Brother Bob is taking a long awaited traveling vacation. He will be spending time with friends and relatives in Michigan. Please pray for a safe trip.
To our online church members,
The 24/7 online church services have ended. But, the need for personal prayer never ends. The persons listed below need yours and our prayers. Please, do not neglect them. Pray daily and good results will come.
Prayer Requests:
Betty Sue Mausp - healing of cancer.
Buddy Harper - healing of throat/esophagus cancer.
Sarah Walker - healing of colon cancer.
Blake - healing of liver disease and salvation.
Kathleen Warren - Financial blessing and personal needs.
Thomas Shaun Morgan - Please pray for Shaun to be delivered from the spirit of diabetes. Agree with us for a complete healing in Jesus name.
Barbara Peterson - Pray that God reveals himself to her in a very special way. Pray that God will strengthen her in her spirit.
Also, pray for everyone that has ever requested a prayer from The Spirit of Wisdom Ministries.
Believe me, folks, prayer does change things!!
The Spirit of Wisdom Ministries will be undergoing many changes to our website. We will notify you of any special announcements or messages that we may present. These changes may take up to two or three months. We are seeking God's direction.
Important suggestion: Even though we have ended our weekly messages, we suggest that you go to the archives and you will be able to read or listen to all of our previous messages. We suggest you start with the very first message and read or listen to a message weekly. God's Word from three years ago is just as valid and true today.
We wish to thank you for being a very special part of our spiritual family!
God Bless You,
Brother Bob
P.S. The Spirit of Wisdom Ministries is still available for new prayer requests or personal contact. Any prayer requests or questions may be submitted to BrotherBob@theSpiritofWisdom.org.
Welcome everyone to your 24/7 week-long online church service. Everyone is welcome in this place. For the past three years, we have said these words to you each week of every month. This week, we say it for the final time. We at the Spirit of Wisdom Ministries always knew this time would come but it doesn't make it any easier.
God has let us know in our spirit that the mission he gave us many years ago has been completed. That mission was to give forth the Word of God in truth and in Spirit. To make the gospel of Jesus Christ available to everyone. The reason for that was very simple, my friends. God loves everyone. After all, you are his creation, you know!
One of our greatest themes has been that God desires you to stay close to him as he has been close to you. Psalms 91:1-2 gives us the instruction. So let's read it together.
"1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust."
God's desire and our desire for you is to always be under the loving and protective shadow of the most high, which is the God above all gods, our Heavenly Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. But, to be truthful with you, I have said many times before, it is impossible to be under any one or any things shadow if you are not close enough to them to be under their shadow. So, one of our last words of advice to you is this: stay close to God.
I have often told my children the closer to God you are, the better your life will be and the farther you are away from God, the worse off your life will be. It's all a matter of choice, isn't it? Verse 2 of the scripture we just read tells you in no uncertain terms the words of life for you to proclaim. Remember, it said: I will say of the Lord. Notice it is free will in action here. He (meaning God) is my refuge and my fortress.
God, through and by his Son Jesus, is your safe port in the storms of life. God is your defense against all the evil that lurks on this earth. That verse goes on to say "my God." Can you say that, my friends? If you have received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life, you can honestly say, "my God!" But, if not, you cannot say that. It is just that simple, my friends.
You see, folks, this is what we have preached to you for three straight years. God loves you!! God sent his only begotten Son to this earth to die on a cross. The perfect sacrifice, not for his sins, no because he had none. But to redeem you from your sins. Jesus taught us about love for our fellow man, didn't he? He brought us healing by the stripes on his back. He showed us we have power over the devil and his demonic spirits. He showed us we can walk in victory on this earth, no matter what situation we find ourselves in. This, my friends, is the God we preach about.
Many of you have been with us from the beginning. We are so honored that God has allowed us to minister to each of you. Whether you started with us or recently came aboard. Just know this, God will never leave you nor forsake you.
As we close this online church, we must tell you this: God will always put men and women of faith into your lives. The Holy Spirit will always be your comforter and if you choose wisely as our very first message pointed out, Jesus will always be your Lord and Savior.
Now, it is a time for thanks giving. First, I must thank God, my heavenly Father, for allowing me the honor of preaching and teaching his Word to you. You are truly my spiritual family and I love you. I must thank Jesus Christ for saving my soul and changing my life all for the good. I must thank, our computer technician, Justin Rocque for the giving of himself and his skills. Justin gave of his time and effort every week and I am thankful for him. I pray for Justin daily just as I do for you.
I could not have done this without the support and effort of my wife, Vicki. She is my sounding board. She types the messages but, most of all, she is the love of my life. I am so very thankful to God for blessing me with a wonderful wife and help mate.
The online church ends this day but the Spirit of Wisdom Ministries continues. We are seeking direction from God. As a ministry, we are still available to you for prayer requests. our email address will not change. And the website will still be up. After a traveling vacation, you will hear from us again as we learn what direction we are to follow. Just know this, my friends: Brother Bob will always love and pray for you!
In the future, we may present messages or videos that will encourage you. Until then...
My message to you this week, church, is this: trust in God!! Always trust in God. ladies and gentlemen, God is not only your heavenly Father, he is your very best friend. As all good friends should do, he helps guide you through every situation of life. Your trust and belief in his Son, Jesus Christ, guarantees it. Welcome everyone to your 24/7 week-long online church service, Everyone is welcome in this place.
In this world that we live in today, it is hard to trust anyone, isn't it? There was a time when ministers of the gospel were trusted by the faithful. Many people trusted out elected officials. We looked up to teachers, firemen, and police officers. But something has changed in our land, hasn't it? You can lay the blame for this occurrence on many things but I lay it at the foot of sin. Really, brother Bob? It's that simple? Yes, my friends, it really is that simple.
Sin takes many forms, church. Things like greed, power, love of money, deceit, lies, and even wars for greed and monetary gain rather then for defense. The undermining of workers such as our firemen, policemen, and trash collectors, just because they are unionized is sin in my eyes.
But the truth is, sin is now so rampant in our society that it is impossible to trust anyone or any thing with certainty. That brings me back to my original statement: trust in God!! God, through his Son Jesus, offers us love, peace, mercy, and grace. In a world of hate, war, and a rush to judgement, God's offer to us sounds pretty good to me.
This message is a strong message to believers as well as to non-believers. I desire to show you, in a world of uncertainty, that God's ways are certain and true. You put your trust in the ways of the Lord and you will be rewarded with joy and peace, regardless of what situation you find yourselves in at this present time. Read Psalms 25:10 with me:
"All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies."
