F4S: June 2014

Monday, June 30, 2014

I've said it before and I'll say it again, even though many sincere people will hate me for it.. and be wrong.

Really don't mean to be offensive, but with all due respect ..you Sir or Miss were born a sinner just like me, and you were not born gay no matter how many like-able people (or any others) tell you that you were. It's a choice, and there's no scientific proof that you were. In fact, I have an ex-gay (totally forgiven) relative that I actually had the privilege of leading in a prayer of repentance to faith in Christ ..and who has lived free from all homosexual sins for decades now, who has been happily married to a wonderful person of the opposite sex even.... they full-on rejoice together with their beautiful child that they together were blessed with.. and this person would attest to all that I am saying here. 

Also, for straight folk.. choosing to have sex outside of marriage in fornication or adultery ..those are also lame choices that God also calls wrong and sinful. Sure, read the whole Book (Bible). I didn't come up with all this on my own. This is what God clearly says in His Word, so if you have a beef with that please don't get all mad at me or call me "homophobic" (cuz I ain't a hater or afraid). I could just as easily say to the name-caller: Don't be Bibleophobic, Godophobic or 

Christianophobic. Simply go take it up with Him one on One if you have a problem about it. And if you're confused on this stuff, just know that the inerrant Bible and it's perfect Author.. the holy God who deeply and selflessly loves you.. the One who, YES, wrote the Bible without any errors via flawed men ..is not confused at all. He has never been, and never will be.  

I also want to say, even though I personally used to drink like a wild coy fish just for the effect instead of for the taste that.. alcoholism has never been a biological disease though many people will tell you it is a disease. It's simply an uber-lame choice just like the choice or choices involved with abusing drugs or people. Please don't abuse em. Are there people out there who have a propensity, an inner predilection or inclination to favor, or a tendency towards.. or a habitual proclivity for these sins that I've mentioned above? I would say, Sure there are. We know this to be true, but we all make our choices just the same and we will be held accountable for each one. People wouldn't have such if Adam and Eve (two real individuals - the first people God made) didn't make their bad choices and fall in the Garden and then try to hide. People didn't have such before that time, therefore it's not God's fault if people do today. Many blame God, but He's never sinned or had any darkness in Him. God is light and He's not even shadowy any day of the week. He lives outside of time and doesn't change. 

We've been clearly warned for our own protection's sake. Also, Christians are not called to go accuse sinners of their sins, or to go browbeat them, or to ever talk down to them, or to try and reform sinners (which just doesn't work). They might just change idols to worship as some do. We aren't called of God to comfort, to enable, or to even encourage them in their sinning i.e., "There, there. You really are a good person inside and everything really will be okay." We don't know that. Can we encourage them to ditch their sin-habits via biblcial repentance and faith in the Lord. Absolutely, with humble gentleness, with the holy fear of God inside, with discernment and respect for them as a human made in God's image having great value. Christians are called to walk in the spirit, to love all people, and to uncompromisingly minister the Gospel of grace to them.. for decisions. Duh! Jesus exampled this and He is the only one who can save us sinners.

So, no matter what your pet sins are, there is a viable Solution and He has a name, Jesus Christ (the Bible Jesus). He hung on the Cross for you and died. He also came out of that borrowed tomb as He said. Turn from the wrong-doin's today and put your fully trust in Him alone. 

I was asked about all this, so here's the clear response (see verses in their context below [there's more when you have time]). This is God's stance and therefore I chose that it'd be mine as well. 

"Do not practice homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman. It is a detestable sin." (Leviticus 18:22 nlt)

"If a man practices homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman, both men have committed a detestable act. They must both be put to death, for they are guilty of a capital offense." (Leviticus 20:13 nlt)

“Don't you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don't fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people-none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 nlt)

“Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine..” (1 Timothy 1:8-10)

“And don't forget Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, which were filled with immorality and every kind of sexual perversion. Those cities were destroyed by fire and serve as a warning of the eternal fire of God's judgment.” (Jude 7 niv)

Be "building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit." Jude 1:20

Monday, June 23, 2014

Form the Habit of Good Planning, Speaker, and Start Early in Honoring Their Time

What's that all about and who even wants to be a speaker? 

