Killer Sex Part I, Bible Study 04/02/09

Posted on April 16, 2009 by growintheword

Killer Sex Part I
“Sprit of Lust”
Bible Study 04/02/09
Delivered by Bishop Walker
Our focus in this series will be to explore how dysfunctional sexual relationships can destroy our destiny. We will be putting it into perspective of how we struggle with this issue as Christians. Please not that this series will be real and upfront and will not resemble what is traditionally taught in the church.
Today we will be dealing with the spirit of lust. Despite your struggles against impure thoughts, how fervent you are in prayer, or despite your ability to rebuke the devil, don’t think it strange that you still struggle with lust. In fact it can be quite discouraging dealing with this issue. Many people wonder within themselves how you get this issue under control. We are talking to the real people tonight that find themselves struggling with this issue of lust.
II Samuel 13 (read this text)
Amnon is the son of King David. Amnon has this lust spirit and it is so out of control, he sets his eyes on his sister in a way that would be considered inappropriate. You don’t hear this subject being preached much, these days, but it is in the text. Amnon manipulates a situation and forcefully rapes his sister when she comes in to take care of him. Her name is Tamar. Tamar and Amnon’s brother Absalom found out about this act and is totally upset and plots to kill Amnon. Translation: Here is a brother whose lust is so out of control. He imposes his issue of lust upon his sister. Now all their relationships will be messed up because Amnon let his lust issue get out of control.
You must remember the following.
1. You are not alone
2. 2. God loves you.
3. You cannot overcome this by yourself.
4. God has a plan for your victory.
What is lust? It is an inappropriate desire or obsession to enjoy something that is not rightfully or appropriately yours to enjoy. It is often attracted to that which is considered out of bounds. It operates in sin.