Just to clarify something: this scripture is not saying there are many ways to God. No, my friends. There is only one way to God and that is through and by his Son, Jesus Christ. But of course, by this time, you should know that.
What this scripture is saying is this: study the Word of God and listen to the Spirit of God. They will show you God's ways. His paths will lead you to mercy and truth. Now that, you can trust! Listen to me, church!! Our heavenly Father desires to lead and guide you into victory in this world. That can only be through righteousness. Now obviously, not our own righteousness, right? That is why legalism in churches never works. Let's look at Psalm 23:3 talking about God.
"He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake."
I want you to really meditate on this, folks. Remember the time when you needed desperately for your soul to be restored? Maybe you are at that point right now. This scripture tells us God is here for you today. Not only does he restore your soul. He then leads you into his righteousness and makes it your own. What do you think he sent his Son Jesus to this earth for? He sent Jesus here just for you.
Jesus will restore your soul and lead you into righteousness. I cannot repeat or stress that enough! Psalms 73:24 goes further:
"Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory."
This is the complete story, folks. We receive our counsel through the Word of God which, by this time, you must know, it is the Bible. The Holy Spirit also guides and leads us but the key is you have to listen to him. Take some time just to be with God, my friends. Trust in God. He will lead and guide you through the land mines of life.
You know, folks, I talk to God every day about every thing. That certainly includes you. When I talk to God, I expect him to answer me. I have to admit, I don't always like the answer I receive in my Spirit and sometimes I miss the answer all together for many reasons. But one thing I do know; I trust God.
I have walked in darkness and I have walked in the light of God's ways. Take my word for it. Light is better! Jesus, talking in John 8:12 says this.
"Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world:
he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the
light of life."
Do you get this, folks? Are you walking in the darkness of life? Jesus is saying here: you don't have to do that. Trust in Jesus. Follow him. Receive Jesus into your heart today. He will dispel the darkness of life and replace it with the light of life. My friends, as I end this service, let me call you to the alter. Not a wooden alter, although that would be good if we had one. I am talking about the alter of your heart.
Believers, you may renew your commitment to Jesus and be restored. Non-believers, this is your chance. Please, say these words and be sincere about it: Jesus, come into my heart and cleanse me. Restore my soul and lead me unto the paths of righteousness. I believe in my heart that God raised you from the dead and I this day confess you as Lord and Savior of my life. You said, in your Word if I would call on you, that you would save me. I am calling on you today. Save me, Jesus, save me. I now receive you in my heart and I know that I am saved and restored.
All I can say to you now, church, is if you said those words and sincerely meant it in your heart, you are now a child of God. Your soul has been restored. Walk with God. Follow his ways and by all means, always trust in God!!
As we begin to wind up the online church services, which will come to an end the end of this month, I have asked God to show me what he desires for you to hear from us. We have covered a lot of ground in the last three years. But now, there are things that must be emphasized. Let me welcome everyone to your 24/7 week-long online church service. Everyone is welcome in this place.
As I have approached my Heavenly Father, the thought has kept coming to me, words of life. That makes sense to me, church. You see, I have always known that what God desired for us to preach and teach were words of life. You see folks, we are in a spiritual warfare. Many are not aware of this fact but it is so. You may not hear this much anymore but there are things that are right and there are things that are wrong. There is evil in this world and there are blessings. God himself shows us this throughout the Word of God which is the Bible.
We have always emphasized the word in our preaching. You might ask, "what word is that, brother Bob?" The answer is, the Word of God. The word of truth, which is Jesus Christ. We have always preached that Jesus Christ is the word of life to us all. That is the reason that in three years of preaching and teaching to you, I used no other reference sources than the Bible.
The truth is this church: the Bible is the only book on this earth that truly gives you words of life. Now I know there are many self-help books by philosophers and many men and women who are considered to be wise. But truth be known, if what these books say to you do not agree with the Word of God, they are just giving out words of death to you. Look, I only have a couple of more weeks to get to you, church, so I am mincing no words. Let's talk about life and death, blessing, and curses for a moment. Please turn with me to Deuteronomy 30:18.
"I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:"
Understand this, church, God is telling us and warning us about something here. He is telling us by our choices. We can walk in death, in life, in blessing, and in curses. But then, because he loves us so much, he tells us which things to choose. God says here, look at your options, folks. Death, life, blessings, curses. God says, choose life. Now, that is words of life!
I have often taught you that when God speaks in the Old Testament, many times, his words were not just for the people of that age but also for us today. Ladies and gentlemen, when you received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you made your choice. Your choice was life. For those of you that have not made that choice, what is stopping you? The answer, nothing except yourself. The words of life also pertain to you, unbeliever. There is a choice to be made, isn't there? Life, death, blessing, curses. How do you choose this day?
The Bible clearly teaches that God's only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, is the life that God was referring to. Let's back this up by looking at John 14:6. These are the words of Jesus and it reads like this:
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
Once again, my friends, words of life. Jesus is not a way to God, he is the way. Jesus is not just another truth to be lumped in with people like Muhammad or Buddha. No, my friends, Jesus is the truth. The Bible is his Word and the instructor of truth. Now, this is very important to understand. Jesus is once again not just a life, he is the life. Spiritually, there is no other way of life to God. That is the reason God says to us, choose life.
Every person has a choice to make, even the apostles that followed and lived with Jesus. There was a time as recorded in the sixth chapter of John where Jesus preached to the multitudes. He preached about right and wrong, something many churches do not teach about today. The people, with few exceptions, were offended and turned away from Jesus and left. John 6:66 states, from that time, many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him.
"From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him."
Now this is not talking about the twelve apostles. The people that followed him around and listened to him preach where also called the disciples. When Jesus saw them turn away from him, he asked his apostles a very important question. Actually, Jesus could ask many of us the same question. John 6:67-69 tells us about this.
"67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? 68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. 69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God"
I believe that sums it up pretty good. When you know and understand that Jesus has the words of eternal life, why would you go to anyone else? Now I know why the thoughts, words of life, kept coming to me. Jesus has the words of eternal life. Peter was right when he said, Lord to whom shall we go? The answer, my friends, is to Jesus and none other. Why? Because he has the words of eternal life just for you and for me. So, just as God said in Deuteronomy, choose life. And as we say to you, choose Jesus Christ. Now that, my friends, are really words of life.
