Recently in the news we have notice an outbreak of events that have sparked the attention of many people thru the social media networks. We have seen an increase of police abuse and also Pastor’s been caught not walking the talk. One example is Pastor Creflo Dollar which was recently arrested for “punching his daughter in the face”. Now I don’t know what happen to this brother in Christ but I do know that when you loose control of yourself is one thing but standing firm behind it without conviction is something else. I recently posted a blog title What the Bible Says about Talk and to tell you the truth, it really helps to know what is the Lord telling us about keeping it cool in times where we are about to loose control of ourselves. The tongue could get us in so much trouble and usually physical abuse would follow right after unless we control our anger against our children or friends.
In the report of this incident, the minor stated that is not the first time that she gets chocked or punched and this brings me back to a questioning mode about how the devil is working on our weaknesses and making us stumble and with this bringing glory to his evil plans which are to have people question the church of Christ. I need to say that none of us humans beings are perfect and free from sin. We all make mistakes and none are safe from satan’s attacks as it’s explain on this blog title Satan is eager to destroy you we all need to be ready to put the armor of God and stand firm against all the strategies of the evil one. Ephesians 6:10-18
But how much is too much? If a person makes a mistake and later on he ask for forgiveness then we should forgive this person. As it’s explain on this article title Forgiveness is not an option but a command. But if this person stays firm and try to justify to the rest that what he did is okay then this person needs to really be punish as a Pastor many people will follow and believe what he says and God won’t be very please to see that you now are been a vehicle for satan. As Pastor Creflo Dollar wrote on his Facebook page“Good morning Everyone, as a father I love my children and I always have their best interest at heart at all times, and I would never use my hand to ever cause bodily harm to my children. The facts in this case will be handled privately to further protect my children. My family thanks you for your prayers and continued support.” This statement contradicts what it was shown on the local news but should we forgive? Yes absolutely! Is satan involve? Yes all the way. The daughter’s behavior might have been unacceptable and guess who was behind it?
“If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive. Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive.”
Luke 17:1-4 NLT
So how can we handle our kids in a better way that we wouldn’t put ourselves in this situation? As Parents, we are not to provoke our kids. Specially when there is an argument already getting heated. We are to be the greater person and we must bring glory to our God by remembering what the Lord said on the scriptures:
4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.
Ephesians 6:4
New Living Translation (NLT)
As children of our heavenly Father, we must be obedient to our parents. We are to honor them all the time as it is written in the first commandment which also comes with a promise. If you are an obedient child, you will not have your life cut short because the Lord disciplines you for your rebellion, but you’ll live a full long life.
6 Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. 2 “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: 3 If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.”
Ephesians 6
New Living Translation (NLT)
So let’s re-focus and let’s understand what the enemy is trying to do in our lives and our homes. Satan is after our families and will not rest and will rejoice when he destroys Christian families and marriages. Let’s not focus on the news but let’s concentrate on prayer. Let’s not judge but let’s forgive each other as many times as it takes. Let’s move on and accept our mistakes and let’s get on our knees and ask God for forgiveness. Let’s lose the shame and let’s make our petition publicly as much as privately. Whatever it takes as long as we humble ourselves to the higher power of our Lord Jesus Christ.
So what is your stance on this topic? Do you think is okay the way that Pastor Creflo Dollar handle the argument with his daughter? Are you the type of parent that punish their child or do you talk to them and pray when they don’t want to listen?
I was asked today by a dear friend on my Google Plus network if I could explain the meaning of Psalm 23 and what was the reason this is also read on funerals when someone is getting ready to meet the Lord. I have never been to a funeral so I didn’t know what they read but is a beautiful chapter and here is what I would like to share about it.
A Psalm of David.
23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.
Psalm 23
New King James Version (NKJV)
As we see in verse 1 “The Lord is my shepherd,” we must put ourselves as sheep in the care of Jesus Christ our Messiah and savior who is Himself God as we read in John 1:1-3, 14 and Heb. 1:2
1 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He existed in the beginning with God. 3 God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.
John 1:1-3
New Living Translation (NLT)
2 And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe.
Hebrews 1:2
New Living Translation (NLT)
Christ is our shepherd and we are His chosen ones as sheep (John 10, John 21:15-17 and Hebrews 13:20). The shepherd is the provider and protector of his flock. The sheep are helpless without him. Similarly, human existence is but a sinful, carnal experience without God in our lives (John 5:30; Rom. 8:6-11).