Well, are you a believer? Then let's talk about effective planning.  

It can be about a scheme to formulate with a good aim; or a drawing, or a diagram, or a program, or a systematic method.. all worked out beforehand for the accomplishment of an objective—yes, that's a plan. I'd say that good planning is effective pre-thinking and praying for the best results and the benefit of the most people that'll be involved. It's wise preparing early for the purpose of blessing later. It's kind of bringin' the future out of the future to your side to deal with it..bringin' it right into the present if ya will so that you can potentially do something positive about what'll happen then.. before it actually does. 

What does God say about planning? You know that He has a good plan for your life, right? He says…

For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? See Luke 14:28-33

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 

The prudent understand where they are going, but fools deceive themselves. Proverbs 14:8

In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:6

But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 1 Timothy 5:8

Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land and take one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven plentiful years. And let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine that are to occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine. Genesis 41:34-36

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. John 16:13

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. Galatians 6:7-9

The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty. Proverbs 21:5

Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house. Proverbs 24:27

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Hebrews 11:6

Every Christian speaker, whether that's one to one person, or one to more than one person, needs to prayerfully plan out and even expect God to guide them. And he or she needs to know that there are real benefits...yes, for more than one person cuz of their good planning. This is what bein' smart, and hermeneutics, and homiletics, and evangelistic or discipleship kinda prayin' is all about. Trust that... 

"God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think." Ephesians 3:20

Poem for ya:  I am your constant companion. 
I am your greatest helper or heaviest burden. I will push you onward or drag you down to failure. 

I am completely at your command. 
Half of the things you do.. you might as well turn over to me and I will do them - quickly and correctly.

I am easily managed - you must be pretty firm with me. Show me exactly how you want something done and after a few lessons, I will do it automatically. I am the servant of great people, and alas, of all failures as well.

Those who are great, I pretty much so.. have made great. Those who are failures, I have made failures. I am not a machine though I work with the precision of a machine plus the intelligence or folly of a person. You may run me for profit or run me for ruin - it makes no difference to me. 

Take me, thoroughly train me, be firm with me, and I will place those of the world right at your feet.. for a purpose. Be too easy with me.. always doing what your flesh feels like doing.. and I will destroy you. Who am I? I am Habit.  
By Anon and tweaked by @kurtwvs

And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2:1-16

"Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes; but no plans." ― Peter F. Drucker

If you've already committed.. if you're scheduled to speak and you don't feel like starting the work of good planning, speaker, then you have your first prayer request huh… praying hard that you and the Lord together will find a way to start some good planning. And guess what?.. He isn't the One not knowing what to do or how He wants it done. Question: Do you have some other growing Christian friends as well who you can chat with about different aspects of it?  

A goal without a plan is just a wish. ― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. ― Benjamin Franklin

Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. ― Abraham Lincoln

Determine in your heart now to get alone for diligently study, to know your topic well, to wisely apply it early, and in some appropriate location ..to boldly preach the Word in a non-preachy or weird-pushy sorta way. Do it for decisions and the glory of God.. even if you're not called by Him into career ministry. You know that all believers are called of God to be holy full time reps for Christ. It's about show and tell, walkin' it and then talkin' it. 

Ask yourself three things real early: 1.) What do I really want them to know ..that's biblical (a.k.a., what does God want em to know)? 2.) What do I want em to be (yes, more importantly what God wants em to be..), and 3.) What do I  want them to do? God is very practical. So, tell them what you're going to tell them, clearly tell em giving simple explanation for their fully-understanding's-sake, and then tell them what you clearly told them.. to do. Don't forget to give them an opportunity to respond and get right with God.. those who don't yet know God, for those who have wandered away from God (He never wanders away from us), and for those who just need God's direct ministry or healing in some area. 