As we begin a new week after celebrating the Fourth of July or, as we elder folks prefer to call it, Independence Day. Let us continue to thank God for the blessings he has bestowed upon us and upon the United States of America. Why, if you to listen to some folks today, you would think it was the worst country in the world, when in fact, that is just not so!
As I watched the fireworks last week, a wonderful feeling of patriotism flowed over me. I love this country and the freedom it affords us all. I believe it is a good thing that freedom and liberty has been expanded to more and more people, regardless of religion, race, or lifestyle. To me, that gives God more room to reveal himself to everyone. How do you see it? Welcome everyone to your 24/7, week-long online church service. Everyone and we do mean everyone is welcome in this place.
This week, I desire to encourage you to tell others your story of what the Lord has done for you. This can be done verbally or by action. In other words, just let God show through you, folks. I mentioned last week that you are entering a new season. A season of being the ambassador of Christ that you are called to be. Church, there is a constant theme throughout the Bible, both the old and New Testament. That theme being God's desire to reconcile us to himself. Jesus came to this earth for that very reason. The true story is this. John 3:16, 17:
"16For
God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."
My goodness, such a simple but so very powerful true story. As believers, we should know this story personally, shouldn't we. God, through the saving grace of his son Jesus has given each of us a personal story to share with others. One of my favorite scriptures is 2 Corinthians 5:20. Let's read it together:
"20Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God."
Do you remember the ambassadors of Christ that reached out to you? Just regular folks like Mike "Hippie" Hamilton that shared the Gospel with me when I didn't want to hear it. I'll never forget Lou Ball taking my Scientology book and closing it with a vengeance and declaring she didn't care what was in that book. If it didn't agree with the Word of God, it was a lie. Words that I did not want to hear at the time. But you see church, that's what ambassadors do, isn't it? They tell others things that they may not want to hear because truth is truth.
The ambassadors of the United States oftentimes have to tell countries things they do not want to hear. Why would that be? Just to make them mad? No, my friends! To give them understanding and to reconcile them to the U.S.A. God's ambassadors do the same thing, only we reconcile people to God, don't we?
Our mission should be the same as Jesus. Not to condemn the world but to save it. There is only one way to be saved, folks. That is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. The blood that he shed on the cross just for you. So, tell the story!! It is a good story to be told, isn't it.
You know folks, churches have gotten so religious and sophisticated that in many cases it has forgotten how to tell the good and simple true story of salvation. The scripture in Micah 7:18-19 for instance rarely do you hear these questions and answers in the church anymore. But it in fact is a large part of this truth we preach and give out freely. Micah 7:18-19 state this:
"18Who is
a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the
transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger
for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. 19He
will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our
iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the
sea."
What is Micah doing here, folks? He is asking questions in order to answer them and to share the answer with us. Sometimes, it is good to talk to ourselves to remind ourselves of God's goodness and mercy. Micah asks himself, "who is a God like unto you" talking about our heavenly Father. The answer is, a God who pardons and forgives. He may have a righteous anger but it is quick to cool. And he delights in giving us mercy. What a great God we serve!
Mercy and forgiveness is becoming harder and harder to come by from men and women, isn't it? Let's continue: in verse 18 he says he will turn again. Well, what doe that mean? Very simply, it means this: God has had compassion on us before, probably many times, and he is still willing to do so again. The part I like is this: All your sins will be cast into the sea and guess what, church? God will never bring them up against you again....never!
That, my friends, is what God has done for us through and by his son, Jesus Christ. Now, that, is a good story to tell! Over the course of the past three years, I have told you many true stories about myself. What God has done for me and many times, even why and how he did them. These stories were never meant to magnify or lift myself up. Truthfully, I told them to let you know what God has done for me, he will do for you.
Each of us, as believers, has our own stories to tell. You do not need to be a preacher or reverend to tell folks what God has done for you. So guess what, folks? It's testimony time! we only have three more weeks before we end the online church services. How about leaving a comment and sharing with all of us what God has done for you? I believe my testimony lines up with Psalms 40:2-5. It says, talking about God:
"2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. 4Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies."
In other words, Jesus Christ saved my soul. He brought me out of the very heavy weight of sin. He gave me a new song, a song of praise. I now trust in God and I will not return to the evil ways of the world. That is my story and it can also be yours!
God Bless You,
Brother Bob
P.S. We want to remind you, we are presenting a music video by Tommy Bates entitled, "I Went To Pray." Please watch it. We know you will enjoy it!
The Spirit of Wisdom Ministries are being led in a new direction. To
be truthful, we are not completely clear what that new direction
includes. Please turn with me to the book of Ecclesiastes.
That book is found in the old Testament and is one of my favorites
books in the Bible. But first, let me welcome everyone to your 24/7
week-long online church service. Everyone is welcome in this place. Now
that you have found Ecclesiastes, let's read Chapter 3:1
together. This is what it states:
"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven."
I believe what this scripture is
saying is that nothing lasts forever. Let's take the four seasons of
life for example. No matter how much you love summer, there comes a time
when it ends. The time for summer to end arrives, yet the beginning of
fall is ready to move on with all the splendor of changing leaves and
cooling weather.
You see folks, when God is in it,
every ending leads to a greater beginning. This is where we find
ourselves today. The Spirit of Wisdom Ministries has presented your 24/7
week-long online church service to you for the past three years. God
gave me a mission that we put into action in August of 2009. That
mission was to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to you online but in
the form of a church setting. We have endeavored to be faithful to that
calling.
I always knew that we were
working in the context of a season. My stated mission to you was that I
would present the truth of the Word that the Holy Spirit had revealed to
me. In other words, I have done my very best to present words of life
to you. My friends, we have covered so many subjects for you in the past
three years.
We have given messages on
salvation. These were messages that were designed for only one
purpose:to lead you to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and what he
did for you and me even laying down his life by dying on a cross. For
just one reason: to save your and my soul from the bondage's of sin. God
loves us that much, my friends!
God's
desire is and has always been that his creation would become his
children. We have preached healing for your mind, body, and spirit.
Those things are benefits from Gods gift of salvation. They come when
your trust in God overcomes the pictures, feelings, questions, and
doubt, that Satan presents to your mind and body. Truth is, no matter
what your physical or mental condition is, God can and will give you
peace and joy in your spirit. If you don't believe that, go back to last
week's message and read or listen to it again!
