It Shall Not Come Near You!

Psalm 91:7

A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you.

Your doctor or insurance agent may ask you, “Do you have a family history of cancer?” If you say, “Yes,” they will probably tell you that you might get some form of cancer too.
Now, if you are without God, you would probably agree with them and start worrying about your health. But you are not without God! In fact, His Word tells you, “A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you.” Therefore, even if you have a family history of cancer, and your family members have died of cancer, you can have the confidence to declare that it will not come near you!
My mother had this attitude. After a thorough medical check-up, the doctor was surprised and told her that she did not have high blood pressure or heart disease, although these two conditions have plagued her father and siblings. You see, my mother had already firmly declared that no deadly, family-related disease would come near her.
Praise God for my mother’s trust in God’s Word because I am the generation after her! In fact, after my mother told me about the results of her check-up, I randomly opened my Bible only to read about Rahab the harlot who by faith “did not perish with those who did not believe”. (Hebrews 11:31)
Beloved, God wants you to know that even though you are in this world, you are not of this world. You belong to Him. You don’t have to get caught in dire situations along with the people of the world. Because God is on your side, “He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence”. (Psalm 91:3)
Even when it comes to generational diseases, you can boldly declare, “That disease stops here!” because you have God and His Word. And when you believe God and His Word, you will see His promises come to pass for you—“A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you”!

Thought For The Day

A thousand may fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not come near you.

How can you change someone else’s life for the better today?

Matthew 25:35-36

For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.

Changing the World One Person at a Time

Many believe they can’t change the world because there is so much wrong with it. We see so much to do that we won’t do anything, but we can at least change one person’s life today. Perhaps like a ripple in a pond, the effects can keep extending outward when this person who is changed for the better helps to change someone else’s life–it goes on and on. It’s like paying it forward. It is a change that keeps on giving change to others. Jesus said that we can make a difference. When you see someone hungry, provide them with something to eat; when you see someone is thirsty, give them a drink; and when you see someone who is a stranger, make them feel welcome (Matt. 25:35). When someone’s underdressed, give them some of your own clothing; when someone’s sick in the hospital, go and visit them; and when someone’s in prison, go see them, or at least write them a letter (Matt. 25:36). You can’t change everything, but don’t settle for nothing.

Starting a One-Person Ministry

Have you ever thought of helping one person at a time? We have a nursing home ministry, which has touched so many but one precious lady in particular. This woman has family that lives far away. She doesn’t have any friends in the city, and she receives no visitors, so our visits mean a lot to her. I believe it helped me more than it has helped her. Our church elder sees those who are in nursing homes the same as those who are in prison. They’re not there for a crime, but they are imprisoned by their own physical limitations.  They cannot come and go as they like, so they are, in effect, prisoners of their age or disability. I think Jesus would see what our church is doing for the beautiful souls in the nursing home as doing it for Him (Matt. 25:40). What do you think?

Being Part of the Body of Christ

All believers have a ministry. Even though we might not be a pastor, we are all ministers of God, sent by Him to be part of the Body of Christ. In this way, even one person can make a huge difference in the world. The church is called the Body of Christ for a very good reason: We can be His hands that touch lives (Matt. 19:13-14; John 13:13-17), we can be His ears that hear the cries for help (Matt. 20:29-34), we can be His eyes to look for the crushed in spirit (Matt. 9:35-38), we can be His voice to tell people they must repent and believe the Gospel (Mark 1:15), and we can be His feet, bringing the good news to our own area of the world (Luke 10:1-6; Rom. 10:13-15). If we truly have the mind of Christ, we will esteem others better than ourselves and we will treat them as such (Phil. 2:2-8). Why not change someone’s life for the better today? Start one person at a time.

A Closing Prayer

God, my Father, I know You want me to be Jesus’ hands, ears, eyes, voice, and feet and that I need to have the mind of Christ. Please point me to where You would have me go to change lives starting today with one person, and in Christ’s holy name I pray.

Amen

What is your biggest distraction from God? Have you thought about giving it up to see how your life might change?

Luke 14:33

So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

Competing With God

What things in this world distract us from God? What are you willing to give up to see just how much your life would change? Jesus said that we must forsake everything for Him if we are to be His disciple (Luke 14:33). For me, when I became a Christian, many of the things that I used to love weren’t things that I enjoyed anymore. It’s as if my desires or passions for things changed dramatically. I believe that this happens when we become new creatures in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). The things that I used to love I began to hate, and the things that I used to hate I began to love. Not that I can even undo Moses’ sandal straps, but like Him I started forsaking the ways of the world for those things that pleased God. Moses forsook the riches and passing pleasures of Egypt to serve God (Heb. 11:26). Almost everything else seemed like a loss compared to the riches found in Christ (Phil. 3:7). What about you? What competes with God in your life? What distracts you from being more devoted to Him?

