His Spirit tongues of flame danced about and the people began speaking in unknown tongues. These same manifestations of the Holy Spirit continue in our churches today. The gifts of God are used every day to His glory. They are used to draw the unsaved into relationship with Him, and to solidify those already in relationship with Him. Acts 1:8 illustrates this point, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”. We are the people Jesus speaks of in the ends of the earth. And we are to continue using this power of the Holy Spirit to be His witnesses in all the earth. Jesus told them that they would receive the Holy Spirit and to stay in the city until they did so, and He will tell you when it is your time as well. “I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high”, Jesus told His disciples shortly before He was crucified, stated in Luke 24:49.

This power that the Lord gives you is not for your own personal gain, but to achieve the will of the Father. He uses this power to heal His people and to deliver them from demonic influence, but only as He wills. He also uses the power of the Holy Spirit to strengthen you. He builds you up so that you may build others up and be an example to many. He tells us this in Ephesians 3:16, saying, “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being”. Everything that the Father uses to build you up, He does so that you may do so for others. In this way the entire Body of Christ grows and is strengthened.

I pray that you received some insight into just how powerful you are in His Name. His Spirit makes you mighty with His strength. I urge you to use this power to win souls to the Body of Christ, and to edify those already in the Body. Remember this key rule, “Freely we receive, freely give”, Matthew 10:8 (NKJV).

Until next time may God bless and keep you, and may His face shine upon you. To our Lord be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever. Amen.

And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. – Acts 2:17

Get your dance on! The Joy Flash Mob is coming to Plymouth Ice Festival

The Morning Light, the morning drive show (or movement) on WMUZ, 103.5FM, is hosted Monday through Friday from 6A.M. to 10A.M. by Shannyn Caldwell. She is a great big blessing to the Body of Christ, always bringing joy to her listener’s hearts. You can get your fill of praise and worship, prayer, and Bible study. Shannyn also brings you the opportunity to dance! The Joy Flash Mob is quickly becoming a movement unto itself. For those not in the know, the Joy Flash Mob is a choreographed dance that will break out spontaneously (at least to onlookers), wow the crowd, and as quickly as they came together, will disperse back into the throng, leaving those who watch both blessed and impressed. The Joy Flash Mob is just one more way for us to share the love of Christ, to be a blessing, and let’s face it, to just have some fun! The Joy Flash Mob will dance to Joy Unspeakable by Niyoki. The song has become the musical basis for the Joy Flash Mob.

This Joy Flash Mob is scheduled for Sunday, January 24, 2010 at 3P.M. The dance will be performed at the Plymouth Ice Festival. Those interested in dancing in the Joy Flash Mob can take advantage of a practice, scheduled for Saturday, January 23, 2010, from 12-3P.M. The practice will be held at Community Baptist Church in Garden City. The church is located on Warren Road, between Inkster and Middlebelt Roads. I will also be posting a video to learn the dance if practice is not possible but you can make the Flash Mob.

Until next time may God bless and keep you, and may His face shine upon you. To our Lord be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever. Amen.
I will build you up again and you will be rebuilt, O Virgin Israel. Again you will take up your tambourines and go out to dance with the joyful. – Jeremiah 31:4