We
have also preached and taught about spiritual warfare. The ability to
stand up and cast out evil spirits that are sent by Satan to rob,
destroy, and kill you. Their main mission is to separate you from God.
But, by your resistance, they must flee. We back this statement up by
reading James 4:7:
"Submit yourselves therefore, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
Stand
firm on God's Word, church. Look that devil right in the eye and say
without doubt or fear, "Satan, I cast you out of my body and my mind. I
resist you, in the name of Jesus." Now, watch him and his evil spirits
flee from you as in terror. Our former pastor, John Bulloch, always used
to say that and I have never forgotten it. I hope and pray that you
never forget it either. It should always be Satan that flees as in
terror, church. There should never be any retreat by us.
It
has become clear to me that we have completed the mission that God gave
us the honor to perform. There is a peace in my soul that allows me to
announce that we will be closing the doors of our online church as of
July 29th of this year. It has been a wonderful season of ministering to
you!
We
have shown you the path and laid a foundation for you. Our desire is
for you to now go forth in the spirit of God and share with others what
we have presented to you. Between now and the end of this month, we will
be presenting powerful and anointed messages that will be backed up by
the Word of God and by our love for you.
My
friends, the Spirit of Wisdom Ministries will still be available for
you. Our website will still be active. We will still be taking prayer
requests and when God prompts us, we will come forth with whatever
he lays on our heart for you. Our charge is always to be instant in or out
of season to share God's Word with everyone. We take the words of Paul
in 2 Timothy, Chapter 4:2 very seriously. This is what Paul says to us:
"Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with an long suffering and doctrine."
That
we have done. And that we will continue to do until God calls me home.
It may be in a different form or fashion. It may be to just one person
or many persons. God will show us the way. In August, I will be taking a
vacation to see family and friends but I realize there is no vacation
to a called man of God.
Let
me say this, my friends, we have four more messages to preach to you
before your online church ceases to exist. Get ready, my friends. You are
in for a treat! Just remember this, church, as the scripture in Ecclesiastes
said, "to every thing, there is a season." We have had a wonderful
season of preaching and teaching to you. Now, the season is changing.
You
have had a season of listening or reading and learning. Now, your
season is ending. The new season will begin in August with you preaching
and teaching to others the same words of life we have preached to you.
God's Word and ways will always be your path.
This week, we are going to start our online church service with some good advice. Please, turn with me to Proverbs 3:5-6. Let's read it together:
"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."
I told you this would be good advice. Well, was I right? Let me welcome everyone to your 24/7 week-long online church service. Always remember, every one is welcome in this place.
My friends, God's desire is for you to live in victory and peace during your lifetime. Even in difficult and bad situations, God wants you to have peace and joy. So, Brother Bob, how can we have joy and peace in our lives when so many things are going wrong? The answer was just given to you in the above scripture. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. That is the first step to peace and joy.
Ladies and gentlemen, the above scripture is speaking to believers. It is impossible to trust in God with all your heart if you don't even believe in him. The scripture goes on to say, acknowledge God and he will direct your ways. Listen to me, church, if God is directing your way, there is no possibility of defeat in your lives. Will things come against you? Could bad things such as sickness, job losses, lack of money, strained relationships, and so on, come against you? The answer is, yes, but God says he will direct your way and his direction will always lead you right past defeat and straight to victory.
That is this ministries desire for you, church. Victory in Jesus right here on the earth. Let's continue with Proverbs 3:7-8. And this is what it says:
"Be not wise in thine own eyes: Fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones."
This is great advice, my friends, and it doesn't come from me. It comes directly from the Word of God and it is directed straight to you and me. Do you see what God is saying to us, folks? Trust in him. Acknowledge him in all your ways. Do not trust or follow your own or men's wisdom but follow the wisdom of God which is found in the instruction book of life which is, of course, the Bible. Finally, the scripture hits the nail on the head. It says, "depart from evil."
Now listen to me, church, I understand I am preaching mainly to Christian believers. Some of you may be offended to have me say to you, "depart from evil." But if you reread or listen again to this message, you will see that I did not say this to you! God did!! The truth is, many believers today are dabbling in the very sin you have been set free from. My friends, please stop doing that right now. God says, "depart from evil" and he will reward you with all good things. Health to thy navel and marrow to thy bones. In other words, health to you body.
Sin is a destroyer of all good things you have, my friends. Depart from it and watch things turn around for you in so many good ways. I am excited for you, church. Good things are ahead for you. I am pointing out the benefits of following and trusting God. We at the Spirit of Wisdom Ministries know that the way to true peace and joy comes from only one source, the Lord Jesus Christ.
My friends, the biggest expression of love from God to us was allowing his son, Jesus, to come to this earth to preach, teach, and heal and then to actually die on a cross just to redeem you and me from sin. Our 24/7 online church has always strived to teach you the ways of God. We have approached you in many different ways to introduce you to the one way of salvation and that is Jesus Christ.
Our mission is not only to see people be saved through Jesus Christ but it is also to see you live and enjoy the peace and joy that God provides to you every day of your life. We understand how all the complications of life can be used by Satan to try and steal your joy in Christ and living.
In the first scriptuire given to you in this message, the key words were "trust in the Lord." Ladies and gentlemen, the Lord Jesus Christ is your joy and peace. Take your eyes off your present situation, whatever it may be, and return your focus to loving God and receiving his love and peace.
Jesus pointed out to you so many times in his Word how much he loves you. Even as he was getting ready to leave this world by way of the cross, he had words of encouragement to us. Look at John 14:27. Jesus is talking here:
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
You see, church, Jesus knows the difficult things and the difficult times we have to endure on this earth. Let his words encourage you, my friends. Jesus is telling us clearly here, the peace the world philosophers and leaders promise us is a false peace. He says the peace he gives us is an enduring peace that is available to you in every situation of life. Once again, take your eyes off your circumstances of life and draw on the peace of God. He left his peace here just for you.
This message is focused on three things, church: trust in God, the peace of God, and the joy of living that only God will provide for you. In the book of John, chapter 15, Jesus tells us, if we truly follow him, he will provide his joy to us. What joy is that? The joy of life. The joy of your wife or husband. The joy of your children and grand children. But, most of all, the joy of knowing you are a child of God. I suggest you read the fifteenth chapter of John for yourselves. In John 15:9-11, Jesus once again speaks to us. Let's see what he has to say:
"As the father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If you keep my commandment, you shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my fathers commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full."
The commandment Jesus is talking about is stated in the very next verse, John 15:12. This is what it says:
"This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you."
