Defile

Matthew 15:17-20

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁷ Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?

¹⁸ But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

¹⁹ For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

²⁰ These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

Our parents have always told us if we couldn’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all. On the same note, we’re told whatever people say about us to us doesn’t matter and “words won’t hurt us”.

It’s true that if we can’t say something nice about someone don’t say it all, but how often do we really do it?? Let alone think about something bad about a person. Did you know that that is just as bad saying something rude or mean to someone?

That was a real “mind-blower” for me when I first heard that. I thought I was being good by not saying anything to my enemies, but I was still thinking along those words.

Because it’s what comes from within us that “defiles” us, not what is said to us or what we physically do. It’s those inappropriate thoughts that are conjured up that is the catalyst then if you say them out loud is the next step. When we get use to thinking wrong, we will eventually say wrong and if we let it go any further we’ll do wrong and be further removed from those things that were once good.

To be continued…..

Knowing v.s. Understanding

Knowing versus understanding is a constant battle that many people in general deal with.

For example, it’s easy to say that you know the commandments in the bible, but it’s another to say that you understand the commandments. Understanding denotes that you recognize it, solve it (if necessary), recreate it and recognize why it’s necessary.

It sounds more complicated than it is, however it’s a process that we go through everyday; it’s how we function in the world. How did you learn what 2 + 2 equals if you weren’t capable of this process? Some may argue and say “What about those who are dyslexic?”, that’s a spirit that is preventing the person from understanding and retaining…but I digress…

There are many things that occur in this world that we can’t understand right now, but it doesn’t mean that there is anything wrong with you it just means you need to pray about it and ask for the wisdom to understand a situation or topic.

Everyone wants to know the meaning of life not realizing that we have to understand how to live their lives and what are the results, and what relationship you have if any with the Lord.

In short “knowing” comes before the wisdom that leads to understanding. When you understand a scripture you can apply it to your life and believe it.

Smart Fasting

Matthew 6:16-18  "Moreover when ye fast, be not as the hypocrites, 
                     of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear 
                     unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, 
                     when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; that thou appear 
                     not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret ..."

Many Christians don’t fast or have ever experienced fasting. Fasting is a powerful tool; however some people take it to extremes. If you haven’t fasted before or haven’t fasted in a while, don’t think you can do a 7-day fast-I say this to those who haven’t been told by the Holy Spirit to do so.

Another point is that everyone has their own idea of what fasting entails: some say fasting means to give up something that they like to do or eat, some say to give up eating a meal or two, others say it means not eating anything all day or the more extreme which is not to eat anything, drink only water, no television, computer and phones. Everyone is different, not everyone has to shut themselves away from everything in order to have breakthrough, but something still has to give.

You have to give up something in order for it to be considered a fast. Fasting is something that takes practice, you can’t do the fast that everyone else in the congregation does, especially if you have any illness, such as diabetes or something temporary like the flu. You still have to be smart and listen to your body if you are feeling ill, you will feel hungry, but drinking juice helps fill that immediate void of substance.

Pray about it before you enter a fast and if you are doing a corporate fast make sure you are all on the same page as far as the type of fast and the purpose.

                                                                                                                                            

Say What?!

Eves dropping is a natural habit as humans, of course we listen in on people’s gossip about infidelity and special occasions, however that has seemed to have shifted.

Today while waiting for my mother at the hair salon I overheard a stylist talking to her client about private schools for their children. They had brought up the concern that they didn’t want to place their children in private school because they weren’t Christian and they didn’t want their children to learn about Christianity-this wasn’t because they were Muslim or Buddhist, these were “All American” Caucasian females.

It’s amazing how the concern of these young moms were the fact that they didn’t want their children to learn about God and Jesus, rather than the concern of the quality of education, safety and if the children wanted to go.

What does this say about the people of the world? This isn’t the only time I’ve heard about those who have gone to Catholic school, private school, and have said that they couldn’t wait to go the opposite way.

Understandably, Catholicism, although a part of Christianity, has many regimens and manmade facets that are not biblical which thus leads people to rebel and never get the chance to know the love and mercy of God, only the laws and routine. Because of this Christian schools and teachings don’t get embraced by those in the world.

Prayer

Prayer

A very interesting point was made during one of our Sunday services. Prayer was not created by man, we didn’t come up with the idea to pray…

God gave us the ability to pray so that we can have a direct line to Him. We can ask of Him whatever we want and we will get an answer, as long as it is in His will.

Prayer is ONE of the greatest gifts that have ever been given freely to us by the Lord God. We can pull down strongholds with prayer! Prayer is our most powerful weapon against anything that rises against us. If I had understood the power of prayer long ago I would have come to Christ much sooner rather than later. All those issues of life, of just growing up as a preteen and teen living in the world, to have that power of prayer would have nipped everything in the bud and there would have been less tear shed from pain and frustration from dealing with my surroundings.

Man has made prayer into something complicated and regimented. Prayer doesn’t require you to face a certain direction, wear or not wear certain clothing, to be in a certain physical position, to have money or to be poor. Prayer doesn’t require hours of your time-although it doesn’t hurt.

Pray more and listen more…

Luke 11

Luke 11:5-10

New International Version (NIV)

⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; ⁶ a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ ⁷ And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ ⁸ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity^[a] he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

⁹ “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Be persistent; don’t let your prayers go unanswered because of your lackadaisical approach to your prayer requests. Many of us have put out our requests and have forgotten about them or are waiting on the answer or manifestation, yet we haven’t put in the work to receive it.

To “get” our prayers answered we have to constantly claim it! We have to say what we prayed for as if you have it already. Thank the Lord that you have “received” it even if you physically don’t have what you have prayed for.

I am guilty of praying for something and then claiming it for a week or two and then forget about it and just expect it to appear. I believe that is the reason why a lot of believers are still hanging onto prayer requests but haven’t continued to claim it. We have to claim it every day! Say what it is that we want and prayed for and verbally thank Him for it!

Cryptic ?

Scripture is widely used, in movies on bumper stickers, in intros in books. Whenever I see scripture appear outside of church, my initial reaction is happy and draws my attention, then reality kicks in and then I notice the juxtaposition that is pushed out on the other side. Like scripture on a dark screen before a film about priest who kills members of his congregation through exorcisms or a preacher who is an adulterer and so on.

At first as young Christians when we see these words we think “cool, they’re Christians”, then we see something very “unchristian-like” surrounding the situation. I believe this is what causes confusion amongst young Christians and non-Christians.

The constant association with the bible and the things of the wicked. For the babes in Christ who have never been around the word let alone have grown up in the church, whether they believed it or not, are susceptible to the trickery of the wicked. They lure you in with scripture which can make one think that it’s Christian or based on scripture, then they either quickly follow up with something terrifying or gradually build up their “case” and have something wicked happen.

Be careful of the those things that you think aren’t harmful, those things that look Christian but aren’t and those that cause confusion…