Remember that you can't export it if you don't somehow first import it.. from the Lord. So let the Word of God dwell in you richly with His wisdomallowing the Word to be like a bright lamp for your feet to walk on in the planning and delivery (see Psalm 119:105). Opt not to be one who traffics in un-lived truth. 

Pre-think it all the way through, not merely the night before or half way through. Do that together with several wise and godly people if ya can. Sure, cuz the Bible says.. 

"Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed." Proverbs 15:22

Want God's help? Ask for His help cuz, "God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think." Ephesians 3:20

Form the habit starting today! Plan and do the next right thing in the right way at just the right time.. and with right motives, smile, and attitude in right relationship with Jesus. He'll be faithful to reward you for it ..no matter who you are. 

Have a sense of urgency and joy about you. There's good reason to. If you pray and plan well now, then you can have strong confidence and fruit for your labor then. Expect. Besides, it can be a whole lot of fun watching God go to work. He blesses His Word rather than our mere opinions. For more on this just click "Like" at: facebook.com/shareJesus

Friday, June 20, 2014

Are you like.. running through life all suited up and ready, or more like one of those vulnerable spiritual streakers dashin' for the door?

Okay, this for sure dates me, but I went to high school back in the day when streakers would surprisingly zoom through the lunch area of our school's mall in so called daring and creative fashion. Did it help anyone? Nope, but it happened. 

Yeah, and I remember seein' a few of those bleached blond surf rats at Dana Hills High slip, hit the floor, and take some high speed spills ..all sprawled out spread eagle on the concrete with their beards in the wind and all in the buff. Ouch! It was like watching a contact sport. Didn't really look like much fun though.. sliding into those hard nearby fold-able tables or those laughing students they were trying to avoid. Not sure if any got caught by campus security or not, but did see em get chased out. 

So many people go through life and do this type of thing (a 'lil differently) today even, and some actually get hurt. Don't want that to ever happen to you, no no!.. so I've got a few contexts for ya to check out when you get some moments free. 

Go read in the Bible (Eph. 6:17), "And take the helmet of salvation (sure, there's nothing more important than that), and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.." 

Yup, God says we each need to take up the sword which is the Word of God (it's the word "rhema" in the original—this is our only offensive weapon for our most important battle we will face. Not sure when you will face it, but it's good to be ready. "For (though we might feel like it at times..) we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (v. 12 emph. mine). God wants us to recognize our real (ultimate) enemy who is Mr. Lu-Cifer, it's not really contentious people and guess what. He wants us to fight the good fight of faith..not really with people physically..and wants us to win. 

You were born to be a Bible-believing overcomer in this life, not some passive, out-of-shape soldier gone AWOL just when things heat up. So, how often do you fight the good fight of faith and pray for your lost or once lost loved ones? Listen, everyone of them is worth fighting for. 

You (and I) are to learn it, live it, apply it, and yes ..speak it, believer, in the most kind and fit way (depending on your specific situation). Too many use the Bible in a mean way to hurt people. Don't do that.  

The Gospel advances through prayerful one-on-one and one-on-more than one biblical evangelism. Be wise and tactful. I'm not sayin' go have extended communication with the enemy as too many believers seem to enjoy doing. That's so lame, but remember that sometimes the best defense is a good offense. 

Initiate believing prayer ..either alone or better yet with some others praying biblically too. Sometimes the best way to keep the devil and off of our own territory is to keep Lucy (as my friend calls him..) busy off on his own, just defending his kingdom from being plundered via our faith.. yes, from our bold attacks as we pray Christ-focused and simply share His Good News. Sure, many of our battles are fought in the sight of God alone, and they're all for His glory alone.

"The first step on the way to victory is to recognize the enemy." ~ Corrie Ten Boom

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh.." 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." 1 John 5:4-5

Now this'll sound kind of weird, but the Bible is basically full of swords. The Apostle Paul challenged us to take hold of the true sayings (plural) of God. And the word rhema means the individual true sayings of God found in the Bible, not really meaning the whole Bible here, though that Book is way good to read from cover to cover as long as you live.