How about this phrase “I shall not want,” this is an indication that as sheep in Christ’s care, we won’t lack anything. We should have a full understanding in regards to putting God and God’s way first in our life. (Matthew 6:25-34). See also the blog post “What is the Motive in your Life” which talks about not getting distracted and to focus in God’s plan in everyone’s life, and also the blog post “God Gives Life and a calling in everyone’s life” which talks about seeking God’s will in our life and then follow it.
“He makes me to lie down in green pastures: he leads me beside the still waters.” Both the “green pastures” and “still waters” indicate a blessed abundance, further illustrating the benefits of a God-led life.
Psalm 23:3 begins, “He restores my soul.” We must understand that we are sinners, but also that Christ had redeemed us and would continue to restore us upon repentance. The blog post “Forgiveness is not an option but a command” is a good example showing an understanding of repentance and forgiveness.
“he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake,” indicates that it is Christ’s example that we are to follow, and that is to God’s glory when we obey. Yet is only through the power of the Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ in us, that we are even able to do so (Gal. 2:20; Phil. 4:13). All of our Lord Yahweh’s commandments are righteousness.
172 My tongue shall speak of Your word, For all Your commandments are righteousness.
Psalm 119:172
New King James Version (NKJV)
King David was the one who wrote Psalm 23 and he knew that occasionally the shepherd had to lead his flock through treacherous terrain, and so he writes (as the sheep), “Yes, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff they comfort me.” David had complete trust and confidence in God and His way—He had no fear, even in the “shadow of death.” The rod and staff are the shepherd’s tools, and are used to guide and correct the path of the sheep—much in the same way God has to oftentimes guide, and occasionally correct, our path. This comforted David and should also confort us. Paul indicates in II Timothy 1:7 that this mindset comes only from God: “For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies: You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.” We must understand the promises of blessings and protections even in our hardest times of our lives we must have complete confidence. (Eph. 3:20; Luke 11:9-13; compare though with James 4:1-3).
We should all know that as long as we would follow Christ, “…goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” in the kingdom of God: “and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.” We must dwell in his house as servants, to serve him for ever. If God’s goodness to us be like the morning light, which shines more and more to the perfect day, let not ours to Him be like the morning cloud and the early dew that passeth away.
Personally, I would say that the reason why this is read in funerals is because it remind us of God’s promise and because it comforts the people left behind that God is taking care of the recently deceased as He will also take care of us left behind as we wait upon His return.
In conclusion, the best possible way to put it is that the Lord is our shepherd, and He knows what we need better than we do. God wants us to have what is best for us. As long as we trust in Him as our shepherd, He will lead us to places of safety. He knows how to direct us away from places where we will stumble. Even when we have fallen, He can still rescue us.
Has this message touched you in any way? The love of our Heavenly Father could change hearts even at the last minutes of our lives. Don’t wait until is too late before repenting of your sins and make a better change in your life to walk away from all the earthly pleasures. They give no life but bring sorrows and pain into our life and ultimately they only lead to death. Start the walk and make a change for yourself and your family. Be the leader your family deserves. All you have to do is Surrender and make the decision to follow Christ and be ready to be use in a magnificent way to glorify the name of the Lord.
Now a days, most of us, think that success comes in a big peace into our life. But instead success comes in peaces into our life. Most people don’t have a formula for their problems. You want to get from one place to the other without suffering and expect to have success in your life without picking up the cross.
So what do we do?We pick up the pieces, develop a plan, and put the pieces together. Some might say that they don’t have enough money so they decide to go to school, which is a process that at the end will put you in a different place in your life.
So what to do?When you have a problem, work the pieces. Take it in small pieces and don’t dream of a big solution because that is most likely not going to happen. When you decide to work on your problems and you start to lay down the pieces, the biggest mistake that you could make is to start laying down the wrong pieces. When you are laying down a plan to solve an issue, make sure you don’t get distracted and get thrown off by a person, an issue, a relationship or spiritual warfare.
A person can have a strong passion to do the right thing, has a very clear, holy and righteous motive and then they can meet somebody. As you are laying down the pieces to develop a plan in your life, this distraction could make you get the wrong piece and this will change the course of your life.
We have been focus, we have been doing great, we were clear about the assignment but along the way we get manipulated by this distraction and they introduce a different set of values and priorities in your life.
Maybe you were married or in a relationship and all of a sudden you met this other person and now you’re not sure? Has this happen to you?
When you are succeeding in your plan, you become a target. As your motive is to spread the word of God and preach the gospel, you become more vulnerable. We must stay focus on the plan that we had lay down and stick to it. But as you are bringing glory to our Lord, we might be victims of this distractions.
