Moving To Higher Ground Part 2

LEADERSHIP STYLES CHANGE AND FLUCTUATE

I have seen an innumerable amount of leadership styles change over many decades and fluctuate outrageously within the church. Robert Rules of Order often suspended right alongside with broken commitments and biblical principles. Discipline and morality are all too often tossed aside like a garden variety salad. Then dressed up with a salad dressing of pickled “unconditional love” garnished with hot sassy tempers. There is no need at all to be jealous of this… What do you do when you know that something has gone awry? Should you just go along with the majority to be accepted within the group? NO! You PRAY and seek the Lord’s direction. You know that His Church is not made by hands.

Truly the LORD is our Forever GOOD SHEPHERD!

We the people are His true Church! God will always make a way. Truly God will fight your battles. God’s Word really does have cleansing power. “All scripture is God breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so the Man/Woman of God can be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” When applied it really works! To be accepted you must often do anything but stand up for what’s right. If you don’t conform, you risk being accused of being unfriendly and considered unloving. To put it simply you are downright labeled evil, and oh by the way, you just don’t like people. REPENT!!!

“And You SHALL KNOW the TRUTH, and The TRUTH WILL SET you FREE!” THANK GOD FOR DISCERNMENT! HALLLELLLUJAH ANYHOW!

The Lord says that we should “not conform but be transformed by the renewing of our minds.” I love the Lord and all that His Church really stands for! I cannot count the times that I have been told by so many that I now; just go and do my duty and leave……… I can literally stay in a good Spirit filled worship service all day and night. There is nothing I like better.  God is my life. I am really thankful that I know a few places of worship where I can retreat to that God truly is worshipped “in Spirit and in Truth.”  I Thank God for His Apostles, bishops, ministers, minstrels, elders, teachers and pastors who really realize that He is worthy of the honor and preeminence.

BROTHERS & SISTERS?

I stay in the loop just enough to stay abreast of how things are progressing. I applaud those who continue to jockey for the inside positions. I take the “CALL” upon my life seriously. GOD’S APPROVAL is all I/ we need! But with those who say they are my brothers and sisters or sinners? I simply refuse to continue to fight. It never ceases to amaze me what they will fight over. Things such as what to wear and when. Should we dress formally or informally, depending on who or what we are celebrating? This is our church? Yes indeed for some it may be your building but really is God’s Church welcomed? I thought it was all about who? JESUS of course! Well, I am a part of GOD’S CHURCH!

Apostle John’s attire was made from camel’s hair. Do you know what a camel’s hair coat cost? How much does some of the designer jeans cost? Who gets to stand out front and lead sing? Who gets to preach and sit in the “high chairs” or sit on the front row? What group dances today? This is my seat? What Tee shirt or jersey are we wearing today? How much money does such and such a person have or give or don’t give? Whose uncle or father is in charge or whose mother, father, brother or sister,  teaches Sunday School? Where does the piano go? Whose family is in charge and on and on… What does it matter? REPENT!!!

We choose to praise, thank and worship God everyday!

If it matters so much that we look alike as far as our facial colors, and that we are from the same denomination or? How does that all fit into God’s plan? Heaven is not segregated by color. The great commission includes everyone. Lord help us! The point I am trying to make is; I’m out of the ring but not ever out of His presence. Back sliding is not even an option! I have spent too much time within the walls. As a matter of act all of my life… Let me out!  Together we agree to worship the Lord on one accord; “In Spirit and in Truth!” Being A Christian is our daily lifestyle! You see it does not matter what you say; I know who I belong to.  Not arrogant, no low self-esteem but indeed confident! I encourage you to really get to know the Lord for yourself! This way you will not be tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine. I am steadily moving towards…

Moving to Higher Ground

Jesus lived, died and arose so we could live differently. We can go anywhere in this world He created. He freely gave us the precious eternal gift of salvation! We have been given the gift of having His Holy Spirit residing within us! It has been sealed with a promise He has also promised to supply “all of our needs.” And He does and will for He keeps all His promises. That means the needs of His Church as well. If you lack wisdom; Ask God? He will and can make a way out of no way for His Will. He is the ultimate Way Maker!

“HE’S A GREAT GOD!”

The great commission described in Matthew simply says; “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age…” Matthew 28:19-20. I thank God for freeing us to go beyond the walls.  Abba Father God,  has allowed us to carry the Gospel of Christ Jesus many places throughout the world far & near…  This has allowed us to really step out on FAITH and launch out into the deep and cast my/our line far beyond the shallow shore. God is utterly amazing!