12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Romans 6:12 (KJV) -reign means control. Don’t let sin control you. Sin is the manifestation for what the lust does. Now you are being led by lust.
The sin is not in looking. There is nothing wrong with looking but when it moves to lust then you have a problem. Lust leads to sin. 28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. Matt 5:28 (KJV)
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. 1 John 2:15-17 (KJV). If you think about it, your favorite video, or your favorite audio track, or your favorite realty show is probably referred to in verse 16. The world uses lust to gain our interest. This is however temporary, but love of God is forever.
I. The source of Lust:
a. Temptation doesn’t come from God. 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: James 1:13 (KJV)
b. Sin separates us from God. 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. James 1:14-15 (KJV)- once you start operating in sin, you start moving away from everything that reminds you of where you are supposed to be, mainly God. Now everything you do is about feeding the flesh, and not your Spirit Man inside you. Now your flesh has become stronger than the Spirit Man. Satan draws you away from God with what is already in you. Ex-Bishop Walker explains that if there were four body builders down standing at the front of the church with muscles shirts on, it would bother some women. He explains to us that it would not bother him, because this is not his issue, but some women might tell Bishop they couldn’t handle that distraction. Because this is not an issue for Bishop, Satan would not use them to tempt him. Satan knows how to tempt you where you are. He wouldn’t tempt us with crack, if crack is not our issue. The devil only entices you with what’s already in you. Once he entices you are drawn away. You can also be enticed by your curiosity. Curiosity occupies mental space. Once this space is occupied, then you create fantasies and relationships with people in your spirit and in your head that you haven’t even met yet. As a result you will wait for the right time and place to make those fantasies a reality. This is where the lust originally conceives and once it conceives it brings forth death because nothing good can come from it. Death will come in different forms such as death of relationships and friendships. In Christ you are hidden from all of that, because of his protection. The further you get from God, the closer you get to death, because the wages of sin is death.
c. You need Christ, because you flesh is a mess. 1 Once you were dead, doomed forever because of your many sins. 2 You used to live just like the rest of the world, full of sin, obeying Satan, the mighty prince of the power of the air. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passions and desires of our evil nature. We were born with an evil nature, and we were under God’s anger just like everyone else. Eph 2:1-3 (NLT)
II. Look at the lust of flesh
6 The woman was convinced. The fruit looked so fresh and delicious, and it would make her so wise! So she ate some of the fruit. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her. Then he ate it, too. Gen 3:6 (NLT).
Problems with lust
a. Look at this Lust of flesh-Eve saw that tree was good for food. What were the rules of the garden? What was the significance of not touching the tree? It is like the thinks we know we ought not to have is more enticing, but more available to us. Ex- Somebody puts up a trespass sign up and we want to go over there any way, because we wonder what they are being so secretive about. The devil came in trying to convince Eve that the fruit wasn’t harmful as she believed. This next sentence, you need to think of in terms of lust when you read it. When you are hungry, you will eat anything in reach. There were other trees in the garden, but Eve was hungry. When you are hungry you will satisfy your hungry even if it means breaking rules. When you got an itch you will eventually scratch it. When you hot, and it has been a while, you justify your act by saying you were hungry. Eve saw that the fruit was good for food and she took it. Ex-Men typically go after an apple (referring to particular type of woman). One bite and you get straight to the core. Some people it doesn’t take much work to get to the core. The only problem is you don’t know what worms are in the core and whose hands have been on it. An orange (referring to another type of woman) is different. It has a natural protective layer. You have to take your time and peel it to get to the fruit.
b. The next thing Eve experienced was lust of the eyes- The fruit was a delight to the eyes. It is the stuff that looks good to you that compromises your integrity. It can be the right swagger or education we are all over it. This is about something that is powerful enough to cause you to take your eyes off of Jesus.
c. She experienced a boastful pride for life-Eve thought the fruit would make her wise. In other words, if you get this person you desire, it will affirm you. It becomes like a trophy or a star in your black book. This is how lust works. It makes you think you are getting something you are not getting. Looking again at Genesis 3:6, Eve convinced herself that she was so hungry she got a piece. As a result, she even tainted her relationship with her own husband. He had no backbone, and Adam ate the fruit too. As a result they lost the whole garden over a piece. God set them up for life, and they destroyed it over a piece. Think about losing all you have over a piece.
d. Lust has a ritual. Lust will build around its expression in your life. You will find yourself building your vacation around your lust. When you approach the city, you think about what lustful things you can get in. You will do business with particular clients that you can act on your lusts with. Ex- David was on the roof, when the Kings went to war. David was out of place. Notice the Devil gets us when we are where we are not supposed to be. Sometimes we are where we are not supposed to be, but have no attention of sinning. David accidently saw Bathsheba because she wasn’t where she was supposed to be either. He kept coming back though to take a peek. Sin keeps you playing longer than you want to play, staying longer than you want to stay, and paying more than you want to pay.
III. The deceptions of lust
a. Lust will tell you that it will satisfy you. It may feel like it satisfied you, but if you are really saved, sin will weigh you down. That guilt you have is sin, the yoke. It will burden you down.
b. Secondly, Sin will tell you that you will be satisfied. Ex-This will be the last time your sin partner may say. The truth is you will never be satisfied. Sin promises what it won’t deliver and delvers what it will never confess.

God’s solution to your lust problems
Jacob loved Joseph his son so much that his brothers hated him. They hated him so much; they put him in a pit to die. They ended up selling him into slavery. Joseph ends up in power of the land of Egypt. He finds favor with Potiphar who is just under the Pharaoh.
Joseph shows up in Egypt as the new kid on the block. When you are new, you become the one with the bull’s eye on your back. Joseph found himself in the house in a vulnerable situation, but he was faithful and he made the choice to remain that way.
1. Joseph chose to keep himself clean. 7 And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. Gen 39:7 (KJV) – Notice, right after Joseph’s promotion, his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph. She asks him to sleep with her.
2. Integrity before pleasure. 8 But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; 9 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? Gen 39:8-9 (KJV). Joseph was not willing to comprise his integrity for a moment of sexual pleasure.
3. Joseph set ministry before his enjoyment. You have to place value in your position with God.
4. Chose to be consistently clean. 10 And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her. Gen 39:10 (KJV) – .If the devil can’t get at you one way, he will change his tactics.
5. You have to know when you are being set up. 11 And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within. Gen 39:11 (KJV). Potiphar’s wife wanted to get with Joseph and she made sure no one was there. It’s one thing to say no when someone is there, but another when no one is around. Ex-Bishop Walker explains that a great mentor of his once told him some great advice. He said the mentor told him to treat everything like a set up.
6. Don’t minimize the level of temptation. 12 And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out. Gen 39:12 (KJV). Egyptian women are some of the most beautiful women in the world. Joseph’s great- great- grandfather had a wife that was barren (Sarah). Abraham didn’t protest but went right on in to his maiden when she was offered to him. As we look at verse 11 & 12 of Genesis again, we cannot underestimate the severity of the situation that Joseph was in. It is one thing to say no when people are there, but what about when no one is around. Potiphar’s wife caught Joseph by what he had on which was just a robe. This was his last line of defense. Imagine, no one was home and nothing was under the robe and Potiphar’s wife had this garment in her hand. The scripture says, Joseph left his garment behind and ran. This means he probably ran down the street naked. We should learn from this that even if you have to leave stuff behind that means something to you, you must run away from this sin. You have to know within yourself when it is time to run.

