I just discovered this Praise Team today. Awesome stuff.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=516Qg_1AUok
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
My Daily Prayer
A friend of mine recently wrote and shared his Daily Mantra to Christ. It inspired me to write something of my own. Mine is in more of a Daily Prayer.
God my father, you are keeper of my heart. I give you glory for all goodness in my life. Your ways are perfect. I have an endless burning desire to know you more. I dedicate every remaining day of my life to live in unity with your perfect love. You are a Holy God above all in creation. I pray that my life is carried out in a way that Glorifies your holy name.
Help me be as patient and loving to my own children as you have been with me. Help me be the leader of my household you have called me to be. Give me a pure heart and character that my family can count on to lead them into Your Kingdom. Let your spirit of love fill my household. Make my home into Holy Ground.
I pray that Your Spirit of love refresh me this morning. Allow the strength of your winds of heaven carry me through anything the enemy places in front of me. God help me have the ability to shed your light upon all I meet today.
Help me God be an encourager to all I cross paths with on this day. Give me the boldness to shine, but the humility and wisdom to give you all the glory. Do not allow me to blend in with the darkness of this world. Speak to me loudly with a clear voice God Forever keep me in unity with the Holy Spirit.
God I will carry myself today in a way that sings the songs of your love. I will never keep my eye off of Your Kingdom. God if I fall short I will remind myself quickly that in your perfect love I can not fail. I ask you God to protect myself and my family throughout this day. Never let us lose sight on the fact that we are all perfect in your eyes and we have a Divine purpose.
All praise to the only Holy God, Jesus Christ.
God my father, you are keeper of my heart. I give you glory for all goodness in my life. Your ways are perfect. I have an endless burning desire to know you more. I dedicate every remaining day of my life to live in unity with your perfect love. You are a Holy God above all in creation. I pray that my life is carried out in a way that Glorifies your holy name.
Help me be as patient and loving to my own children as you have been with me. Help me be the leader of my household you have called me to be. Give me a pure heart and character that my family can count on to lead them into Your Kingdom. Let your spirit of love fill my household. Make my home into Holy Ground.
I pray that Your Spirit of love refresh me this morning. Allow the strength of your winds of heaven carry me through anything the enemy places in front of me. God help me have the ability to shed your light upon all I meet today.
Help me God be an encourager to all I cross paths with on this day. Give me the boldness to shine, but the humility and wisdom to give you all the glory. Do not allow me to blend in with the darkness of this world. Speak to me loudly with a clear voice God Forever keep me in unity with the Holy Spirit.
God I will carry myself today in a way that sings the songs of your love. I will never keep my eye off of Your Kingdom. God if I fall short I will remind myself quickly that in your perfect love I can not fail. I ask you God to protect myself and my family throughout this day. Never let us lose sight on the fact that we are all perfect in your eyes and we have a Divine purpose.
All praise to the only Holy God, Jesus Christ.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Peace and loving thy neighbor.
I hate agreeing with this. Then again how can one really argue with the root of Bill Mahrs message. Can we call ourselves true Christians if we rally behind wars and revenge? Are we confident that our government exhaust all avenues of peace?
There are more Bible quotes in the New Testament about Peace and loving your neighboring than almost any other rule to live by. Jesus is pretty clear on his stance on revenge. He not only made Peter drop the sword and not strike back, but he healed the one who was trying to kill him.
Homo sexuality is not mentioned specifically by Jesus once in the New Testament. Yet how many more Christians are dedicating their efforts to trying to help Gay people recognize their sins than there is Christians in an uproar about our tyrant and quick to violence Government.
I think we are wrong to believe Jesus would come down to earth and be pleased with the United States. We have built a society of wealth, materialism and violence. Now I am not saying our Country itself is bad. We as a nation are the first country those in trouble turn to when disaster and trouble arises. Our foundations are built on some important core Christian principals as well.
In all actuality however we have not lived up to Jesus commands about loving our enemy and living in peace with our neighbors. In the last 200 years we have committed mass genocide against The American Indians and flat out stole their lands. We have supported violence and war when it meant making America as rich and secure financially as possible. We have provided weapons to some pretty evil people just to help our own best interest. America in general after Pearl Harbor has decided to explore peace with only those nations in which it benefited financially or politically. If you choose to disagree with me on this then first please explain to me why China out of all countries is not on our bad list. They enslave children, hold Tibet hostage, posses weapons of mass destruction and have the military power to match the United States twice.
I just think that Christians should always be supportive of trying to find peace and avoiding war as much as possible. And while Jesus would not be happy with 2011 years of killing, murder and war at the hands of his followers. I am also very confident he forgives us, Jesus understands we don’t know any better. In fact it was some of his last words he spoke on the cross.
On another note. This is my first post in a while due to the fact I am in the middle of an important project for work and also very busy with church and finding my calling in ministry. This has resulted in alot less time at the computer (THANK GOD). I will be back at it again more often very soon as my project is almost complete.