God is so cavernously deep! He is infinite. We are to give Him the preeminence in everything. I am thankful of my position in Christ as His child!  I am also thankful to be His Elder/Minister and Ambassador dedicated to The Gospel of Christ Jesus! God is omnipresent and forever faithful. Everywhere we are and go  He is  with me/us!  In Him alone; I am confident and know I am never alone. Although it is quite liberating, to the unknowing surface onlookers it appears as though perhaps I have become aloof. “Stand fast therefore in the Liberty wherewith CHRiST has set you free and be not entangled with a yoke of bondage…” Galatians 5

GET BETTER NOT BITTER

Wherever we are; it is important to always be aware of what is happening around us.  Even more so in the midst of worship. “Praying without ceasing” is a state of mind. We must constantly turn our minds to the Lord and seek His direction. Know when and when not to respond. I thank & praise God for discernment. But His Holy Spirit keeps me meek and alert!  “THANK YOU HALLLELLLUJAH!“

“Man looks on the outside, God looks at the heart.” He not only looks but knows what is in all of our hearts.   Saved, sanctified & free!  For God has placed a spiritual altar in my/heart. A place reserved for Him…  He made each of us uniquely. “GOD is not a respecter of persons. He does not discriminate. So whosoever will; HE says; COME!

“PRAYING WITHOUT CEASING”

Pray all throughout your day and take praise breaks. This is how we stay connected to the Lord. You can pray standing, sitting still, laying down or laying prone flat face down. Yes, you should pray going about your daily activities. God will meet you wherever you are and continuously allow His Grace, Joy & Peace manifest and multiply within you. Through Christ Jesus, His Holy Spirit will lead us as we diligently seek Him. Everything that you will ever need for life, daily living and eternal life you can discover in the Lord.

HEAVEN is GOD’S THRONE and the earth is GOD’S FOOTSTOOL!  

CHRIST JESUS really is coming back for HIS CHURCH  not made by hands. Each day is a precious “GIFT” from the Lord. God holds each one of us accountable for how we embrace and live out what we say we believe. So, thrive to live each day to please God. The victory is in your sincere praise. “God inhabits the praises of His people.” As a matter of fact; new heights I am gaining every day. I have found a higher place. My aim and my goal is; I am daily reaching towards “HIGHER GROUND!!!”

Be Anxious For Nothing

Be Anxious For Nothing

Have you been waiting on the Lord to answer your prayer? Are you uncertain as to what direction to go? Are you physically sick, mentally disturbed or depressed or just at your wits end? Are you worried, discouraged or confused? Are you experiencing anxiety or restlessness? Are you caught up in some type of addiction? Or are you just plain tired of the same ole….? Are you looking for something different in your life? Do you know if you are really walking in the will of the Lord? God is always speaking we just have to get better at listening. Have you ever thought about what to do as you wait on His response? What ever your situation may be good or bad. How about just try thanking God daily for who He is! Try embracing abiding in the fruit of His Spirit! God is truly worthy of our praise. God already knows what is going on. Yes, it’s okay to talk to Him anytime? He tells us to “pray without ceasing.” But while you are waiting for a response how about listening to some of the things He has already told us? Just try spending time delighting your self in His Word. Rest assured you will begin to see clearer, feel better and experience His peace. What ever the case may be the Word of the Lord says; “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

God tells us not to be anxious for anything? This does not mean that you can not get excited. But if you continue to worry why pray? If you are still heavy laden. Guess who is carrying your burden? You are. “Oh ye of little faith.” Yes, God wants you to be concerned. But first He wants us “to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.” So if you are feeling anxious. It means that it is important to check yourself. Check yourself by what someone thinks about you? By what someone says about you or by whatever …………? Of course not! The point is we are to take everything to God and be thankful whatever the outcome. Trust God and know He really does know what is best! If you have truly done this you will not be anxious. The peace of God will keep you. It will guard your heart and your mind. Not because I say so. But, because He says so and His Word is true. There is power in truly knowing God and power in knowing His marvelous Word. His Word is true!

God wants to be in every aspect of your life. But He does not force Himself on you. He does not have to. God is not like us that He has to go somewhere. He is already everywhere! “It is in Him we move and live and have our being.” There is nowhere that you can go where He is not. God is not like man, whatever our little finite minds think of Him, He is so much more! His Word says “if you make your bed in hell He is there.” If you have truly accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior you do not even have to worry about going to hell. Ephesians 1 tells us “Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession- to the praise of His glory.” There is peace and joy when you know that you truly belong to God! It is so very important to know God’s Word. God does not want you to walk in the flesh. Ephesians 1 also tells us God wants to “give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe.” Do you really believe? This is why He says to be anxious for nothing! Jesus, Birth, Life, Death and Resurrection really does make all the difference in the world. It guaranteed Eternal Salvation for the true child of God. God’s Word has power! Only God is Sovereign! His Holy Spirit will illuminate His Word. It will be a “lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path.”