Now you had a distraction in your life, which cause a change in your plan and now your life changes and often times we tend to focus on what the distraction did to you not on what we allow to happen. In order for you not to fall in this dirty plan from satan to get you off track, keep in mind this simple questions.
Be careful who you allow to override God’s will for your life.
Be careful when you allow someone to get into your life because you feel lonely, or you feel you have no friends. Maybe the lack of attention at home or the experimenting draws you into this distraction.
Some people are not thinking of you but just a moment of glory.
They are not focus on you but themselves, on their needs, on their desires. They don’t care on the plan God have set up for you and the consequences of your distraction will bring into your life.
There is a story on 1 Kings 13 which explains how a young prophet was given a commandment to follow and was given instructions on how to return back home but there was also an old prophet that heard about this young prophet prophesying the word of God to the king Jeroboam so he went and look for him. He lie to the young prophet about how to return back home. He told him that and angel of God has send him there to take him back home. He was not to eat or drink but to go back home in a different route and the young prophet believed him and fail to follow God’s commands. He was then kill as a punishment and the old prophet was not punished.
Is this fair? You are trying your best to fulfill the Lord’s plans and we allow a distraction to alter the plans. We get punish but how about the distraction? Well have you ever been the young prophet in your life and someone has taken advantage of you? Or have you ever been the old prophet and you have used others to your convenience making them stumble along the way?
Well my beloved brothers and sisters, I have been both in my life time. I have allowed distractions to get my focus off God’s plan and also there has been times when I don’t act mature enough to think about the other person’s feelings. We need to understand that there is one goal in this lifetime and is not about you all the time nor to fullfil your dreams and desires. People also have a plan in their life and we must ask ourself “are we the old prophet in their life?”
So what is your story? What have been your distractions in life? Has it been addictions, relationships, trouble forgiving, self focus? Whatever the distraction is you must repent and confess it to the Lord so your sins could be forgiven. Keep in mind that there is only one sin that will lead you to death and that is to not believe in the Son of God Jesus Christ.
Has this message touched you in any way? The love of our Heavenly Father could change hearts. Start the walk and make a change for youself and your family. Be the leader your family deserves. All you have to do is Surrender and make the decision to follow Christ and be ready to be use in a magnificent way to glorify the name of the Lord.
There is nothing greater than a man who has surrendered his life to the power of the Holy Spirit and he becomes an instrument in this world and in this church. When God fulfills a man’s heart and he is content, he can do great things for God. God has given you a family and God has ordained you and God has given you strength and it is through Jesus Christ that we come to know who we are.
So let me pray for all the Fathers that this year would be the best year you ever had as a man, in your thoughts, in your purity and with your family that you have ever experienced.
Prayer: Father, I pray, God, this year more than any other year that You would grant these men, these fathers, great, great hearts of understanding. Lord, as they have grown before You, may they come to an understanding of who You are. I pray that their priorities would begin to change and that, God, You would become so dominant in their life that, Father, their family, their children and their wives would see it. Now, God, begin to use them in a way that they have never been used before. Lord, they are the pillars of the church. They are the pillars of a country. I pray, God, that You would make them men of integrity, men of strength and men of courage. Thank You, God, for their lives and what they mean to us. I pray, God that their families would always, always love them and respect them. In Jesus’ name we pray…Amen! God bless you!
For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
James 1:3 NLT
We Are Perfect and complete
So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
James 1:4 NLT
We Gain Wisdom
If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. James 1:5 NLT
Our Faith is increased
But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.
James 1:6 NLT
But `God made them male and female’ from the beginning of creation. `This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.”
Mark 10:6-9 NLT
Wherever Jesus was, the people flocked after him in crowds, and he taught them. Preaching was Christ’s constant practice. He here shows that the reason why Moses’ law allowed divorce, was such that they ought not to use the permission; it was only for the hardness of their hearts. God himself joined man and wife together; he has fitted them to be comforts and helps for each other. The bond which God has tied, is not to be lightly untied. Let those who are for putting away their wives consider what would become of themselves, if God should deal with them in like manner.
Alex Kendrick is living proof that God can use obedient people to accomplish the seemingly impossible. How can he and the pastors of a small Georgia church produce, direct and market one movie-much less four theatrical released films- that keep impacting the lives of millions of people.
In this I am Second film Alex details the incredible story of how God worked to create and distribute the movies. He also reveals how God was convicting him in many of the same areas as the movie topics. His dilemma-if he could be obedient in making movies for God, could he also be obedient in making changes in his life, too?
