Turning Your Captivity

Job 42:10

¹⁰ And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.
     Are you in need of a breakthrough?  Is there something that you have been asking God for?  Well the scripture today shows us how Job turned his situation around.  It was not because He was a good man.  It was not because he went through so much. His breakthrough came when he turned his attentions and affections off of himself and started praying for his friends.  Real talk.  How many of us in a crisis situation, pray for others instead of ourselves?  I believe at that moment when Job focused his attention on other people, God intervened on his behalf and gave him twice as much.
    This weekend try focusing and praying for someone else.  It might be the doorway to your breakthrough.  Have a good weekend and be blessed!
Brother Clarence

Living Without Doubt and Complaints

^{Luke 10:38-41
38} Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. ³⁹ And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’^[k] feet and heard His word. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.”
⁴¹ And Jesus^[l] answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. ⁴² But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”     
   Have you ever thought about what it was really like for Adam and Eve?  One day I wake up and I am a man.  I have never been a boy.  I do not have a past.  So all I know is what God has shown me and given me.  Let's look at Eve for a moment. On day one, she is a full grown woman,  She is a wife. She has no one to give her advice except Adam.  She has to learn about life from her husband.  She soon will be a mother.  Will have a baby and raise her family without ever seeing it done or having any experience.  All she knows is what Adam, her husband and God the Father has told them.  Before they ate the forbidden fruit, they never questioned anything or had any doubt that they could do and accomplish all that God had told them to do.  They were living without doubt and complaints.
     Are you a complainer?  Is there always something wrong with someone else?  Are you known for being the one to get everybody told in your office or place of business?  Do you have things that you know God has told you to do but you are full of doubt and uncertainty and fear?  Is your glass always half empty instead of being half full?  Are you a busy body?  Always busy and never have enough time for  God  and your family.  Are you living with doubt and complaints?
     I love this story in the bible.  Two sisters are hosting the King of Kings at their house. One sister is cleaning and cooking and one sister is sitting listening and feeding from Him.  Jesus says, "Martha, you are troubled about many things."  Are you troubled this morning?
    Adam and Eve had everything they needed.  What they did  not know they did not consider.  They just did what they had to do because they had no need to question or doubt because their focus was on God and not in themselves.  You will never be free from your past, your struggles and your fears if you keep looking at you. 
      The key to freedom is looking at Jesus.  Sitting and resting at the feet of  Jesus is how we do it.  The Word of God is our confidence.  The Word of God is our source.  The Word of God is how we make it.  If you are complaining and full of doubt, you are not looking at God you are looking at You!  I challenge you today to inventory your life.  If you are a complainer; ask yourself why? If you are full of doubt; ask yourself why? It's time to live without doubt and complaints.  It's time to live!

Brother Clarence
www.godlyking.com
www.godlykings.blogspot.com

Our True Source

  

 I was one of many Americans who watched the debate last night.  My wife left the room because I was so animated with  how I verbalized  my opinion.  At times, it angered me because I felt like one of the candidates was not honest.  My intention for this blog this morning was to talk about praying for our leaders.  This is not what God brought to my attention this morning.
     Regardless of what happens in the Presidential race, we are God's children.  President Obama or  Gov.Romney can't change that. Although we should pray for our leaders, the ultimate responsibility of our lives is ours.  We have the power and we must not get so caught up in politics that it blinds our vision.
      If our vision and trust is in  Gov. Romney or  President Obama , we are off focus because neither is our source.  I do believe one candidate is better but he is not our source.  I believe one candidate is for more Americans than the other but that candidate is not my source.  Our source of hope, inspiration, and optimism should be In the Lord Only.  He is the only one who cares about you regardless of your political beliefs or your choice of candidate for President.  God is Our True Source!
      I do believe we must take this opportunity to vote and have strong convictions about our choice but God is our Source.  The same intensity that I had watching and hollering at the TV is the same intensity I should have about God's Word and promises.  If you are more into the Presidential debate than God's Word, check yourself.  I was and God lovingly corrected me this morning.  He is (God) the candidate for everyone who accepts Christ as Lord and Savior.  God has your financial plan.  God has your healthcare plan.  God has your educational plan. God has your back! God wants to move your family forward.  The question is, "Are you going forward with God  in 2012?"