Hating the World, Loving God

The Apostle John was clear when He wrote that if we love the world, we cannot possibly love God (1 John 2:15). If we are conformed to the world, there will be no true renewal of our mind (Rom. 12:2). If we are close friends with the world and those of the world, then that makes us enemies of God (James 4:4). Whatever it is in this world that distracts you from God is robbing you of the opportunity for real change in your life. If we’re not seeking the King of the kingdom first, then we might even struggle with the necessities of this life (Matt. 6:33), and we can’t call Him Lord if we don’t do what He tells us to do (Luke 6:46). God cannot be mocked because what we sow is what we’ll reap (Gal. 6:7), and if we sow into the flesh, we’ll reap the wind (or empty, useless things).

Naming the Distraction

Can you name what distracts you from God? Can you identify what it is that keeps you from fully serving God? Name it and then ask God to change the desires of your heart. The world has a very strong pull on our flesh.  I know–I get constant pulls of the flesh to go back into the ways of the world. Are your distractions sports, a job, friends, family, your social status, or something altogether different? Whatever it is, it is in competition with God. God is a jealous God (Ex. 34:14; Deut. 4:24), and we are to put Him first (Luke 10:27). I think every one of us, even those of us who’ve been a believer for a long time, have distractions. These distractions can keep us from significantly changing our life for the better and for the purpose of being more mightily used by God.

A Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father God, my heart is an idol factory. Please help me to love You more and more each day so that pleasing You and serving You will squeeze out of my life the desires to please myself and that You can use me in a much more powerful way. In Jesus’ name I pray.

Amen

Kept In All Your Ways By God’s Angels

Thought For The Day

Don’t fear what the world fears because God loves you, and His angels walk with you and watch over you!

Psalm 91:11–12

For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.

You are about to step onto the road when something pulls you back just in time to avoid being hit by a speeding car. You are shocked. When you come to your senses, you ask yourself, “Could it be that an angel just saved me from a fatal accident?”
I believe that angels walk with us. The verse tells us that God has given His angels charge over us to keep us in all our ways. And in their hands they will bear us up, so that not even a stone will trip us up.
But we may not know it when we encounter an angel. (Hebrews 13:2) This was probably the case with a couple in our church who were holidaying at a beach resort on Penang Island when a tsunami struck at about 12.30pm on 26 December 2004.
It was slightly past 11am when the wife suddenly had a craving for food from the mainland. The couple decided to check out earlier, so that they could reach the mainland in time for lunch. While loading their luggage into their car at the hotel driveway, a man impatiently motioned to them to hurry up and get moving.
Annoyed by his impatience, they quickly loaded their stuff and drove off. The minute they reached the mainland, they heard that a tsunami had struck Penang Island at the same beach where they were just a while ago. While thanking God for their narrow escape, it suddenly dawned on them that the impatient man could have been an angel charged by God to hurry them off!
God tells us that we have an innumerable company of angels. (Hebrews 12:22) And He has given them charge over us to protect us from accidents, natural disasters, terrorist bombings and other dangers. So don’t fear these things and lock yourself at home. Go for that holiday! Go for that lunch appointment! Believe that God loves you, and thank Him for His angels who walk with you and watch over you!

Anger (A True Story)

Anger (A True Story)

Anger. What does it mean? It means a strong feeling of displeasure or hostility. I know all too well about anger. I get angry more than I care to think about. I get angry when my kids don't do their chores, when I have to work 8 days straight, when I don't have enough money for something that I want, and especially when people test my patience. For example, last night while I was at work, a young man wanted to buy some cigarillos. I sold them to him and he was about 6 cents short. He told me that he was going to his car to get the change and that he would be right back. That was fine with me. I wasn't sweating the change. When he comes back to the window, I was helping another customer, so he throws a dime at me. He really threw a dime at me! I was like, "Oh no this nigga didn't just throw a dime at me!" I was ready to go off on him like nobody's business, but instead I kept my mouth shut. It killed me a little inside to do that. I wanted to tear into his behind and just shred him. But I chilled. I started thinking... WWGD? What would God do? He wouldn't go off on someone all kind of ways. That isn't what He does. So, I just continued doing my job. I know some people think that was a punk move on my part. But I am slowly, very slowly, learning that sometimes it's best to keep your mouth shut and keep it moving. God does not want us to be angry with each other or to seek revenge when we feel we have been slighted. We are to leave those matters up to Him. He will do what is right by us if we just trust and believe in Him. It isn't easy though. I have to stop myself every single day from going off on people. I know I have a nasty temper. I am stubborn and I always have to let you know how I feel. Now, I'm not saying to just let people walk all over you. I'm saying that we don't always have to be on the defensive. I have to learn to choose my battles wisely. Some things just aren't as important as we think they are. We need to be slow to speak and slow to anger. Let God deal with our battles. Like I said before, it's not an easy thing to do. But, it is the right thing to do. With God's help and His mercy, I will be able to conquer that weakness. The weakness of always having to give you the business. I know everyone gets angry at some point in their lives, but let God handle things for you. Listening and obeying His word will help rid us of all the unnecessary stress in our lives. Let's all try to lead the kind of life that He wants us to. God bless you all.