God says His peace will transcend the understanding of man. This does not mean it will take you out in a mystical never never land. Although we are in the world we are not supposed to be of the world. For example John the Baptist was a fore runner for Jesus Christ. John lived to please God! He went about telling others to “prepare for the coming of the Lord.” To “Repent!” The Word also tells you that they thought that he was strange. He dressed strange. He ate strange food. John even told the king he was wrong to marry his brother’s wife. John was aware that they did not understand him. But he was not looking to be understood. He knew that understanding really comes from God. When someone does not understand guess what? John knew where he was with the Lord. It is more important that you know where you are with the Lord. When this is the case you will experience His peace that surpasses the understanding of man. He will also guard your heart.

God’s Word is so precious. It is full of scenarios and situations to let us know that He has everything under His control. There was much division and strife within the Church then, just as it is now! Earnestly begin to study the Old Testament. You will find that there is nothing new under the sun. God truly is the Great “I AM” Meaning He is and always will be! Is anything to hard for God! If you really know His Word you should know better.

Colossians tells us that through His Son Jesus Christ He spoke everything into existence.
Now that is power! We never become the power. We have access to His power. Not for our own use, but to fulfill whatever His will is in our life. How do you even know what His will is? Just know, God will not direct you to do anything contrary to His Word. God loves us so much that He has given us His Son as our Savior. He has the power to save you from allowing sin to reign in your life. How do you do that? By being strengthened in your inner being. God’s LOVE surpasses the knowledge of man. Remember what He says about being anxious for nothing, through everything with prayer and thanksgiving……. Jesus Christ even became flesh for us. He was the Word of God wrapped in flesh! Now how can this be? It is by faith we know without a doubt His Word is true! Well what is faith? “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” He tells us “it is through faith that we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” God’s Word is so profoundly deep. It is through the faith that God has instilled in us we know that His Word is true. It really isn’t about us. It’s all about Him! He even tells us that it is “impossible to please Him without faith.”

How can you be sure if you have true faith? Faith is not just some magical force. It is a gift from God. There is much crime, deception, tragedy and natural disasters about us. This is just the beginning. Hold on, God has everything under His control! God has done so many wonderful things for us. He has given us a plethora of examples to enhance our trust and faith in Him. God even knows your name. Remember He is everywhere! Faith will help you to persevere, to endure, to not allow anything or anyone to take your eyes off the Lord. It does not mean that you will not go through some things. Quite the contrary. Jesus is our ultimate example. He is the only one who lived a sinless life. Look at all the things that they put Him through. He overcame sin in the flesh for us. To redeem us from the curse of sin. This does not mean that life will just be a bed of ease. No, you will have to go through some things. The key is what you do while going through. If you want His peace you have to do things His way. If you want Him to guard your heart? Guess what? You are going to have to do things His way.

God gives us an example of life akin to a race. Great spiritual rewards await us when we do things God’s way. But in this spiritual race we do not run for the rewards. It also goes far above and beyond earthly merits or recognition. God knows why you do or do not do some things. He sees beyond the surface. Our eternal rewards cannot be altered by man. Hallelujah! Let’s look at a few of His examples. His Word tells us that Moses parents hid him through faith. Moses persevered because He saw Him who was invisible. His focus was on God. By faith Jacob blessed both of Joseph’s sons. By faith Abraham offered His son Isaac as a sacrifice. (By the way Isaac was not a little boy at the time. He was a full grown man.) We no longer have to offer blood sacrifices. Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice. Now we offer Him the sacrifice of our PRAISE! By faith Noah warned the people of the upcoming flood. (Guess what? It had never rained.) Through faith only Noah and His family were saved. By faith Abel offered a better sacrifice than his brother. I believe that Cain’s gift came from the ground that God had just cursed? This is really deep. His Word even tells us that Enoch walked so closely with God he did not experience death. Enoch was commended as one that pleased God. God took Enoch. Not because he was so good. Only God is good. God does not need our permission to do anything. He is God all by Himself! Hallelujah! God tells us that when we walk in the Spirit there is no condemnation. Furthermore He says “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”

Have you been waiting on the Lord to answer your prayer? Are you experiencing any of the things I mentioned earlier? Try delighting yourself in God’s Word. Repent! Try doing things His way. Sincerely draw near to God. Guess what? He will draw nigh to you. God’s Word has cleansing power. God’s Word is true. He knows if your heart is genuinely sincere. Hebrews says; “We are sure that we have a clear conscious and desire to live honorably in every way. I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon. May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that Great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ to Him be glory for ever and ever, Amen.” Do you want the peace that surpasses the understanding of man? Just remember to be anxious for nothing, in everything by prayer and petitions…….. Cast your cares and burdens upon the Lord. He will sustain you. “He will guard your heart and your mind. All praises be to the King of Kings and the Lord of lords! Let’s give Him the sacrifice of our PRAISE! To God be the GLORY!