God said something to me…it’s like he spoke to me so clearly that I heard him word for word. He said, “Alex would you rather have an easier road with less fruit or a harder road with more fruit.” And I was so stunned at that, I turned to my wife and I said, “ God just asked me a question” And she said, “what?” And I said, “God just asked me a question.” And she said, “well what did you say?” I said, “I do not know. I did not answer.”
As a boy, for years we did not even have a television. Our parents were pretty conservative, loved the Lord and wanted to …you know rightly protect us. We were able to see on occasion a movie, a family friendly movie at the theater. I remember being enamored with these huge stories on screen. The Raiders of the Lost Ark, the Star Wars movies, and somewhere around the age of 9 or 10 I started thinking that I must do this. Most of the stories that I made as a kid with our home video camera were “chase them down beat them up” movies. We had to have action. We had to have humor. We would show them to our family and neighborhood friends and they would laugh with us but the older I got I remember seeing how a good story would impact the audience. That was my wakeup call. That God could say, “ Alex, I can use your desire to do this for my purposes and do more with it than you ever thought possible if you trust me with it.”
I prayed about it. And God gave me this idea for a plot called Flywheel. It was about a used car salesman who would live one way in front of his family and church friends and another way behind the scenes. Men began responding to the story of Flywheel saying, “that’s me” on the screen. “that is me.” Then before we knew it, Blockbuster video had picked it up and put it in their stores nationwide. And I was excited and at the same time I was overwhelmed. Our Pastor Michael then said, “this may be an open door that God has given us. We may need to pray about continuing this avenue for ministry.”
That led us to our second movie Facing the Giants. I had no clue what was coming. God was about to teach us something hard, and yet amazing. We felt a very strong sense that God was saying, “Deal with faith.” Everyone has a giant fear, sense of failure, struggling with inferiority, or some ball and chain in their own life.“
We asked the question – Is God only worthy of being worship when he is doing good to you or is he worthy of being worshiped because he is God? I was excited about this message, and then we go knock on several doors of distributors, hoping that somebody will pick it up and release it theatrically.
No one was interested. They said, “ it’s a nice story.” “not really our cup of tea or something we feel like would work well enough to invest for a theatrical release.” So I was frustrated. And I said, “God I feel like you gave us this theme and this message and you took us down this road. And we have poured our heart and soul into this. We did this for you and now it is sitting on a shelf. No one is interested, why?”
God said to me, “Alex you made a movie that says that God is worth worshiping and serving whether you win or whether you lose. Will you do that with this film?” so we surrendered it to God and I died to a theatrical release.
Soon after that a music company we had asked permission to use a song in the film calls us. And they say to us, “not only can you use the song, but our parent company is interested in releasing your movie theatrically. “ We said, “Who is your parent company?” They said, “Sony.” The one door we had not knocked on. God opened a door we could not have opened. We did not even knock on their door.
Facing the Giants was released in several hundred movie theatres in fall of 2006. It did better than any of us expected. The marketing budget was small and the number of theaters was so far less than any other Hollywood movie, but the response was incredible. People were saying, “this is my giant , that’s my giant.” God had done the same thing in my life and watching him do it in so many other lives was so fulfilling.
As the platform expanded for us to tell these stories, as more theatres jumped on board, more ministries caught hold of what these movies could do for people. For some reason, the path got harder for us.
My time with my wife and my children began to lessen and began to pull on my own identity. Who am I? What am I supposed to be doing here? And it would only get harder from there.
As we continued praying, God impressed on us to make a film about a marriage totally surrendered to him. God gave us this concept for what we called the Love Dare. About a husband who’s marriage was failing and so he wanted out and his wife wanted out and the husband’s dad who had trusted God late in his life came to him and said, “don’t get divorced, yet, I want you to hold off for 40 days, before proceeding and I want you to apply these principles to your life and how you treat your wife for 40 days.”
So we make this movie Fireproof. And my brother, Stephen, and I start praying through, should we write this book The Love Dare for real. As we are working on this book, we find a publisher for it, but before it comes out, issues in my own marriage started to bubble up to the surface.
Some insecurity in my wife and some of her frustration that– because I was pouring so much of myself into something that was good- she felt in many ways neglected- put on the back burner.
I knew she loved me and I knew I loved her, but I was thinking “what is going on here?” I was writing a book and making a movie about how to have a Godly marriage and my own marriage was being stretched and pulled more than it ever had.
And initially that frustrated me. And I remember thinking, “ why can you not be on my team?” so we agreed to go to marital counseling. While we are in counseling this book the Love Dare on how to have a good marriage is being released. It is not that the Love Dare wasn’t true and didn’t work ‘cause they are biblical principles and I ended up doing it in my own marriage. But God stripped me down to the core and reminded me that just because I know truth in my head doesn’t mean that I have it all figured out in my own heart. That I needed him as much as anybody. I had to cling to his grace and his truth as much as I ever had.