Monday, March 21, 2011
The God I Know
The God I know operates in love. His one desire in life is for me to know him, and for I to share my life with Him. For me God is all love all the time. He is my comforter, and my counselor. He is my benchmark of perfection in this sometimes dark filled world.
He takes your biggest weakness and turns it into a testimony of strength. Pure kindness with no motive or expectation. I believe the good news we are to be preaching, is God loves you, no matter what you do. Inside your heart is where Jesus dwells and inside your heart is the one place no secrets can be kept. You can not keep secrets from your heart and that is all Jesus knows of you.
Not only does God dwell within our hearts and binds us together with all knowledge, but he operates through us when given the ability. The same Messiah who was promised to us is the same God who wants to perform miracles through us. We are vessels of The Holy Spirit. Where I dwell Jesus also does dwells.
Faith is never ending. When I grasped this revelation of me and God being in unity it sparked desires to know Him more. Thirst for the word and knowledge grew within me. Close enough is no longer close enough. The more I begin to understand, the more I realize how little I will ever know.
God has brought me to a place where I have total belief that all things are possible through Spirit. I believe the Holy Spirit is an energy that unites all our heart together. The more we become aware of the Holy Spirit, the more we become aware of Gods desires. He will puts commands on your heart that will execute His will. He operates in love so his will can never be bad.
If God puts it on your heart to buy that lunch for someone, you better do it. If God puts it on your heart give a helping hand, even to a stranger, you should have no greater enjoyment in life. Those who know God, know Gods spirit and Gods Spirit knows each and every one of us.....even the unbeliever.
None of us have gifts. I think we all just have different areas knowledge and greater or lessor areas of faith. If you have Jesus in you, Jesus can heal through you. If you have Jesus in you, Jesus can speak through you. If you have Jesus in you, Jesus can speak TO you. If you have Jesus in you, Jesus can provide through you. If you have Jesus in you, Jesus can comfort through you. If you have Jesus in you, you have access to all of Him.
You are limited only to your own faith. Jesus will not bother speaking to those who will not listen. Along with that statement I would also say Jesus can not perform through those who doubt. Because Jesus loves you unconditionally, he will give you signs and show you his wonders. As God does what God does your faith will continue to grow. Just as science states the universe is always expanding, so does Faith. God is so powerful our minds are not even capable of understanding what exactly the fullness of God is.
Wow......
I am amazed by you God. You have given me a tender heart. You have opened my eyes to all that is important in my life. You have given me a glimpse of your beauty and covered me in your love. Holy are you God. I thank you for all your have done, and all the you are yet to reveal to me. I ask you God to pull me back in line when I even start to wander off.Give me direction and a clear heart to recognize your voice clearly.
He takes your biggest weakness and turns it into a testimony of strength. Pure kindness with no motive or expectation. I believe the good news we are to be preaching, is God loves you, no matter what you do. Inside your heart is where Jesus dwells and inside your heart is the one place no secrets can be kept. You can not keep secrets from your heart and that is all Jesus knows of you.
Not only does God dwell within our hearts and binds us together with all knowledge, but he operates through us when given the ability. The same Messiah who was promised to us is the same God who wants to perform miracles through us. We are vessels of The Holy Spirit. Where I dwell Jesus also does dwells.
Faith is never ending. When I grasped this revelation of me and God being in unity it sparked desires to know Him more. Thirst for the word and knowledge grew within me. Close enough is no longer close enough. The more I begin to understand, the more I realize how little I will ever know.
God has brought me to a place where I have total belief that all things are possible through Spirit. I believe the Holy Spirit is an energy that unites all our heart together. The more we become aware of the Holy Spirit, the more we become aware of Gods desires. He will puts commands on your heart that will execute His will. He operates in love so his will can never be bad.
If God puts it on your heart to buy that lunch for someone, you better do it. If God puts it on your heart give a helping hand, even to a stranger, you should have no greater enjoyment in life. Those who know God, know Gods spirit and Gods Spirit knows each and every one of us.....even the unbeliever.
None of us have gifts. I think we all just have different areas knowledge and greater or lessor areas of faith. If you have Jesus in you, Jesus can heal through you. If you have Jesus in you, Jesus can speak through you. If you have Jesus in you, Jesus can speak TO you. If you have Jesus in you, Jesus can provide through you. If you have Jesus in you, Jesus can comfort through you. If you have Jesus in you, you have access to all of Him.
You are limited only to your own faith. Jesus will not bother speaking to those who will not listen. Along with that statement I would also say Jesus can not perform through those who doubt. Because Jesus loves you unconditionally, he will give you signs and show you his wonders. As God does what God does your faith will continue to grow. Just as science states the universe is always expanding, so does Faith. God is so powerful our minds are not even capable of understanding what exactly the fullness of God is.
Wow......