There it is, my friends. We must share the love that God has given us with others. Always trust in God and what Jesus did for us on the cross. Jesus said he desires his joy to remain in us and that our joy be full. That is also our desire for you. May you always trust in God and may God's peace and joy always remain in you.
Please note: This is our annual Father's Day message. This is a reposted message (both, the written and audio) from June 20, 2010. Be sure to read and listen to it. You will enjoy it!
Today is celebrated as “Fathers' Day.” We certainly welcome all Dads to this week's 24/7, week long, online church service. I am sure you know by now, everyone is welcome in this place. Early in the Bible in Exodus 20:12, God gave us the Ten Commandments, which to my knowledge have not been repealed or revoked by God. I know there are some who wish or believe the Ten Commandments are not valid for today. After all, shouldn't we live life as we desire? Does that not sound like the mantra for today's living? Let's read the fifth commandment of God in Exodus 20:12:
“Honor thy father and thy mother: That thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.”
Notice that our heavenly father gives you the commandment and then gives you the benefits of following his proclamation. God says honor your father and mother so you may live long on the earth. How many here desire to live a long and fruitful life? A long life full of joy, peace, mercy and grace? By honoring your father and mother, you are honoring God.
Another scripture also points out the benefits of honoring your parents. Please turn with me to Ephesians 6:1-3:
“Children obey your parents in the Lord; for this is right. Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.”
Are you beginning to see the complete picture? God desires for you to honor and obey your parents and he will reward you with long life. I know some of you are thinking: “The way my Dad treated me, it is hard if not impossible to honor him.” I'm going to touch on that later in the message, so just hold that thought for a moment.
One of the greatest blessings of my life is being the father of five wonderful children. They are all grown up now, but sometimes I still see them as ten-years-old or so. If I look back on one of the best accomplishments of my life, it would be that my children, now adults, still love us (their parents), almost as much as we love them. No father or mother could ask for more. Do we agree with them on everything? Absolutely not!! Do we have opinions about life and living that are different than theirs? Many times over the years, definitely yes. Do we respect them? You bet!!
The instruction book of life (the Bible) gave me many tips and instructions on how to be a loving and caring father. One of those instructions is found in Ephesians 6:4:
“And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: But bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”
Let's dissect this scripture a little. What is God saying to us fathers here? I believe God is saying – Fathers raise your children in love and not hate or fear. Let them express their observations of life and their feelings about such things. Listen to them. Then, give Godly advice in a way that they can see the wisdom of your words and know that if you disagree with their conclusions about life, you still love and respect them. Is that easy to do? Not always. But, it is the right thing to do. The second part of this scripture tells us: Dads, we have a responsibility to bring our children up in the knowledge and ways of God according to his Word. It is never too early to give your children a biblical foundation regarding Jesus Christ. Tell them about Jesus as early in their young lives as you can. It will pay off in the long run.
I guess one of my biggest regrets in life, is that I didn't give my life to the Lord until my first two children were in their teens. Their formative years saw a Dad that drank too much and was away from home too much; a Dad that loved them, but wasn't always reliable. I always feel repentant about that, But thank God, he saved me and delivered me from the things destructive in my life. The salvation was instant, the recovery a process.
Today I would rather have my children see me as a man that loves God and his ways, rather than a man who loved the ways of the world. I look around me today and I see young fathers making the same mistakes I did and it breaks my heart. Young Dads, listen to me!! Your wife and children are the most important things in your life. Not your job, not another woman, not the respect of other men. The alcohol, drugs and addiction to your job will kill you. I promise if you keep on, you will lose everything near and dear to you.
This year when you receive your Fathers' Day card, pay attention Dads. Your family is calling to you. Get right with God. Love God and your family with all of your heart. The payoff to that will be great for you. I am praying for you, Dads. I know you can do it. God loved you so much he blessed you with your wife and children. Take care of them and love them above everything else on the earth. Stop whatever you are doing right now. Go look at your family, aren't they something?
Fathers' Day is celebrated all over this country. Many good fathers will be honored. Yet for many, it is not a celebration at all. Their dads abandoned them. Some even abused their children. Other fathers by example have led their children away from God. I would say these fathers may never know the joy they could have had by serving God and raising their families with love.
Children, I am asking you to forgive your wayward dads, not for them but for yourselves. Let the bitterness and the hurt go. You will live life much freer if you do that. Easy to do? No!! But your life will be so much better. Your heavenly Father, who always loves you, will be honored.
My friends, let me conclude with this: God sent Jesus to the earth to die for you and your sins. He was the perfect sacrifice accepted by God. If you will accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you will no longer be just a creation, but you will be an adopted child of our heavenly Father. God is a father without flaws; a father who will always love you no matter what. He is the Father you have always dreamed about. Paul talks about this in Romans 8:14-16:
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.”
Today is Fathers' Day. Be sure and say “Happy Fathers' Day” to your Dad. Oh, by the way, if you are saved by the blood of Jesus Christ, say “Happy Fathers' Day” to your heavenly Father also. He will enjoy that.
You may have noticed that we had a little technical problem with our audio last week. For those of you that do listen to our messages, we apologize for the delay. The audio has been restored. Our hope is that you will return to last week's message and read or listen to it again. I believe it was a message of love and hope and it was designed just for you. Welcome everyone to your 24/7 week-long online church service. Everyone is very welcome in this place.
The message we are presenting this week could and hopefully will stir up something in the non-believers out there. After all, our ministry mission is to point you to Jesus Christ. But truthfully speaking, it may apply more to believers that for whatever reason have become lukewarm or even cold in their faith. Some of you may have walked away from your church, your faith, and your walk with God. Now, some people would say, "shame on you." But we say, "turn back now. Come on back home."
A good friend of mine, Jim Vaughn, used to tell people, "your church or some believer may have hurt you by their words or actions." "But Jesus has never hurt you so why walk away from Him?" I keep telling you, church, God's love for you is never ending. Why not come back and return that love to Him? My friends, God never gives up on you. That is shown, not only in the New Testament, but in the Old Testament, as well. Understand this, church, it takes both the Old and New Testament to complete God's Word to you. In the book of Jeremiah, the prophet was talking to Israel but the words he spoke to them also apply to us. Let's look at Jeremiah 24:7 and see what God has to say through his prophet. Jemimah 24:7states:
"And I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God; for they shall return unto me with their whole heart."