(James 1:19-20) My dear brothers and sisters, always be willing to listen and slow to speak. Do not become angry easily, because anger will not help you live the right kind of life God wants.

(Ephesians 4:26-27) When you are angry, do not sin, and be sure to stop being angry before the end of the day. Do not give the devil a way to defeat you.

(Proverbs 12:16) Fools quickly show that they are upset, but the wise ignore insults.

(Romans 12:19) My friends, do not try to punish others when they wrong you, but wait for God to punish them with his anger. It is written: "I will punish those who do wrong; I will repay them," says the Lord.

(Colossians 3:8) But now also put these things out of your life: anger, bad temper, doing or saying things to hurt others, and using evil words when you talk.

Jesus, The Measure Of Your Righteousness

2 Corinthians 5:21

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

God wants us to seek His righteousness and not our own righteousness. When we seek our own righteousness, we will always end up feeling miserable because we can never be righteous by our works, no matter how hard we try. That is why our loving Father wants us to remember that righteousness is not right behavior but a person—Jesus (1 Corinthians 1:30), and that we have “become the righteousness of God in Him”.
I know of a lady who, before coming to our church, attempted to establish her own righteousness by confessing all her sins to “clean” herself up. But she found that the more she confessed her sins, the more sins she discovered in herself. She became guilt-ridden and miserable. Feeling stressed out and weary of confessing her sins all the time, she eventually left the church she was attending. In fact, she never stepped into another church again for the next 10 years.
One day, someone gave her my message tape entitled You Will Never Lose God’s Everlasting Righteousness Given To You and she started listening to it. Once she learnt that Jesus was the measure of her righteousness and acceptance before God, she began to seek God’s righteousness by seeing Christ as her righteousness. Before long, peace and joy came flooding back into her life.Today, she worships in our church. She testified of how God has supernaturally healed her of a long-term medical condition she had. Even her husband, once balding, found hair sprouting supernaturally! God was adding all these things to her according to His promise—“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you”. (Matthew 6:33)
Beloved, seeking God’s righteousness means that you see Jesus as someone who knew no sin but became sin for you, so that He could give you His righteousness and make you the righteousness of God in Him! As you proclaim daily the truth that you are the righteousness of God in Christ, you will see “all these things” (Matthew 6:33) added to you without even asking for them!

Thought For The Day

Righteousness is not right behavior but a person—Jesus.

God Wants His Children Well And Joyful

John 14:9

Jesus said to him, “…He who has seen Me has seen the Father…

Imagine the following scenario: A father tells his little girl, “Come here, girl. Mummy says that you have been playing by the roadside. Is that true?” “Yes, Daddy. I am sorry.” “Sorry? How many times have I told you not to play near the road? Come here! Lie down on the road and stretch out your legs!”
Daddy drives his car over his little girl’s legs. You can hear the sound of bones being crushed and the poor girl screaming in pain!
“Now, darling, you know that Daddy loves you. And Daddy did that to teach you a lesson, that playing by the roadside is dangerous.”
You are probably shaking your head in horror by now, wondering which sick father would do that. Yet, there are many Christians who believe that our heavenly Father does the same thing. They say that He gives people sicknesses, accidents, earthquakes and death to teach them lessons.
But Jesus said, “If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father.” Jesus is the nature of God in action. Throughout the Gospels, we see Jesus or God going about healing the sick. If God wants some people sick, then there should be at least one incident in the Gospels where you see Jesus saying, “Behold, your complexion is too lovely, receive leprosy,” or “Blindness is good for you. Remain blind.” But no, never once! In fact, Jesus “went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil”. (Acts 10:38) That’s the heart of God.
As a father, if your child is sick and in pain, your heart just wants him well. How much more your heavenly Father! My friend, God does not give your child a sickness to teach both of you some lesson or to glorify Himself. To think so is to talk out of a warped mind bound by religion! And Christianity is not a religion. It is a loving relationship with your Father in heaven.
Beloved, hear God speaking this to your heart today: “I will never punish you for your sins because they have been punished in My Son’s body. I do not wish you ill. I will not take away your child or give you a car wreck to teach you some lesson. My heart always wants My children well and joyful!”

Thought For The Day

If God wants some people sick, then there should be at least one incident in the Gospels where Jesus gave sickness to or refused to heal someone.