And don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that the Bible becomes the Word of God when we believe it, or when we use it in a certain way.

It's a Book for committed soldiers that was literally breathed out of the nostrils of Godtheopneustos. And the Bible just is the written Word of God no matter what we feel on different occasions, no matter what we face, see, or how we use it—it can never not be the Word of God and Jesus Christ will never not be the Living Word of God. He is God, He never sinned, and He never spoke or lived anything contrary to the Bible. That why our attitude towards this soul-winning inerrant Book is such a good indicator of our attitude towards the living God directly.  

"Prayer plumes the wings of God's young eaglets so that they may learn to mount above the clouds. Prayer brings inner strength to God's warriors and sends them forth to spirit.ual battle with their muscles firm and their armor in place." ~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon

"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:7

"For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." Galatians 3:27

"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds." 2 Corinthians 10:4

"Fight like a good soldier; and if thou sometimes fall through frailty, take again greater strength than before, trusting in my more abundant grace." ~ Thomas a Kempis

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." 1 Peter 5:8

None of us can afford to ignore God's Word or our times in biblical prayer, or even afford to speak dogmatically where the Bible remains silent. But where the Bible speaks clearly ..yeah, that's where we can speak boldly in love..speak confidently and clearly i.e., "Jesus answered and said to him (a Pharisees named Nicodemus), 'Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God'" (Jn. 3:3).. "Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again'" (v. 7).  

If God has called you into the military for the sake of a just war to protect innocent people, you are of course called to fight physically. Please do prayerfully read these passages in their own contexts and in order to receive more challenging quotes about this stuff, just click like at: facebook.com/shareJesus  

Thursday, June 19, 2014

"There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’” ~ C.S. Lewis

Thy will be done 101: God is good and He basically gives ya what you want regarding eternity. Yup, that's basic. So what do you want?

He gives.. He cares.. He shows love to those who choose to be His enemies during this earthly-experience.. as we all should do. Sure, and you know this Lewis-statement is not unkind or politically correct, but just think about it a minute. 

Thy will be done. You and I choose. All that will be in Hell, actually choose it or have already chosen it and there's zero party hardy or hearty there. Just sayin'. Sehr traurig huh (so sad)!.. cuz there's a much better option offered. Hey, "repentance" and "faith in Christ"—those are actually good words to hear 'bout, not some negative religious application. "For all have sinned (so destructive to more than one), and come short of the glory of God", therefore ditchin' sin, ditchin' the enemy who tempts us to, and the subsequent painful consequences.. that's always a good thing for any human.

People get so mad at God for everything bad that happens, even weatherpersons and insurance agents calls the tragedies of a sin-cursed-ill-affected earth: "Acts of God." But listen up.. it's people that send themselves to hell. They'll have no one to blame but self. It's people that reject Christ (the loving sinless Deity)—the Father's only Son and only provision for their sin.

"Don't say that a loving God is going to send you to hell - He's not. The thing that's going to send you to hell is that you're a sinner and you don't want to admit it." ~ J. Vernon McGee

The Bible says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23

"Hell is the highest reward that the devil can offer you for being a servant of his." ~ Billy Sunday

Hell is an uber-negative-location with no exit door when ya really want one, as well being a place where truth is seen a bit too late.

"I would rather go to heaven alone than go to hell in company." ~ R.A. Torrey

We all, if we're still suckin' air on earth have the great privilege of choosing what we deep-down inside really want, and choosing life "now" sure beats any "procrastination." Listen, all peeps simply ain't gunna go to heaven though God wants em to (and many people still aren't even wanting to..) and no one, even from a family of affluence and privilege here, will have the choice to turn and be regenerated post-mortem, though many popular false teachers say that people will have that chance at forgiveness after physical death.  

