Guard your mind.

 

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. (Ps 23:3)

Years ago, I remember my teacher telling us to put on our thinking caps. We pretended we were putting our thinking caps on and trying to answer questions. This brought on excitement and motivation to the classroom. Today, we are going to the classroom of the Holy Spirit and we will put on our thinking caps. What is our thinking cap? None other than Christ. ( Rom 13:13-14)

Why put on Christ? Simply because the word Christ means the Holy Spirit’s power to destroy yokes and lift burdens. Where do we start to put on Christ? In our minds. Scriptures tell us that we have the mind of Christ, but there is one catch–we have to let this mind be in us. (Phil 2:5)

There are many ways in which we can let this truth slip from us and drag us into the world. If you notice Rom 13:13-14 (Amplified version), you will find some examples–

  • Carousing
  • Drunkenness
  • Sexual promiscuity
  •  Irresponsibility
  •  Quarreling
  •  Jealousy

These sins of the flesh will cause us to forget our identity with Christ and open the door for the enemy to get in. Another aspect that can hurt us is worry and fear. These things can hurt our minds, thoughts, and decision-making process. Psalms 23:3 gives us an example of how well David understood this principle.

..He (God) restoreth my soul (mind, will, and emotions)

None of us are immune from the stresses and anxieties in life. People look to escape from those things through alcohol, wild parties, and sex.  Participating in those things will cause you to be irresponsible with your bills among other things. It will lead to a downward spiral.

When you put on your spiritual thinking cap (The mind of Christ), the Holy Spirit becomes your teacher. You start to see things in a different light. David saw this principle taking care of his sheep. There were many dangers involved in the caring of his sheep, but he had his mind on the Lord. As a result of that, God was restoring his soul.

In this day, I encourage you to put on your spiritual thinking caps. Do not allow the flesh, world, and the enemy to put toxic thoughts that will hurt you in the long run. Medical science has discovered that stress is related to sickness and disease. Protect your mind and learn to bring your thoughts into captivity.

As you do that, wisdom will come from above and bring solutions to life’s problems. You cannot lose because you have a genius living on the inside of you. It is a win-win situation. So, stay with your spiritual thinking cap because you have the mind of Christ!

For more information, please click on this link…https://youtu.be/kxxZ0yQSFsg

Overcoming grief (Part 3)

Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. (Gal 3:16)

In our previous Bible studies, we elaborated on two key points in overcoming grief–

These two topics are very important because they help us to overcome grief. God does not want us to become bitter or cold-hearted. He wants to give us a new beginning and change our mourning into joy. He makes all things new for us. Why? So, we can continue on our path to success and not look back.

As we finalize our series on grief, I want to expound on the subject of planting a seed. This is a powerful principle and will help us to see the whole picture of what God has prepared for us. We are going to see two examples of how to plant a seed in the midst of tragedy

                                  The seed of the church

There is a popular saying that the blood of martyrs is the seed of the church. This is very true. If the early disciples did not take a stand for the church, where would you or I be?  We can learn from their example. Commitment is the key. We must be willing to give our lives for Christ, if necessary. Knowing this is the reason why we should walk in the mind of Christ and better understand his purposes.

I want to dig deeper into the subject of seed planting. Yes, we heard of the saints of old giving their lives for Christ. It’s a noble thing, but what about the signs, wonders, and miracles? The apostle John was an example. John’s persecutors decided to make an example of him. Taking him to the Roman coliseum, they poured boiling oil on him. God delivered John from the effects of the boiling oil. This, in return, caused a massive effect on the public.

It caused them to fear God, bringing many souls to salvation. The authorities could not handle that, so they exiled John to the isle of Patmos. What was the Apostle’s secret?  Love! The apostle John was known as the apostle of Love. He wrote the love chapters of the Bible. The word of God says that faith worketh by love. (Gal 5:6)

The blood of the martyrs was a seed planted. That seed released signs, wonders, and miracles. John had a revelation. He knew that God was not done with him. The fact that he walked in love caused his faith to deliver him from premature death.

While on the isle of Patmos, God gave him instructions to write a book. God poured out his prophetic word on John. He saw his future! God showed him that he was going to be released. This, in return, would allow him to preach the gospel. (Rev 10:9-11) Those words went on to impact him and future generations. He was the only disciple to die a natural death at 86 years old. (1) What a way to turn a lemon into lemonade! God will do the same if you are open to seeking His face.