7 steps to victory:
1. Acknowledge that you have problem with lust. 3 When I refused to confess my sin, I was weak and miserable, and I groaned all day long. Psalms 32:3 (NLT) – When you have a secret it eats away at you physiologically, spiritually, economically.
2. Break your silence. 16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16 (KJV) – Now the scripture says confess your faults, not sins. Sin is the end result of what your fault was. Example: Lust was the fault; sin was a result of that fault. You don’t need to confess your sin to others, because they can’t forgive the sin. You confess your faults simply to find someone that can pray with you. Example 2: “I am going to Los Vegas and I have a problem with lusting. I need you to pray for me while I am gone. Check on my from time to time and call me and pray with me every night before I go to bed.”
3. Make a covenant with your eyes.1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid? Job 31:1 (KJV)-In other words, why should Job give himself to a virgin? The eye gate is where lust first starts. First we see it, then a thought is created, and then we create a fantasy in the mind. Eventually we want to act out that fantasy. If we see things in an appropriate way, then the inappropriate thoughts will not materialize.
4. Stop feeding the dog or the monster. 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. Romans 13:14 (KJV)-Don’t give room to the devil. Ex-People see you in a book store reading an Ebony magazine, yet you have a lot of porn magazines inside that magazine. We can’t get from lust, if we keep feeding it.
5. Renew your mind. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:1-2 (KJV)-If your mind is not right, you look at issues, the way the world looks at issues. Lust tries to humanize people so that they become objects. You have to have the mind of Christ at all times.
6. Walk in the Spirit. Gal 5:116 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Gal 5:16 (KJV). Walking in the Spirit will lessen your desire to want to do sinful things.
6-The Holy Spirit is there to guide you. Listen to that small voice that tries to prevent you from doing wrong. Things often don’t feel right, because of the Holy Spirit inside you. This is your eternal warning system.
7. Focus on your future. 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Phil 3:13-14 (KJV) – Bishop explains he doesn’t have it all together, but like Paul he is not going to be held hostage, by the things of his past.

When you see what is before you, it is your destination. This is where you are supposed to end up. Where do you see yourself ending up? Anything that compromises, or that prevents you from your destination, or retards the process of you getting to your destination, has to be viewed as a threat to your destiny. Bishop explains that he travels a lot and when you get to the airport, you never know what you are going to get. Sometimes they may have changed the color that indicates the level of security that you may be under due to terrorist threats. Because of 9/11, they have different levels of heightened security indicated by color. When it is at a certain level like orange for instance, you may not be able to park in certain places that you used to park or you may not be able to bring your bottled with you on the plain. They know that you are inconvenienced and they are sympathetic to how you feel, but the thing is they have a heightened since of security, because they don’t want a terrorist getting on a plane preventing people from getting to their destination. They have to see what is in the bag; they have to check you out and everything.
We have to live our life the same way. We have to say excuse me if this getting to you, but I have a heightened sense of security. I know you waiting for me to call you back, but I got to check you out. I am going to check and see if you have on the whole armor of God. I know it may be frustrating that we hadn’t gone out yet, but you can’t come here yet. I don’t want a terrorist to stop me from getting to my destination. When I see where God is taking me, I can’t take any chances just because you got a good game, or fine, or cute. I am thinking about my destiny.