My friends, the moment you truly received Jesus into your heart, God gave you a new heart or, in other words, a heart with a desire to know Him. Notice, I did not say a desire to know about Him. God desires you to know Him in all his glory and love. In this scripture, God calls you "His people." That is how much He loves you, church. Let's face it, we all take care of our own people, don't we? How much more would God care for you and me just because we are His by our choice? But, there is even more. The verse goes on to say, "and I will be their God." That is an exclusive, my friends!!
God is saying clearly here, because of our love for Him, He is our God. This is personal, folks. That is the reason God stays available to you even when you have lost your way. Why, He even sends old preachers like me out to holler as loud as I can to you. God loves you. Come back home. May I say the word "repent" to you? What does that mean? It means to do an about face and come back to Jesus. because of God's love for you, He is ready and willing to forgive you.
God says, He believes in you. How do I know that? Well, just keep reading verse 7 of Jeremiah 24. That's where God says, "for they shall return onto me with their whole heart." It's time, isn't it? You know and I know that the trappings of this world are no substitute for the love and closeness you once had with your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Let me remind you of the darkness that filled your life before Jesus. Think back to just before your conversion to a new life in Jesus Christ. What was it, my friend, that had you bound up so tightly? Let me ask you this question, why return to that same darkness and to the bondage of sin and guilt that was destroying you? The Apostle Paul in the book of Ephesians says it better than I. Please turn with me to Ephesians 5:8. There is instruction in this verse just for you. The scripture says:
"For you were sometimes darkness, but now are you light in the Lord: Walk as children of light."
This is not judgment, church. This is Godly information and instruction for your benefit. The Apostle Paul is reminding you here of who you really are. A child of God. Notice Paul does NOT say, "you were once in darkness." No, he says, "there were times when you were darkness." I know in my heart, my fellow believer, you do not want to return or to stay in that state of being. So here is the instruction. Take another look at verse 8 in Ephesians. it continues, "but now..." Let me repeat that. "But now are you light in the Lord: Walk as children of light."
My brother or sister in Christ, you are no longer darkness. You are light in the Lord. Now, snap out of it! Choose this instant to return to God and walk as children of light. Who is the light? Your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Who is your Heavenly Father? God almighty. Walk as His child. Let me remind you, you are still His child. Now, walk as his Son Jesus does. Full of light, mercy, and grace. This is a short message but I have said enough!
I trust everyone had a great Memorial Week. It is always good to remember our men and woman that have served our country so bravely. If not for their love of country, where would we be today? In that same spirit of love, please allow me the opportunity to tell you, our online Church members, how much this ministry cares for you. God has placed you squarely on our hearts. Because He loves you so much, He has given us anointed messages to share with you. It always amazes me how God knows just the message that would help somebody. Now, let me welcome everyone to your 24/7 week-long Online Church service. Everyone, and yes, that includes you, are welcome in this place.
Our prayer to God and our often-stated mission is to help somebody. We give God all the glory and praise for the people he has helped through the Spirit of Wisdom Ministries. You see folks, the unconditional love we show you is really the unconditional love that God allows to flow through us. Truth be known, when you are one of his, nothing or no one can separate you from his love. Let’s back this statement up with the Word of God, which, of course, is your Bible. What? You don’t own a Bible? Well, go get one today!! The Bible is truly your road map through this journey called life. Romans 8:38,39 states:
“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
What more can be said, my friends? The apostle Paul is telling us here, nothing or nobody in this world can separate us from the love of God by and through his son, Jesus Christ. Evil doers, poverty, sickness, or any other demon spirit cannot succeed in separating you from the love of God and his son, Jesus Christ. Do you get this Church? No one, or no thing, period, over and out!! This is all possible because of the sacrifice of Jesus who died on that cross with only one thing on his mind. You, my friends, you. Verse 35of Romans 8 says this:
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword.”
Does this verse not describe the conditions many people find themselves in today? Are any of you believers going through distressful times? You see, folks, the Bible through all generations, talks to us. Just as God is a present-time God, His word, the bible, is his present-time word. Now, with that in mind, let’s look at the above verse a little closer. What it is questioning is God’s love for us on any and every situation of life isn’t it? Why, what nerve that apostle Paul has to question God about anything. But, you see, Church, when you already know the answer to your question, it is not arrogance; it is a way of proving your point. The apostle Paul seems to be questioning God’s faithfulness towards us. But when you read Romans 8:37, it becomes more clear to what the answer to the above question really is. The scripture says:
“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquers through him that loved us.”
Now, who would the “him” in that scripture be, I ask you? The answer to that question is, God almighty and his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Listen to me, Church; no matter what you are going through this day. No matter how dark the future seems, because of God’s love for you, you are a mighty conqueror that will come through it all. I am giving you the truth of the Word that God has revealed to me. What I am teaching you today is this: God loves you and because of his love for you, he will allow no one, or thing, to separate you from him. You are his family and God loves his family.
Listen to me closely, church. My preaching is straight-up from the Word of God and what the Holy Spirit reveals to me through the Word. In almost three years, I have not used any other reference or guide than the Word of God. Of course, sometimes I have looked up words to better present the message to you. But all substance is what God has shown me through his Word, which, of course, is the Bible.
My desire is for you to know and understand that you are loved of God. I personally believe, once you really comprehend how much God loves you, your main desire would be to love Him back. You know folks, in everything God does, there is a purpose. I believe the Bible teaches us about God’s love for us clearly. It is also clear in the Word of God that we should return His love and to love others. Jesus speaks of his love for us and tells us in no uncertain terms we must share that love with all. In fact, he makes it a commandment. Turn with me to John 13:34. Let’s read it together. Remember, this is Jesus speaking here:
“A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”
This is that love that no man or thing can separate us from. God gives us that kind of love and commands we give that same love to others. One can only do that by an abiding faith in Jesus Christ and what he did for us on that cross. Jesus goes on to drive this point a little farther. He says in John 13:35:
“By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another.”
Are you a true disciple of Christ? Do you want others to see this in you, my friends? Then show them the same love that God shows you. A pure love that no one or thing can steal away from you or the ones that you show love to.
As you know, I have often stated the Bible is the instruction book of life. In fact, I will be more clear. Everything we need to know or do to be victorious in life is stated clearly in the Word of God. All this jibber jabber that people can’t understand the King James Bible is just that, jibber jabber. Let me welcome everyone to your 24/7, week long, online church service. Everyone is welcome in this place.