I am amazed by you God. You have given me a tender heart. You have opened my eyes to all that is important in my life. You have given me a glimpse of your beauty and covered me in your love. Holy are you God. I thank you for all your have done, and all the you are yet to reveal to me. I ask you God to pull me back in line when I even start to wander off.Give me direction and a clear heart to recognize your voice clearly.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
BE GLAD!!
I think there are a lot of people who need to move forward. Get past the hurt. As a Christian, we should be an excited person and full of life. I know for some people the wounds are very deep and take a long time to heal, and that is good to allow the process to happen. I think many people use the pain as a crutch however.
Some people spend their entire lifetime up at the altar in tears. They never step out into the joy and happiness that God has for them. It pains me to see people who have been saved for years still walking with their head down and looking as if they are torn apart inside.
GOD GAVE YOU LIFE!!!
Be excited for life. You now have Jesus on the inside of you. Jesus did not die so you can spend your entire life on earth searching. He is the answer to all questions. Many people have the ability to step out of the sorrow, they never do however. There are some people that even Jesus is shouting to you "GET OVER IT!!"
I am saying this out of experience. There was a time when I spent week after week being wrecked by the Holy Spirit. It seemed I was always in tears at the altar. The Spirit layed so heavily on me that I could feel God doing a mighty healing to my heart. No matter what the word was that the Pastor would preach that week, it seemed to always speak to the pains in my heart I needed to be healed from. God took me through a process of stripping off the layers and layers of sorrowful experiences from my twisted life.
Then suddenly one day, it all stopped. I no longer could find the Holy Spirit during service. I even started to think" now even God has abandoned me". I stood at the alter with my hands raised, trying to press in. I was searching for that familiar feeling of pain being stripped from me. Yet week after week, I could not find it.
One day, while at the alter during one of my favorite Praise and Worship songs, God whispered to my heart in a soft quiet voice one word…."Life".
I stopped searching for that same feeling of healing. I allowed the Spirit to just flow through me as God had wanted it to. You see, The Holy Spirit is not a one dimensional force. There are many aspect to the Holy Spirit. It will speak different emotions both to and through you. If you try to control The Spirit, you will surely lose that connection.
I found myself starting to get excited for life. Jesus was breathing life into the core of my soul but I was blinded. I was trying to stay in the era of healing and forgiveness. God does not want us to stay in that stage forever however. He wants us to move on, step out of the sorrow and be glad. Put the pain behind you for life exist in front of you.
The Spirit washed over me with a new feeling. A new person of excitement was born. I found myself no longer looking at the doom and gloom but excited for the future ahead of me. God wants us all to be the light, why then do some of us demand on staying in the fog of the past.
If you are refusing to step out of pains of the past and into the new life Jesus died for, you are insulting God. Some are purposely ignoring the Spirit of joy that God is now breathing on them, just out of fear of letting go of the past. He is telling you to move on. Be excited! Take off the frowns! Show the world how GREAT GOD IS AND HOW OVERWHELMING THE JOY IS!
I just finished reading a book called The Mystical Union by John Crowder. I think everyone should read this book, but he says this.
"The first time you glanced at Christ in faith, all of your iniquities were taken away. Just as the Israelites were commanded to look up at the serpent on the pole in the wilderness, all of their sickness and infirmities were instantly dissolved. Moses didn't tell them to suck the poison out of their wound or to suck it out of each others wounds. Just glance at the tree."
You are now in Union with God. Because of Jesus you have the power to be healed. So be healed! It really is effortless. He is loving, so he will allow a process to take place if you insist, however there does’t have to be a process. I find no scripture that says God wants to take you through a process. I find no scripture that says you need to work at being healed. Jesus just healed. And when you go into union with him, you enable yourself to be a vessel to heal others. I find it hard to believe that he can use you to heal other people but he will not heal your own pains. That would not make much sense. He wants to give you Joy. So just receive it!
You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
—Psalm 16:11
May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
—Colossians 1:11-14
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
—Galatians 5:22-23
Some people spend their entire lifetime up at the altar in tears. They never step out into the joy and happiness that God has for them. It pains me to see people who have been saved for years still walking with their head down and looking as if they are torn apart inside.
GOD GAVE YOU LIFE!!!
Be excited for life. You now have Jesus on the inside of you. Jesus did not die so you can spend your entire life on earth searching. He is the answer to all questions. Many people have the ability to step out of the sorrow, they never do however. There are some people that even Jesus is shouting to you "GET OVER IT!!"
I am saying this out of experience. There was a time when I spent week after week being wrecked by the Holy Spirit. It seemed I was always in tears at the altar. The Spirit layed so heavily on me that I could feel God doing a mighty healing to my heart. No matter what the word was that the Pastor would preach that week, it seemed to always speak to the pains in my heart I needed to be healed from. God took me through a process of stripping off the layers and layers of sorrowful experiences from my twisted life.