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Understanding Who God is Part II, Bible Study 03/25/09

Posted on March 26, 2009 by growintheword

Understanding who God is Part II
“God is Love”
Bible Study 03/25/09
Delivered by Bishop Walker III
God revealed his love to us through Jesus Christ.
I. God is love:
a) This means God shows us unmanageable infection, because he created all things. Unlike us, he does not create stuff and later not love it. He loved us so much, knowing we were going to sin, he made arrangements to reconcile us back to himself. God knew what we were capable of and loved us in spite of ourselves. 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God—for God is love. 1 John 4:8 (NLT)-We are loved because God loves us. This is why some people that try to be in relationship with us, aren’t capable of loving us properly. It is impossible for them to be in proper relationship with us if they don’t have a proper relationship with God.
b) God already made arrangements before the foundations of the world. The manifestation of God sent to us as Jesus was preordained.20 God chose him for this purpose long before the world began, but now in these final days, he was sent to the earth for all to see. And he did this for you. 1 Peter 1:19-20 (NLT).
c) God demonstrated to us that the love of God cannot be measured when he sent his son. In comparison to all of our issues, all we can conclude is that God must love us. 16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NLT)
d) God commanded his love towards us. While we were still sipping, dipping, and creeping, Christ died. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5:8 (NLT) The truth is we look at ourselves and can’t stand ourselves sometimes, but Jesus loves us in spite of ourselves. He wrapped himself in flesh and came down to help reconcile us back to him.
II. God is Holy:
a) God is pure, cannot sin, nor does he tolerate sin. God is holy, and is infinite in his fullness of purity. God never runs out of being pure. He is not influenced by our thoughts. God is just pure. If we are in relationship with him, then we have the ability through him to be holy. We can’t be holy apart from him. Lots of times we associate being holy with what we wear Example: The church in back in the day felt that they couldn’t’ wear makeup, women couldn’t wear pants, and women couldn’t go into the pulpit and etc… If you would notice some of the same people that believed this so critically saw their women end up pregnant just like the folk that they looked down upon. It is not what you wear that makes you Holy. It is who you are that makes you holy.
b) Glory is a collision between the supernatural and natural. 1 In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. 2 Hovering around him were mighty seraphim, each with six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with the remaining two they flew. 3 In a great chorus they sang, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty! The whole earth is filled with his glory!” Isaiah 6:1-3 (NLT)-The only way you can experience the glory of the Lord is worship. This is what the seraphim were doing when they sang “Holy, holy holy”. Worship involves surrender. When you worship what you are really saying is, “I see you Lord and I surrender. Take out of me what is not like you.” When we are a worshipper, we are in pursuit of holiness.
c) Jesus came down and became sin for us. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 2 Cor 5:21 (KJV). Jesus did not know any sin, yet he came into a world of sin that we might be made the righteousness with God through him. We are made righteous through our relationship with God. We are only measured by our relationship with him. God is Jehovah. God is just plain Holy.
III. God is wisdom:
a) God cannot make a mistake. How many of us have made a mistake and misinterpreted what God wanted to do? In other words we questioned what God said. We asked, “God are you sure?”God can’t make a mistake. All of his acts are done in wisdom. His acts are motivated by ultimate good. Ex- 5yrs ago Bishop asked God to intensify his anointing. He said he wanted to be a different kind of leader. What he didn’t anticipate is what God allowed to happen before what he asked for would be manifested. He asked questions like what did his house catching on fire have to do with intensifying his anointing. God told Bishop that those storms that God allowed in his life were necessary to get him to what he asked for. Did God consult Bishop when he placed the stars in the sky? God said since he didn’t consult him for this, then he must be capable of managing things himself. Bishop had to understand that everything God allowed to happen was done in wisdom. This means we must understand that our acceptance of what God allows is understanding of how God works.
b) God said ask, he is right here! 28 Bread grain is easily crushed, so he doesn’t keep on pounding it. He threshes it under the wheels of a cart, but he doesn’t pulverize it. 29 The LORD Almighty is a wonderful teacher, and he gives the farmer great wisdom Isaiah 28:28-29 (NLT). We have very hard heads, but strong minds. Our mind tries to figure things out. In fact, as some people read this, some people’s minds are spinning trying to figure things out. We have to try and not lean on our own understanding, but in all ways acknowledge him. This is why you can’t sleep at night. You are trying to figure things out that God has already worked out. God is working on your situation. 24 O LORD, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures. Psalms 104:24 (NLT)–Everything God did, he did in his time. God will not give you things before you are ready. He knows the right season to give you what you asked for.
IV. God is Just:
a) God demands righteousness. Judgment is the application and fairness to moral situations. He has nothing to do with societies thinking. What would we do if we were God for a day? We would ask God to get the people that wronged us, before we allowed the sun to rise in the morning. There is a category in church called the pew police. These are those who want to tell on others. They want the Pastor to go and punish folk that they feel are not living righteous. The judgment of God is not interpreted by our way of thinking. God has the best in mind when he brings judgment on us. God judges us out of love for us, not out of the need to punish us.
b) God brings judgment down in righteousness. 15 He made their hearts, so he understands everything they do. Psalms 33:15 (NLT); 14 Your throne is founded on two strong pillars—righteousness and justice. Unfailing love and truth walk before you as attendants. Psalms 89:14 (NLT). There are some folk that think you should have gotten worse consequences than you got for things you have done that they thought was not righteous. The way to understand God’s justice is to appreciate his goodness. God’s goodness is what leads us to repentance. It is his goodness that turns people’s life around. Example: Bishop believes he is a centrist . He is not as liberal or conservative as most Pastors. He explains he is down the middle when it comes to interpreting God’s word. For example, Bishop still believes the institution of marriage is between a man and woman. Some conservative ministers may say different going by a word for word interpretation. If you interpret like that, then you are supposed to pluck an eye out an eye if you offend someone. Want a patch? Some Christians are so legalistic that there is no way anyone could live up to what the word says. People don’t come to church to get beat up. People know they are going to hell if they don’t live right and don’t have to be told this over and over. This is not what is going to convert them. People will be converted when they discover through church how good God is.
c) True holiness is not based on the fear of God. As we learned in the Relationship Ready series, God doesn’t affirm fear based relationships. Example: “I am with them, because I was afraid to be out there alone” or “If he cheats I will whack it off!” Your man ought not to refrain from cheating out of fear of getting it whacked off. He ought to want to be faithful out of his love for you. In the same like manner, we should not want to come to church out of fear that God will punish us if we don’t come. We ought to come to church, because we love God. God will not condemn you. You will see how good God is and that will show you how to change your life.
d) Knowing God is a good thing. 4 Don’t you realize how kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Or don’t you care? Can’t you see how kind he has been in giving you time to turn from your sin? Romans 2:4 (NLT). People can be converted by people by seeing how God has affected your life.
V. God is slow to anger:
a) We are supposed to be slow to anger. 13 Don’t tear your clothing in your grief; instead, tear your hearts.” Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful. He is not easily angered. He is filled with kindness and is eager not to punish you. Joel 2:13 (NLT)-Bishop explains he how his parents wasn’t slow to anger. If he said something he wasn’t supposed to say or done something he wasn’t supposed to do, he would flinch out of fear of getting popped. God is not like this. He doesn’t cause us to flinch, because he is always giving us another chance to get it right.
b) God is longsuffering. 9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise to return, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving more time for everyone to repent. 2 Peter 3:9 (NLT). God is willing that we would not perish, but come to repentance. God keeps letting us show up though he could take our life at any time. No man knows when Jesus is coming back so we need to take advantage of him allowing us “do overs”. God is good no matter how bad the situation.
c) God is good and whatever God does is right, because he is wise, and he makes no mistakes. His holiness is not tainted because of our stuff. He loves us in spite of our stuff. We love him because he is faithful.
VI. God is faithful -absolutely trustworthy:
a) Stop trying to get what others have. 5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Heb 13:5 (KJV)- Be content with what you have. No matter who left you hanging, God said he will never leave you nor forsake you. When you miss church for a month, when you finally decide to return, God says he is still there.
b) The children of Israel were in the wilderness after captivity. 19 But in your great mercy you did not abandon them to die in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud still led them forward by day, and the pillar of fire showed them the way through the night. Neh 9:19 (NLT) – The wilderness represents that place in between the storm and the blessing. We must stay with the cloud. Wherever the cloud went, the children of Israel had to go. This cloud that they were instructed to follow represents our covering and the providential will of God. The pillar of fire that they followed by night was representative of God being light in the midnight hour.
c) God didn’t forget what he told us. 8 He always stands by his covenant— the commitment he made to a thousand generations. Psalms 105:8 (NLT) – God didn’t forget what he promised us. He will get around to it sooner or later. He will do it when the time is right. It might take a while, but he will do it. His word will not return void. God is faithful.
VII. God is merciful:
a) Mercy is deep inexhaustible energy that rises out of God’s love and shows kindness and forgiveness. Mercy is God holding back the consequences. God is holding back our consequences. Example- One time Bishop explains he was worshipping God and had a vision that messed him up. He saw Christ on the cross, but in this vision, he wasn’t on the cross in his usual stereotypical way. Christ was on the cross holding back consequences that was trying to get at us. Bishop said he saw consequences trying to get around the cross and Jesus was holding it back refusing to allow it to pass. It was if Jesus’ mercy was saying, “I am not up here for nothing. You ain’t getting around this!” Remember when the woman was caught in the act of adultery in John chapter 8. Religious folk said stone her! They wanted to punish her in accordance to the law. Jesus was righteous and told them he that was without sin, cast the first stone. In John 8:10 he looks up at the woman and asks where was the folk that were condemning her? After she responds that they were gone, he explains that he would not condemn her either. When you have been a recipient of mercy, you say to yourself, “Lord I am not going to do that anymore!”5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. Psalms 100:5 (KJV).
b) Watch faithfulness and mercy come together. 14 I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day. 15 He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood. 16 He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes. 17 And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity. 18 And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD: 19 Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. 20 My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. 21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 22 It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. Lam 3:14-23 (KJV) – In Verses 14-15, Jeremiah says he had all of this stuff going on and was losing his mind. In Verse 16, he said his spirit was broken and he thought he felt like he was in ashes. In Verse 17, I felt so removed from my purpose and my destiny, In Verse 18, I was so weak I felt like my strength was almost gone. He was asking the Lord was he about to perish? In Verse 19-21, he is remembering the stuff he went through at home. This raises the question of what brought Jeremiah back? In Verse 22-23, it was because of the Lord’s mercy that he was not consumed. We get new mercy every morning. Because we messed up Tuesday’s s mercy, we get new mercy from God on Wednesday morning. God ain’t just faithful, he is great and faithful. Just like corn flakes. They are good, but frosted flakes are great! The difference between the two is frosted flakes have a little something extra on them. God’s faithfulness is just like this. It has a little something extra on it. When we thank about his mercy we can say great is his faithfulness.
VIII. God is full of Grace:
a) His grace is directed to our inability to pay our debt. Grace period is the time after the due date. It is the time that you are allowed to make things right. Ex-We are 2 and 3 generations removed from appreciating God’s grace. Our grandmothers and grandfathers really appreciated grace back in the day. Lot of us missed the beauty of that era. We made a shift sometime between that time and now. We started focusing on the blessing (what we are going to get) instead of the grace God granted to us. This is why we try to accumulate a lot of stuff today in such a short time. We are focused on blessings and prosperity. We make big salaries today and we are still broke. Our parents were on fixed incomes and had big family’s but always had a little something to give you when you come over. They were on fixed incomes and always had something on the table to eat. For the benefit this generation, let’s put grace in prospective… 17 The sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over us, but all who receive God’s wonderful, gracious gift of righteousness will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.18 Yes, Adam’s one sin brought condemnation upon everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness makes all people right in God’s sight and gives them life. 19 Because one person disobeyed God, many people became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many people will be made right in God’s sight. 20 God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful kindness became more abundant. Romans 5:17-20 (NLT)-Paul understood that this was going to be complicated for people to understand so he said it 3 different ways:
1. In Verse 18, Paul says we stood there knowing the charges were right, but he dropped the charges on our behalf. In other words he acquitted of our offense.
2. In verse 19 he says we were born into sin because of Adam. We were made righteous because of God.
3. In verse 20, Paul says when you condemn a person; it is based on a legal system. If there is no law, how can you condemn a person? What was broken if there is no law? You can’t condemn a person if there is no law. Legalism is the interpretation of the bible from a very legal prospective. You look at it as right or wrong. There is no room for grace. So when you look at what is called Pentateuch or the Torah (1st 5 books of the bible) you experience the law in which they lived by back in the Old Testament days. When you read Leviticus or Deuteronomy you get this type of legal code to live by. What happened was Men couldn’t live by the laws in Old Testament. How could we live by the law if we are not perfect? This is why Jesus said he came to fulfill the law. Jesus came t give us a greater realistic understanding by bringing us into relationship with God. We do right, because of our love for God rather than the law that is written and if we miss the mark, God’s grace kicks in and gives us another chance. Verse 20 again says grace did much more abound where sin abound. Your sin can’t be more than Gods grace. Older Christians used to sing, Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now I am found, twas blind but now I see…It was grace that brought me thus far and grace will lead me on. This reminds us that the car I drive is because of God’s Grace, the school I go to is because of God’s Grace, and the food I eat is because of God’s Grace.