                                    The seed of the father.

The other topic to be addressed is the seed of the Father. Who was the seed of the Father? None other than Jesus. (Rom 6:5) A well-known Evangelist’s wife was being interviewed about a tragedy in her life. Her husband was used by God in a mighty way back in the ’50s and ’60s.  Sadly, she experienced the loss of a son to suicide. The host asked her how did they manage to get thru their grief?

She answered that the Lord impressed them to sow their son as a seed to God. That statement gave me a new revelation. The power of a seed! That incident in their lives did not stop them but they went on to impact the world for the Lord in a far greater way.

Think about this for a minute. God the father saw his son crucified, beat and spit on. He planted him as a seed. That seed impacted generations to come and created the church. We are the harvest of that seed—Praise God!

As you plant your loved ones as a seed, you will see a new beginning in your life. Who knows what impact your seed will have? God is a God of new beginnings! If you are grieving the loss of a loved one, plant that seed and watch God take away the pain and give you a new beginning.

(1) https://overviewbible.com/how-did-the-apostles-die/

For more on this subject, check out our podcast…https://www.spreaker.com/user/calebsantos/recording-47

 

 

 

 

 

 

Evangelism made easy!

Greetings. I am breaking from the normal protocol because I want to share some exciting news. Our ministry has opened an account with Zazzle and we are selling some great T-shirts. These T-shirts have an unusual message. With these T-shirts, the message will draw people to ask questions.
Jesus told us to be fishers of men. We need to get the right bait in place. People are looking for answers to life’s toughest problems. Wisdom is the ability to get solutions for these problems. Be the first to use this original message. Who knows if this can help jumpstart your ministry?
Funding from these products will help pay for our blog and ministry costs. We are expanding our store and there will be other products to follow. God bless.
Please click on the link below for more information….https://www.zazzle.com/store/pastorcaleb56

Overcoming grief (Part 2)

And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. ( Gen 24:67)

In our last study(1), we saw how our Lord Jesus can heal a broken heart. A broken heart can make a person cold and change their personality. It can, also, affect their health. The Lord has a way to heal our hearts and give us a new beginning in life. 

As we begin on a new topic, we are going to focus on the word comfort. What is the first thing in our mind that comes when we think of comfort?  The easing of pain and the peace of God. We see an example of this in Gen 24:6. Isaac had lost his mom prior to meeting Rebekah. God in his mercy, provided Rebekah as a comfort for his pain.

                                                      Choices

We cannot allow ourselves to let grief continue for a long period of time. It can rob us of our health and slow down our spiritual progress. God, in His mercy, will send us comfort, but we have a choice. Such was the case with Jacob. The loss of his son Joseph impacted him in a great way that he refused to be comforted. (Gen 37:34-36)

My personal experience with grief was dealing with the loss of a spiritual daughter in  Christ. She had issues in life and, sadly, committed suicide. This incident impacted me because I felt that I was to blame. A year previous to that incident, I had a dream. I dreamed that she had committed suicide. 

A few days before she died, we were together with friends. We were smiling and having fellowship. I felt the Lord prompting me to tell her about my dream, but I held back. As a result, days later, she jumped off a 7 story building and died. I asked God to forgive me for my disobedience. 

For about a year, this incident haunted me. There were times that I was grieving her loss, but the good news was that God did not forget me. When my granddaughter Kathy came into this world, that guilt lifted off me. Suddenly, I was feeling the joy of the Lord at the birth of my granddaughter. God had sent me a wonderful blessing to get over my pain. 

I could have chosen not to be comforted, but God knew what I needed. He did not forget my pain. My question to you is–Are you grieving a loss of a loved one? Ask God to give you comfort mercies. 

(1) https://bit.ly/3tsFr1T

Overcoming grief. (Part 1)

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised (Lk 4:18)     

In our previous Bible study, we saw some examples of how to avoid tragedy. (1) We saw how there are some things that we must go through. The loss of a pet, friend, or family member is an example. Let’s face it, life has an expiration date and we must prepare for it.