Then suddenly one day, it all stopped. I no longer could find the Holy Spirit during service. I even started to think" now even God has abandoned me". I stood at the alter with my hands raised, trying to press in. I was searching for that familiar feeling of pain being stripped from me. Yet week after week, I could not find it.
One day, while at the alter during one of my favorite Praise and Worship songs, God whispered to my heart in a soft quiet voice one word…."Life".
I stopped searching for that same feeling of healing. I allowed the Spirit to just flow through me as God had wanted it to. You see, The Holy Spirit is not a one dimensional force. There are many aspect to the Holy Spirit. It will speak different emotions both to and through you. If you try to control The Spirit, you will surely lose that connection.
I found myself starting to get excited for life. Jesus was breathing life into the core of my soul but I was blinded. I was trying to stay in the era of healing and forgiveness. God does not want us to stay in that stage forever however. He wants us to move on, step out of the sorrow and be glad. Put the pain behind you for life exist in front of you.
The Spirit washed over me with a new feeling. A new person of excitement was born. I found myself no longer looking at the doom and gloom but excited for the future ahead of me. God wants us all to be the light, why then do some of us demand on staying in the fog of the past.
If you are refusing to step out of pains of the past and into the new life Jesus died for, you are insulting God. Some are purposely ignoring the Spirit of joy that God is now breathing on them, just out of fear of letting go of the past. He is telling you to move on. Be excited! Take off the frowns! Show the world how GREAT GOD IS AND HOW OVERWHELMING THE JOY IS!
I just finished reading a book called The Mystical Union by John Crowder. I think everyone should read this book, but he says this.
"The first time you glanced at Christ in faith, all of your iniquities were taken away. Just as the Israelites were commanded to look up at the serpent on the pole in the wilderness, all of their sickness and infirmities were instantly dissolved. Moses didn't tell them to suck the poison out of their wound or to suck it out of each others wounds. Just glance at the tree."
You are now in Union with God. Because of Jesus you have the power to be healed. So be healed! It really is effortless. He is loving, so he will allow a process to take place if you insist, however there does’t have to be a process. I find no scripture that says God wants to take you through a process. I find no scripture that says you need to work at being healed. Jesus just healed. And when you go into union with him, you enable yourself to be a vessel to heal others. I find it hard to believe that he can use you to heal other people but he will not heal your own pains. That would not make much sense. He wants to give you Joy. So just receive it!
You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
—Psalm 16:11
May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
—Colossians 1:11-14
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
—Galatians 5:22-23
Sunday, February 13, 2011
The Shack
Just put down The Shack by William P. Young. After it being strongly recommended by friends over a year ago I finally decided to check it out. I feel truly blessed to be reminded to take God out of the box we put him in sometimes. While some of it should be treated as it is, fiction, the overall message got me thinking and looking at things differently. If you haven't yet read it, you should.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Simple Thoughts
Simple thoughts on complicated days,
Deep meditation with third eye rage,
Glaring down into my soul,
Those words spoken over me long ago,
Simple glances into a never ending maze,
Puzzles of thoughts guiding the way,
Those scars held deep for no one to see,
Unknowing it is revealing my destiny,
A whisper is breathed into my ear,
I snap out looking unprepared,
Continuing on with a routine day,
Not realizing what it is God had to say.
Chris Barbieri
Deep meditation with third eye rage,
Glaring down into my soul,
Those words spoken over me long ago,
Simple glances into a never ending maze,
Puzzles of thoughts guiding the way,
Those scars held deep for no one to see,
Unknowing it is revealing my destiny,
A whisper is breathed into my ear,
I snap out looking unprepared,
Continuing on with a routine day,
Not realizing what it is God had to say.
Chris Barbieri
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
God I am trying.......
Today is a test of faith. I need help today. Every aspect of my life seems to be being attacked. My cell phone is about to get shut off because checks did not arrive in the mail. I had a huge arguement with my wife, my kids are acting up. Work is very slow and finaces are taking a huge hit. I have some weird cramp in my stomach all day. I am trying to not slip into a state of depression. Please pray for me.
I am sitting here listening to "Walk By Faith" by Jeremy Camp as I type this. I know God will show through somehow. He can't leave me feeling like this long......I hope.
I am sitting here listening to "Walk By Faith" by Jeremy Camp as I type this. I know God will show through somehow. He can't leave me feeling like this long......I hope.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Lust
When people hear the word "Lust", they instantly think of sex and porn. While I admit I have a weakness in that area just like most men, it is one I can control. I have the ability to shut that switch off before it comes to sinful behavior. As Jesus sank deeper in my heart I learned to develop the ability to turn my head at the first glance. As a wise pastor once taught me, man is wired to love the female body but we are also given the ability to turn our heads and squash the image before it becomes a desire.
My biggest weakness is not a sexual lust, it is a lust of material things I can not have. I am not a rich man. For the most part my wife and I are getting by pay check to pay check. I have a large family, God has blessed me with beautiful children. However this requires sacrifice on my part.