Philippians 4:6-8;19
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Meditate on These Things

⁸ Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
¹⁹ And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Brother Clarence
www.godlyking.com
www.godlykings.blogspot.com

Life

     Last night I spoke with a young man who will be getting married next month.  He talked about how excited he is and how  he is looking forward to spending the rest of his life with his new bride.  I am really excited and happy for him.
     Two weeks ago another friend told me that he has cancer and the doctors told him he has months to live on this earth.  You can only imagine how hard it was for him to share that with me.
     Today, my thought is simply this: Be thankful  for every day and opportunity you have to live.  Be thankful for the good and the bad.  In as much as we complain about simple things, someone has it worse than you.  Someone is going through something similar or worse than what you are going through or have been through.  As one brother is celebrating, another brother is preparing for eternal life and fighting to remain on this side of life. 
    Each day is a gift.  Each day is an opportunity.  It's time to love, live, and tell those who are dear to you how much you care about them.  Life is so precious and it should be treasured.  If  you are still here, you have time.  If you are reading this, God gave you an opportunity to live and a opportunity to correct what was wrong.  If you need to forgive; do it.  If you need to be forgiven; ask.  Don't waste another day mad or angry at someone.  Life is too precious.  Think about it....
     

Everything Has Its Time

3 To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:

² A time to be born,
    And a time to die;
A time to plant,
    And a time to pluck what is planted;
³ A time to kill,
    And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
    And a time to build up;
⁴ A time to weep,
    And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
    And a time to dance;
⁵ A time to cast away stones,
    And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
    And a time to refrain from embracing;
⁶ A time to gain,
    And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
    And a time to throw away;
⁷ A time to tear,
    And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
    And a time to speak;
⁸ A time to love,
    And a time to hate;
A time of war,
    And a time of peace.

The Great Invitation

Isaiah 55:7-8

     "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him: and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

     One of the best things about being a Christian is that God gives us all an opportunity to return back to Him.  There have been many times I left God in some way.  There were times I did  not trust Him.   There were times I did the opposite of what His word instructs me to do.  Thee were times when the Holy Spirit would be telling me something and I would ignore His voice.  There are times I did not tithe because of bills or circumstances.  No matter how you look at it, I left God.  My state of mind was not trusting in God.
     The text this morning is clear.  If you have gone away from God, his way or his calling for your life, this is an invitation for you to return back to Him.  I thank God for his mercy!  I thank God for his grace! I thank God for giving us chance after chance.  I thank God for repentance!  The scripture tells us that if we return to Him he will have mercy and abundantly pardon us.
     Our state of mind has to believe this.  If we are living in the flesh, we will need forgiveness  and God's mercy because none of us  are perfect and none of us are without sin.  It doesn't matter what you have done or if you are in sin right now.  The great invitation is here for you and me....Return back to God because He never left you and is waiting on His child to come back to Him.

Brother Clarence
www.godlyking.com
www.godlykings.blogspot.com

"Is it hard to be a Christian in 2012?"

Galatians 6:1-4

6 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. ² Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. ³ For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴ But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

     Yesterday, I asked the question, “Is it hard to be a Christian in 2012?”  I solicited honest comments from other Christians who receive these daily messages.   I thought these comments were  great and reflect a lot of Christians today. Here are the comments.

Comment One

I was provoked to respond by people who talked to me: Your question was "It is hard to be a Christian in 2012"....My answer is No, it is not hard. What is the alternative to Christianity being hard? Being in sin? When I was in sin I still had it hard, I still went through things. To me saying that its hard is a cop out to me, its a mind set that you have that you already know it will be hard but would I give it up and turn back? My answer is no.

Greg Stanley

Comment Two

Yes, I think it’s hard to be a Christian in 2012.  Over the years I’ve noticed that as Christians, we have compromised our beliefs so as not to hurt the feelings of others.  We can’t say Jesus or God; we say Happy Holidays and not Merry Christmas, all because we are not to offend others and their religious beliefs.  Never mind that we are offending God.

Same sex marriages, children outside of wedlock, living together or “shacking up,” and open marriages have become the norm and not the exception to the rule and as Christians we have kept our mouths shut.  One of the reasons I believe is because we don’t want to become accused of “judging” another person. (“Do not judge so that you will not be judged” Matt. 7:1 NASB)  And if we protest the sins of society then we have to acknowledge and take responsibility for our own sins and who really wants to do that? (“You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” Matt. 7:5 NASB)

Romans 12:2 says “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (NASB)  At some point I believe that as Christians we decided to compromise with the world, maybe with the idea of getting the world to conform to our way of thinking.  But instead we began conforming to their beliefs and now we are stuck and don’t know how to undo the mess.