Asking God for help is essential to helping us to cope with unexpected tragedies. The good news is that some tragedies can be avoided. Let’s look at the verse below–

Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? (Ecc 7:17)

Life is full of decisions and covering our loved ones in prayers is essential. We need the help of the Holy Spirit to give us discernment. Watching over our family especially when they are making important decisions will help us in the long run. Such a move will avoid premature deaths from occurring in our family.

                                          A Broken Heart

Having reviewed our previous lesson, let’s address the subject of a broken heart. A broken heart can be the result of a shattered dream, vision, or loss of life. Let’s look at some areas of a broken heart—

  • It can cause a person to have a cold heart. (1) One example was Adolph Hitler. Suffering the loss of his mom had impacted him. Many believe that this change caused him to have a cold heart.
  • It can affect your health.
  • It can cause you to be bitter towards God. (3) Josef Stalin would at his deathbed, raise a fist towards God. It is believed that he might have been hurt at not graduating from seminary. This, in turn, caused him to read literature about Marx and Lenin.

The Greek word for brokenhearted is “Suntribo.” Its definition is to break into pieces and crush. To tear down one’s body and shatter one’s strength. A broken heart is the root of bitterness. It will tear down your body. It will deprive you of your strength, especially in the spiritual realm.

The good news is that Jesus came to heal the brokenhearted. He wants to comfort and restore you. If you are suffering from a broken heart, ask him to heal you. He will remove the pain and give you a new beginning in life.

(1) https://bit.ly/3e2ys9n

(2) https://bit.ly/3aaRKZ6

(3) https://bit.ly/32kFQaF

Prayer–Thank you, Lord, for speaking to me today. Heal any areas in which my heart may have been broken. Heal any painful memories, as well as my emotions. You said that you have come to heal the brokenhearted. Heal me in all areas of my life–Physically, emotionally, and mentally. I receive that healing now in Jesus’s name. Amen.

How to avoid tragedy

Avoiding tragedy

A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished. (Prov 22:3)

Tragedy! It is a word that we do not want to hear, but it is real and has impacted many lives. Some of us have experienced it at some level in life.  Below, are some insights that can help us—

  • Losing a beloved pet has impacted the lives of many. 
  • The loss of a loved one. Such a loss can affect us emotionally, physically, and even mentally. Some do not recover from such a blow and give up hope. 

The word of God tells us that many are the afflictions of the righteous. We live in a fallen world and tragedy is part of the package. Have you ever heard the phrase–I never promised you a rose garden? Well, the reality of this life is that we live in a fallen world. We are going to have all kinds of problems and issues in life.

                                                     Good news! 

The good news is that Jesus has given us a way out. In this post, we are going to see ways on how to minimize tragedies in our life. The number one thing to have in mind is that we are in a war. As we enter the realm of prayer, we are on a battlefield.  It is a dangerous dimension and we need to be prepared.

In a war, there are casualties. People will get hurt and even die. It is no different in the spirit realm. Tragedies will come into our lives. The unfortunate reality is our loved ones will die, but the main thing is to be prepared for it when it comes. The word of God says that the Holy Spirit will show us things to come. (John 16:13) 

                                                   Fight to win!      

I like to dabble in war history. One of my favorite heroes was Army General George S Patton. He was no non-sense and was a genius in the art of war. One of his favorite quotes ( I will clean it up because he used profanity in his speeches) is that..the object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other person die for his. He added that Americans play to win all the time. We, in the body, need to have an attitude of a winner. There is no such thing as a good sport and lose in battle. 

The word of God tells us that we always, win (Romans 8:37) Always, means, always. The question to ask is why do we have unanswered prayers?  First, it is not God’s fault. There are adjustments and conditions that we need to meet. Second, our enemy is clever, very legalistic and any place you give him, he will use it to his advantage. Finally, we live in a fallen world. There will be tragedies that will come into our lives. The main thing is to, always, seek the Lord. Having this in mind will help us to understand the mysteries of prayer. If you are interested in getting more insight into this study, click on the link below.

https://www.spreaker.com/user/11700283/avoiding-tragedy

Prayer- Thank you, Lord, for your word. Lord, prepare me for those things that I must go through. Show me the things that I can change through prayer. Thank you, Lord, that you show me things to come. I confess that I have the mind of Christ.  I am more than a conqueror and victory is mine. Continue to give me the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him…In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Affiliate Disclosure—In compliance with FTC guidelines, let it be known that this blog receives a percentage of the sale of the product affiliate links listed. Thank you in advance for your support. 