While I would love to drive a Mustang or new Charger, I settle for a small economy, gas efficient car. While I would love to have a 52 inch TV in my living room, I settle for a 37 inch. While I would love to be able to take my wife on a long vacation in the islands, we settle for a few weekend trips camping and enjoying family time together. For the most part I do not complain. I am content with my life. I have faith God will continue to provide for us every month. At times it can be easy to start to worry and let stress get the better part of me but in my heart I know God is watching out for my family and has our best interest in mind.
I guard my heart in this area closely however. I have a weakness that sometimes gets the best of me. Occasionally I come across something I want so bad, but can not afford. It's not the big things either, it is normally something I have no problem living without. Maybe a new video game, the latest electronic device or smart phone. It's the small stuff that my single friends, or those better off financially could afford easily. This at times burns anger in my heart. I let it sink so deep that I begin to say ungodly things and even put me in a state of depression for short time.
God has given me so much joy and love with my family. It is something I did not have growing up and I cherish it more than anything. Then for a short time I let meaningless material objects have me lose sight of all the great things God has created for me. The Devil seems to know exactly how to flaunt such things in front of me. Most of the time it is when I am on such a spiritual high and seem to be moving forward in my walk in leaps and bounds. It is then that the lust seems to build up in my heart and take steps backwards. Sometimes small steps backwards, some time huge leaps. Occasionally I ignore what is right and just buy what I want, this always comes with consequence.
If there is one book in the Bible I find myself turning to often, it would be Ecclesiastes. I find it is filled with so much wisdom. Writen by Solomon in the later years of his life. He is sitting there looking back at all the mistake he made in his foolish youth. He was handed the Kingdom. God gifted him with great wisdom, but he made big mistake. He lost sight of God. He no longer put God first. Pride, envy, and desire for power got the best of him.
Ecclesiastes 2:10-11 (New King James Version)
10 Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them.
I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure,
For my heart rejoiced in all my labor;
And this was my reward from all my labor.
11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done
And on the labor in which I had toiled;
And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind.
There was no profit under the sun.
Here was a guy who could and did have anything he desired. God blessed this guy with the resources to have it all. Yet, in the end he felt he was grasping for the wind. His joy had left him. For him happiness was like "grasping for the wind". It went right through his fingers. He discovered over time that all the pleasures of the flesh profited him none.
He explains this in better detail just a few verses down.
Ecclesiastes 2:17-26(New King James Version)
17 Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind.
18 Then I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will rule over all my labor in which I toiled and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity. 20 Therefore I turned my heart and despaired of all the labor in which I had toiled under the sun. 21 For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; yet he must leave his heritage to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. 22 For what has man for all his labor, and for the striving of his heart with which he has toiled under the sun? 23 For all his days are sorrowful, and his work burdensome; even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.
24 Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I saw, was from the hand of God. 25 For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I?[b] 26 For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
Solomon learned the hard way that if he worked to fill his pride, and desire for material objects, that would be his only reward. If he was not working for the things of God, he would not be blessed with the things of God. The wisest, richest man of that time found no in life. He became a gatherer and a collector. The joy of God had left him only because he lost sight of the greatness of God himself.
Now I am definitely not a wise and powerful king like Solomon. However I can relate to what went on in his heart. He fell victim of the same Sin that the devil dangles in my heart. I do have one huge advantage however. We no longer have to rely on our own power. I have Jesus inside of me. As long as I stay focused on his desire for me, and all I AM blessed with, those material objects become far less important. I can call on The Holy Spirit and the voice of God to remind me of all that really matters in life.
I also have the words of Solomon and can learn from a wise man who learned the hard way.
Please pray for me to be strong in this area. Finances are slim for my family these days and while I know God will continue to provide, I know The Devil is aware of my weakness and the beast will be trying to push me backwards in my faith when I am at my weakest.
My biggest weakness is not a sexual lust, it is a lust of material things I can not have. I am not a rich man. For the most part my wife and I are getting by pay check to pay check. I have a large family, God has blessed me with beautiful children. However this requires sacrifice on my part.
While I would love to drive a Mustang or new Charger, I settle for a small economy, gas efficient car. While I would love to have a 52 inch TV in my living room, I settle for a 37 inch. While I would love to be able to take my wife on a long vacation in the islands, we settle for a few weekend trips camping and enjoying family time together. For the most part I do not complain. I am content with my life. I have faith God will continue to provide for us every month. At times it can be easy to start to worry and let stress get the better part of me but in my heart I know God is watching out for my family and has our best interest in mind.
I guard my heart in this area closely however. I have a weakness that sometimes gets the best of me. Occasionally I come across something I want so bad, but can not afford. It's not the big things either, it is normally something I have no problem living without. Maybe a new video game, the latest electronic device or smart phone. It's the small stuff that my single friends, or those better off financially could afford easily. This at times burns anger in my heart. I let it sink so deep that I begin to say ungodly things and even put me in a state of depression for short time.
