F4S: July 2017

Monday, July 24, 2017

"Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight." Psalm 119:35

That's that path for me. Jesus is the way and the Bible -- that's the book for ME!

I stand alone on the word of God, that's the Book for ME!

The Book speaks -- points me to #Christ and His Cross.

"The message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." 1 Cor. 1:18




He initiated it all, we can choose to respond. He leads, we opt to follow.

Friday, July 21, 2017

Fully trust the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Go with God's word. Feelings, nothing more than feelings. Sometimes they are fickle and fleeting.. and sometimes a blessing.

What you FEEL is not always REAL. So what are you experiencing today -- have you prayed about it? 
What is REAL is not always RIGHT. Lots of stuff in ..our gone sideways kinda culture..that happens shouldn’t have happened. 
What feels NATURAL is not always HEALTHY. How can it feel so good and yet be so bad? It can. 
What is POPULAR is not always BEST. Historically the majority, the crowd, the mob.. has often been wrong.
What you hear and THINK is not always TRUE. Much of what’s on the web or in the Media is way off. Now the Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true.“ Acts 17:11
Fake news and made up forged reports aren't new at all. Spend time with Jesus and His people in God’s word to quickly recognize what’s false. Remember, 2000 years ago St. Paul had to deal with this junk. "Don't be so easily shaken or troubled by reports saying the Day Of The Lord has begun. If they claim to have a vision or revelation, or even a letter SUPPOSEDLY FROM ME, don't believe them!" 2 Thessalonians 2:2 
Give yourself permission to NOT believe everything that passes through your mind. Stop believing and doin’ the wrong things. Shoo away all that doesn’t need to be in there. It's one thing to let the birds fly over your head and quite another thing to allow them to nest in your hair. “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21 Facebook.com/shareJesus

Monday, July 10, 2017

Make no mistake.. if you can. You still will in some areas. Just repent if you sin, admit it and quit it cuz God still loves you gobs and will forgive you when you ask Him to. Get up and brush it off -- proceed with confidence, bro.

"He who makes no mistakes, makes no progress." — Theodore Roosevelt

You cannot be prideful ..haughty.. you know, and humble a.k.a. teachable at the same time.
Gain from the past. Profit form your blunders. It’s okay to tell on yourself and others will be able to relate. 

“If we confess our sins, he (Jesus) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

Be clear with your communication. Pray some more. Tell your own story and glorify the Lord. Keep it simple. People can't follow what they don't understand.They get enough of that fog or mist in churches. Draw in the net. Go for it -- trust and try. Expect.
Your best work yesterday shouldn't touch the work you're doing today. Go forward.Learn from yesterday.

“If you don’t know where you’re going, you’re likely to end up someplace else.” - Yogi Berra

If you want to lead on the highest level, be willing to serve on the lowest.
http://kurtwvs.tumblr.com/post/162830595308/abraham-had-possessions-possessions-had-lot-abe

Guard your heart bro cuz a fool's mouth will nail him. It's his or her ruin.

Have you ever had someone under your delegated authority, whether you placed them there or another did, who often said the right thing in the wrong way at just the wrong time, or perhaps the wrong thing at the right time? 
Have you ever had someone in delegated authority over you who often said pretty much the right thing in the wrong way.. like for much too long a time (during a 30 minute offering to gain more than normal by applying pressure on people [a mark of a false teacher. 2 Peter 2:1-3])? Ever see em do that one on one with individuals for what they claimed is a good cause?

Man, sometimes it's kinda hard to know what to do next!

I voted with my feet.. right out the nearest door. 

Thinkin' about Daniel and King David who didn't do that, but had the wisdom to say the right things, in just the right way, at exactly the right time. Ask God for the wisdom to hold your tongue until it's right. Ask Him for the tact, timing and tone --  the right words that edify, help and comfort people. Share fitting verses and passages. Be more like a well trained sharpshooter than a hasty shot-gunner so to speak. 
Ministry in word or in deed is learned in serving faithfully as they did. Choose the wise Leader (Jesus Christ), wise close friends, and wise under-leaders too. Spend time with them.  
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.
Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment. For we all stumble in many ways If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. Now if we put the bits into the horses' mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well. .
The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable, But the mouth of fools spouts folly.
An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, But the righteous will escape from trouble. A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his words, And the deeds of a man's hands will return to him.
"As for the head of those who surround me, may the mischief of their lips cover them.
Wise men store up knowledge, but with the mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand.
The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; The one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for his back, But the lips of the wise will protect them.
A fool's lips bring strife, And his mouth calls for blows. A fool's mouth is his ruin, And his lips are the snare of his soul.
He who guards his mouth and his tongue, guards his soul from troubles.
With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor, But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered.
"How long will you torment me and crush me with words?
He has put forth his hands against those who were at peace with him; He has violated his covenant. His speech was smoother than butter, But his heart was war; His words were softer than oil, Yet they were drawn swords.
My soul is among lions; I must lie among those who breathe forth fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows And their tongue a sharp sword.
Who have sharpened their tongue like a sword they aimed bitter speech as their arrow, To shoot from concealment at the blameless; Suddenly they shoot at him, and do not fear.
They sharpen their tongues as a serpent; poison of a viper is under their lips. Selah.
By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, But by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down.
The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, but the mouth of the upright will deliver them.
A worthless man digs up evil, While his words are like scorching fire.
The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver, The heart of the wicked is worth little. The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of understanding.
The wise in heart will be called understanding, And sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.
Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold Is a wise reprover to a listening ear.
The Lord God has given Me the tongue of disciples, That I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple.
Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.
A man has joy in an apt answer, and how delightful is a timely word!
Like apples of gold in settings of silver Is a word spoken in right circumstances. Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold Is a wise reprover to a listening ear.
He who despises his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding keeps silent. He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets, But he who is trustworthy conceals a matter.
But certain worthless men said, "How can this one deliver us?" And they despised him and did not bring him any present. But he kept silent.
When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, But he who restrains his lips is wise.
He who restrains his words has knowledge, And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.
Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Or you will also be like him.
Therefore at such a time the prudent person keeps silent, for it is an evil time.
"But the Lord is in His holy temple Let all the earth be silent before Him."
Be silent before the Lord God! For the day of the Lord is near, For the Lord has prepared a sacrifice, He has consecrated His guests.
This you know, my beloved brethren But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger;
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation!" So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.
When they had set a day for Paul, they came to him at his lodging in large numbers; and he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening. Some were being persuaded by the things spoken, but others would not believe.
but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;
WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;
But Jesus kept silent And the high priest said to Him, "I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God."
But He kept silent and did not answer Again the high priest was questioning Him, and saying to Him, "Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?"
And He did not answer him with regard to even a single charge, so the governor was quite amazed.
But Jesus made no further answer; so Pilate was amazed.
And he questioned Him at some length; but He answered him nothing.
Therefore when Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid; and he entered into the Praetorium again and said to Jesus, "Where are You from?" But Jesus gave him no answer.
"You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. "The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. "But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. .
There is nothing reliable in what they say; Their inward part is destruction itself Their throat is an open grave; They flatter with their tongue.
O LORD, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill? He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, And speaks truth in his heart. He does not slander with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor takes up a reproach against his friend; .
After Jesus called the crowd to Him, He said to them, "Hear and understand. "It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man." Then the disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?" .
After He called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, "Listen to Me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man. ["If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."] .
"The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.
If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless.
And no lie was found in their mouth; they are blameless.