Now listen folks, I’m not pushing the King James Bible on you, although I must admit I personally love it. I’m just pointing out the deception Satan uses to keep people from reading their Bible. The truth is, the King James version is still the best selling version on the market today. A little tip for you – If you want to say ‘truly’ instead of ‘verily,’ or if it’s important to you to say ‘you’ instead of ‘thee’ or ‘thou’ God will not get mad at you.
You see, church, when Jesus came to this earth and died to take away the bondage of sin from you, he spoke words of wisdom to us. He told us who he is. He is the son of the God above all gods. He gave us guidelines to follow to have a loving family relationship with him and the Father. The amazing thing is when Jesus paid the price for our sin by his death, by the shedding of his blood and by his resurrection back to heaven, where he sprinkled his own blood on the mercy seat. God accepted his pure sacrifice and made a way for us to live and be with them In joy, love, peace, mercy and grace forever. Now that is what the Bible teaches us. In the book of I John we get a good example of what I am talking about. I John 5:20 states:
“And we know that the son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.”
This scripture is clearly speaking to us believers, isn’t it? We know that is so because it says in no uncertain terms that we are in him that is true, even his son, Jesus Christ. So what does this mean for nonbelievers? Truth is, we were all nonbelievers at one time, weren’t we? You are not naturally born into Jesus Christ my friends no matter what church your family attends. Being one with God comes only by your acceptance of Jesus Christ into your heart as Lord and Savior of your life, and that is a free will choice. But, notice what this scripture is telling us. God gives us all his understanding. No one is left out.
His understanding is available to every person on the earth. Whether you accept that understanding or not is totally up to you. God is saying to you, nonbeliever – Come to me. His son Jesus is saying, come to us – talking about his Father God and himself. And this Spirit of Wisdom Ministry is saying to you – come to God today. Receive his son Jesus in your heart and let his Word speak to you. This is an open invitation to everyone. That is why we always say “Everyone is welcome in this place.”
Our mission and purpose of every message we present to you is to lead you to the son of God, Jesus Christ. We preach this message because of the love of God that he has placed in our hearts for you. As believers, our hearts should be tender toward the lost. After all, we are God’s ambassadors of love and reconciliation to a lost and dying world, aren’t we? Psalms 51:10 gives us instruction in how to ask God to help us be his servant. It says:
“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”
I know you are saved, my friends. But do you still have a clean heart? Maybe it is time for a self examination spiritually speaking. Remember when we first got saved and we knew, that we knew, that we knew, we had a right spirit within us? This Word tells us that if we are not watchful over our spirit we can allow it to be corrupted again. If that is the case with you, just sincerely say “Oh God, renew a right spirit in me.” God is faithful, my friends and he will hear your cry and restore your spirit to be acceptable to him and a blessing to you. Psalms 5:12-13 goes on to say:
“Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.”
I sense a stirring of the Holy Spirit in you, my friends. I know how easily we can allow the circumstances of this world to steal our joy. That free spirit we received at our new birth in Jesus seems now bound and tied up. We feel guilt because our witness is not as good or effective as it once was. But this scripture brings good new to us, church. The psalmist is saying to you that all we feel we have lost can be restored. It is important that we turn back to God and ask him to restore us. These are instructions to us, church. God would not tell us to pray to him to restore our joy if we could not have lost that joy in the first place, would he?
Just look at what happens when we sincerely turn to God and ask him to renew a right spirit within us. Pay attention to the benefits of coming to God and asking him to restore the joy of your salvation. Verse 13 in Psalms 52 gives us the answer to what we can experience if we just turn back to God and follow the instructions of the above scriptures. Psalms 51:13 says this:
“Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.”
I repeated this scripture to emphasize what a blessing this is to us church and what a blessing to the lost – just because we are faithful to follow God’s instruction in his Word. When you follow God’s instruction, he will create a clean heart and renew a right spirit within you. He will restore the joy of your salvation and uphold you with his free spirit. And then, he will once again allow you to teach the wayward and lost and because of your obedience to the Word of God, he will allow you to once again be a testimony and to cause sinners to be converted to him. Now folks, this is not jibber jabber. This is the truth of God’s Word.
Let me start this week’s message by saying this: Church, please give me your attention!! In the Book of Matthew, Jesus was giving us some very important instruction on how we as believers are to treat and act toward the poor, the sick and the underprivileged in our society. Welcome everyone to your 24/7, week long, online church service. Everyone is welcome in this place.
You know church, for almost three years this ministry has emphasized God’s love, peace, mercy and grace. This may come as a surprise to some of our self righteous and holier than thou believers. But these attributes of God are for everyone including the poorest in our land. The reason I am giving this message today is because I sense an ungodly trend, even in the church world to devalue human life if one is not wealthy or is disabled, or sick, or elderly. One thing must be clear, my friends. God values his creation.
Let me repeat myself, God values his creation regardless of their social or monetary status. Let’s look at God’s point of view on reaching out to and helping the poor. Or, you might say “to the least of these.” Jesus is talking in Matthew 25:34. He says:
“Then shall the king say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. “
This makes it very clear he is talking to all of us, doesn’t it? We as believers are the blessed, are we not? Jesus goes on to say in Matthew 25:35-36:
“For I was an hungered, and you gave me meat: I was thirsty and you gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and you visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.”
Do you understand, church? Jesus was pleased that these believers did these things. Does that not tell you he would be pleased if we did these very same things today? Nowhere in these scriptures does he say “Do not help the poor regardless of how they got that way.” No my friends, our mission is to help people. If you go on to read Matthew 25:37-39, and I strongly suggest you do. Jesus points out the righteous (true believers) answer him and in paraphrased words said this ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and gave you drink? When did we ever see you as a stranger and help you out? When did we ever give you clothes or help you overcome your sickness by visiting and help you in any way we could. Lord, when did we ever visit you in prison for whatever the reason you were there. When Lord, when?”
Now ladies and gentlemen, please pay attention to the words of Jesus in Matthew 25:40. Jesus talking to us regarding the above questions.
“And the king shall answer and say unto them, verily I say unto you, in as much as you have done it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
This is the message of the day, my friends. Jesus is talking to us as believers, individuals and to the church. We are not to be judges, we are to be servants. In today’s society, help for the poor, the underprivileged, the sick and elderly should have always been the top priority for us and our churches. Unfortunately, our churches in large part have become more concerned with their own wealth and blessing, than the needs of others. The old saying ‘Lord bless us four and no more’ comes to mind.