God has given me so much joy and love with my family. It is something I did not have growing up and I cherish it more than anything. Then for a short time I let meaningless material objects have me lose sight of all the great things God has created for me. The Devil seems to know exactly how to flaunt such things in front of me. Most of the time it is when I am on such a spiritual high and seem to be moving forward in my walk in leaps and bounds. It is then that the lust seems to build up in my heart and take steps backwards. Sometimes small steps backwards, some time huge leaps. Occasionally I ignore what is right and just buy what I want, this always comes with consequence.
If there is one book in the Bible I find myself turning to often, it would be Ecclesiastes. I find it is filled with so much wisdom. Writen by Solomon in the later years of his life. He is sitting there looking back at all the mistake he made in his foolish youth. He was handed the Kingdom. God gifted him with great wisdom, but he made big mistake. He lost sight of God. He no longer put God first. Pride, envy, and desire for power got the best of him.
Ecclesiastes 2:10-11 (New King James Version)
10 Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them.
I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure,
For my heart rejoiced in all my labor;
And this was my reward from all my labor.
11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done
And on the labor in which I had toiled;
And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind.
There was no profit under the sun.
Here was a guy who could and did have anything he desired. God blessed this guy with the resources to have it all. Yet, in the end he felt he was grasping for the wind. His joy had left him. For him happiness was like "grasping for the wind". It went right through his fingers. He discovered over time that all the pleasures of the flesh profited him none.
He explains this in better detail just a few verses down.
Ecclesiastes 2:17-26(New King James Version)
17 Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind.
18 Then I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will rule over all my labor in which I toiled and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity. 20 Therefore I turned my heart and despaired of all the labor in which I had toiled under the sun. 21 For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; yet he must leave his heritage to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. 22 For what has man for all his labor, and for the striving of his heart with which he has toiled under the sun? 23 For all his days are sorrowful, and his work burdensome; even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.
24 Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I saw, was from the hand of God. 25 For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I?[b] 26 For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
Solomon learned the hard way that if he worked to fill his pride, and desire for material objects, that would be his only reward. If he was not working for the things of God, he would not be blessed with the things of God. The wisest, richest man of that time found no in life. He became a gatherer and a collector. The joy of God had left him only because he lost sight of the greatness of God himself.
Now I am definitely not a wise and powerful king like Solomon. However I can relate to what went on in his heart. He fell victim of the same Sin that the devil dangles in my heart. I do have one huge advantage however. We no longer have to rely on our own power. I have Jesus inside of me. As long as I stay focused on his desire for me, and all I AM blessed with, those material objects become far less important. I can call on The Holy Spirit and the voice of God to remind me of all that really matters in life.
I also have the words of Solomon and can learn from a wise man who learned the hard way.
Please pray for me to be strong in this area. Finances are slim for my family these days and while I know God will continue to provide, I know The Devil is aware of my weakness and the beast will be trying to push me backwards in my faith when I am at my weakest.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Look with in yourself.
I used to think of God as an outside power. I was raised this way. It is what I was tought growing up in Church. When I got angry I looked up to the sky and cried out to God, I waited for a spiritual answer but looked into the world to see it. Eventually I gave up trying to see answers.
Later in life I was saved, but I still did not fully grasp the concept of God being inside of us. While God provided signs and put words on peoples heart to speak to me, I still did not fully tap into my potential, because I had no clue where the power came from.
I read the verses that Kingdom was within us. However honestly I thought that was just a nifty cliché people used. To me God was an outside power and I was beneath him. When I prayed for a need I always looked outward for God to answer me.
(Luke 17:21). "And you have to learn how to operate in the kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God operates on the principle of sowing and reaping"
(Mark 4:26-28)." When a seed is planted in ground and watered something will come forth. God supplied you with seed and water and you are the ground."
When we truly reach out to Christ and become Born Again. God manifest himself inside of us. We become a temple of God. All Saved Christians are living, breathing, walking and talking Tabernacles.
My whole prayer life has changed once I fully understood this concept of God. When we are hurting, we do not have to pray to a God in the sky, we have God inside of us. God is so close to us, yet many of us are guilty of placing him so far away. He is as close as the skin we wear in this world.
I believe many Asian religions have a few things right. I think this is why meditation seems to relax and comfort so many people. We can tap into a spirit realm inside each and every one of us. Can you imagine how enlightening meditation could be for someone who actually knows the truth? When a Christian takes time everyday to just block out worldly distractions and set aside time to sit in quiet and listen to God speak inside of you, you have a direct line to heaven. You can gain absolute knowledge about yourself, Gods plans for you and directions on how to reach Gods Will for your life.
I once heard Tony Evans speak live at a mens conference. He has been anointed with so much wisdom and it was a sermon I will never forget. One of his key principals in life, he wakes up in the morning, before he has any distractions and just listens to God. He doesn’t intercede; he doesn’t pray for needs, he just listens. It is the very first thing he does every morning. I think that might be one of the wisest instructions I have ever been taught.