 

Judas—wasted Potential.

For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take. (Acts 1:20)

Greetings. The word for today is–Don’t waste the potential that’s inside of you. God has given you gifts, skills, and talents. You may ask—What are my gifts? The answer is in God’s word.

The word of God tells us that we have a treasure inside of us. (2 Cor. 4:7) This is good news. When we were born into this world, we carried gifts, skills, and abilities to the table.  Those gifts were enhanced and more were added to us at the new birth. Some who may be reading this may not even realize the precious gift that God has given inside of us.

As we study the life of Judas, he had a couple of gifts in three areas. First, He was talented in administrative duties. Second, he was good in the area of numbers, causing him to be the treasurer of the disciples. Third, he had a talent for business and knew how to close business deals.  

The question to ask is what happened to this talented apostle? He was part of the 12 disciples and was entrusted with the power of God. (Matt 10:1) Somewhere along the line, he got sidetracked. His love for money was his weakness. God had given him many opportunities to repent, but he kept hardening his heart. As we read on, we are going to see how his hardness caused him to lose everything and abort his God-given destiny.   

                                                Your gifts and destiny

Judas forsook his future with God. He was called to be a Bishop and his purpose was to help transform the whole world for the Lord. (Acts 1:20) God could have used his gifts to draw important people to him. ( Prov 18:16) Sadly, this was not to be. Judas fell and his love of money caused him to betray his messiah.

What does this tell us? We have a God-given destiny to fulfill. Don’t abort your future destiny with God. God has put inside of us gifts to help you and others in life. For example, we can see the gift of creating businesses. A gift in that area can help you and your family. It can, also, provide jobs for others. 

Another example is the gift in the area of science and technology. This gift can bring answers to life’s toughest problems. Your gift can be creative and, even, help save lives. All of you reading this post on my blog have a gift. Do you know what it is? God wants to show us our hidden treasures and use us for his glory. 

Prayer–Thank you, Lord, for speaking to me. Lord, show me my gifts, skills, and talents. Help me to use it for your glory. Help me to use it to provide for our needs, family and even bless all the people surrounding me. Help me to pour out all that you have invested in me. Use me as a willing vessel to bring honor and glory to you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

If you don’t know Jesus in the pardon of your sins, today can be a new day. Discover how you can have a new beginning in your life. Please click on this link…https://atomic-temporary-188459402.wpcomstaging.com/2021/02/01/the-sinners-prayer/

Bible verses courtesy of http://www.biblegateway.com.

Listen to “Don’t waste your potential.” on Spreaker.

 
 

Are you a pillar or a five-fold member?

Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. (I Cor 7:20)

In this post, you must ask yourself–Am I a pillar or a member of the five-fold ministry? Whether you believe it or not, you are one or the other. When you were born, God had a book of destiny, already, written about you and your ministry. Upon accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior, God had his precious promises waiting for you. One of those promises is the mind of Christ.

In past previous posts, we had discussed the importance of developing the mind of Christ. As we renew our minds, we start to develop the Lord’s mindset. Doing this will open the book of our destiny and we will know the perfect will of God. (Rom 12:2) It is very imperative that we renew our minds daily, because staying in the carnal mindset can have serious setbacks in our walk with the Lord.

Time is running short. Jesus is coming soon and we need to be about the Lord’s business. To be effective in the body, we need to find out if we are a pillar or a member of the five-fold ministry. God bless.

 

 

 

 

 

Make a Decision.

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15)

A couple of years back, there was a TV ad about a popular fast food outlet. It started by mentioning the words —decisions, decisions. While this was a light hearted commercial, it was making a point. The point of choosing what to eat. In life, we are faced with making decisions on a daily basis.

Making the wrong decisions can impact your life and you family. In today’s study, we are going to see two women that are trying to get our attention. One is Lady Wisdom and the other is the Foolish woman. Each has its own house and communion table. Where you dwell can affect your decision making. Where you commune with, can affect you and your family for years to come.