In these hard times in the economy churches are turning inward and believing God for their own welfare while decrying the welfare of others. This, my good church, is wrong and must be corrected today. The misguided attitude of many believers today is “Why should I help people who may be on drugs, or alcohol or have other addictions or shortcomings.” The answer is – just for that very reason, my friends.
When Jesus was on the earth he spread his love, mercy, peace and grace to all. The goal is to lead people to Jesus, my friends. Truth be told, many of us were not so lovely when Jesus came into our lives, were we? Personally, I was a drunk and a very proud liar. If believers had not taken the time to approach me and yes even helped me financially, this message may not be written today. It is time we as believers get back to helping everyone, not just our own. We must change our religious attitudes about those who have less than we do.
Listen to me. The heart’s desire of every believer should be to please God. We should always show honor to God, shouldn’t we? Well, Proverbs 14:31 shows us one way of doing just that. Here’s what it says:
“He that oppreseth the poor reproacheth his Maker; but he that honoreth him hath mercy on the poor.”
I’m telling you straight up, church. We are skating on thin ice when we devalue God’s creation because of their financial status, their health status or their age. We must do everything in our power to help the poor. That way, we are showing honor to God. Another way of helping our fellow men and women is to support government programs designed to help them. This is not political, my friends. Good is good and right is right.
America is a great country and we are and have been blessed of God. One of the reasons we are blessed is because we have programs to assist and uplift people out of poverty. Head Start, Student financial aid, Social security, Medicare, Medicaid and such are not entitlements, my friends, they are investments. They are investments in our children, our students, our sick and our elderly. Sounds a lot like what Jesus was talking about, doesn’t it? Government is not the answer. Only Jesus is the complete answer, but Jesus has given us the way and each of us as individuals, churches and government can all do our part to honor and bless God by our actions. Let me end this way: Please turn to I Timothy 6:17-18 and meditate on this.
“Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate.”
These are words of wisdom to us as individuals, also to our churches and to our government. So our cry to you is ‘help the poor, be one that truly does help the least of these.
Welcome everyone to your 24/7, week long, online church service. No one is excluded from this place. Let's start out this week by praising God for his goodness and mercy that endures forever. Each morning, when I wake up, I always say “Thank you, Lord, for this day of life. Thank you, Father, for your son, Jesus Christ. He has saved my soul and I am thankful for salvation. I will walk in all the benefits of that salvation and I will be accountable at the end of the day.”
Praising God is something we can do anytime we choose to. We can praise God in good times or bad times. Regardless of our situation in life, we can thank God for his mercy and grace. I have often pointed out, everything we do in life is a choice, isn't it? I remember telling my youngest daughter, Lyle, it is not what happens to you in life that matters, it is the way you respond to it. There are only two ways to respond, my friends. There is the response from man's point of view or the response from God's point of view. You want victory in your life? I would suggest taking God's point of view. But, once again, that is your choice, isn't it?
I understand the stress and mental discomfort many are going through at this time. The economy has taken a toll on almost everyone, one way or another, hasn't it? Do you understand that people (probably some that you know) are losing their jobs? Many are losing their health insurance that provides health care for their families. Many corporations are taking advantage of the slow economy even though their bottom line is healthy. How are they doing this, Bro. Bob? They are forcing employees to take major pay reductions. They are reducing health care benefits while increasing the cost. And they are then working their employees that are left seven days a week instead of hiring new employees. This is not something made up, my friends. This actually is happening to one of my children as we speak.
We have seen friends, neighbors and others in our communities losing their homes to foreclosure. I could go on, but I believe you get the point. These are anxious times, aren't they? The truth is, anxiety may be at an all time high. It is more important than ever to trust God. This is not the time to turn away from God. It is time to turn to God. Why? Because we need his help.
I was thinking the other day about how when my children were small. We would come to a busy highway. Cars and trucks zooming by us at high speed. We could sense the anxiety in our children. But guess what? My wife and I would take their small, precious hands in ours and we would lead them across that busy and dangerous highway. As the children held our hands and walked with us, their anxiety left and you could tell they felt safe. They knew we were there to help them and to keep them safe. That, my friends, is what God will do for us if we will just get close and put our hands in his. Turn with me to Isaiah 41:13:
“For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee Fear not; I will help thee.”
I believe one of the things that makes things worse, even for us believers, is that we do not realize God is a present time God. He desires to help us today. The truth is, this message is mostly designed to reach believers. God is your Father. You are his child. Please, let him take you by your hand and lead you to safety. Fear not. God says he will help you. Do you believe him?
I understand how bad things look. I understand how it feels. It actually is a burden too heavy to carry, isn't it? You may feel ashamed to admit it, so I will say it for you. Yes!! Your burden is too heavy. But, what can you do about it? In Matthew 11:28-29 Jesus tells us what to do.
“Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and lean on me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: And ye shall find rest unto your souls.”
Lay the burdens down, my friends. You cannot sustain them by yourselves. Jesus is saying here what you need is rest. Jesus says “Lean on me.” Remember I said God is a present time God? Your mind, your body and your spirit need a rest, don't they? Think of your soul as a battery in a car. There are times when your car battery needs charging. In like manner, there are times your soul needs to be charged. The question is, how do you charge your soul? By leaning on Jesus and allowing him to give your soul some rest. God said he would never leave you or forsake you. That very simply means, God is with you today and forever.
Where do I get this advice for you? Only one place. The Word of God (the Bible). The answers are there, Church. If I can find them, you can also. I am asking our online church family to join together this week. Pray Church, like you have never prayed before. Pray for each other. Pray that each of our needs may be met. Pray for good jobs with good pay and good benefits for those who are now jobless or under-employed. Pray for financial blessings for those who are losing their homes. Pray that they can retain their homes or even find a better place to live. Pray for healing for those who are sick in body or mind, that they may be restored to good health. Pray for each other, that all our needs will be met. Let's join hands together and allow God to take us by our right hands. That's how we can come out of this victoriously. Let's end up as Habakkuk says. Habakkuk 3:17-19:
“Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength and he will make my feet like hinds feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.”
In other words folks, when everything that can go wrong, goes wrong, lean on God. Rejoice in the Lord. Know that God is your strength. He will cause you to come out on top of all of this mess. The victory will be like music to your ears. We at the Spirit of Wisdom Ministries will rejoice with you as this happens.
God Bless You,
Bro. Bob
Urgent Prayer Request: Please pray for Evangelist Smokey Barber for a quick and total recovery.