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Thought for today 03/19/09

Posted on March 19, 2009 by growintheword

Are you following God’s guidance?


The scripture below tells us that King Amaziah’s 16yr old son (Uzziah) was crowned after his death. Verse 5 tells us that as long as Uzziah sought after the Lord, God gave him success.

In all we do, we must seek God. Whether the task is big or small, we must ask God for guidance before preceding. God can make a difficult task easy and a heavy situation, light. Uzziah was only sixteen years old, but he was able to lead a whole kingdom and was victorious and many wars.

In verse 16 of 2 Chronicles 26, King Uzziah became proud and begin to disobey God. As a direct result of his disobedience, he was struck down with leprosy.

When we get guidance from God, it is important that we follow through with his directions. If we fail to follow his directions, we can not only miss the mark, but cause punishment to come into our situation.

When you are working in your ministries and in your purpose, are you following God’s guidance?

1 The people of Judah then crowned Amaziah’s sixteen-year-old son, Uzziah, as their next king. 2 After his father’s death, Uzziah rebuilt the town of Elath and restored it to Judah. 3 Uzziah was sixteen when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother was Jecoliah, from Jerusalem. 4 He did what was pleasing in the LORD’s sight, just as his father, Amaziah, had done. 5 Uzziah sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. And as long as the king sought the LORD, God gave him success. 2 Chron 26:1-5 (NLT)

16 But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall. He sinned against the LORD his God by entering the sanctuary of the LORD’s Temple and personally burning incense on the altar. 19 Uzziah was furious and refused to set down the incense burner he was holding. But as he was standing there with the priests before the incense altar in the LORD’s Temple, leprosy suddenly broke out on his forehead. 20 When Azariah and the other priests saw the leprosy, they rushed him out. And the king himself was eager to get out because the LORD had struck him. 21 So King Uzziah had leprosy until the day he died. He lived in isolation, excluded from the Temple of the LORD. His son Jotham was put in charge of the royal palace, and he governed the people of the land. 2 Chron 26:16,19-21 (NLT)

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Thought for today, March 17, 2009

Posted on March 17, 2009 by growintheword

Speak life into your situation
1 The LORD took hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the LORD to a valley filled with bones. 2 He led me around among the old, dry bones that covered the valley floor. They were scattered everywhere across the ground. 3 Then he asked me, “Son of man, can these bones become living people again?”
“O Sovereign LORD,” I replied, “you alone know the answer to that.” 4 Then he said to me, “Speak to these bones and say, `Dry bones, listen to the word of the LORD! 5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Look! I am going to breathe into you and make you live again! 6 I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’ ” Ezek 37:1-6 (NLT)

The old dry bones in the scripture represents this economy, your loss of job, or any bad situation that you find yourself in.

In verse 3, God wants to know if you think he can revive that bad situation in your life and make it live again? If you trust God, he will not only breathe life into you, but he will use you to breathe life into your situation and the environment around you.

God took Ezekiel in the spirit to a place where life was absent. Then he used him to bring life into that situation. Some situations that we find ourselves in is a result of God trying to use you. What you say in a negative situation can effect the whole environment around you. What are you speaking in your situation? Remember what you say can have an impact on your situation and the whole environment that God planted you in.

Speak life into your situation!

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