Lady Wisdom has it’s communion table–Bread  and wine. It talks about the sacrifice of Christ. It speaks of covenant and its promise. It is there to give you wisdom. The answer to all your problems. (Prov 9:1-5)

Lady Foolishness is the one who is calling your attention. Her house is a house of fools. She sits in front of her house and spends time in the gates of the city. The gates of the city was the place where important governmental and other matters were judged. Her goal is to influence people in high places. (Prov 9:13-18)

You and I know that our Congress and other Governmental figures have made foolish choices. They have been visited by Lady Foolishness and been influenced by her seductive charms. That is one of the reasons why the body of Christ has to stand in the gap and pray for our leaders. They need a visit from Lady Wisdom.

Lady Foolishness has her own communion table. It consists of stolen waters and bread eaten in secret. When you read about wells and waters, it talks about sexual intimacy in marriage. (Prov 5:14-18) Her waters are stolen, which speaks of sexual immorality. Another symbolic use of wells is described as praise and worship. It is a form of intimacy with the Lord. We draw from his wells of salvation. (Isaiah 2:3)

Stolen waters is, also, a form of idolatry. When you have more pleasures in other things other than God, you have an idol. The word of God says that some are lovers of pleasure than a lover of God. (2 Tim 3:4) I am not against leisure times such as watching sports or going to a good movie, etc, but when serving God becomes second place, it can turn into an idol. 

Bread eaten in secret is deception and lies. We, as a body, need to understand the fear of the Lord. When we get comfortable in our sins and put up a front, we will be exposed. The word of God says that our sins will find us out. Yes, God is a God of grace, but he demands respect. We cannot take his grace for granted. 

So, on this day, let’s pay attention to Lady Wisdom. Make it a habit to celebrate the Lord’s supper in your home and with your family on a frequent basis, whenever possible. As a result, we will see the fruit of wisdom and understanding to face whatever problems come our way. God bless. 

Prayer–Thank you, Lord, for your word. I thank you that you have been made unto me wisdom. I forsake foolishness and walk in the way of righteousness. Thank you for your bread and wine that you offer to me on this day. I take it on this day and claim wisdom and understanding. I will not be afraid of the future, for I am more than a conqueror.  In Jesus name, Amen. 

Give Lady Wisdom a hug

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.

 She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. (Prov 4:7-9)

Greetings. In our last Bible study, we saw the consequences of not respecting Lady Wisdom. Today, we are going to see the benefits of embracing Lady Wisdom. As you study the above verses, it shows what to look for as we hug her…

  • Promotion–In all areas of our lives
  • Honor–The fruit of Wisdom is honor. It is such a powerful force that it took Joseph from the prison to the palace.
  • Grace–Involves many things, which is favor with God and uncommon favor with man. 
  • Crown of glory–Crown symbolizes authority. As we hug Lady Wisdom, we will find ourselves endued with power and influence in the spiritual and natural realm.

Medical studies say that giving people hugs a couple of times is good for you. How much more when we hug Lady Wisdom? As we hug her, there are more that she adds to our lives. Look at the verses below…

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.

For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.

 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. (Prov. 3:13-16)

Notice, it says that Wisdom makes you happy. Who doesn’t want happiness in life? In verse 16, length of days is in her right hand. Many have heard the phrase–“Tomorrow is not promised?” Well, when you embrace Wisdom, tomorrow is promised! The word speaks of long life being a blessing from God. (Deut 11:21) Also, in her left hand is riches and honor!

In today’s economy, we need Wisdom to survive. Jobs are getting scarce and money is hard to get, but as you embrace Lady Wisdom, you get money and honor! That is a good deal. So, the word for today is give Lady Wisdom a hug. Respect her and sit back and enjoy her benefits.

Prayer–Thank you, Lord, for teaching me about Wisdom. I embrace your Wisdom. I respect your Wisdom. Lord, I receive all it’s benefits. I thank you for giving me the mind of Christ. The mind of Christ is my crown and glory. Thank you for your grace and uncommon favor. Lord, teach me how to tap into your Wisdom for today’s challenges. I receive your answer in advance and declare victory over all challenges, in Jesus name.

Bible verses courtesy of http://www.biblegateway.com