When calling on the Holy Spirit, you do not need to wait for it to fall from the sky to fill a room.. We have been given a new life. Jesus left us the power to do even greater works than he has done. We can call on his name with our voice, but speak to him directly with our heart.
(John 14:12-14 )
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it."
Do this, look at your hand. Touch your thumb and your pointer finger together. Squeeze them tightly. That is how close God is to you. That is the power we, as Born Again, Saved Christians have inside of us. Do not look to the world for answers, do not wait for a prophet to come and speak destiny into your life. While God can and will use both of those tools to give us assurance, what he really desires is direct relationship with each and every one of us. He will speak directly to you. However like all relationships they are built by spending time and listening to each other. Stop always asking and crying out to God. Set a time aside daily to listen to what Jesus is already speaking to you. Your answers may have already come long ago but you are too deaf to hear it.
Later in life I was saved, but I still did not fully grasp the concept of God being inside of us. While God provided signs and put words on peoples heart to speak to me, I still did not fully tap into my potential, because I had no clue where the power came from.
I read the verses that Kingdom was within us. However honestly I thought that was just a nifty cliché people used. To me God was an outside power and I was beneath him. When I prayed for a need I always looked outward for God to answer me.
(Luke 17:21). "And you have to learn how to operate in the kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God operates on the principle of sowing and reaping"
(Mark 4:26-28)." When a seed is planted in ground and watered something will come forth. God supplied you with seed and water and you are the ground."
When we truly reach out to Christ and become Born Again. God manifest himself inside of us. We become a temple of God. All Saved Christians are living, breathing, walking and talking Tabernacles.
My whole prayer life has changed once I fully understood this concept of God. When we are hurting, we do not have to pray to a God in the sky, we have God inside of us. God is so close to us, yet many of us are guilty of placing him so far away. He is as close as the skin we wear in this world.
I believe many Asian religions have a few things right. I think this is why meditation seems to relax and comfort so many people. We can tap into a spirit realm inside each and every one of us. Can you imagine how enlightening meditation could be for someone who actually knows the truth? When a Christian takes time everyday to just block out worldly distractions and set aside time to sit in quiet and listen to God speak inside of you, you have a direct line to heaven. You can gain absolute knowledge about yourself, Gods plans for you and directions on how to reach Gods Will for your life.
I once heard Tony Evans speak live at a mens conference. He has been anointed with so much wisdom and it was a sermon I will never forget. One of his key principals in life, he wakes up in the morning, before he has any distractions and just listens to God. He doesn’t intercede; he doesn’t pray for needs, he just listens. It is the very first thing he does every morning. I think that might be one of the wisest instructions I have ever been taught.
When calling on the Holy Spirit, you do not need to wait for it to fall from the sky to fill a room.. We have been given a new life. Jesus left us the power to do even greater works than he has done. We can call on his name with our voice, but speak to him directly with our heart.
(John 14:12-14 )
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it."
Do this, look at your hand. Touch your thumb and your pointer finger together. Squeeze them tightly. That is how close God is to you. That is the power we, as Born Again, Saved Christians have inside of us. Do not look to the world for answers, do not wait for a prophet to come and speak destiny into your life. While God can and will use both of those tools to give us assurance, what he really desires is direct relationship with each and every one of us. He will speak directly to you. However like all relationships they are built by spending time and listening to each other. Stop always asking and crying out to God. Set a time aside daily to listen to what Jesus is already speaking to you. Your answers may have already come long ago but you are too deaf to hear it.
Two Faced Man
Lord my God, Savior of my soul,
My heart weeps in repentance to you.
My offenses have been many,
Your heart however always remains true.
You are the definition of amazing,
I am consumed by desires to know you deeper,
I want to harbor your love in my soul,
I will conceal this love no more.
I've been a two faced man,
A foot in the world and a foot in your house,
Denying my love for you where comfort did not exist,
No longer will I hide what truly burns within my heart.
Your love is eternal happiness,
The meaning of life exist in your Word,,
Never again will I hide from You.
I seek your Face and desire to walk in Truth.
Like the moon you placed to set the tides,
My eyes will stay fixed on you,
You will shine bright like the burning sun,
No longer will darkness have a place within me.
I will weep no more as I know I am forgiven,
I will not allow the serpent to swallow my rest,
I long for your presence to always caress me,
My life will be one that glorifies you.
Chris Barbieri - 2011
My heart weeps in repentance to you.
My offenses have been many,
Your heart however always remains true.
You are the definition of amazing,
I am consumed by desires to know you deeper,
I want to harbor your love in my soul,
I will conceal this love no more.
I've been a two faced man,
A foot in the world and a foot in your house,
Denying my love for you where comfort did not exist,
No longer will I hide what truly burns within my heart.