And it doesn’t help when we have well-known spiritual leaders and priests committing all kinds of sins for the public to see, or those Christians who shout all over the church on Sunday, cuss out everybody on Monday, not to mention can drink you under the table on Friday and Saturday.

How does a Christian trying to win souls to Christ make a difference when they’re up against that?

Yes it’s hard being a Christian no matter what year it is.

Anonymous

Comment Three

In a nut shell, It’s not hard when you are looking forward. It is only hard when you are looking back.

Example:

When I was outside of the will of God for my life, I went to parties and clubs, had drinks, premarital sex. I thought I was having fun. But there are consequence to that life style and I don’t miss the consequences because the wages of sin is death so when I hear my friends that are still having the fun I used to have I do miss it because I’m looking back.  Then, I think about as we say in church the “Goodness of God” and all he has done for me and all he has brought me out of (looking forward) it is not hard at all! I keep pressing because I love the relationship that I have with him and I want to be pleasing in his sight.

Anonymous

Comment Four

I didn’t weigh in yesterday but here it goes today…

If I had weighed in yesterday it would have been from my own personal point of view, but I had to look at it through the eyes of God and his word.  Scripture says and I’m paraphrasing  “Take my yoke upon you for my yoke is easy and my burdens are light” when I look at this journey called life that we are going through,  God has equipped us with all the strength and courage we need to endure.  When Joshua came on the scene after Moses died the resounding message God gave Joshua was  -  be of good courage.   When we take on Christ and truly sell out to him and banish that old nature that we used to have (only by renewing our minds in the word daily) THEN are we able to say that it is “easy to be a Christian”  only because we surrender all to him;  all of our problems, test, trials, sickness, disappointments, rejections everything that we face.

I had a meeting the other night at church and left feeling a little perplexed about some things and began to cry on the way home, I mean a real ugly cry and instantly God reminded me it ain’t that bad.  I am with you!  Yes the world seems as if it has center stage but Gods word tells us that “Greater is HE that is in you than he that is in the world”. I am victorious in this battle.  Yes it is a battle!  We got to fight every single day, not a physical fight but spiritually; pulling down strongholds, casting down wicked imaginations, binding the hands of the enemy,  and if we use to the tools (His word, prayer) that God gave us than we are MORE than Conquerors!  It is a FIXED Fight! 

(Ok I’ve gotten excited myself!!)

Anonymous

Is it hard to be a Christian in 2012?  Hopefully, you have a better idea of what it takes to move forward.  All of us go through things and all of us have to deal with our own flesh.  I really enjoyed sharing with you this week.  Until next time , Peace!

Brother Clarence

www.godlyking.com

www.godlykings.blogspot.com

The Flesh- " It's hard out here for a Pimp"

Galatians 5:1
 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free,^[a] and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

    There was  a movie years ago that featured Terrance Howard and he won an Oscar for his betrayal of the main character in Hustle and Flow.  In the movie, he portrayed a man that was trying to get his rap career started.  The movie follows his pursuit of his dream to become a rapper.  There  was a song in the movie that said, "It's hard out here for a pimp!'  I can't remember the rest of the lyrics but I was brought to think about that movie this morning.
    At some point in your Christian journey have you ever said, " Its' hard out here for a Christian!"   "This is just too much." or asked the question, “Does it take all of this?"  I have if you haven't. 
    This week we have discussed the flesh.  We have defined what it is and have given steps to resolve flesh issues.  If you have not seen the other discussions, they are posted on ww.godlykings.blogspot.com.         

 I want to here from you. Today, I am asking you this question , "Is it hard to be a Christian in 2012?" 

 I'm looking for pros and cons  with honest answers. Please send me your comment and I will share some of the comments tomorrow.    I really want to hear from you.  Please respond! Your opinion might be how someone else  feels and your comment can help someone who may not be further along in their Christian journey. 
      The scripture this morning talks about our "liberty."  The only way Christians can truly experience liberty is if we are honest enough to deal with those things that hinder and help us. 

Galatians 6:1-4

6 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. ² Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. ³ For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

⁴ But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

Tomorrow, lets all edify each other.  Send me your comment to post. You can remain anonymous or just say okay to use your name.   The point is  to let your comment be from your heart. Are we in this together or not? You answer!

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Brother Clarence
www.godlyking.com
www.godlykings.blogspot.com