Today is the day to decide—for ongoing LIFE during and after this life here.. or for death. We can decide for effectual ongoing protection or lasting destruction, for a real place called Heaven or an uber-lame location called Hell (yep, with all due respect you-wards.. there's no earnin' heaven. there's no good deeds outweighing our bad deeds for entrance, there's no reincarnation ever, there's no third choice "C", there's no purgatory for anyone moral or not so much.. though countless hours of workin' wooden beads have been invested by so many [hey, been there, done that and wasn't "saved" [a term God uses] until age 18]).

Jesus said, "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad" (Matthew 12:30).

"Anyone who isn't with me opposes me, and anyone who isn't working with me is actually working against me" (Luke 11:23).

Listen, nobody that seriously and constantly desires real J O Y will ever miss out on it. Why? Well cuz, those who really seek really find. To those who knock.. it'll be opened. To those who ask the Father for forgiveness, regeneration, for His JOY, for abundant and lasting life in Christ.. they will indeed receive." He turns away none.

The Bible says, "Ask, and you will receive; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks will receive, and anyone who seeks will find, and the door will be opened to those who knock. Would any of you who are fathers give your son a stone when he asks for bread? Or would you give him a snake when he asks for a fish? As bad as you are, you know how to give good things to your children. How much more, then, will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!" Matthew 7:7-11

"When sinners are careless and stupid, and sinking into hell unconcerned, it is time the church should bestir themselves. It is as much the duty of the church to awake, as it is for the firemen to awake when a fire breaks out in the night in a great city." ~ Charles Finney

"If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our bodies. If they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees. Let no one go there unwarned and unprayed for." ~ Charles H. Spurgeon

Hell is the place for selfish people. Are you that way? The national anthem of hell will be, "I Did It My Way" instead of God's good way. Heaven is not the place for good people who earned it through good works. Heaven is the place for once-selfish people but then freely forgiven. "..No one is good except God alone" (Luke 18:19).

Disbelieve in that place called hell as so many of our contemporaries opt to do, and you unscrew, undo, unsettle, nullify, and unpin everything that's in all the books of Scripture—can't be done. Hey, you're smart, but are you so puffed up to view yourself as smarter than all saints who've come before you? You're not smarter than your omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient (all-mighty, ever-present, all-knowing), all-seeing Creator who really loves you. Believe in Jesus!

Though hell was created for fallen angels and wasn't originally designed for people.. though hell is not yet occupied, look around you.. it sadly will be soon. Ignore the friends that could give a flip about eternity, and don't go there! The truth: All unsaved (a Bible term) people will be cast into utter darkness forever where no love is. So SO lonely! Free will and neglect of this decision (not to choose is to choose).. will carry many a soul into hell, but the Good News of the Cross is that you can choose Life in Christ right now. Go for it.. 100% for Christ and become His disciple. Click like at: facebook.com/shareJesus

Saturday, June 14, 2014

"The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results." ~ James 5:16

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Why can it be that some go free? Well, the Lord is the reason ..ya see:

I mean the Bible Lord. His name is Jesus. 

You know it. Please think about His Cross and what Happened on it, and what it for you really means.  

—When pain or sickness seem to be my lot ..for short-term or a really long time, I can still smile cuz joy'll also be there.  
—When confusion and chaos are on my block literally winning the day, I can understand what's real and worthy of my time. Christ is the solution and His truth will ultimately prevail.
—When the sharp sting of betrayal stealthy or poignantly arrives on my doorstep, I can still trust. God and His promises'll never ever fail.
—In the place of fear, or doubt, or red-hot-hate, I can confidently advance ..with His Message of faith, hope and L O V E.

That later one will stay on with us believers through all eternity. That's why the Bible calls love "the greatest of these", it's one among three that lasts longer. Sure, the first two.. faith and hope ..are needed for our pre-transfer time here.

The Apostle Paul affirmed this fact sayin', "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13  

Have you been feelin' kinda down or hopeless lately cuz of a lack of faith or real love in your life? We gotta pronto see that fixed!!!