Your love is eternal happiness,
The meaning of life exist in your Word,,
Never again will I hide from You.
I seek your Face and desire to walk in Truth.
Like the moon you placed to set the tides,
My eyes will stay fixed on you,
You will shine bright like the burning sun,
No longer will darkness have a place within me.
I will weep no more as I know I am forgiven,
I will not allow the serpent to swallow my rest,
I long for your presence to always caress me,
My life will be one that glorifies you.
Chris Barbieri - 2011
The Walk
I have no doubt that the devil can, will and does attack each and every Christian. The devils main purpose in his existence is to remove the connection you have with The Lord. He will throw obstacles in your way, distractions in your world and new idols that will subconsciously take the place of God. The devil wants to remove your joy. He is determined to have you bow down to the darkness in your life.
"But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
—2 Corinthians 11:3 "
While all this is true, we give the devil far more credit than he deserves. He is not lord of this earth. His powers are limited to what we give him credit for. Things happen in life, it is our reaction that the Devil desires to hold an influence on. His spirit realm exist on this earth and has the ability to poison our hearts. However we hold the power within us to make him powerless.
"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
—James 4:7 "
The Kingdom of God exist within us. When we are saved, the seed is planted within our heart. The knowledge and wisdom we receive as we learn more about God is the water that will make that seed grow. God will allow you go through experiences in life that will strengthen the branches. As we learn to apply Gods word, and tap into the power of God within us, the devil becomes powerless.
"
• It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.” - Luke 3:19
Only God is omniscient. The devil only has as much power as God will give him. I hear a common theme amongst Christians that they were or are being attacked because the devil knew some sort of outcome or destiny they had. The devil does not know your destiny. His spirit is not all knowing. Only God is all knowing. This is why the devils main tool is using your own past against you. He has no foresight of the future.
We see this best with Job
Job 1:6
"6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan [2] also came among them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” 8 And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” 9 Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? 10 Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” 12 And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord."
The Devil had no idea of Jobs future. He had no clue that Job would resist cursing God. Only God knew Jobs heart. Satan can hope you will give in to his dark spirit, he can try to make you curse our Father in heaven. However he can not make you do it. He can not control you. He has no idea of the outcome. You are in complete control of your relationship with God. This is why we are continually reminded throughout The Word not to keep our mind fixed on material things of this world. It is not that God does not want you to enjoy the finer things of this world. He loves us enough to know that the material things of this world will take your eyes off of the ultimate prize, the eternal Joy we have been promised.
By giving Satan more credit than he deserves, we are giving him the same power in our minds that only God should have. Nowhere in my Bible does it say to fear Satan. As long as we have Christ in our hearts there is nothing about Satan to fear. The Word tells us to be mindful of Satan, we should be cautious of the things of this world as it is a gateway to Satan. However we should only fear God, as he is the only one in this world (and beyond) that holds absolute power in His hands.
"But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
—2 Corinthians 11:3 "
While all this is true, we give the devil far more credit than he deserves. He is not lord of this earth. His powers are limited to what we give him credit for. Things happen in life, it is our reaction that the Devil desires to hold an influence on. His spirit realm exist on this earth and has the ability to poison our hearts. However we hold the power within us to make him powerless.
"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
—James 4:7 "
The Kingdom of God exist within us. When we are saved, the seed is planted within our heart. The knowledge and wisdom we receive as we learn more about God is the water that will make that seed grow. God will allow you go through experiences in life that will strengthen the branches. As we learn to apply Gods word, and tap into the power of God within us, the devil becomes powerless.
"
• It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.” - Luke 3:19
Only God is omniscient. The devil only has as much power as God will give him. I hear a common theme amongst Christians that they were or are being attacked because the devil knew some sort of outcome or destiny they had. The devil does not know your destiny. His spirit is not all knowing. Only God is all knowing. This is why the devils main tool is using your own past against you. He has no foresight of the future.
We see this best with Job
Job 1:6
"6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan [2] also came among them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” 8 And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” 9 Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? 10 Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” 12 And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord."
The Devil had no idea of Jobs future. He had no clue that Job would resist cursing God. Only God knew Jobs heart. Satan can hope you will give in to his dark spirit, he can try to make you curse our Father in heaven. However he can not make you do it. He can not control you. He has no idea of the outcome. You are in complete control of your relationship with God. This is why we are continually reminded throughout The Word not to keep our mind fixed on material things of this world. It is not that God does not want you to enjoy the finer things of this world. He loves us enough to know that the material things of this world will take your eyes off of the ultimate prize, the eternal Joy we have been promised.
By giving Satan more credit than he deserves, we are giving him the same power in our minds that only God should have. Nowhere in my Bible does it say to fear Satan. As long as we have Christ in our hearts there is nothing about Satan to fear. The Word tells us to be mindful of Satan, we should be cautious of the things of this world as it is a gateway to Satan. However we should only fear God, as he is the only one in this world (and beyond) that holds absolute power in His hands.
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