After Fireproof we asked “God do you want us to make another film and if so what should it be about.” And after praying God directed us to fatherhood. I do not have to tell you what is going on with men in our culture. They are not stepping up the way they need to step up and I was not stepping up the way I needed to step up. It kind of freaked me out because I was thinking, “God why are you making me live out the movies that we are presenting. You did it in Giants and you did it in Fireproof.” It kind of unnerved me because in some ways I was not so sure I wanted to do another movie.
God kind of has a way of knocking the pride out of you. But he also has a way of using you, so as long he gives me the strength and the grace to tell another story. If He is there with me, I’ll do it.
My prayer is that Courageous grabs men by their throats and reaches into their hearts and sparks them to chase after God. We want to see God rock our culture with men stepping up, so I’ll carry that torch. My brother, Stephen, will carry that torch. If He helps me. And I am counting on it.
My name is Alex Kendrick and I am Second.
Has this message touched you in any way? Make the decision and follow Christ and be ready to be use in a magnificent way to glorify the name of the Lord.
John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, `Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.'”
From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.
John 1:15-18 NLT
John the Baptist came to bear witness concerning Jesus. Nothing more fully shows the darkness of men’s minds, than that when the Light had appeared, there needed a witness to call attention to it. Christ was the true Light; that great Light which deserves to be called so. By his Spirit and grace he enlightens all that are enlightened to salvation; and those that are not enlightened by him, perish in darkness. Christ was in the world when he took our nature upon him, and dwelt among us. The Son of the Highest was here in this lower world. He was in the world, but not of it. He came to save a lost world, because it was a world of his own making. Yet the world knew him not. When he comes as a Judge, the world shall know him. Many say that they are Christ’s own, yet do not receive him, because they will not part with their sins, nor have him to reign over them. All the children of God are born again.
For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.
1 Peter 1:23 NLT
This new birth is through the word of God as the means and by the Spirit of God as the Author. By his Divine presence Christ always was in the world. But now that the fulness of time was come, he was, after another manner, God manifested in the flesh. But observe the beams of his Divine glory, which darted through this veil of flesh. Men discover their weaknesses to those most familiar with them, but it was not so with Christ; those most intimate with him saw most of his glory. Although he was in the form of a servant, as to outward circumstances, yet, in respect of graces, his form was like the Son of God His Divine glory appeared in the holiness of his doctrine, and in his miracles. He was full of grace, fully acceptable to his Father, therefore qualified to plead for us; and full of truth, fully aware of the things he was to reveal.
“Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israels forever; his Kingdom will never end!”
Luke 1:30-33 NLT
We have here an account of the mother of our Lord; though we are not to pray to her, yet we ought to praise God for her. Christ must be born miraculously. The angel’s address means only, Hail, thou that art the especially chosen and favoured of the Most High, to attain the honour Jewish mothers have so long desired. This wondrous salutation and appearance troubled Mary. The angel then assured her that she had found favour with God, and would become the mother of a son whose name she
should call Jesus, the Son of the Highest, one in a nature and perfection with the Lord God. JESUS! the name that refreshes the fainting spirits of humbled sinners; sweet to speak and sweet to hear, Jesus, a Saviour! We know not his riches and our own poverty, therefore we run not to him; we perceive not that we are lost and perishing, therefore a Saviour is a word of little relish. Were we convinced of the huge mass of guilt that lies upon us, and the wrath that hangs over us for it, ready to fall upon us, it would be our continual thought, Is the Saviour mine? And that we might find him so, we should trample on all that hinders our way to him. Mary’s reply to the angel was the language of faith and humble admiration, and she asked no sign for the confirming her faith. Without controversy, great was the mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh,
16 Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith: Christ was revealed in a human body and vindicated by the Spirit. He was seen by angels and announced to the nations. He was believed in throughout the world and taken to heaven in glory.
1 Timothy 3:16
New Living Translation (NLT)
Christ’s human nature must be produced so, as it was fit that should be which was to be taken into union with the Divine nature. And we must, as Mary here, guide our desires by the word of God. In all conflicts, let us remember that with God nothing is impossible; and as we read and hear his promises, let us turn them into prayers, Behold the willing servant of the Lord; let it be unto me according to thy word.
Has this message has touch you in any way? Make the decision and follow Christ and be ready to be use in a magnificent way to glorify the name of the Lord.
Chr1stl1ke 